The Winnipeg Jets entered 2023 Free Agency with nine pending restricted free agents (RFAs) and six pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). After a frenzy of signings and re-signings league-wide over the past week, some have been locked up by the Jets again, some await new contracts, some have signed elsewhere, and some are still without a team.
Here’s an updated look at every RFA and UFA: who’s signed, who’s gone, and who’s left.
Who’s Signed
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (was a UFA Group 6)
The Jets re-signed the Swedish speedster on July 3 to a two-year deal with a $775,000 average annual value (AAV.)
The 25-year-old left-winger, claimed off waivers from the Washington Capitals just before last season began, impressed in the first half with his blazing speed and dogged forechecking and at times jumped to the top six.
He was a regular through the end of February, but often found himself in the press box down the stretch. He played just two games in March, one game in April, and one playoff game, and was also briefly sent down to the Manitoba Moose, where he recorded three goals and one assist in four games.
Overall, Jonsson-Fjallby played 50 NHL games, recording six goals and eight assists for 14 points, an ATOI of 10:27, and a minus-1 rating.
Vladislav Namestnikov (Was a UFA)
The Jets’ best move on free agency’s opening day was locking up Vladislav Namestnikov to a bargain two-year deal with a $2 million AAV.
Related: Jets Get Versatility & Affordability By Re-Signing Namestnikov
The 30-year-old centre was a UFA for less than a day before he and the Jets hammered out a new deal. He was originally acquired at the 2023 Trade Deadline from the San Jose Sharks for the modest price of a fourth-round pick, and he performed above expectations while proving his versatility. Overall, he recorded two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 20 regular season games and two assists in five playoff games.
The veteran of 630 NHL games, who has played for eight teams in his career, is generally considered a bottom six player known for his aggressive forechecking and strong skating. However, he played on the top six — centering the second line between Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler — as the Jets won six of their final seven meaningful games to make the playoffs last season.
While a permanent top-six role won’t be in the cards for him going forward, he has proven capable of jumping into that role if needed, and will be an insurance policy if Cole Perfetti and/or new addition Gabriel Vilardi experience some struggles. He will bring some added offensive punch wherever he plays — he has recorded as many as 48 points in a season — and with his ability to play centre and both wings, will give head coach Rick Bowness more options for line combinations.
Namestnikov waived his no-trade clause to come to Winnipeg in March. To be successful, a small market like Winnipeg that doesn’t have the glitz or glamour of many others needs as many affordable players who want to be there as possible. Namestnikov fits that bill.
Who’s Gone — RFAs
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Disgruntled power forward Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 28 in exchange for Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, Vilardi, and a second-round 2024 pick to end his three-season, 195-game tenure with the Jets. He then signed an eight-year deal with the Kings with a $8.75 million AAV.
The 25-year-old centre, playing on a one-year contract last season, had no interesting in signing long-term in Winnipeg and made that known to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Cheveldayoff was able to make the most out of his diminishing asset who was set to become a UFA in 2024: he got a strong return and avoided sending Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens, who was the front-runner for his services for a long time but tendered a worse offer than the Kings.
Dubois recorded a career-high 63 points — 27 goals and 36 assists — to go along with 77 penalty minutes last season in a top-six role.
Arvid Holm (was an RFA, is now a UFA)
The Jets did not tender goaltender Arvid Holm a qualifying offer, making him a UFA.
The 24-year-old sixth-round 2017 pick was fairly reliable in his second season with the Moose. He split time with Oskari Salminen and posted an 18-11-4 record, 2.67 Goals Against Average, and .911 SV%. He also backed up Connor Hellebuyck in the playoffs when David Rittich was unavailable due to injury.
Alex Limoges (was an RFA)
Alex Limoges moved closer to his Virginia home by signing a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals worth $775,000. He led the the Moose in points last season with 54 (20 goals and 24 assists) in 63 games.
While Moose head coach Mark Morrison would have undoubtedly been thrilled to have the 25-year-old back in the fold, the fact Limoges did not receive an NHL call-up at any point may may have been the motivating factor for him to sign elsewhere.
Who’s Gone — UFAs
David Rittich
Rittich signed a one-year deal on July 1 with the Kings worth $870,000. He acted as a serviceable backup for Hellebuyck last season, posting a 9-8-1 record, 2.67 GAA, and .901 SV% in 18 starts and 21 total appearances.
