Mark Scheifele Will Be In Jets Lineup For Game 6 After Tragic Death Of Father

According to Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel, star forward Mark Scheifele will be in the lineup following the tragic passing of his father ahead of a pivotal Game 6 matchup against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference semifinals.

Scheifele's status was previously up in the air prior to Arniel's heart-to-heart conversation with the 32-year-old center.

Scheifele is Winnipeg's second leading scorer during the postseason, with 10 points in as many games throughout the playoffs.

The Jets will need all the firepower they can get as they face off against a loaded Stars team, though one has to wonder how effective the Canadian playmaker will be given the circumstances.

Losing your father in your early 30's is particularly devastating, but when you factor in the added pressure of having to help dig your team out of a 3-2 deficit in the playoffs for a one-sport-city, things can seem particularly daunting.

No one would blame Scheifele for having to take a game off and process his grief, but sometimes doing what you know and love and being around your brothers in arms is just what you need to help kick-start the healing process.

There are plenty of examples of athletes putting on heroic performances just days or even hours after the loss of their loved ones, with the most famous being Brett Favre's 399 yard, 4 touchdown masterclass against the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football in 2003.

I am sure the city of Winnipeg would love to see a vintage performance from Scheifele, but they would also completely understand if his heart wasn't completely in this one.

A seemingly gargantuan task just became that much more difficult, but it also adds some much-needed context.

Mark Scheifele needs the Jets fanbase to rally around him more than ever right now, and I have no doubt they will oblige.