Mark Scheifele Bio
Mark Scheifele is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who serves as centre and alternate captain for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on March 15, 1993, in Kitchener, Ontario, he was selected seventh overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2011 NHL entry draft, becoming the franchise’s first-ever draft pick following its relocation from Atlanta. Scheifele holds the Winnipeg Jets franchise record for both career goals and career points, establishing himself as one of the most prolific offensive players in team history. Throughout his tenure with the Jets, he has been recognized as a leader in the dressing room and has represented Canada at multiple international tournaments, winning a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.
Early Life and Background
Mark Scheifele was born on March 15, 1993, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, to parents Brad and Mary Lou Scheifele. His father played gridiron football in high school, and his uncle Kyle Scheifele helped lead the football team for four years at the University of Guelph. As the youngest of three siblings, Scheifele was raised in a Christian family and attended Grandview Baptist Kitchener every Sunday. He grew up playing minor ice hockey in his hometown of Kitchener, suiting up for the Kitchener Jr. Rangers rep program in the Alliance Pavilion League.
During his minor hockey years, Scheifele originally played as a defenceman before being converted to a forward position. He famously chose to wear jersey number 55 because he wanted to emulate his older brother Kyle. Beyond hockey, Scheifele attended Grand River Collegiate Institute where he competitively played volleyball, basketball, badminton, and track and field. Notably, he did not begin focusing specifically on hockey until he was 16 years old, making his path to professional hockey relatively unconventional compared to many of his peers.
Path to Professional Hockey
After his minor midget season in 2008-09, Scheifele was drafted by the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit in the seventh round of the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. However, he failed to make their roster and was assigned to his hometown Kitchener Dutchmen Jr. B club for a season of development in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. During his time with the Dutchmen, he began attracting attention from universities and received NCAA scholarship offers. Although he originally committed to play for the Cornell Big Red men’s ice hockey team, he ultimately chose to forgo his commitment and play in the OHL instead.
Following the 2009-10 season, Scheifele’s playing rights were traded by the Spirit to the Barrie Colts in exchange for goaltender Mavric Parks. Early in his rookie season with the Colts, he was awarded the OHL’s Central Division Academic Award for October and ranked second on the team in scoring. He was subsequently invited to the 2010 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Prior to the 2011 NHL entry draft, Scheifele was ranked 19th overall amongst OHL prospects and 16th among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. The Winnipeg Jets ultimately selected him seventh overall, making him the organization’s first draft pick following its relocation from Atlanta.
Mark Scheifele Career
Early Career (2011-2014)
Scheifele attended the Winnipeg Jets training camp prior to the 2011-12 season and played in their exhibition games. He announced he would wear jersey number 55 since his favourite number 19 was taken by Jim Slater. During the pre-season, he scored two goals and two assists in an exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, earning first star honours. On October 3, 2011, the Jets announced they had signed Scheifele to an entry-level contract, and he would start the season on Winnipeg’s NHL roster. He made his NHL debut on October 6, 2011, and scored his first career NHL goal on October 19, 2011, against James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After playing in seven games, Scheifele was re-assigned to the OHL and rejoined the Barrie Colts to continue his development. Following the Colts’ elimination from the OHL playoff race, he was called up by the Jets to play for their American Hockey League affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps, for the 2012 Calder Cup playoffs. During the 2012-13 season, Scheifele played four games with the Jets before being sent back down to the Colts, where he recorded 79 points in 45 regular season games. During the OHL playoffs, he recorded 39 points in 19 games, including four goals in Game 4 against the London Knights.
Jets Breakthrough (2015-2017)
For the 2015-16 season, Scheifele was placed on the second-line centre role with Nikolaj Ehlers and Mathieu Perreault. Despite suffering a head injury in December, he surpassed the 20-goal mark for the first time in his professional career. After Bryan Little fractured a vertebra, Scheifele was promoted to the Jets’ top line where he recorded eight goals and 13 points in nine games. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on March 5, 2016, against the Montreal Canadiens, ending the team’s three-game losing streak. Scheifele finished the regular season with a career-high 61 points in 71 games and led the team in goals, although the Jets failed to make the postseason.
Following the season, Scheifele signed an eight-year, $49 million contract to remain with the Winnipeg Jets. One of his reasons for staying was that Dustin Byfuglien also remained on the team. He was named an alternate captain for the 2016-17 season alongside Byfuglien and captain Blake Wheeler. Scheifele led the Jets in scoring and finished seventh in the league with 82 points in 79 games. Jets head coach Paul Maurice praised his leadership ability, saying he believed Scheifele would become the captain of the team at some point in his career.
Winnipeg Jets Era (2017-Present)
With high expectations coming into the 2017-18 season, Scheifele recorded 60 points in 60 games despite missing 22 games due to injuries. During the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, he set a new NHL record for most road goals in a postseason with 11, breaking the previous record held by Joe Mullen and Sidney Crosby. By the time he played Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, he had recorded 14 goals in total. During the 2018-19 season, Scheifele set new career highs in goals, assists, and points. In December, he was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week and was selected for his first NHL All-Star Game alongside Wheeler.
