Perfetti’s contract status, Ehlers’ future are hot topics in Jetsville By: Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe Posted: 9:27 AM CDT Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/08/2024 (387 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rutger McGroarty is now property of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Patrik Laine is a member of the Montreal Canadiens. And the Winnipeg Jets have added Brayden Yager to their prospect pool.

All of which is to say it’s been a busy stretch around here when it comes to news — both directly and indirectly — impacting the local hockey club.

And there could be more to come, with Cole Perfetti still in need of a new contract, Nikolaj Ehlers’ future still a mystery and training camp now less than a month away.

To help get you set, Free Press hockey writers Ken Wiebe and Mike McIntyre are back with another monthly edition of the Jets mailbag.

Turns out you folks had plenty of questions about both the present and the future — but also a few about the past, too.

Let’s get right to it:

1. Is a Cole Perfetti deal coming? — Jesse

WIEBE: There’s little doubt in my mind that a deal is forthcoming for Perfetti. It’s simply a matter of when, not if.

While there has been ample debate over whether it’s going to be a bridge deal or a longer-term extension, Perfetti is set to return to a top-six forward role this fall and he’s poised for a breakout season. With that in mind, it would be in his best interest to get a deal done prior to training camp.

However, if this was an easy deal to get done, it would be done already. Although there’s enough cap room to get a contract inked that goes five years or beyond, it says here that a bridge remains the most likely outcome.

While many observers anticipate a two-year bridge, I’m curious if a one-year deal could be something to consider. If that option is exercised, it’s possible the season ahead could help both sides come to a quicker resolution on what that longer-term deal looks like.

2. What are the chances Nikolaj Ehlers gets used better and signs a new deal here? — Jason

MCINTYRE: When the off-season began, I admittedly thought there was a very good chance Ehlers might not be around when training camp began. With just one more year left on his contract, no extension seemingly in sight and trade rumours swirling, he seemed as good as gone.

I thought Ehlers likely wanted a change of scenery. And I felt the Jets might just be OK with that, too.

But then I heard Kevin Cheveldayoff and new coach Scott Arniel both sing his praises in multiple interviews over the past few months, including the new bench boss stressing what an important role Ehlers will play this season, and I began to wonder if this situation might have a different outcome.

A hot start by Ehlers and the hockey club could cause everyone to re-evaluate matters. But eventually everyone will reach a crossroads. Would the Jets truly risk having a prized asset walk for nothing in free agency next July 1 if Ehlers makes it clear he’s not going to ink a new deal between now and then? That’s a risky proposition, for sure.

There’s always the trade deadline, but what happens if Winnipeg is in a playoff position at the time? Selling a star winger would be quite the message to send.

Could this all get resolved before the season begins, the way Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele’s situations did last year? I wouldn’t rule that out.

3. Do you predict Vladislav Namestnikov, Cole Perfetti, Brad Lambert or someone else will start the season as 2C? — Craig

WIEBE: The someone else option got another contender this week after the arrival of Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Yager in the trade for Rutger McGroarty.

Now, he’s still going to need an excellent training camp in order to force his way into this discussion, given the aforementioned contenders. But Yager is someone who could do just that and earn himself an extended look, given the skill set he brings to the table and his ability to play a dependable two-way game to go along with his talent, vision and heavy shot.

It’s important to remember that Perfetti was the 2C to start last season for a brief period of time before Namestnikov moved up from the fourth line and Perfetti slid over to the wing. Lambert is coming off an all-star season in the AHL and will also be given an opportunity to step into the role.

While I don’t expect Yager to stick around the NHL beyond nine games this season, it wouldn’t shock me to see him get a chance in that role before a final decision is made. Lambert is also determined to show the Jets he won’t need any more seasoning after his impressive season with the Manitoba Moose.

Namestnikov is the safe choice here, but I will go with Yager in the interim.

4. Plus or Minus on 29.5 games played for Ville Heinola at the NHL level this season? — Jay

MCINTYRE: I’ll take the over. I have no doubt he would have surpassed that easily last season if not for the unfortunate broken ankle he suffered in the final pre-season game.

So with the caveat that he’ll need to stay healthy, I believe Heinola has a good shot at becoming a fairly regular contributor on the blue-line. The Jets could sure use his puck-moving skills and I think both new head coach Scott Arniel and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff realize the time is now to give him a real opportunity.

Winnipeg’s top four of Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Dylan Samberg and Neal Pionk is fairly set — again, provided injuries don’t rear their ugly head — but Heinola, Colin Miller and Logan Stanley should all be competing for bottom-pairing work.

