Winnipeg sports news: Josh Morrissey is still in a yellow non contact jersey at Tuesday morning skate in Montreal, while Dawson Mercer is back on the ice after missing Monday practice, and the Winnipeg Jets head into tonight’s road trip finale against the Montreal Canadiens still chasing an end to a nine game losing streak.
By Maplestime Sports Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 3, 2026
Sources: Illegal Curve Hockey, NHL.com | Last updated: November 3, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Josh Morrissey remains in a yellow non contact jersey at Tuesday morning skate, so his return for tonight is not confirmed.
- Dawson Mercer took part in the morning skate after missing Monday practice, a positive sign after he was nicked up in the loss to Carolina.
- Tuesday skate was optional, with Stuart Skinner, Adam Lowry, Dylan DeMelo and Luke Ferraro not taking part, per Illegal Curve Hockey.
- Montreal confirmed Jacob Fowler will start in goal for the Canadiens.
- Puck drop is 7 PM CDT at Bell Centre in Montreal, the finale of a four game Winnipeg road trip.
Morning Skate News
The skate news, reported by Illegal Curve Hockey from Mitchell Clinton, is the clearest update yet on two Jets whose status shaped Monday. Morrissey stayed in yellow and non contact. Mercer, who was absent Monday, was a participant Tuesday.
That matters because Monday practice had already set the question for today. The Jets official gameday report said Mercer was not ruled out for the road trip finale, and that morning skate would be the best indication of his availability. Tuesday skate gave that indication, even if the final lineup call still sits with head coach Scott Arniel. Player and coach media availability was still to follow at the time of the pre game report.
Projected Jets Lines
Illegal Curve Hockey lists the projected Jets lines and pairs from the morning skate as follows.
- Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi
- Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Alex Iafallo
- Nino Niederreiter, Morgan Barron, Jacob Bjorck
- Cole Koepke, Brad Lambert, Calle Rosen
- Dylan Samberg, Neal Pionk
- Luke Ferraro, Elias Salomonsson
- Haydn Fleury, Dylan DeMelo
- Stuart Skinner in goal
These are projections from the skate report, not a confirmed official lineup. With an optional skate and several regulars not taking part, Arniel’s media update remains the final word.
What Montreal Brings Tonight
Montreal enters at 9-3-2 on a five game winning streak, while Winnipeg enters at 4-8-3. The Canadiens have won five straight, are the NHL’s best team at protecting a lead, and have top centre Nick Suzuki back in the lineup, according to Illegal Curve Hockey.
The Canadiens projected lines are Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky; Chris Kreider, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson; Zachary Bolduc, Phillip Danault and Alexander Texier; Florian Xhekaj, Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen or Owen Beck; Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson; Kaiden Guhle and Alexandre Carrier; Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom; with Jacob Fowler in goal.
Montreal confirmed Tuesday morning that Fowler will start. The Canadiens also debut their new Hometown Remix uniforms tonight, the first of 10 games in the new look, according to the Montreal Canadiens official gameday page.
Why Tonight Matters For Winnipeg
Winnipeg has lost the first three games of this four game road trip, and the six games before that, for nine straight losses at 0-7-2. The Jets have been outscored 37-16 during the slide, with a power play gone ice cold and a penalty kill that keeps giving up goals at the wrong time.
The Jets official gameday report adds one more early game warning: Winnipeg has given up the first goal in six straight games. Against a confident Montreal team at Bell Centre, a fast start is not a nice to have. It is the thing Arniel has been asking for, shift by shift, for a full 60 minutes.
There is a recent blueprint to point to. Montreal beat Winnipeg 2-1 in Winnipeg on October 25 in the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic rematch setup, a one goal loss among five one goal losses in this skid. Cole Perfetti said Winnipeg played really well in that game and should take that game plan into Tuesday. The result still went the other way, and that is why tonight is not about moral victories. It is about stopping a tenth straight loss before the flight home.
Maplestime will provide updates from Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens as announcements are made tonight.
Have a tip about the Jets? Email [email protected]
Have a correction? Email [email protected]
Do you think Morrissey should sit one more game, or is tonight the night Winnipeg finally snaps this skid? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Jets fan following the road trip finale tonight.
Enjoying Maplestime? Support independent Canadian journalism — no paywall, no corporate owners.
