The Winnipeg Jets won 56 games and the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy this season, but did not play up to their potential enough in the playoffs and fell in the second round to the Dallas Stars.
Now, the focus shifts to how general manager (GM) Kevin Cheveldayoff and company will manage their roster to ensure their club doesn’t take a step back during their contention window.
Here, we take a first stab at projecting the Jets’ 2025-26 roster and lines.
Forwards
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi
??? – Vladislav Namestnikov – Cole Perfetti
Nino Niederreiter – Adam Lowry – ???
??? – Morgan Barron – Alex Iafallo
Also under contract: Jaret Anderson-Dolan, David Gustafsson
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs): Mason Appleton, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brandon Tanev
Restricted Free Agents (RFAs:) Barron, Rasmus Kupari (signed in Switzerland), Vilardi
Prospects who could make the jump: Nikita Chibrikov, Parker Ford, Brad Lambert
The top line is set as Connor is under contract for one more season, Scheifele for four more, and Vilardi is a restricted free agent who will be back on some sort of deal, whether short or long term.
The second line is set up the middle and on the right as Namestnikov signed a two-year extension in February and Perfetti has one year left on a two-year bridge. Who plays with them depends on whether Ehlers, the Jets’ highest-profile UFA, re-signs or goes elsewhere. If Ehlers departs despite Cheveldayoff’s push to make the Dane a “Jet for life”, Namestnikov could switch to left wing and Lambert — who spent last season with the Manitoba Moose but got an NHL call up — could play centre.
The stalwart third line is set on the left and up the middle as Niederreiter has two years left on his deal and the captain Lowry one year left on his (and has no intention on going anywhere after.) Mason Appleton played with them for the majority of the past two seasons, but is a UFA. Potential replacements in event of Appleton’s departure include Chibrikov and Ford, who spent last season with the Moose but both saw NHL time.
Related: Jets’ Captain Adam Lowry Speaks on Team’s Playoff Performance & Being a Jet for Life
The fourth line will feature RFA Barron on a new deal — most likely at centre, which head coach Scott Arniel switched him to in the latter half of the season — and Iafallo, who signed a three-year extension in April and is capable of jumping up to the top six as needed. Tanev played with them after being acquired at the trade deadline, but if he goes elsewhere, Anderson-Dolan, Chibrikov, Ford, and Gustafsson will all be in the mix for his spot.
Defense
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Colin Miller – Luke Schenn
Also under contract: Ville Heinola, Logan Stanley
RFAs: Samberg
UFAs: Haydn Fleury
Prospects who could make the jump: Elias Salomonsson
The Jets’ longtime and effective top pairing of Morrissey and DeMelo should remain intact next season as they both have three years left on their deals.
The second pairing should remain the same as well: RFA Samberg will be back on some sort of richer contract, while Pionk parlayed his strong contract season into a lucrative six-year extension in April.
The third pairing is where things get a little bit messy. Arniel deployed a lot of different duos there this season, and Heinola, Miller, Schenn, and Stanley — who all have one year left on their deals — will be in the mix. Miller and Schenn seem to have the inside track for more regular playing time based on experience and Arniel’s playoff deployment, but Arniel likes to use a rotation of sorts in the regular season.
The blue line will be even more crowded if Cheveldayoff re-signs Fleury and if Salomonsson — who had a strong rookie season with the Moose and was named an AHL All-Star — shows well in training camp.
Goaltenders
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
There is really not much to be said here. Two-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 Vezina and Hart Trophy nominee Hellebuyck has four more years left on his deal and will continue to get the bulk of the starts, while Comrie has one more year left on his. They are one of the tightest-knit tandems in the entire NHL with great chemistry.
Chris Driedger, the Winnipegger the Jets acquired at the trade deadline, signed in Russia, and the Moose’s young tandem of Domenic DiVincentiis and Thomas Milic need more time to develop in the American Hockey League before they’re in the conversation. They will both be just 22 when next season starts.
Cheveldayoff Must Put Jets in Position to Succeed, Go Deeper
This roster projection does not take into account any new faces Cheveldayoff might bring abord in free agency. Winnipeg is not a prime market and it’s generally hard for him to attract big fish on the open market.
However, Cheveldayoff currently has $26.4 million in cap space and he needs to use it. While his UFAs and RFAs will take good chunk of that figure, the longtime GM must also focus on adding complementary players on team-friendly deals or via trade to give his team the best possible chance to follow up their historic season with another strong one.