What Happened to Mark Scheifele? Jets Star Played Just Hours After Tragedy
“It’s tough to put into words what Mark went through today."
Published May 30 2025, 11:20 a.m. ET
Some sports moments stay with us — not for the outcome, but for the emotion behind them. That was the case during Game 6 of the 2025 Western Conference Second Round, when the Winnipeg Jets took the ice at American Airlines Center facing elimination. Turns out, one of the team’s top forwards, Mark Scheifele, almost wasn’t there.
So, what happened to Mark Scheifele that night? Just hours before the puck drop, Mark was informed that his father had passed away. It was the kind of news that halts everything — and no one would have questioned him for stepping away. Surprisingly, he stayed and decided to hit the ice. In one of the most emotionally charged games of his career, he scored Winnipeg’s first goal of the night.
What happened to Mark Scheifele resulted in one of the most emotional games of the season.
Let’s be honest — most players in Mark’s position wouldn’t have played. Not that night. Not after news like that. The Jets were facing elimination, and the game was do-or-die. But for Mark? It was never even a question.
"Mark will be playing tonight. As he said, that'd be the wishes of his dad. He would have wanted him to play," head coach Scott Arniel announced, per ESPN.
Early in the second period, Mark scored — not just any goal, but the one that pulled Winnipeg back into the fight. It was the kind of moment that gives you chills.
The head coach and his entire team agreed that his father would have been so proud of him. You could hear the emotion behind the supportive words of his teammates. Because this wasn’t just about hockey anymore. It was something deeper.
A late penalty left Mark watching from the box in overtime.
Here’s the part that stings. With just 15 seconds left in regulation — yeah, you read that right — Mark got called for tripping. A penalty. In that moment, it felt cruel. Like the hockey gods just looked away for a second too long.
The Jets killed the clock to force overtime, but the penalty carried over. And on that power play? Dallas scored. Season over. Just like that.
Captain Adam Lowry said what a lot of us were thinking, per NHL.com: “It’s tough to put into words what Mark went through today … and it ends the way it does. Just emotional, heavy.”
Fans honored Mark’s courage with donations and messages of support
Turns out, NHL fans were incredibly moved by Mark’s courage. So, they showed up in a big way. According to SportsNet, hockey fans poured just shy of $50,000 into the True North Youth Foundation just days after the game. Many fans opted to donate $55 — a nod to Mark’s jersey number, in honor of his late father.
Social media was full of messages. From Jets fans, from NHL fans, even from rival teams. It didn’t matter what jersey you wore — people just wanted Mark to know they were with him.
His teammate Neal Pionk may have put it best when he noted it was “one of the most courageous things I’ve ever seen.”
Mark’s character outshined the outcome of the game.
Sure, Winnipeg lost. The Jets were knocked out 2–1 in overtime. That’s what the box score says. The final score, however, isn’t what people are talking about. They are talking about Mark. They are talking about the way he showed up. The way he gave everything he had on what might have been the hardest day of his life. He didn’t have to play. But he did. For his dad. For his team. Most importantly, for himself.