Mark Scheifele Out for Jets in Game 6 Against Blues

Winnipeg Jets star center Mark Scheifele will miss both Game 6 and the decisive Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues due to an undisclosed injury sustained after a series of hard hits during Game 5, notably from Brayden Schenn and Radek Faksa. The injury has sparked debate between the teams' head coaches about which hit was responsible, with St. Louis's Jim Montgomery attributing it to Faksa's hit and Winnipeg's Scott Arniel insisting Schenn's hit was the cause. Scheifele's absence is a significant blow for the Jets, who relied on his strong offensive performance throughout the season. Despite his loss, Coach Arniel expressed confidence in the team's ability to adapt using their 'next-man-up' mentality, noting the recent returns of key players like Gabriel Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Jets, who finished the regular season with the league's best record, now face heightened pressure as their lineup is reshuffled for the critical playoff games. The situation underscores the physical intensity of the series and the impact of injuries on postseason aspirations.