The Winnipeg Jets may not be competing for the Stanley Cup, but Manitoba hockey is still very much alive and well on the sport’s biggest stage. In fact, it has been nearly impossible to ignore. With the Stanley Cup Final officially trimmed down to a best-of-three series, Manitoba-born talent has been front and centre. From Winnipeg’s Seth Jarvis leading the way for Carolina to Brett Howden, Mark Stone and Keegan Kolesar playing key roles for Vegas, the province’s fingerprints are everywhere. Photo by Stephen Sylvanie/USA Today [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ccccb169-710a-41e0-b925-e7c0acd1c9df.jpeg] Photo by Stephen Sylvanie/USA Today And that is before mentioning one of Winnipeg’s most familiar faces. Former Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers has also played a major role in the championship series, giving local hockey fans yet another reason to pay close attention. Across the two remaining rosters, Manitoba has emerged as one of the most represented hockey regions in the world. Among Canadian provinces, only Ontario has produced more players in this year’s Stanley Cup Final. For a province of fewer than 1.5 million people, the numbers are staggering. While traditional hockey hotbeds such as Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta regularly fill NHL rosters, Manitoba’s presence in this year’s Final stands out. Four Manitoba-raised players are involved in the championship series, while seven players across the two rosters have significant ties to the province’s hockey landscape. Winnipeg’s Seth Jarvis, Oakbank’s Brett Howden, Winnipeg-born Mark Stone and Brandon’s Keegan Kolesar make up the core Manitoba contingent. Jordan Martinook was also born in Brandon before moving to Saskatchewan at a young age. While former Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers spent the first decade of his NHL career in Winnipeg and Vegas forward Cole Smith developed in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Steinbach Pistons. For Jets fans, Ehlers remains the most familiar storyline. Drafted ninth overall by Winnipeg in 2014, the Danish winger spent 10 seasons in Manitoba, becoming one of the most productive players in Jets 2.0 history. During that span, he recorded 225 goals and 520 points across 674 regular season games. His departure from Winnipeg was never about a lack of talent. Ehlers consistently produced when healthy and remained one of the NHL’s most dangerous players off the rush. His combination of speed, creativity and transition ability made him a fan favourite throughout his decade with the organization. Now, in his first season away from the team that drafted him, Ehlers has taken his game to the sport’s biggest stage. His offensive ability has added another dangerous dimension to Carolina’s attack, while also leaving some Jets fans wondering what could have been. But 'Fly' is not the only Carolina player with strong Manitoba ties making an impact this spring. Winnipeg’s Seth Jarvis continues to prove he is one of the NHL’s brightest young stars. Selected 13th overall in 2020, Jarvis has quickly developed into one of Carolina’s most important forwards. His combination of skill, energy and competitiveness has made him a fixture of the Hurricanes’ core. A product of the Assiniboine Park Rangers' minor hockey program before starring with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, Jarvis represents the very best of the newest generation of Manitoba talent thriving at the NHL level. On the other side, Oakbank’s Brett Howden has delivered the best postseason of his career. Long valued for his versatility, skating and defensive reliability, Howden has added another layer to his game this spring: finishing. The former first-round pick recently made Golden Knights history, setting the franchise record for goals in a single postseason (14) and passing Jonathan Marchessault’s previous mark. It has been a remarkable playoff breakout for a player who has transformed himself from a highly touted offensive prospect into a trusted, complete NHL forward. And much like that of Jarvis, he is not the only player on Vegas that Manitobans would remember. Winnipeg’s Mark Stone, who starred with the Brandon Wheat Kings, continues to be one of the NHL’s premier playoff performers. The Golden Knights captain remains among hockey’s smartest two-way forwards. Already a Stanley Cup champion, Stone’s ability to elevate his game when the stakes are highest has once again been on display. Alongside him is Brandon’s Keegan Kolesar, whose physicality, forechecking and willingness to embrace difficult minutes have made him another important piece of Vegas’ identity. Kolesar’s value has never been measured solely through offensive production. Instead, his ability to play a heavy postseason style has helped him become the type of player championship teams rely on. From stars to role players, Manitoba’s impact stretches throughout both lineups. The storylines are plentiful: A former Jet chasing his first championship. A young Winnipeg star continuing his rise. A Golden Knights captain. A record-setting playoff scorer. An MJHL alumnus continuing his unlikely climb. The Stanley Cup Final may not include the Winnipeg Jets, but Manitoba hockey remains impossible to miss. No matter who lifts the Cup, the province will have left its mark.