Those numbers represented somewhat of a bounce back effort for the Czechian and he earned Bowness’ and his teammates trust to some degree. He previously played for the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Nashville Predators but struggled in the latter two markets.
It seemed possible the Jets would re-sign Rittich, but they brought former backup Laurent Brossoit and UFA Collin Delia into the fold instead.
Kevin Stenlund
Kevin Stenlund signed a one-year deal on July 1 with the Florida Panthers worth $1 million. His departure was a bit of a surprise since he earned a spot as fourth-line centre for the majority of last season and largely relegated David Gustafsson to the press box.
The 26-year-old Swede started with the Moose but got an opportunity with the Jets in December and never looked back. He suited up for 54 NHL games — a career high — and recorded six goals and three assists for nine points and one goal in five playoff games. He was strong in the dot, winning 53.3 per cent of his faceoffs, and played a key role on the Jets’ much-improved penalty kill.
Who’s Left — RFAs
Morgan Barron
Morgan Barron went viral in the first round of the playoffs for being cut on the face by Vegas Golden Knights goaltender (and now teammate) Laurent Brossoit’s skate, getting more than 75 stitches to fix the resulting gash, then returning to the game and playing most of the series with a full cage.
Barron’s toughness was evident, and so was his progression in his first full NHL season. The budding power forward posted eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 70 games to go along with an ATOI of 13:15 and a plus-four rating.
He became a mainstay on the bottom six, and while he suffered through some offensive droughts and an early-season wrist injury that required surgery, he brought a reliable compete level to whatever line he was on. He was never afraid to go into the thick of things or the dirty areas to help the team.
Barron played last season on the final year of the entry-level contract the Jets inherited from the New York Rangers last March in the trade that sent Andrew Copp to the Big Apple. A two-year bridge deal would be appropriate to allow Barron to continue on his path to becoming an impactful two-way forward with a heady mixture of size and skill.
Declan Chisholm
Declan Chisholm enjoyed a splendid 2022-23 campaign with the Moose. The left-shooting defenceman, chosen in the fifth round in 2018, was a consistent presence on the top pairing and recorded five goals and 38 assists for 43 points in 59 games and four assists in five Calder Cup Playoff games. He was also named an AHL All-Star for the first time in his career.
Chisholm missed the final month of the AHL regular season with a high-ankle sprain, but because the Moose received a bye to the second round of the playoffs, was able to suit up for postseason action.
Despite the small setback, Chisholm, who has reached the end of his entry-level contract, made a compelling case that he’s ready for a full-time NHL work. A new two-year deal should be easy to work out; he will be out to prove himself this fall.
Rasmus Kupari
Kupari, acquired in the Dubois trade, is coming off his entry-level contract that slid twice and is a bit of a question mark.
The 23-year-old Finnish centre, who can also play wing, was selected by the Kings 20th overall in 2018 but has not established himself as a dominant NHLer yet. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has had some flashes of brilliance, but has struggled with his two-way play, confidence, and consistency.
He played a career-high 66 NHL games last season and recorded three goals and 12 assists for 15 points and won 54.6 per cent of his faceoffs. In 130-career NHL games, has just 29 points and has bounced between the AHL and the NHL so far in his career.
Kupari could simply be a late-bloomer offensively, and Cheveldayoff has indicated he’s hopeful Kupari will blossom into a productive player. A shorter bridge deal is most likely.
Dylan Samberg
Dylan Samberg took a big leap forward in his first full NHL season, establishing himself as a reliable shutdown blueliner on the third pairing. The 24-year old played 63 games last season, recording two goals and six assists, an ATOI of 14:56, and a plus-10 rating. He provided, according to The Athletic, $5.9 million in surplus value.
Samberg, after his impressive campaign, looks ready to step into a top-four role after being considered for a number of seasons to be one of the Jets’ better defensive prospects.
Related: Jets’ 2023 Report Cards: Dylan Samberg
Originally selected in the second round in 2017, Samberg played last season on the final year of his entry-level contract he signed in 2020 and will be due a raise from his current $925,000 salary. He may seek a bridge deal that carries him to UFA status at age 27. The Jets could also consider tendering him a longer-term deal if they feel he has proven his ability to be a cornerstone of the top four in the future.
Logan Stanley
The Jets just can’t seem to quit Logan Stanley.
The towering defender has been a long-term project since being drafted 18th overall in 2016, and the project has not turned out well. Other than his brief rise to a regular in the shortened 2021-22 season, he has been a disappointment.
