This Winnipeg Jets’ offseason was always going to be high stakes, given how poorly the team’s desire to compete for the Stanley Cup reconciles with their place in the 2025-26 standings.
After Connor Hellebuyck called management out Friday, citing the team’s complacency and inability to attract top players, the stakes have gone way up. Speaking with Hellebuyck so soon after his exit interview with coach Scott Arniel and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, the sense I got was that Hellebuyck had put pressure on Jets brass in his meeting and was trying to do it through the media, too.
“Complacency is not going to get us moving forward. Something has got to happen,” Hellebuyck said. “To just put that same product on the ice, I don’t think it worked for a reason.”
The Jets can’t afford to run back the same roster and coaching staff next season after wasting a year of Hellebuyck’s prime — and the prime years of Winnipeg’s other core players, such as Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor. So who’s going to come back? Who’s going to go?
And what holes will be left for the Jets to fill once the dust settles, lest another season ticks away?
Returning… Or else, what is Winnipeg doing?
Connor Hellebuyck, $8.5 million AAV until 2031
Hellebuyck created a little bit of doubt about his long-term Jets future on Friday. My interpretation of his comments was that he was trying to put pressure on Jets management — to convey that he’s not content with the status quo on a team that hasn’t been good enough — but Hellebuyck didn’t set deadlines or create an ultimatum. The Jets’ franchise goaltender will return, or Winnipeg’s Stanley Cup window — a funny phrase for a 26th-place team — will close.
Mark Scheifele, $8.5 million AAV until 2031
Mark Scheifele created no such doubt about his future: He’s going to play for Team Canada at the Men’s World Championships, despite his lack of place on the Olympic and 4-Nations teams. Scheifele has played at three worlds and seems to want to build on his 103-point NHL season by making sure Team Canada takes notice.
Once back in Winnipeg, he’ll be counted on as the Jets’ No. 1 centre. The team’s impossible-seeming challenge isn’t to replace him in that role but to acquire a second-line centre who’s just as good.
Kyle Connor had 92 points this season and has a total of 80 goals in the last two seasons. (Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)
Kyle Connor, $12.0 million AAV until 2034
Kyle Connor pointed out that the Jets team that made the Western Conference final in 2018 — the best postseason in team history — was built on a foundation of star veterans who were supported by elite youth on entry-level contracts. Today’s Jets have top veterans driving results, but fall well short in top young talent. Would Connor embrace a youth movement?
“I’ll embrace winning,” Connor said. (Interpretation: Yes, if it works.) Either way, Connor will be back. His eight-year, $12 million AAV contract begins next season.
Josh Morrissey, $6.25 million AAV until 2028
Josh Morrissey will skip Worlds, deciding to focus on recuperating his body after a couple of injuries. Next season, he’ll return to Winnipeg, where he’ll star for the club with whom he hopes to retire. Just don’t take his $6.25 million value contract for granted; there are only two years left on it. Morrissey will look to reclaim a level of performance that earned him fourth place in Norris Trophy voting last season.
Gabriel Vilardi, $7.5 million AAV until 2031
Gabriel Vilardi set career highs in goals (30), assists (39) and points (69) this season, playing all 82 games for the first time. He scored like a high-end first-line forward when playing with Connor and Scheifele and like an average second-line forward when playing with Adam Lowry and Cole Perfetti.
Vilardi brought up Winnipeg’s late-season youth movement as a reason for the Jets’ end-of-year improvement.
“I think the injection of youth, like seeing (Elias Salomonsson) and how good he was playing, and calling up (Brad Lambert) and seeing how he got more comfortable as he was with us longer, that was good to see. And it brought a bit more speed to our lineup.”
Returning veterans who need to bounce back
Adam Lowry, $5.0 million AAV until 2031
“Criticism of my game is very warranted and very fair,” Adam Lowry said Friday. “I go from 16 goals to 5. That’s a huge drop-off, and (I didn’t win) my minutes five-on-five,” Lowry said. “I think the injury itself was 100 percent. I think it’s other things around it. It’s spending time in the gym, that’s where — hindsight is 20/20, but I maybe came back too soon.”
Lowry’s explosiveness was missing this season. He’s not a high-end skater, but he can typically forecheck and backcheck effectively and control play along the boards. Instead, his control of zone time was diminished, his defence was impacted, and the Jets were outscored 33-27 with him on the ice at five-on-five. A full offseason should help Winnipeg’s captain reclaim at least some of his form.
Neal Pionk, $7.0 million AAV until 2031
Neal Pionk had a tough season in terms of offence and injury, following six straight seasons of at least 30 points, with just 12 points in 51 games. Pionk is known for a high pain tolerance, even by NHL standards, so there is legitimate concern about the 30-year-old defenceman’s second consecutive drop-off in games played. If healthy, he needs a bounce back in a big way.
Returning veterans who need to bounce back or move on
Nino Niederreiter, $4.0 million AAV until 2027
Nino Niederreiter finished with his fewest points since he was a teenage New York Islanders rookie. He did become the first Swiss player to play 1,000 games, and his road to getting there is a great story. It would go against Winnipeg’s track record for Niederreiter or the next two players on this list to be moved. He’s chosen Winnipeg, extending with the Jets when he had the opportunity.