We may see a bit of a rotation, especially early in the year to keep everyone sharp, but I expect Heinola to make an impact.

There are also some depth defencemen such as Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan who will be fighting for looks, too, and rookie Elias Salomonsson — who I suspect at least starts the year with the Manitoba Moose — could make a compelling case at some point, too.

5. The Jets are stuck in the mushy middle. Not a contender, but also not bad enough to be a rebuilding team. Is there anything Kevin Cheveldayoff can do to get out of the mushy middle? — @Oaktree65472824

WIEBE: On paper, the Jets enter the season as a team that should be jockeying for position in the Central Division with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, but could be pushed into battling for one of the two available wild cards in the Western Conference.

The beauty of projections is that they’re just an educated guess (at least in most cases). At this time last summer, few people predicted that the Jets would finish tied for fourth in the NHL standings by eclipsing 100 points for the second time in 13 seasons since the franchise relocated from Atlanta.

Fewer had the Jets playing the type of committed defence that would lead them to winning the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL last season.

The fact that didn’t translate into playoff success was concerning, which is why it’s understandable some view the Jets as a team in the middle.

This team has ample experience and they must learn from playoff disappointments of past springs. They’ve got the best goalie in the league, a Norris Trophy candidate in Josh Morrissey, a contender for the Rocket Richard Trophy in Kyle Connor, a point-per-game centre in Mark Scheifele, a Selke candidate in Adam Lowry to go along with plenty of offensive talent and scoring depth spread across their four lines.

With an improvement on both special teams, the Jets should be right in the thick of things once again — provided the commitment to team defence continues. Whether it’s from internal candidates or trade acquisitions down the road, the defence corps needs to take a step forward for the Jets to go on a long playoff run. Time will tell if the Jets are going to be a contender or be stuck in the mushy middle.

6. What’s your ranking in the West based on the off-season moves to date? — Cory

MCINTYRE: A great question. No doubt there are 16 teams in the Western Conference that believe they have improved since last season. But that’s simply not possible. The fun of the off-season is trying to predict who goes forward, who goes back and who might be stuck in neutral.

With that being said, here is my very unofficial, please-don’t-hold-this-against-me power rankings as of this moment.

1. Edmonton. 2. Dallas. 3. Colorado. 4. Nashville. 5. Vancouver. 6. Winnipeg. 7. Utah. 8. St. Louis. 9. Vegas. 10. Los Angeles. 11. Minnesota. 12. Seattle. 13. Anaheim. 14. Chicago. 15. Calgary. 16. San Jose (but improving rapidly).

Based on last year, this would have Utah and St. Louis replacing Vegas and Los Angeles as playoff teams. I also believe there will be much more parity in the West, as Anaheim, Chicago and San Jose are all trending upwards and should be much more competitive.

Let’s check back in about eight months or so to see how close I was with these.

7. Who is Brayden Yager a good comparison to and when does he project to be in the NHL/AHL? — @rclosas204

WIEBE: It’s a little early to draw comparisons for what type of player Yager projects to be, but he brings plenty of similar qualities to another player who suited up for the Warriors a few years ago, Brayden Point.

The two players are similar in stature and one thing they have in common is the ability to combine offensive ability with defensive awareness.

For the sake of comparison, Point had 38 goals and 87 points in 60 games during his draft-eligible season while Yager had 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games last season with the Warriors as he helped lead them to the Western Hockey League championship.

Point, who was chosen in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft, ended up being a steal and he’s grown into one of the most effective two-way players in the league and he’s already got two Stanley Cups on his resume. To expect Yager to be at the level Point is currently playing at is more than a bit ambitious.

But in terms of style of play, it’s a good starting point. Point made the Lightning as a 20-year-old (not 19) and had 18 goals and 40 points in 68 games as a rookie. Because Yager is 19, he’s not eligible to play for the Moose this season (until his junior season is over), so he’ll either be with the Jets or be heading back to the WHL (which is the most likely outcome, even if he gets some regular-season games in this fall).

Look for Yager to play his first full pro season in 2025-26.

8. Chaz Lucius or Parker Ford — who is more NHL ready? — John

MCINTYRE: I’m inclined to say neither, but that’s not what you’re asking. For the sake of right here, right now, I would have to say Ford is significantly ahead of Lucius.

However, that has little to do with talent and potential and pedigree and everything to do with playing time.

Ford, 24, had a fantastic rookie season with the Manitoba Moose last year, appearing in 72 games and recording 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) while bringing plenty of energy and speed and hustle. It will be interesting to see what he can do for an encore with the AHL club this coming year.

