Mark Scheifele goes on record to publicly share a very special message
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Daniel Lucente
Apr 25, 2026 (1:25 PM)
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Photo credit: © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Mark Scheifele didn't just cheer Penticton, he stamped the Vees as real, and that matters for a WHL club trying to turn buzz into staying power.
This is bigger than a nice playoff quote.
Scheifele is not some distant alum doing a polite favor. He is a Winnipeg Jets star, an ownership partner, and a public face tied to Penticton's jump into major junior hockey.
That is why his "proud to be a Vee" line hits.
Penticton did not sneak into Round 3. The Vees rolled into the Western Conference Final after a 98-point first WHL season, then opened the series against Everett on April 23.
For an expansion club, that start already sells belief.
The video matters because you can hear the buy-in, not just the branding.
"You guys have been amazing all year, working hard, giving it your all and doing it for the brother beside you."
I just wanted to let you guys know that I’m so proud to be a Vee."
I’m cheering you guys on loud and proud and just know how excited I am to watch. Go out there, give it your all and have fun. Enjoy every single moment."
- Mark Scheifele
I just wanted to let you guys know that I’m so proud to be a Vee."
I’m cheering you guys on loud and proud and just know how excited I am to watch. Go out there, give it your all and have fun. Enjoy every single moment."
- Mark Scheifele
Scheifele's own year gives the clip more weight. He still put up 36-67-103 in 82 games even as Winnipeg crashed to 35-35-12 and missed the playoffs.
Mark Scheifele gives the Penticton Vees weight
Fans can smell fake support in two seconds, and this did not sound fake.
Penticton is selling players, parents, sponsors, and the city on a new WHL identity, and Scheifele just gave that sales pitch a pulse.
Prospects notice when an NHL star is emotionally attached.
So do veterans in the room. Public backing from someone with real skin in the club tells players this run is not a cute story, it is part of a bigger build.
That can steady a young team when Round 3 tightens up.
Penticton still has to beat Everett on the ice. But Scheifele's message sharpened the larger truth, the Vees are not only chasing wins, they are trying to lock in relevance fast.
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