Winnipeg Jets make 3 changes to Alumni Game roster for Heritage Classic

Fan favourite Chris Thorburn is back on the Winnipeg Jets Alumni Game roster for the upcoming Heritage Classic.

The Jets released an updated roster for the Alumni Game on Wednesday, and it now includes Thorburn again. He was one of the initial players named for the game but was removed from the roster in June, with the St. Louis Blues promoting Thorburn to their director of player development.

That means the old GST line will be fully reunited with Tanner Glass and Jim Slater also set to play.

Thorburn came over with the Atlanta Thrashers as one of the original members of the Jets 2.0 and played six seasons in Winnipeg.

There’s been two other changes since the June roster update with both forwards Nik Antropov and Drew Stafford no longer listed on the Jets roster.

Twenty players are now on the preliminary roster with Michael Hutchinson the lone goalie. Manitoba’s Cody Eakin and Eric Fehr are on forward along with the old Ladd-Little-Wheeler line with Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler all committed. Sam Gagner, Anthony Peluso, Mathieu Perreault, Tim Stapleton, and Paul Stastny will also play on forward.

Dustin Byfuglien leads the way on the blueline with Grant Clitsome, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Mark Stuart, and Winnipeg’s Derek Meech to also take part.

The first head coach in Jets 2.0 history Claude Noel will run the bench.

The game against the Montreal Canadiens alumni is set for Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Canada Life Centre, a day ahead of the outdoor game at Princess Auto Stadium.