Chris Thorburn rejoins Winnipeg Jets Alumni Game roster for Heritage Classic

Fan favorite Chris Thorburn is back on the Winnipeg Jets Alumni Game roster for the upcoming Heritage Classic, marking a notable change to the lineup. The Jets released an updated roster on Wednesday, confirming Thorburn's inclusion.

Thorburn was initially named as part of the alumni game but was removed in June. This change occurred when the St. Louis Blues promoted him to their director of player development. His return means the "old GST line" will be reunited, as Tanner Glass and Jim Slater are also set to play.

Thorburn was an original member of the Jets 2.0 era, having arrived with the Atlanta Thrashers. He played six seasons in Winnipeg. Since the June roster update, two other players, forwards Nik Antropov and Drew Stafford, are no longer listed.

The preliminary roster now stands at 20 players, with Michael Hutchinson as the sole goaltender. Notable forwards include Manitoba's Cody Eakin and Eric Fehr, as well as the "Ladd-Little-Wheeler" line featuring Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, and Blake Wheeler. Sam Gagner, Anthony Peluso, Mathieu Perreault, Tim Stapleton, and Paul Stastny will also play forward. On defense, Dustin Byfuglien leads the unit, joined by Grant Clitsome, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Mark Stuart, and Winnipeg's own Derek Meech.

Claude Noel, the first head coach in Jets 2.0 history, will manage the bench. The alumni game against the Montreal Canadiens alumni is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Canada Life Centre, preceding the outdoor game at Princess Auto Stadium the following day.