Salary cap spike creates space for Jets

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This article was published 11/06/2024 (482 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The NHL’s salary cap is going up US$4.5 million to US$88 million, which is good news for teams that spend to — or close to — the ceiling.

What will that mean for the Winnipeg Jets?

It’s a little too early to tell, though we can safely project the Jets are more likely to be doing most of their shopping in the middle tier than the high-rent district.

Seven-year extensions are kicking in for centre Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, so that’s going to move both players from just over US$6 million to US$8.5 million.

Other raises, including possible retention of pending free agents, could gobble up the bulk of the available dollars.

According to Cap Friendly, the Jets have 17 players under contract for what should amount to just over US$74.3 million on what should be a 23-player roster.

That number doesn’t include rookies who could earn a job and there could be fluctuations depending on potential trades or buyouts, but as of right now, the Jets have just under US$13.7 million available to spend to fill six spots.

Before we dig into players who could be on the radar, a quick look at the bottom line is the priority.

With the ceiling now set at US$88 million, let’s take a closer look at what the Jets are already committed to spending for the 2024-25 season:

Goalies: One for US$8.5 million

Connor Hellebuyck

Age: 31

2024-25 salary: US$8.5 million, with seven years remaining, then UFA.

What it means: The Jets have the expected Vezina Trophy winner under contract for the long term, which gives them a leg up on many contenders. With Laurent Brossoit expected to depart as a pending UFA, finding a backup from outside the organization is a priority, though finding someone in the range of US$1-to-2 million is the most likely outcome.

Defence: Four for US$19.475 million

Josh Morrissey

Age: 29

2024-25 salary: US$6.25 million, with four years remaining, then UFA.

Nate Schmidt

Age: 32

2024-25 salary: US$5.95 million, with one year remaining, then UFA

Neal Pionk

Age: 28

2024-25 salary: US$5.875 million, with one year remaining, then UFA.

Dylan Samberg

Age: 25

2024-25 salary: US$1.4 million, with one year remaining, then RFA.

What it means: The Jets are in a great spot with Morrissey locked up for four more years and becoming a constant in the Norris Trophy discussions. Samberg could be ready to move into a shutdown role on the second pairing, though the playing time for Pionk and Schmidt remain less clear. With Brenden Dillon and Dylan DeMelo among the pending UFAs, the Jets could have some major minutes to replace on the back end. Bringing back at least one of them remains a top priority. You can expect the Jets to make their best offer before July 1 arrives. For players, if they’ve waited this long already, it stands to reason they would at least want to listen to what is available elsewhere without locking in before that happens. Logan Stanley also needs a new deal as an RFA, so the defensive corps could look decidedly different this fall. Now that he’s no longer exempt from waivers, Ville Heinola should find himself in the mix here, though he needs a bridge deal as a pending RFA. Elias Salomonsson is coming over to play in North America, though he could use some additional seasoning in the American Hockey League with the Manitoba Moose. Whether it’s through a trade or free agency, a good chunk of the available finances are likely to be spent on revamping the defence.

Forwards: Twelve for US$43.622 million

C Mark Scheifele

Age: 31

2024-25 salary: US$8.5 million, seven years remaining, then UFA.

LW Kyle Connor

Age: 27

2024-25 salary: US$7.143 million, two years remaining, then UFA.

RW/LW Nikolaj Ehlers

Age: 28

2024-25 salary: US$6 million, one year remaining, then UFA.

RW/LW Nino Niederreiter

Age: 31

2024-25 salary: US$4 million, three years remaining, then UFA.

RW/LW Alex Iafallo

Age: 30

2024-25 salary: US$4 million, one year remaining, then UFA.

RW Gabriel Vilardi

Age: 24

2024-25 salary: US$3.438 million, one year remaining, then RFA.

C Adam Lowry

Age: 30

2024-25 salary: US$3.25 million, two years remaining, then UFA.

RW Mason Appleton

Age: 28

2024-25 salary: US$2.167 million, one year remaining, then UFA.

C/W Vladislav Namestnikov

Age: 31

2024-25 salary: US$2 million, one year remaining, then UFA.

LW Morgan Barron

Age: 25

2024-25 salary: US$1.350 million, one year remaining, then RFA.

C/RW Rasmus Kupari

Age: 24

2024-25 salary: US$1 million, one year remaining, then RFA.

RW/LW Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

Age: 26

2024-25 salary: US$775,000, one year remaining, then UFA.

What it means: The Jets finally became a four-line hockey team last season and the ability to get production from throughout the lineup was an important development. There were 13 forwards in double digits for goals. There aren’t a lot of spots available on the Jets’ roster, outside of trying to keep Sean Monahan in the fold as the second-line centre or moving on to a suitable replacement. There is a case to be made for changing the mix a bit within the top-six, that will be happening to a degree with pending RFA Cole Perfetti ready to solidify this spot. David Gustafsson also needs a new deal as a pending RFA, but that’s likely to be in the US$1-to-1.5 million AAV range. Niederreiter’s lengthy goal-scoring drought came at the worst possible time, but he’s a proven scorer. Brad Lambert is the best bet for promotion, though it’s still too early to tell if he’s going to be used at centre (where he excelled in the AHL this season) or the wing. Some of that could be determined by what happens with Nikolaj Ehlers. If Ehlers isn’t interested in an extension, he will either be moved (possibly at the 2024 NHL Draft) or potentially kept as a self rental. The Jets aren’t likely to be looking to make massive changes up front. However, they could be in the market for a penalty killer who plays with speed and brings some edge. Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua is someone who is expected to draw massive interest on the open market if he gets there on July 1. Joshua, 28, is someone who plays a robust game, has some finishing ability and could check a lot of boxes for the Jets.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld