Adam Lowry and the Winnipeg Jets agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension Wednesday that carries an average annual value of $5 million. The team announced the contract terms at its annual gala at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday night.

The contract keeps the Jets’ captain in Winnipeg through 2030-31, with Lowry joining Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor as core players signed for at least five seasons after this one. Winnipeg has improved in each season since Lowry was named captain, playing a strong defensive style of hockey that is well-suited to his biggest strengths.

The 32-year-old centre anchors Winnipeg’s shutdown line, delivering quality defensive results while playing against star players. Lowry has excelled in this role while adding between 34 and 36 points in each of the past three seasons. He has one goal and two assists for three points in seven games since returning from offseason hip surgery. He is in his third season as Winnipeg’s captain after serving as an alternate for one year.

Lowry’s contract is a raise from the $3.25 million AAV he’s earning in the final season of his previous five-year deal.

FIVE MORE YEARS OF CAPTAIN ADAM LOWRY!

Is it that sweet? I guess so 😏 pic.twitter.com/sem0LStEoF

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) November 20, 2025

What this means for the Jets

The Jets’ team culture has soared since Rick Bowness took over, with Lowry’s captaincy playing a large part of the transformation. Now the Jets get to lock in their leadership group, with Lowry and Scheifele each signed long term and Josh Morrissey’s contract running through 2027-28.

This is not a small item: Winnipeg’s locker room culture has been cited as one of the team’s biggest strengths in recent years. Player retention is particularly important in a city that is not a top destination for unrestricted free agents, and it’s an area where Winnipeg has had success in recent seasons. The Jets’ ability to retain Lowry — who was their second draft pick after moving to Winnipeg from Atlanta — gives the team multiple veteran players who could play their whole career for the franchise.

On the ice, Lowry’s shutdown line is an important piece of recent Jets success; coach Scott Arniel often matches Lowry so heavily against top players that he finishes games as the team’s second-line centre. Those minutes may lessen with Jonathan Toews’ arrival as a free agent, but Lowry’s line — this time with Alex Iafallo and Nino Niederreiter — continues to drive results. Lowry scored the goal that won Game 7 against the Blues and was the first player to reach Scheifele in the penalty box when the Jets lost to Dallas in Round 2.

#GoJetsGo Adam Lowry (96:08) scores the 3rd latest Game 7 goal in history pic.twitter.com/LtC8ZBIRGk

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 5, 2025

The big risk in extending a 32-year-old centre fresh off hip surgery is uncertainty with respect to his longevity. There are no questions about Lowry’s level when he’s healthy and at his best — he’s been Winnipeg’s shutdown ace for multiple seasons — and he graded out as a $6 million player in our recent cap efficiency study. But Lowry turns 33 in March and plays an unforgiving style of hockey. The Jets are a veteran team — the oldest in the NHL, according to this study — and are trying to compete for a Stanley Cup while their core players continue to contribute at a high level. Lowry’s ability to maintain his current level of play over the duration of his contract is a legitimate concern.

But Winnipeg needed to sign its captain. Winnipeg chose five years, mitigating some of the worst fears about aging curves. There is also the potential that Lowry’s hip surgery helps as opposed to hinders his level of play over the next couple of seasons, as it was meant to address a nagging issue that had reached the point of requiring repair.

What this means for Lowry

This contract assures Lowry his legacy. He joins Scheifele, Hellebuyck, Connor and Morrissey as longtime Jets with the opportunity to begin and end their career with the franchise that drafted them. That’s an important part of the team’s lore.

Recall that Winnipeg announced its team name — the Jets — at the 2011 draft, then drafted its franchise centre, Scheifele. It used its second pick to draft Lowry, its future captain. Since that time, Lowry has made himself an integral part of Winnipeg’s shutdown line. He’s emerged as a leader in the community, volunteering his energy to the Toba Centre — an opportunity that came to him, handpicked, via Mark Chipman. This summer, while recovering from hip surgery, Lowry announced his engagement to his longtime Manitoban girlfriend, Laura Quinton.

Now Lowry is a Winnipeg Jet, presumably for life. For a humble, considerate, western Canadian kid, there could be no worthier NHL legacy. His style of play embodies the city he plays in, and his leadership has been associated with great team results.