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Jets Rumors

Snapshots: Free Agent Market, Tebow, Portland

December 2, 2020 at 7:17 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 3 Comments

There are still a number of prominent names that remain unsigned on the NHL’s free agent market and there has been absolutely no movement for some time. Outside of the likes of Dustin Tokarski, Marko Dano, and Micheal Haley, there hasn’t been a significant free agent signing in over a month. The continued availability of these top players has been chalked up to a slow market, impacted by the flat salary cap and the unknowns surrounding the 2020-21 season. However, an anonymous agent tells The Athletic’s Thomas Drance that this is not exactly the case. While the agent admits that teams have been calling less frequently in recent weeks, there is concrete interest in a number of UFA’s. It turns out that it is actually the agents advising the players not to sign, as opposed to the teams not making offers. The agent tells Drance that all agencies alike are being cautious with their clients when it comes to the upcoming season, without a start date and format agreed to yet, and how that may impact contracts:

We want to see what develops out of this. At this point, it doesn’t make sense to do something until we know what things look like … If we wanted to have signed already, we could’ve done that. Then again, those teams we could’ve signed with haven’t done anything else yet either.

  • The newest name to become an owner in the world of hockey is one familiar to most sports fans: Tim Tebow. The former college football star turned NFL quarterback turned minor league baseball player has joined the ownership group of the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, reports NBC Sports’s Adam Gretz. Also joining the group are current and former Jacksonville Jaguars players Myles Jack and Reggie Hayward. Tebow, who grew up in Jacksonville and attended the nearby University of Florida, is excited to add both hockey and ownership to his already impressive sports resume that includes playing two sports professionally and broadcasting as well. The Icemen, the “AA” affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, are set to begin their 2020-21 season this month.
  • In other ownership news, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks are in the process of being sold to Kerry Preete, Executive VP of agricultural sciences company Monsanto. Marek notes that Preete does have a hockey background, but this will be his first venture into the CHL. Marek adds that this could just be the beginning, as the financial impact of the Coronavirus pandemic could cause many junior hockey teams to become available for sale. While Marek notes that current and former NHLers have often looked into purchasing junior teams but have been disappointed by the asking price, but those prices could go down as struggling owners seek to recoup their losses.

Coronavirus| ECHL| Players| Snapshots| WHL| Winnipeg Jets Salary Cap

3 comments

Kristian Vesalainen Focusing On All-Around Game While On Loan

November 28, 2020 at 2:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

  • Jets winger Kristian Vesalainen has been viewed as a forward with top-six potential since being drafted back in 2017 but he hasn’t lit it up much since then and lacks the all-around game to play on a lower line. Accordingly, as he told Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press, he’s using his time on loan to HPK in Finland to prioritize shoring up his play on his own end in the hopes of earning an opportunity to break camp with Winnipeg in a limited role.  The 21-year-old had 12 goals and 18 assists in 60 games with AHL Manitoba last season.

Chicago Blackhawks| Utah Mammoth| Winnipeg Jets Dylan Strome| Kristian Vesalainen

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Winnipeg Jets Hire Dave Lowry

November 23, 2020 at 10:57 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

No more staying out late, Adam. The Winnipeg Jets have hired Dave Lowry as an assistant coach for the upcoming season, adding him to the staff of head coach Paul Maurice. Lowry is the father of Jets forward Adam Lowry, who has played six seasons in Winnipeg already.

Dave Lowry meanwhile has been around NHL rinks for a very long time, in one capacity or another. A sixth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 1983, Lowry played more than 1,000 games in the NHL, scoring 351 points and racking up nearly 1,200 penalty minutes. When his playing career was finished, Lowry quickly joined the coaching staff of the Calgary Hitmen before becoming an assistant with the Calgary Flames in 2009.

With experience as an assistant in both Calgary and Los Angeles, plus many years as a head coach in the WHL (Calgary, Victoria, Brandon), Lowry brings a wealth of experience to the Jets organization. He also obviously brings a special connection with the 27-year-old Adam Lowry, though how that dynamic plays out is still to be seen.

Winnipeg Jets Adam Lowry

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Poll: Who Would Win An All-Canadian Division?

November 20, 2020 at 4:26 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 10 Comments

Earlier today, the Toronto Raptors announced that they will begin the upcoming NBA season in Tampa after their request to play at their home arena was denied by the Canadian government. Because of the travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada, it always seemed impossible for the Raptors—the league’s lone Canadian franchise—to be hosting American-based teams in Toronto. A long quarantine is still required when you enter the country, meaning the logistics of holding NBA games was going to be incredibly difficult.

In the NHL, however, there may be a way around those difficulties. The league includes seven Canadian-based teams, meaning they could play each other in a realigned divisional structure to start the regular season. The seven teams are based all across the country, but would theoretically not need to quarantine between cities—though this is certainly not a guarantee, especially given Toronto’s increased restrictions today.

The idea of an All-Canadian division has been speculated about since the beginning of the offseason, with the general consensus being it would be necessary to get through the 2020-21 season. Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver would be battling it out to be “King in the North.”

If that division does happen this season, who does it benefit? Which team would be the ultimate winner, and who would face an even more difficult task?

The Canucks, Oilers, and Flames all already play each other in the normal Pacific Division, but none of them were able to top the Vegas Golden Knights this year for the first seed. Perhaps if they get away from the expansion powerhouse, they would be even more successful.

The Maple Leafs, Senators, and Canadiens are in the same boat, battling in a tough Atlantic Division that also included two of the league’s best teams. The Boston Bruins had the best record in the NHL when the season was put on pause, while the Tampa Bay Lightning won it all in the bubble. Getting away from the Bruins especially might be a blessing for the Maple Leafs as they try to finally get over the first-round hump.

Or perhaps it’s the lone Central Division team in Winnipeg who would get the biggest boost. The Jets have been an excellent squad for the last several years, but are in a powerhouse of a division with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars all finishing ahead of them in the standings this year. Sure, the other Canadian teams may not be pushovers, but all seven Central teams were included in the 24-team postseason bubble, with the last-place Blackhawks even upsetting the Oilers in the qualification round.

Perhaps who gets the biggest boost is too tough to answer, given the changing rosters all around the league. But if an All-Canadian division does happen, who will come out on top? Make your prediction below and jump into the comment section to explain your thoughts!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Calgary Flames| Edmonton Oilers| Montreal Canadiens| Ottawa Senators| Polls| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights| Winnipeg Jets

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Cole Perfetti Signs Entry-Level Contract

November 9, 2020 at 10:34 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Winnipeg Jets have signed their top draft choice, inking Cole Perfetti to a three-year entry-level contract. Selected tenth overall in last month’s draft, the release indicates Perfetti will carry an average annual value of $1,658,333, though that includes the potential performance bonuses that have been included in his entry-level deal. CapFriendly provides the full breakdown, reporting that the contract includes up to $500K in performance bonuses in year one and up to $850K in each of the other two years.

Perfetti should be one of the first few players to make an impact out of this year’s draft class. After a rookie season in the OHL that saw him score 37 goals and 74 points, leading all first-year players in both categories, he returned to the Saginaw Spirit in 2019-20 with even higher expectations. He followed through, scoring 111 points in 61 games to finish second in league scoring and took home the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year award for his combination of athletic and academic achievements.

There’s not much that Perfetti struggles with at the offensive end of the rink. An elite playmaker, he can easily weave through traffic to set up his teammates, but also possesses one of the most lethal scoring touches in the CHL. Given that he will turn 19 on January 1, he’s quite a bit older than many of his draft contemporaries and should quickly work his way up the Winnipeg depth chart.

Teams will have to carefully decide what is best for top end OHL prospects, given the debate over body checking that is still ongoing in Ontario, and Perfetti is no different. For now, he’ll be attending Hockey Canada’s World Junior selection camp which starts in just a few days. The month-long camp gives players a chance to compete with and against some of the best from their country and Perfetti should have a good chance of making the final squad.

Winnipeg Jets Cole Perfetti

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Trade Review Poll: Which Off-Season Acquisition Will Have Greatest Impact?

November 8, 2020 at 12:08 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 14 Comments

As NHL teams have been forced to shuffle their rosters this off-season in response to the flat salary cap, this off-season has quietly been filled with meaningful trades. While free agent deals always seem to dominate the headlines, there have been at least 20 different trades that sent a notable player to a new locale. This started way back in August, even as the postseason was in full swing, as teams had to look ahead to next season as early as possible to get a jump on cap management. When 2020-21 kicks off, who will make the biggest impact on their new team?

August 25: In a trade that actually contained six players, the only name of immediate note was Kasperi Kapanen making his return to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs had initially acquired Kapanen from Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel trade, but clearly the Penguins maintained interest in the player. Back with the team that drafted him, Kapanen will very likely slot in on the Penguins’ top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel after scoring at a 40+ point full season pace in each of the last two seasons.

September 2: After many years, the Montreal Canadiens finally landed a reliable backup to Carey Price. In what amounted to a salary cap dump for the St. Louis Blues, the Habs acquired former starter Jake Allen. Although Allen played second fiddle to Jordan Binnington again this past season, he returned to form and outplayed the starter with an impressive .927 save percentage and 2.15 GAA. After signing an extension, Allen also has some job security in Montreal and may even have the added incentive of playing well in order to land the starting job for the Seattle Kraken.

September 11: After acquiring Kapanen, the Pittsburgh Penguins knew they needed to shed salary. They turned to former front office exec Bill Guerin, now the GM of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild landed forward Nick Bjugstad at next to no cost and Pittsburgh retained some salary as well. Back in the state where he made his name as a high school and college star, Bjugstad looks ready for a fresh start. In a forward group that is week down the middle and lacking in size, the big center is almost guaranteed a meaningful role. Bjugstad has been streaky and injury prone in his NHL career, but has also shown on multiple occasions that he has 50+ point upside playing a full season on a scoring line.

September 16: The Wild were right back at it a few days later, adding another new face to the forward corps. This time it cost them though. Minnesota acquired Marcus Johansson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Eric Staal. Johansson provides great versatility as a player who can effectively play any forward position and in any situation. He has also scored at a half-point per-game pace or better for nine straight years with four different teams. Johansson should be able to step in and make an immediate impact. On the flip side, Staal provides the Sabres with a bona fide second line center and veteran leader that they have been sorely lacking. The experienced pivot may not have the positional versatility of Johansson, but is still a superior scoring threat at 36 and knows how to grind out wins in the regular season and postseason.

September 24: The Penguins make their third different deal in less than a month, sending veteran forward Patric Hornqvist to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour. While Matheson and Hornqvist are both overpaid, they each still bring value to their new team. Matheson, likely to play a bottom-pair role for Pittsburgh, is a huge upgrade to the players the Penguins rolled out on their final pairing last season. A perennial 20+ point producer and sound defensive player, Matheson will not be asked to play the same minutes as he did in Florida, but will still make the same impact in the minutes he does get from Pittsburgh. Hornqvist meanwhile has not played in more than 70 games in over four years, but is quietly still the same 50-point player that he always has been, just on a per-game basis. An expert net front presence and power play asset, Hornqvist will likely play a major role for a Panthers team that lost two of its top scorers to free agency.

September 26: In what was one of the more obvious salary cap dumps in recent memory, the New York Rangers traded away veteran defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round pick in exchange for “future considerations”. The lucky team on the other side was the Detroit Red Wings, who made out like bandits with a nice draft selection and a new veteran leader for their blue line. A young, rebuilding team who has seen countless veterans leave, many of whom just this off-season, Detroit adds a new face with years of experience and leadership in Staal. While he is definitely in decline at 33, Staal is still a strong defensive presence, a plus player, and a penalty kill asset. Even without much offensive upside, Staal seems locked in for at least a top-four role in Detroit.

October 5: It wasn’t the strategy that anyone expected, but the San Jose Sharks decided to try to solve their issues in net by bringing in another struggling veteran to compete with their current struggling veteran. Devan Dubnyk, who comes over from the Minnesota Wild, is just a few years removed from being one of the top keepers in the game. However, this past season he was not even close to that level of play, recording an .890 save percentage and 3.35 GAA, albeit in limited showings. He was one of the few goalies who performed worse was San Jose’s existing starter, Martin Jones. Dubnyk has more experience and his peaks are much higher than Jones’, but he is also four years older and may have less of an ability to return to form. Perhaps the goal is simply to elevate Jones’ game by giving him an established backup to compete with, but there is always the possibility that Dubnyk emerges the victor.

October 6: Two teams on the fringes of being contenders, each with specific needs up front, made a big swap that will have ramification far beyond this next season. The Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets exchanged restricted free agent forwards Max Domi and Josh Anderson, each of whom will look to rebound and play a major role for their new teams. Domi fills a need at center for Columbus and hopes to use his new two-year extension to finally earn a long-term home after bouncing around early in his NHL career. A player who has shown immense scoring potential, including a 72-point season in 2018-19, Domi could be a major difference-maker on the second line for the Blue Jackets, who desperately need scoring depth. Anderson was not able to provide that this past season, missing most of the year due to injury and underperforming when healthy. However, he too had a breakout 2018-19 campaign, recording 27 goals and 47 points. The Canadiens believe that this is his long-term yearly value, as they did not hesitate to sign Anderson to a seven-year deal. Montreal needs size up front and they hope the 6’3″, 220-lb. Anderson can be an impact power forward for years to come.

October 7: The Ottawa Senators have a deep pipeline of goaltenders, but did not have anyone ready to be a starter this coming season and perhaps for a couple seasons after that. As a result, they ignored that depth and landed a starter for the present who doubles as a starter of the future in young Matt Murray. A streaky, but accomplished keeper, Murray came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the price of a second-round pick and a prospect, but will be well worth it if he can solidify the net for the Senators. They certainly seem to think he will, signing him to a long-term deal. At just 26, Murray already has just under 200 regular season appearances and over 50 postseason appearances, with a pair of Stanley Cups backed up by stellar stats.

The same day, the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild swapped forwards, as the Wild continued to address the center position while the Predators got younger and faster. Minnesota acquired veteran center Nick Bonino to anchor the team’s third line, as he has for so many other teams. A two-way pivot who is good for 30-40 points and solid defensive play, Bonino is a useful addition for the Wild. Going the other way was 22-year-old Luke Kunin, who recorded 31 points in 63 games in just his third pro season this year. The 2016 first-round pick has found success at every level and on every team he has played for. Aiming for a top-six role in Nashville, Kunin could be an impact player right away and for years to come.

October 8: The Ottawa Senators continued to add via trade when they swung a deal for physical defenseman Erik Gudbranson from the Anaheim Ducks. A player who has now been traded three times in two years, Gudbranson is either in demand or expendable. He could be both for the Sens, who will give him a top-four role and let him be the defensively responsible counter to their other younger, more offensively-inclined defenseman, then could look to trade him away before his contract expires at year’s end.

Another defenseman was sold off for a late pick the same day and that was Ryan Murray. Though Murray has had immense struggles with health over the years, he had been a good player for the Columbus Blue Jackets when active. However, the team’s depth forced them to deal him away and the New Jersey Devils were the lucky recipients. While Murray is still remembered for his puck-moving pedigree as the No. 2 overall pick in 2012, he has taken on more of a two-way, defensive prowess in the pros and is very solid (again, when healthy). The Devils will almost certainly give Murray top-four and perhaps even top-pair opportunities and if they are fortunate enough to have him for a full season, they could be looking at one of the best value additions of the off-season.

October 9: As the Vegas Golden Knights cleared space for the off-season’s biggest free agent signing, it meant letting go of a proven veteran asset. The Knights traded center Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets, letting go of a valuable two-way forward. While Stastny had an off year this past season, he is just one year removed from recording 42 points in 50 games, a 69-point full season pace. And he finished the season prior to that with none other than the Jets, with an incredible performance of 13 points in 19 regular season games followed by 15 points in 17 postseason games. Stastny has already shown that he can be an elite producer with Winnipeg’s talented forward group and has tremendous upside in the coming season. Even at 34, don’t be surprised to see the all-around forward return to form and potentially even rival the 70-point seasons of his early playing days.

October 10: If Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman knows one thing, it’s how to make a trade involving Brandon Saad. Saad was traded away to the Colorado Avalanche in a four-player deal, marking the third time in five years that has been traded away or to the Blackhawks. The key return for Chicago was young defenseman Nikita Zadorov. In Saad, the Avalanche add a legitimate top-six forward who will help their depth, especially in light of the injuries suffered by some of their top players last season. Saad has recorded 47+ points four times in seven full NHL seasons and would have hit 47 on the nose again this past season based on an 82-game pace. A consistent scorer with great finish and possession ability, Saad is a nice get for the Avs. Meanwhile, as Chicago begins a rebuild they have new cornerstone piece on defense in the 6’6″, 235-lb. Zadorov. A big, physical defenseman, Zadorov can sit back and be a reliable defensive presence, freeing up other members of the Blackhawks’ budding new defense corps, like Ian Mitchell and Adam Boqvist, to play their offensive game.

The same day, the New Jersey Devils made another buy-low addition, landing Andreas Johnsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. A young player who has already shown signs of 50+ point upside, Johnsson will now find consistent top-six time and power play opportunity in New Jersey, which should get him closer to that mark. In need of impact wingers for Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes but not willing to derail the rebuild with high-priced trades or contracts, the Devils land a young player at next to no trade cost who is signed for several more years at an affordable price. It is the perfect fit and should pan out.

October 12: The Colorado Avalanche were back in the headlines a couple of days later when they dealt two second-round picks to the New York Islanders for RFA defenseman Devon Toews. The Islanders needed cap space and dealt from a position of immense depth and talent on defense. Yet, Toews was critically underrated in New York and the team gave up a very talented player. The rich get richer in Colorado, as Toews joins another strong blue line, but this time will be locked in for a top-four role and will get his due attention on one of the league’s top contenders. Even with only two NHL seasons under his belt, Toews has proven to be productive, defensively sound, an asset in puck possession, and overall capable of big minutes and an every-situation role. Toews may not be the biggest name traded this off-season, but could wind up as one of the best acquisitions.

Amazingly, the very last trade made in the NHL so far this season came nearly a month ago. In the final push needed for the Vegas Golden Knights to sign Alex Pietrangelo, the team dealt top pair defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks in order to clear the necessary space. It was quite a sacrifice and one the Canucks are happy about. At the cost of a third-round pick, a team who had had a disastrous off-season that point landed a bona fide top pair defenseman who is signed long-term. Schmidt did it all for Vegas: team-leading minutes, 30+ points, defensive awareness, shot blocking,  possession, power play and penalty kill roles, and even locker room leadership. A player with a strong all-around game who is respected by teammates and opponents alike, Schmidt is a rare player to come across. Vancouver essentially lucked into him and it might just be the best trade of the off-season.

What do you think? Which trade acquisition will have the greatest impact in 2020-21 and beyond?

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Anaheim Ducks| Buffalo Sabres| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Detroit Red Wings| Florida Panthers| Free Agency| Injury| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| NHL| Nashville Predators| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| Ottawa Senators| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players| Polls| RFA| San Jose Sharks| Seattle| Seattle Kraken| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights| Winnipeg Jets Adam Boqvist| Alex Pietrangelo| Andreas Johnsson| Brandon Saad| Carey Price| Colton Sceviour| Devan Dubnyk| Devon Toews| Eric Staal| Erik Gudbranson| Ian Mitchell| Jack Hughes| Jake Allen| Jake Guentzel| Jordan Binnington| Josh Anderson| Kasperi Kapanen| Luke Kunin| Marc Staal| Marcus Johansson| Martin Jones| Matt Murray (b. 1994)| Max Domi| Michael Matheson| Nate Schmidt| Nick Bjugstad| Nick Bonino| Nico Hischier| Nikita Zadorov| Patric Hornqvist| Paul Stastny| Phil Kessel| Salary Cap

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Winnipeg Jets Agree To Terms With Marko Dano

November 5, 2020 at 11:41 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Winnipeg Jets will be bringing back a familiar face, announcing today that they have agreed to terms with Marko Dano on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a salary of $700K in the NHL and $150K in the AHL.

Dano spent parts of three seasons in the Jets organization between 2015-18, playing 82 of his 141 career NHL games there. This offseason he was not issued a qualifying offer from the Columbus Blue Jackets, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Still just 25, it feels like a decade ago that Dano was picked 27th overall by the Blue Jackets. It was actually just 2013, but after being involved in multiple trades and suiting up for Columbus (twice), Winnipeg, Chicago, and Colorado without much NHL success he has the feeling of someone who will never really find his footing at the highest level.

In 141 career games, Dano does have 45 points but hasn’t recorded a single one since the 2017-18 season. For the last two years, he has been almost exclusively used at the AHL level, including a 30-point season for the Manitoba Moose in 2018-19. That’s likely where he’s heading again this time around, though he’ll obviously compete for a spot in training camp whenever it opens.

AHL| Winnipeg Jets Marko Dano

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Jets Loan Skyler McKenzie To Germany

October 30, 2020 at 6:31 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Winnipeg has found a place for another one of its prospects to play as the team announced (Twitter link) that they have loaned winger Skyler McKenzie to EHC Freiburg of the DEL2.  As has been the case with the majority of these international loans, it will last until NHL training camps begin.

The 22-year-old was a seventh-round pick (198th overall) of the Jets back in 2017 in his second year of eligibility following an impressive offensive season with WHL Portland.  He improved on those numbers in 2017-18 with a 47-goal, 87-point campaign which was enough to earn him an entry-level contract with Winnipeg.

McKenzie has spent the first two years of his professional career exclusively at the AHL level with Manitoba and he improved upon his rookie numbers with nine goals and 14 assists in 58 games with the Moose last season.  With one year left on his entry-level deal, he will need to take another step forward in 2020-21 to secure a qualifying offer and while he’s going to a second-division league in Germany, getting some game reps in should help his case when training camps in North America get underway.

Loan| Transactions| Winnipeg Jets Skyler McKenzie

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Winnipeg Jets Extend Sami Niku

October 30, 2020 at 9:10 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Oct 30: The Jets have officially announced the contract, signing Niku to a two-year deal with, as reported, a $725K cap hit.

Oct 29: The Winnipeg Jets have come to terms on a new contract with restricted free agent Sami Niku. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that the young defenseman has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension. The deal carries an AAV of $725K, with the 2020-21 minimum $700K in year one and the 2021-22 minimum $750K in year two.

Niku, 24, is exiting his entry-level contract still unsure of his NHL ability and long-term fit in Winnipeg. The 2015 seventh-round pick was a fast-rising prospect who was a force at the pro level in Finland’s Liiga at a young age and looked like he might be ready to take on the NHL. His AHL numbers, especially on offense, continue to show a player with great skill and mobility. The NHL has been an entirely different case though. Niku has struggled to stick with the Jets, playing in just 48 games over three seasons. In that time, he has put up modest offensive totals, but has struggled in other aspects of the game. He contributes little defensively, is prone to turnovers, and has poor possession numbers. The team does not trust him with significant ice time, shelters him from difficult match-ups, and tries to prevent exposure in the defensive end. Yet, his potential for offense continues to entice and Niku’s 2019-20 numbers offered a slight glimmer of hope that his defense may be improving.

Yet, Niku has also served as a fixture on the rumor mill when it comes to potential Winnipeg trades. Signing an affordable, multi-year deal won’t change that, as potential suitors who believe in his upside will be happy to take a two-year gamble. The Jets appear likely to make a trade before next season too. Niku’s signing puts the team over the salary cap based on a projected 23-man roster, including Niku as the eighth defenseman. Even if the club is able to put Bryan Little and his $5.29MM cap hit on Long-Term Injured Reserve, the team still needs to re-sign RFA forward Jack Roslovic. With little flexibility and a blue line that could still use another bona fide top-four member, the Jets could still be dealing and Niku could still wind up elsewhere.

AHL| RFA| Winnipeg Jets Jack Roslovic| Salary Cap| Sami Niku

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Winnipeg Jets Sign Jansen Harkins

October 27, 2020 at 3:05 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Winnipeg Jets have signed Jansen Harkins to a new two-year contract that will carry an average annual value of $725K. The 23-year-old forward was a restricted free agent but did not qualify for salary arbitration.

Harkins, a fan favorite in the Jets organization who earned his first taste of NHL action this season, scored seven points in 29 games. When Harkins was inserted into the lineup and scored in the Jets qualification round against the Calgary Flames this summer, head coach Paul Maurice took time in his press conference to highlight exactly how hard the young forward has worked to get to that point.

I don’t know that I’ve had a player that has been given less opportunity and stayed in the fight, competed as hard as this guy has. He had no chance of making our team, but had a good camp. But he’s not a first overall pick so he doesn’t have ten guys pounding the table for him to give him that chance. He’s been given nothing here. But what he did was he forced an opportunity. With the [Manitoba] Moose, there was no choice but to call him up. And then he gets in the lineup and he gets into practice and he works so hard you just have to play him.

A second-round pick in 2015, Harkins was in the ECHL during the 2017-18 season and his career seemed completely off track. He’s turned things around since then and now could be a full-time option for the Jets in 2020-21.

While he may never be an impact scorer, his work ethic and competitiveness have made him an effective option, at least in Maurice’s eyes. A multi-year deal will now give him some financial security and allow him to really try and prove he belongs at the NHL level.

Winnipeg Jets

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