Vladislav Namestnikov, $3.0 million AAV until 2027
Vladislav Namestnikov chose Winnipeg at a time when he could have prioritized his unrestricted free-agent rights. At his best, he’s an unheralded, hardworking depth forward who can play up the lineup in a pinch. It’s just hard to imagine Winnipeg moving on from depth players such as Niederreiter or Namestnikov, whom they have under contract after keeping sub-replacement-level player in Luke Schenn last summer.
Haydn Fleury, $950,000 AAV until 2027
Haydn Fleury isn’t the sort of defenceman who should be prioritized over Salomonsson or any of Winnipeg’s top prospects. He is an enthusiastic No. 7 option whom the Jets have under contract at a great price.
Returning veterans with injuries
Alex Iafallo, $3.67 million AAV until 2028
Alex Iafallo hurt his shoulder playing against St. Louis on April 9 and will need rehab before getting back on the ice and eventually returning to the Jets. The fact that he went on to drive the net, knock a stick out of his way and score a goal despite the injury can be attributed to adrenaline and Iafallo’s individual grit. The versatile American forward will be back.
Morgan Barron, $1.85 million AAV until 2027
Morgan Barron’s lower-body injury will keep him off the ice for a few weeks. Winnipeg will seek a second-line centre from outside the organization (and Lowry is penciled in on the third line), but should outside help not shake out, Barron is a reasonable threat to compete for a second-line job.
Returning youth who need to step forward
Cole Perfetti, restricted free agent
Cole Perfetti will need to sign a new contract first, but the RFA plans to be back in Winnipeg. The big question, given that Perfetti is two years from UFA eligibility, is whether he’ll sign a one-year contract or prioritize a long-term deal. It sounds as if Perfetti is hoping for a long-term contract — at least as much for what it would say about the Jets’ belief in him as a player as for the security.
“That would be a real honour, to have the team show that and express that faith in you as a player and as a person,” he said.
Dylan Samberg, $5.75 million AAV until 2028
Dylan Samberg’s season started with a fractured wrist and ended with strong underlying numbers. The road between those facts was long — it wasn’t Samberg’s most dominant year — but he’s on track to be a vital piece of Winnipeg’s top-four defence corps once again next season. The new dad may also play a role in encouraging UFA Cole Koepke’s return.
Elias Salomonsson, $815,000 AAV entry-level contract until 2027
Salomonsson is still experiencing concussion symptoms and may not immediately join Manitoba for the American Hockey League playoffs. Based on his level of play for the Jets down the stretch, he should have played his last AHL game.
Brad Lambert, $886,666 AAV entry-level contract until 2027
Brad Lambert’s first stint with the Jets in 2025-26 was disappointing; his second one reestablished him as a viable NHL prospect. He won’t be waivers exempt anymore next season, either; Lambert has arrived as an NHL player in Winnipeg, which is what he always wanted.
Isak Rosén, RFA
The Jets made a choice to keep Isak Rosén with the big club instead of making him eligible for the Moose’s playoff games. He’ll be re-signed and given a middle-six opportunity on next year’s club.
A trio of unrestricted free agents with non-zero odds of signing
Cole Koepke, UFA
Cole Koepke is a probable UFA returnee. Not only has Koepke enjoyed his time with Winnipeg, where he’s played with two childhood friends — many people seem to forget that Koepke played for the Hermantown Hawks, just like Pionk and Samberg — but Koepke has indicated he wants to come back.
“I think it’s a good fit and I’ll just let (my agent and the Jets) do the negotiating and see where it goes,” he said Thursday.
Eric Comrie, UFA
“I always come back,” Eric Comrie likes to joke about his circuitous routes away from Winnipeg and back again. He’s a beloved teammate, an affordable UFA and an established fit with Hellebuyck in a No. 1, No. 2 role. A return is highly plausible.
Colin Miller, UFA
Colin Miller chose Winnipeg as a UFA two summers ago, enjoys the city and could compete with Fleury for the No. 7 job if Morrissey, Samberg, Pionk, Dylan DeMelo and Salomonsson are assumed to take the top five spots and outside help steps in to take the sixth.
Retirement watch
Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Toews said Friday he’s not sure if he’ll retire or return to the NHL next season — and that, if he does return, he wants to play for the Winnipeg Jets in front of a whiteout crowd in the playoffs. He spoke to the pride he took in making it back to professional hockey at all after multiple seasons away, while acknowledging that he struggled with the speed of the modern NHL. He spent much of the rest of his day signing sticks and distributing them to his teammates.
Toews said he’ll take a few weeks or a month to reflect on his future. The sense I got, watching him interact with his teammates, was that he was covering his bases in case he retires. Toews will be 38 years old by the end of the month, and it sounded as if he thinks Father Time has caught up with him.
Likely to move on
Ville Heinola
Ville Heinola will approach free agency July 1 with an open mind and maintains hope that he’ll catch on with another NHL team. If he can’t find the right fit, there’s a good chance he’ll return to Europe. His time with the Jets is over. Playing time and the chance to grow will be a top priority for him.
“I don’t think it helps anybody to be not playing for a long time,” he said Thursday.
Gustav Nyquist
Gustav Nyquist was a good off-ice fit in Winnipeg and would have been a compelling player to re-sign if he’d been more productive when he played. His 1.6 percent shooting percentage shouldn’t be overlooked — Nyquist is probably a better player than Winnipeg got last season — but he’s not impactful enough to justify taking a roster spot from one of Winnipeg’s homegrown players.
Jacob Bryson
Jacob Bryson is a pending UFA, and it’s difficult to find a fit for him on the Jets roster.