Lucius, on the other hand, has played a grand total of 29 pro games with the Moose over the last two years — 12 in 2022-23, 17 last season — thanks to multiple injuries he’s suffered. The 18th-overall pick from 2021 just can’t seem to stay healthy, and that has cost him big-time in the development department.

If we’re talking about ceilings, there’s no doubt in my mind Lucius would have a higher one than Ford, who went undrafted and signed as a free agent. But hockey history is filled with examples of talented players who never reached their potential for whatever reason.

Here’s hoping Lucius enjoys a full season of good fortune and good health as he tries to make up for lost time down on the farm this coming season. He’s still just 21, so it’s way too early to give up on him or declare him a “bust,” but he has miles to go here.

9. Did Winnipeg kick tires on Cody Ceci? Getting an asset and one year of him at $3.25M seems like a slam dunk. We’re going to give up a lot more for someone like him in March. — Bobby

WIEBE: Given the salary cap constraints the Oilers found themselves in — especially when the duel offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Hollway were signed with the St. Louis Blues — it’s likely that every team in the NHL was in touch with GM Stan Bowman.

What level of interest the Jets had in acquiring Ceci is up for debate, though I would imagine Kevin Cheveldayoff would have put in a call to see if he could pressure the Oilers into sending an asset along with Ceci to bolster the right side of the defence corps (the Sharks received a 2025 third-rounder along with Ceci for fellow D-man Ty Emberson).

It’s debatable that Ceci could play more effectively on the second pairing with Dylan Samberg than Neal Pionk will. Plus, when you consider the amount of cap space available and subtract a Perfetti extension (which likely falls in the $3.25 to $3.75 million range), adding Ceci would have forced the Jets to move someone else out in order to make the money work.

And while Ceci’s cap hit is $3.25 million, his salary is actually $3.75 million this season (after he made $4.5 million last season).

If Ceci has a strong season with the San Jose Sharks, he could be a player that contenders consider for a playoff run after he made it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final with the Oilers. But his salary would be easier to absorb closer to the NHL trade deadline for teams that are able to accrue cap space over the course of the season rather than add him right now.

The Jets also could be aiming higher if they choose to add a blue-liner at some point this season.

10. Do you see Kristian Vesalainen ever returning to the NHL and what has his development in Europe been like in the last couple of seasons? — Jack

MCINTYRE: Now there’s a name we haven’t heard for a while.

The 24th-overall pick in 2017 hasn’t been seen around here since headed overseas to continue his pro career. Vesalainen spent the rest of the 2022-23 campaign in Sweden and Finland (17 goals, 23 assists in 55 combined games), then played a full campaign last year with HIFK Helsinki (14 goals, 23 assists in 58 games).

In other words, his offensive production took a noticeable dip.

The Jets do still have his NHL rights, should a return be desired, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that. The now 25-year-old, who played a grand total of 70 big-league games (two goals, three assists), never really found his footing in North America and might just be content to keep skating much closer to home.

Winnipeg hasn’t whiffed on many first-round picks, but this one definitely goes down in that category.

11. Has there been any update on Jonathan Toews’ status this year? I don’t think he has officially retired, and for many reasons he could be interesting to Jets fans if he was healthy. Just a thought no one has talked about. — Michael

WIEBE: If the former Chicago Blackhawks captain was fully healthy and capable of playing in the NHL, an update most likely would have been provided.

At this point, Toews has made no public comments on his future. Toews in his prime was one of the best players this province has ever produced and there’s no doubt he would provide a perfect complement as the 2C beyond Scheifele.

He’s a proven winner that hates to lose, he’s defensively responsible, strong in the faceoff circle and makes players around him better.

There’s been no indication that Toews is working on a comeback since he announced last season that he was taking a step back. A return to his hometown team would make for a storybook ending to an incredible career, but at this point, it seems highly unlikely a return to the NHL is on the table.

12. Any recent talk of organization getting records and history back for Jets 1.0 ?— John

MCINTYRE: Now that the Jets 1.0 are essentially on ice, with the Utah No-Names opting to start their own history rather than absorb that of the Arizona Coyotes, it would seem the door is open for all that history to come flooding back here to River City.

I’d be all for it. And it sounds like NHL commissioner Gary Bettman might just be too. Asked earlier this summer about the issue by Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, Bettman called it “an excellent question, but said it was too early to say.”

Hmm.

I’m not sure what exactly needs to happen, other than perhaps True North making an official pitch/ask of the league. But given the rich history of the Jets in Manitoba, it would make plenty of sense, no. (And maybe some cents, too — this would seem to be a slam-dunk PR and marketing move.)

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg