On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets will try to tap into the football crowd by hosting their Hockey Fights Cancer game in an afternoon matinee against the Minnesota Wild. The matchup should bring plenty of excitement, as it features two divisional rivals trending in the right direction. 

Hockey Fights Cancer 💜

🎟️ https://t.co/kVMjUvSyPcpic.twitter.com/Y0oLFmJNK9

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) November 23, 2025

Minnesota enters the game red hot after winning four straight and going 8-1-1 since the start of November. The challenge increases on the road, where they will face a Jets team that has begun to steady itself with three wins in its last five. One of the losses came with Connor Hellebuyck unavailable, forcing Eric Comrie to step in on short rest. Winnipeg will look to rebound, possibly with help from a rookie goaltender.

Lineup Storylines

Sunday could feature an NHL first for the Jets, who recalled surging AHL goalie Thomas Milic to back up while Hellebuyck recovers from a minor arthroscopic knee procedure. Comrie has started the last two games, and although he led line rushes at Saturday’s practice, it would still be surprising to see him get a third straight start.

The possibility of Milic making his NHL debut adds an intriguing storyline. He has been outstanding with the Manitoba Moose this season, recording a 5-2-2 mark with one shutout and a .921 save percentage through nine games. He arrives on a four-game winning streak with a 2.14 goals-against average, and his overall AHL record of 29-23-8 with a 2.88 GAA has made him one of the league’s most underrated young goalies.

Winnipeg is also expected to make subtle adjustments to the lineup. Captain Adam Lowry is projected to move up to the second line, separating him from his usual partner Nino Niederreiter. Veteran center Jonathan Toews will shift to the third line while the wingers on both lines remain the same. Cole Perfetti is set to skate with Lowry in an unusual combination, and Toews will reunite with Gustav Nyquist after the pair opened the season together. Depth forward Alex Iafallo will take Nyquist’s place on the fourth line. The final defense pairing remains uncertain as the team decides between Luke Schenn and Colin Miller. 

The tweaks come at a time when several players have hit rough patches with Toews going four straight games without a point, Tanner Pearson appears to be coming out of the lineup after a 13-game drought, and Nyquist, who registered an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Columbus, is still searching for his first goal of the season while currently on his worst scoring drought to start a season in his career. 

Minnesota counters with its own momentum, led by star forwards in Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. The two are not skating together at even strength, with Kaprizov on the top line beside Mats Zuccarello and Boldy on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek, however, they do share time on the power play, where they have combined for four goals in their last ten games. They have also combined for eight goals at even strength during that stretch. Their balanced scoring threat will pose a significant challenge that Winnipeg’s defense will need to be ready for.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Eric Comrie (Season: 4-2-0 record, 2.84 GAA, .899 SV% | VS MIN: 0-1-0 record, 4.95 GAA, .846 in two games) 

Minnesota: Jesper Wallstedt (Season: 5-0-2 record, 2.20 GAA, .926 SV% | VS WPG: 0-1-0 record, 5.02 GAA, .792 SV% in one start)

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Apr 16, 2010; Chicago, IL, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) battles for the puck as he is hit between Chicago Blackhawks right wing Tomas Kopecky (left) and defenseman Jordan Hendry (right) during the first period of game one in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

It’s easy for fans of any sport to idolize athletes or put them on a pedestal. After all, they do things most “average” people cannot, right?

Perhaps, but there eventually comes a sobering reality: athletes are human, too.

When former Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo first undertook the task of putting together a documentary based on his life and playing career, that was the one point he wanted to get across: there’s a human side to everyone, even hockey players.

Tootoo, who spent eight of his 13 NHL seasons with the Predators, hosted a screening of his documentary, simply titled “Tootoo”, prior to the Preds’ game against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Along with the goals, the reckless abandon with which he played the game and the Tootoo train whistles that turned up in the stands each time he scored a goal or made a physical impact, there was another, darker side to Tootoo, the first Inuk player in NHL history.

Tootoo was fighting another battle many fans couldn’t see: alcoholism.

It was only when Tootoo had a meeting with then-general manager David Poile and Barry Trotz, then head coach and now the Preds’ GM in 2010, that Tootoo changed his life.

“My documentary isn’t just a hockey documentary,” Tootoo told reporters on Friday at Bridgestone Arena. “This is to hopefully inspire more people to speak up and speak the truth and hopefully inspire them to make changes in their lives.”

Tootoo made his debut with the Predators in the 2003-04 season, after the club selected him in the fourth round of the 2001 NHL Draft. He quickly became a fan favorite for his seemingly fearless, physical style of play.

The documentary is a brutally honest look inside Tootoo’s life, on and off the ice. It covers moving away from his hometown of Churchill, Manitoba, to being drafted by the Predators, his struggle with alcoholism and the loss of his brother to suicide.

Tootoo and his family share his journey to sobriety and how his resilience continues to impact the lives of others who may be fighting similar battles.

“Especially in the Indigenous communities, we’ve been silent for too long,” Tootoo said Friday. “Hopefully, this will open up those doors and those avenues for more men especially to be comfortable with not being OK, articulating their thoughts and putting them to words. Even as hockey players, we tend to hold a lot in and we release it out on the ice. For me, I needed the game to release that anger.”

The Preds honored Tootoo back in 2019, nearly 10 years after his meeting with Poile and Trotz. On Friday, he signed his puck on the Wall at Bridgestone Arena. On Saturday, he held a meet-and-greet with Smashville Loyal members and addressed fans prior to the screening.

Tootoo often looks back and reminisces on his hockey career, the first eight seasons of which he spent in Nashville. He feels honored to be welcomed back to Nashville, and hopes those who see the documentary will gain a greater appreciation for what a professional athlete goes through.

“We all fight a fight no one knows about,” he said. “A lot of people look at professional athletes especially, and have the mindset of, ‘how bad can their life be’?... At the same time, we’re human too, we’re not ironmen. Hopefully, when people watch the doc, they’ll have a better understanding and have a little more compassion.”

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov is officially a trade candidate to watch in the NHL.

Mintyukov would like to be traded by the Ducks "if he’s not going to play," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. This comes after the young blueliner was healthy scratched in back-to-back games. 

If the Ducks were to shop Mintyukov, there is no question that he would generate interest. The 2022 10th-overall pick has plenty of potential, and he would be a nice addition for a team looking to improve its blueline. 

Due to this, let's look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Mintyukov.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Canadiens Shopping For Help, Ducks' Mintyukov Could Seek A TradeHaving cooled off from their hot start, the Canadiens could be seeking help in the trade market. Meanwhile, promising D-man Pavel Mintyukov's future with the Ducks is in question.

Detroit Red Wings 

The Detroit Red Wings could be an excellent landing spot for a young blueliner like Mintyukov. The Original Six club is finally taking that next step and is a legitimate threat for a playoff spot right now, evidenced by their 13-8-1 record, and leads the Atlantic Division. 

Yet, it is clear that one of the Red Wings' biggest needs right now is a top-four left-shot defenseman. With Mintyukov having the potential to become just that, it would make sense if the Red Wings made a push for the young defenseman. 

Philadelphia Flyers 

The Philadelphia Flyers and Ducks have had their fair share of trades with each other in recent years. Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, to name a couple. Could they make another trade, this time centering around Mintyukov? It would make sense for the Flyers to pursue him. 

When examining the Flyers' current roster, it is apparent that they require assistance on the left side of their defence. With Rasmus Ristolainen out, Travis Sanheim currently plays on the right side. Down the left is Cam York, Nick Seeler and Emil Andrae.

Due to this, Mintyukov stands out as a prime potential target for them. This is especially so when noting that the 21-year-old Mintyukov is young enough that he could fit perfectly into Philadelphia's rebuild. 

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Owen Tippett Speculation, And The Latest On The Senators After a hot start to the season, Owen Tippett's production has cooled, prompting speculation that his time with the Flyers could be numbered, plus a look at what Senators GM Steve Staios could be seeking in the trade market.

Winnipeg Jets 

On Nov. 20, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Winnipeg Jets have granted forward Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade elsewhere. The 2022 first-round pick could be a promising young player for a team on the rise, like the Ducks, to add to their system.

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

The Jets, on the other hand, could use another impactful left-shot defenseman on their roster. If they brought in Mintyukov, he would at least provide them with an upgrade to their bottom pairing. However, he also could compete for top-four minutes if he took that next step with Winnipeg. 

Could the Ducks and Jets swap their disgruntled former first-round picks?

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.