Stanley was tendered a qualifying offer despite being on the outside looking in for much of last season and being unable to stay healthy. He suffered two separate long-term injuries and ended up playing just 19 games, recording one goal and two assists for three points. Perhaps seeing the chance at being a full-timer with the Jets as dimmer than ever, the 24-year old requested a trade at the Trade Deadline, but one did not ultimately materialize.
While six-foot-seven and 230 pounds, Stanley is not overly physical and will never be the second coming of Zdeno Chara — at best, he is an adequate third-pairing defensemen. Chisholm and Ville Heinola are younger and have more upside.
Stanley’s trade value may not be particularly high, but Cheveldayoff was obviously not willing to lose him for nothing. A sign-and-trade is a possibility.
Gabriel Vilardi
Vilardi, 23, is a budding star and the key piece of the deal with the Kings. The natural centre — who played mostly wing last season — was chosen 11th overall by the Kings in 2017 and is coming off a breakout campaign. He set career highs in goals (23, just four fewer than Dubois) assists (18,) average time on ice (15:36,) and plus-minus (plus-10) and also had two goals and two assists in five playoff games. In 154-career NHL games, he has 41 goals and 37 assists for 78 points.
Related: 3 Pros and 3 Cons of Jets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois Trade With Kings
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder is noted for his puck-handling ability, hockey sense, and a hard and accurate wrist shot. Prior to turning pro, he spent two seasons with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and one season with the Kingston Frontenacs, and in 2016-17, won the Memorial Cup with the Spitfires alongside Logan Stanley.
Vilardi is due a significant raise and is coming off a one-year contract that paid him $825,000. He cannot become a UFA until 2027, so the Jets are guaranteed at least four seasons of control. However, if he were to sign a two-year bridge deal, in 2025 he could put them into the exact same situation Dubois did.
Who’s Left — UFAs
Sam Gagner
Veteran forward Sam Gagner, on a one-year deal, was a reliable contributor for the first half of last season. By mid-January, the 33-year-old had eight goals and six assists for 14 points and at times jumped up to the top six when the Jets were ravaged with injuries. On Dec. 29, he was honoured for playing in his 1000th-career NHL game.
Gagner’s role ebbed in the second half. From mid-January on, he bounced in and out of the lineup, and spent the first two weeks of February as a healthy scratch. When inserted for five games through the end of that month — during a stretch the Jets were struggling mightily — he didn’t produce any further points.
In mid-March, it was announced Gagner would miss the rest of the season after having surgery to repair a hip issue, ending his season with 14 points in 48 games, an ATOI of 12:10, and a minus-four rating.
He is unlikely to return and will either retire or seek to continue the twilight of his career elsewhere.
Karson Kuhlman
The Jets picked up Kuhlman off waivers from the Seattle Kraken last December to bolster a depleted right side when Mason Appleton, Ehlers, and Saku Maenalanen were all out with injury.
For a three-month span, the 27-year-old consistently drew into the lineup, but didn’t provide much in the way of offence in a bottom-six role.
After the Jets got healthier and bolstered their contingent of forwards by adding Nino Niederreiter and Namestnikov at the Trade Deadline, Kuhlman was relegated to the press box. He played just two games in March and two games in April.
Overall, Kuhlman played in 33 games, producing two goals and two assists for four points, a minus-seven rating, and logging an ATOI of 12:45. He is unlikely to return as the Jets have younger players with more upside in their pipeline and increased their forward depth after the Dubois trade.
Saku Maenalanen
The 28-year-old Finn — who returned to North America after three years in the KHL and Liiga — accomplished his goal of playing in the NHL. He impressed in training camp and sticking with the Jets all season.
The right-winger suffered an injury in December that kept him out for more than a month, but he still ended up playing 64 games. While he did not flash the offensive skill to the extent he did in Liiga the season prior, when he had 41 points, he recorded four goals and six assists for 10 points and an ATOI of 10:20.
He played a role on the Jets’ much-improved penalty kill, skating the fifth-most time down a man amongst forwards, and used his 6-foot-4 frame to his advantage with 113 hits, third among Jets forwards. However, he posted poor possession numbers, with his CORSI and Fenwick at all strengths both hovering just above 40 per cent.
It’s possible the Jets re-sign him as his play style seemed to truly resonate with Bowness, but seems less likely now due to the increased forward depth the Dubois trade brought.
