Rad tunes and fashion decisions

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This article was published 10/10/2025 (211 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As Morgan Barron prepared for Thursday’s Winnipeg Jets season opener, a surprising thought crossed his mind.

“What should I wear?”

In the past, that decision was simple: suit and tie, no questions asked. It was the National Hockey League way — a long-standing dress code that left little room for interpretation.

But thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement struck this summer between the league and the union, players now have far more creative freedom when it comes to game-day attire.

Barron decided to go the more casual route, showing up in a dark long-sleeve sweater tucked into beige khakis. The 26-year-old Nova Scotia native could’ve been heading to the rink, a movie or a night out with friends.

“It’s almost easier when you wake up from your nap to just throw a suit on and not think about it.”

“I don’t know, I’m not the most fashionable guy in the world,” Barron told the Free Press with a laugh. “I actually had a tough time with it. It’s almost easier when you wake up from your nap to just throw a suit on and not think about it.”

Barron wasn’t the only Jet to ditch the formal wear. Mark Scheifele looked ready for the golf course in a white polo and blue chinos, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck sported a plain shirt under a jacket that wouldn’t have looked out of place on one of his frequent fishing trips.

“It was kind of all over the place,” Barron admitted of his teammates’ wardrobe choices. “For me, I just looked through my closet and tried to throw something together that looked nice. I was kind of indifferent about the change, but I guess it’s nice to be comfortable.”

Barron’s game looked plenty sharp — he scored a highlight-reel shorthanded goal in an eventual 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars. And there was nothing sloppy about Scheifele, who picked up assists on all three of Kyle Connor’s tallies.

Connor went with something in between casual and formal, keeping the jacket and dress pants but ditching the tie — a look veteran defenceman Luke Schenn, now in his 18th NHL season, also opted for.

“I’m not really sure what to think, honestly. Part of me likes the tradition of the suit. All the guys that played before us wore one,” said Schenn. “I guess as long as guys are dressing respectful — this is the best league in the world and we’re professionals.”

Schenn figures teams will eventually develop their own internal standards. He pointed out that the St. Louis Blues — where his brother Brayden serves as captain — are sticking with suits for all home games.

“In here, we haven’t really talked about it at all yet,” he said. “I always remember growing up and watching Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry, and he’d always be talking about how good this guy looks in his nice suit.”

So what would Grapes think of the new relaxed dress code?

“He’d be disgusted,” Schenn said with a grin.

“Not that I’m one to judge on fashion. I mean, I’m from Saskatchewan, which pretty much sums it up.”

Both Schenn and Barron agree the biggest benefit will come on the road.

“I think it’ll be nice not to have to dress up as much when we travel. That can kind of be a pain in the butt,” Barron said. “I also think it gives guys a chance to express themselves a bit more, especially the ones who actually have good fashion sense.”

Schenn agrees — to a point.

“There are some good looks you can put together without a suit,” he said. “Some guys, though, are just pure lazy. Not that I’m one to judge on fashion. I mean, I’m from Saskatchewan, which pretty much sums it up.”

 

Music to your ears

Let’s shift gears from fashion to music, because Rev Theory’s Hell Yeah might just become the unofficial anthem at the downtown rink this season.

It’s the official goal song of Connor, who looks ready to chase his career high of 47 goals. Every player on the roster has picked a personal tune that blasts every time they light the lamp.

And yes, for some reason, that includes both goaltenders.

Here’s the 2025-26 playlist:

• G Eric Comrie: Sweet Caroline — Neil Diamond
• D Dylan DeMelo: Thunderstruck — AC/DC
• D Neal Pionk: Renegade — Styx
• D Luke Schenn: No L’s — Forrest Frank
• D Colin Miller: We Like To Party — Vengaboys
• F Vlad Namestnikov: Danza Kuduro — Don Omar featuring Lucenzo
• F Alex Iafallo: Go For A Soda — Kim Mitchell
• F Gabe Vilardi: Macarena — Los Del Rio
• F Gustav Nyquist: Waterloo — ABBA
• F Adam Lowry: Espresso — Sabrina Carpenter
• F Jonathan Toews: Money For Nothing — Dire Straits
• D Haydn Fleury: It’s My Life — Bon Jovi
• F Parker Ford: Your Love — The Outfield
• F Morgan Barron: Fly Away — Lenny Kravitz
• G Connor Hellebuyck: Same Old Song — Riley Green
• D Josh Morrissey: Magic In The Air — Magic System featuring Chawki
• F Cole Koepke: Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) — Backstreet Boys
• D Dylan Samberg: Let’s Go Crazy — Prince and The Revolution
• F Mark Scheifele: Shoot To Thrill — AC/DC
• F Nino Niederreiter: Disco Inferno — Syzz & Nora Van Elken
• D Logan Stanley: You Shook Me All Night Long — AC/DC
• F Tanner Pearson: Golden — Huntr/x
• F Kyle Connor: Hell Yeah — Rev Theory
• F Nikita Chibrikov: Rock You Like A Hurricane — Scorpions
• F Cole Perfetti: Jump Around — House of Pain
• F Brad Lambert: Brown Eyed Girl — Van Morrison

 

Welcome back

Former Manitoba Moose sniper Jeff Malott is set to face the Jets for the second time when the Kings visit on Saturday afternoon.

Malott, who spent parts of four seasons with the Moose and made his NHL debut with the Jets against the Chicago Blackhawks in March of 2022, secured a spot on the Kings opening-day roster this fall.

“He’s a great friend, one of those people who I’ll always kind of cheer for, though (Saturday) maybe is the exception,” said Barron, who played on a line with Malott during their NCAA careers with the Cornell Big Red.

“It’s great to see him have the success he’s having. And obviously it’s been a long road and he’s done it, done it the hard way. So, I’m really proud of him and excited to kind of get the opportunity to be out there with him again.”

Malott signed a two-way deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Kings in July of 2024 and has since appeared in 15 NHL games. He suited up in the first two games this season and notched his first NHL goal on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

“It was great,” said Barron, when asked about Malott’s milestone moment. “It wasn’t as good as his first real one when that got called back there against Edmonton (last April). But yeah, just a smile lights up for me when I see him kind of score that goal, and it seems like he’s carving out a good place in that lineup. So happy for him.”

Malott — whose brother Mike is a UFC fighter — also caught the attention of the Colorado Avalanche earlier this week for his takedown of Josh Manson after a spirited tilt with the bruising defenceman.

 

The transition

When the Dallas Stars replaced Pete DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan, they had a pretty good idea of what they were getting, but there’s no doubt he’s grown a great deal since getting his first NHL head coaching start with the organization from 2011 to 2013.

Gulutzan, who was born in The Pas but raised in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, spent the previous seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers after two seasons as the bench boss of the Calgary Flames and three as an assistant with the Vancouver Canucks.

“Fourteen years adds up. Like any other business, any other thing you’re involved in experience helps you” said Gulutzan, who advanced to consecutive Stanley Cup finals with the Oilers. “It scars you up a little bit and gives you experience to deal with all situations that come up.”

Gulutzan, 54, has made a positive impression on a Stars team that advanced to the Western Conference final in each of the past three seasons and figures to be a Stanley Cup contender again this season.

“He came in not trying to re-invent the wheel because we’ve had such a good team and have had so much success. He’s been awesome,” said Stars forward Matt Duchene. “It’s been a little bit different systematically on some things and we’re all still getting to know each other. But so far, it’s been great. Everyone has enjoyed his presence and what he’s brought.”

 

The soft landing

Former Jets forward Jack Roslovic has found himself an excellent landing spot with the Edmonton Oilers.

Although Roslovic probably regrets the multi-year deal with the Oilers he turned down in the summer, joining an Oilers team with Stanley Cup aspirations should provide him with a great opportunity to showcase his skillset on this one-year pact worth US$1.5 million.

For an Oilers team looking to infuse some youth, Roslovic will bring some speed and is expected to deliver some secondary scoring.

He’s battled issues with consistency over the years, but he still had 22 goals and 39 points with the Carolina Hurricanes last season — and those numbers could improve if he sees some time skating alongside the likes of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

Roslovic, 28, was chosen 25th overall by the Jets in the 2015 NHL draft after Connor went 17th.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld