While the players on the Winnipeg Jets weren’t in action on Wednesday, the front office staff were continuing the work of running the True North franchise. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has been working on an extension for team captain Adam Lowry since he successfully locked up sniper Kyle Connor earlier in the season. That worked finally paid off as the NHL team has reached an agreement with Lowry’s agent Craig Oster on a 5 year extension, giving Adam a raise to $5M per season.
Here is how PuckPedia has the captain’s new deal looking, though any signing bonuses or no trade clauses wouldn’t be known yet:
The new contract allows the 12 year veteran to remain with the franchise that drafted him in the 3rd round in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (67th overall). Over Lowry’s career, he has become one of the premiere checking line forwards in the league, posting 276 points in 782 contests while doing his best to limit the scoring chances for Winnipeg’s opposition. In the past 3 seasons, Adam has been a picture of consistency, posting 36, 35, & 34 point campaigns as he became the heart & soul of the Jets’ squad. Make no mistake that Winnipeg’s recent stretch of solid defensive play over the past few seasons wouldn’t have been possible without Lowry pivoting a 3rd line capable of shutting down the NHL’s best forward lines.
The center will be 33 yrs old when the new deal kicks in next season, so he won’t have the chance to hit free agency again until the forward is 38 yrs old. Lowry becomes the 4th core member to be locked up by the Jets into their late 30’s, joining the previously mentioned Connor, Mark Scheifele, & Connor Hellebuyck.
The most recent move leaves the True North franchise with a smidge over $25M left to spend for the NHL’s 2026-27 campaign, with 14 out of 22 or 23 roster spots filled. Out of the signed players, the Jets basically have their 1st & 3rd forward lines in place for next year, as well as their top 4 defensemen and starting goaltender. They also have a couple more forwards inked in Vladislav Namestnikov & Morgan Barron, likely leaving only 4 starting forward spots left to fill. Additionally, 7th defenseman Haydn Fleury will be here next season as well, so that leaves Cheveldayoff left to deal with signing a 3rd defensive pairing & a back up goalie. To get that done Chevy will have about an average of $2,792,592.66 to $3,141,666.75 per player to fill out the roster, with the biggest payday likely going to pending Restricted Free Agent Cole Perfetti.
Certainly doesn’t sound impossible, though there probably won’t be money to throw around for multiple high end free agents in the summer…but that is typically never really an option for Winnipeg anyways. Perhaps some of the young prospects like Elias Salomonsson, Nikita Chibrikov, Brad Lambert, & Brayden Yager could push for some of the open spots? Have some cheap or entry level contracts on the pro roster will make it possible to spend more in other areas.
What do you think of Adam Lowry’s new contract? Is it an overpay based on his offensive production over the past 3 seasons or does the captain’s intangibles make paying $5M for a middle six center worth it? Lets hear it in the Comment section.