The 2019-20 season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in March. Scheifele led the team in assists, power play goals, and average ice time before the pause. During the Western Conference seeding round-robin against the Calgary Flames, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury after colliding with Matthew Tkachuk and sat out the remainder of the playoffs. After recovering during the offseason, he returned for the 2020-21 season and maintained a career-high 11-game point streak through February. On May 6, 2021, Scheifele recorded his 500th career NHL point with an assist against the Calgary Flames.
Playing Style and Strengths
Prior to being drafted into the NHL, Scheifele described himself as a “hard-working, two-way, play-making centre.” While he has been criticized for his defensive acumen and has come to be perceived primarily as a one-way offensive player, he has earned numerous accolades from teammates and opponents. Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock called him “one of the best centres in the league.” Known for his hockey intelligence and playmaking ability, Scheifele has developed into a prolific point-producer who anchors the Jets’ top line and contributes significantly on the power play.
Notable Events and Milestones
Scheifele holds the Winnipeg Jets franchise record for both goals and points, milestones he continues to build upon. He has scored multiple hat-tricks throughout his career and has established himself as a clutch performer in overtime situations, tying Ilya Kovalchuk for the most overtime goals in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history. During the 2024-25 season, he surpassed Marian Hossa’s franchise records and became the first player in modern Jets history to score 100 points in a season since the team’s relocation from Atlanta. His durability and consistency have made him the cornerstone of the Jets’ offensive attack for over a decade.
Mark Scheifele Career Wins
Throughout his NHL career, Mark Scheifele has established himself as one of the most productive centres in Winnipeg Jets history. He became the franchise’s all-time leader in points and goals, milestones achieved through consistent scoring and remarkable longevity with a single organization. His career includes multiple 30-goal seasons, numerous multi-point games, and several memorable playoff performances that have cemented his legacy in Winnipeg hockey history.
NHL Highlights
Scheifele has appeared in multiple NHL All-Star Games and has consistently ranked among the league’s top scorers. He led the NHL in road goals during the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs with 11, setting a new postseason record. His career-high 82 points during the 2016-17 season placed him seventh in league scoring. Throughout his career, he has developed a reputation as a prolific scorer with seven career hat-tricks and numerous game-winning goals in crucial situations.
International Achievements
Internationally, Scheifele has represented Canada at both the junior and senior levels. He won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and helped Team Canada win gold at the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge. At the senior level, he won a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Following this achievement, he was named Kitchener-Waterloo and area’s top athlete for 2016. He also represented Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, playing on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid.
Mark Scheifele Family
Family Background
Mark Scheifele was born in Kitchener, Ontario, to Brad and Mary Lou Scheifele. His father played gridiron football in high school, and his uncle Kyle Scheifele was a football player at the University of Guelph. As the youngest of three siblings, Scheifele grew up in a supportive family environment that encouraged his athletic pursuits. His older brother Kyle served as an early hockey inspiration, with young Mark adopting jersey number 55 to emulate his sibling.
Personal Life
Scheifele is a practising Christian and has gathered with teammates Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey, and formerly Tucker Poolman to pray and talk. He has spoken openly about the impact his faith has on his life, stating that he takes his role in the community as a Christian very seriously. Scheifele is a Sport Ambassador for KidSport Winnipeg, a charity that aims to remove financial barriers to playing sports, and runs an annual hockey camp for boys and girls on behalf of the organization. He is married to equestrian Britt Scheifele and is the owner of two pet goats named Tiger Woods and Tom Brady.
During the 2024-25 season, Scheifele faced a devastating personal loss when his father Brad passed away unexpectedly the night before Game 6 of a second-round playoff matchup against the Dallas Stars. In response, fans and supporters began making donations of $55 in his father’s memory to charities Scheifele supports, including KidSport Canada and the True North Youth Foundation.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024-25 season proved to be one of the most remarkable of Mark Scheifele’s career. He established new franchise records and achieved statistical milestones that solidified his place in Winnipeg Jets history. On October 18, 2024, he scored a power play goal against the Nashville Predators for his 813th career NHL point, making him the all-time points leader for the Winnipeg Jets franchise. This achievement underscored his sustained excellence and longevity with the organization.
Scheifele broke his previous career high in assists when he recorded his 50th assist during a March 14 game against the Colorado Avalanche. He scored the 900th point of his career during an April 6 game against the Seattle Kraken, joining an elite group of players to reach that milestone. He broke Marian Hossa’s franchise records for points on April 13 when he scored a goal during the third period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Scheifele finished the season with 103 points, becoming the first player in modern Jets history to score 100 points in a season since the team’s relocation from Atlanta.