Mario Ferraro will step onto the rink at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday for the first outdoor NHL game of his career, carrying both a family moment and a pivotal Winnipeg Jets matchup into the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
First outdoor game for Ferraro
The Jets defenseman will face the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET, with the game airing on SN, TVAS, TNT, truTV and HBO MAX. Ferraro said the chance to play outside is one he does not take lightly.
“It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ferraro said. “I’m really excited to be involved in it for the first time.”
- Ferraro has never appeared in an organized outdoor hockey game.
- His previous outdoor hockey experience was limited to casual shinny and pond games while growing up in King City, Ontario.
- He has spent the past seven years in California, where outdoor pickup hockey is not part of the winter routine.
- His wife, McKenna, daughter Solenne, sister and niece are expected to join him for Saturday’s family skate and practice session.
Solenne turned 1 in August, and Ferraro said sharing the weekend with his young family gives the event another layer of meaning. Friends and relatives will also be in Winnipeg for the occasion.
A fan’s memory becomes a player’s moment
Ferraro knows the outdoor-game atmosphere from the stands. While playing junior hockey for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, he attended the 2017 Winter Classic at Busch Stadium, where the St. Louis Blues met the Chicago Blackhawks.
He went with his billet family, the Barfels, who remain part of his life. Ferraro recalled a bitterly cold, snowy day in St. Louis, with fans heavily bundled up as they watched in the large ballpark setting.
Winnipeg’s forecast appeared far milder in the lead-up to Sunday, but Ferraro expects the stadium setting to deliver the same kind of charge he felt as a spectator.
“The atmosphere was electric,” he said of the St. Louis game. “We play in front of big NHL crowds, but a stadium gives more people room to be part of it. To finally play in one is special.”
Princess Auto Stadium will not be entirely new territory for Ferraro. He attended an AC/DC concert there early in the summer, though he has yet to take in a Winnipeg Blue Bombers game. He is eager to see the football venue transformed with an NHL rink at its center.
Jets need points before demanding stretch
The Heritage Classic is more than a showcase for Winnipeg. Ferraro called the Canadiens game important as the Jets try to steady themselves after several close losses.
Winnipeg opened the season well before running into a difficult run of three or four one-goal games. Ferraro said the club can still draw positives from those tight contests, but it must begin converting them into standings points to remain in the playoff chase.
- Sunday: Montreal Canadiens at Winnipeg Jets, Heritage Classic.
- Tuesday: Florida Panthers visit Winnipeg.
- Upcoming road swing: Winnipeg travels to face Florida and Carolina.
Ferraro sees the outdoor game as a chance to regain the rhythm the Jets had during their first few outings of the season before the schedule stiffens.
New faces arrive after Hellebuyck trade
The weekend also follows a major change in Winnipeg’s crease. The Jets traded goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, receiving forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command and two draft picks in return.
Ferraro said he is looking forward to meeting the incoming players and believes the additions bring skill, experience and edge to the roster.
Mercer is a familiar opponent for Ferraro, who faced him regularly during his time with the San Jose Sharks. Ferraro pointed to Mercer’s NHL success and hopes the forward can bring that production to Winnipeg as the club pushes through a crucial portion of its schedule.
For Ferraro, Sunday offers a rare blend: an outdoor debut, a family gathering, new teammates arriving and two points on the line against Montreal.
