Beginning the season without their captain and top defender, the Winnipeg Jets fell behind big and almost mounted a huge comeback in their opener Thursday night against the Dallas Stars.

But they were unable to overcome a four-goal deficit, falling 5-4 to snap a run of seven straight season-opening wins.

The night began with the unveiling of the Central Division and President’s Trophy banners from last season, plus the introduction of the 2025-26 team.

The crowd cheered hard for every player but nobody got a bigger reaction than Jonathan Toews. As the Winnipegger emerged from the tunnel, the building roared and gave him an ovation that lasted nearly a minute.

The good opening night vibes were soured when Dallas opened the scoring just 3:15 into the game.

Sam Steel held the puck along

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