MARK
AS TOLD TO SCOTT TAYLOR Photos by Jonathan Kozub / Winnipeg Jets, James Carey Lauder, Jeff Miller, hockeycanada. com, Laurie Guild / Kitchener Dutchmen, Bruce Fedyck
INTERVIEW
Love for Community
Every day from August to( hopefully) June, Winnipeg homeowner Mark Scheifele gets out of bed, grabs a coffee near his condo in Osborne Village and heads to Bell MTS Place to go to work for the local professional hockey team.
Born and raised in Kitchener, Ont., he didn’ t“ get serious about hockey,” until he went off to play junior for Dale Hawerchuk and the OHL’ s Barrie Colts. Tall and skinny back then, he was a surprise first round selection by the Jets. He was also the first selection ever made by Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. The hockey mavens in Winnipeg wondered aloud what Chevy was doing when Sean Couturier, Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Brodin were still available.
But the skinny kid filled out and when he joined the Jets full-time in 2013, he was ready to be an NHL star. During the 2016-17 season, he had 32 goals and 82 points in 79 games and was seventh in scoring in the NHL. Scheifele is now one of the finest hockey players in the world.
Of course, the world knows him. The almost-25-year-old, has represented Canada on the world stage no fewer than six times – once at the World U-18 Championship, twice at the World Junior Championship and three times at the World Senior Championship. He also played for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup.
Like so many members of the Jets, he’ s fallen in love with his adopted hometown. More importantly, he gives back. He’ s involved with Hockey Fights Cancer, he’ s first in line to visit the Children’ s Hospital and he’ s a Sport Ambassador for KidSport Winnipeg.
Game On Magazine’ s Scott Taylor sat down with Scheifele in February to talk about the development of his hockey career, his love of Winnipeg and his commitment to those in the community who have a little bit less than the rest of us.
MARK
SCHEIFELE
HEIGHT / 6’ 3
WEIGHT / 207 AGE / 25
BORN / MARCH 15 1993 POSITION / C SHOOTS RIGHT
PLAYOFF EDITION 2018 | GAME ON | 71