2026-27<\/p>\n
Upper Limit: $104MM
Current Cap Charge: $99,518,332
Cap Space: $4,481,668
Potential Bonuses: $1.43MM (most are unlikely to be reached)
Dead Cap: None<\/p>\n
Expiring Contracts (RFA): F Brad Lambert<\/a> ($886,666 + $375K in \u2018A\u2019 bonuses), D Elias Salomonsson<\/a> ($865K + $55K in GP bonuses)<\/p>\n Lambert got an extended look with the Jets down the stretch and should have an inside track at a roster spot in training camp, albeit in a limited enough role to make his bonuses unlikely.\u00a0 He\u2019s not a viable candidate to sign long-term; a one-or-two-year bridge deal in the $1.5MM range might make the most sense.<\/p>\n Salomonsson also got a look down the stretch and did well enough to garner full-time consideration this season which gives him a chance to reach at least some of his bonuses.\u00a0 Assuming he can lock down a regular role, a bridge deal for him should push past the $2MM mark.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (UFA): F Morgan Barron<\/a> ($1.85MM), D Haydn Fleury<\/a> ($950K), F Vladislav Namestnikov<\/a> ($3MM), F Nino Niederreiter<\/a> ($4MM), Jack St. Ivany<\/a> ($850K)<\/p>\n Niederreiter is coming off a year to forget offensively although for now, it\u2019s a one-off.\u00a0 If he goes back to being a 30-point player or so, he could still land something reasonably close to this, perhaps in the $2.75MM to $3MM range.\u00a0 If his struggles continue, however, he might be closer to PTO territory.\u00a0 Namestnikov fared even worse, although, like Niederreiter, it could just be a blip.\u00a0 If so, he could stay around his number.\u00a0 If not, he\u2019ll be closer to the league minimum; his ability to play center in a pinch gives him a bit more utility.\u00a0 Barron, meanwhile, just had his best season while the market for bottom-six middlemen has taken off.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be shocking for his camp to point to Jack Drury<\/a>\u2019s five-year deal at $4.5MM per season as a possible comparable for his next contract.<\/p>\n Fleury has done well enough to stay on an NHL roster for nine years but he has typically been in the seventh role.\u00a0 While that\u2019s enough to secure another one-way deal, it shouldn\u2019t cost much more than the minimum salary.\u00a0 St. Ivany is less proven and was only able to secure a minimum-salary pact this summer.\u00a0 A small raise (beyond the increase in the minimum) could be doable but neither blueliner should come in above around $1.25MM barring a breakout.<\/p>\n 2027-28<\/p>\n Projected Upper Limit: $113.5MM With no real pricey contracts to contend with next summer, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will have ample flexibility to add to his roster.\u00a0 That said, given their challenges enticing free agents to sign with them, there\u2019s no guarantee he\u2019ll necessarily be able to do so.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (RFA): F Isak Rosen<\/a> ($925K)<\/p>\n Rosen came over from Buffalo at the trade deadline and played regularly down the stretch, albeit with limited ice time.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to see him pushing for top-six minutes over the next couple of seasons so he\u2019s another player where a bridge deal likely makes sense.\u00a0 If he\u2019s a full regular over that stretch, it could push past the $2MM mark.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (UFA): D Dylan DeMelo<\/a> ($4.9MM), F Alex Iafallo<\/a> ($3.666MM), F Cole Koepke<\/a> ($1.45MM), D Josh Morrissey<\/a> ($6.25MM), D Dylan Samberg<\/a> ($5.75MM), G Stuart Skinner<\/a> ($3.75MM)<\/p>\n Iafallo has ranged between 27 and 37 points over the last six seasons and could be on the fringe of either securing a small raise or being squeezed out if the 2028 summer operates like this one has.\u00a0 He operated with that mindset when he signed this deal, one that was actually a small pay cut to secure the three-year guarantee.\u00a0 Koepke is a bit of a late bloomer in terms of emerging as a regular fourth liner which didn\u2019t help his market this summer.\u00a0 If he has two more years like his last two, however, he should push past the $2MM mark per season on another multi-year agreement.<\/p>\n Samberg has been a strong top-four defensive defender the last couple of years years although his offensive production has been rather limited.\u00a0 Still, that hasn\u2019t hindered him much in contract talks thus far.\u00a0 Given that he\u2019ll just be 29 when this deal is up, he should be able to cash in one more time with a longer-term pact that could trend toward the $7MM range.\u00a0 DeMelo has been a reliable second-pairing piece for several years now since joining the Jets although he\u2019ll be 35 when his contract expires.\u00a0 Given the heavy game he plays, there could be some concern about injuries as he ages, but he should still be able to get a two- or three-year deal at this price tag.<\/p>\n Skinner has shown flashes of being a legitimate starter at times and others where he\u2019s a fringe backup goalie.\u00a0 Accordingly, it wasn\u2019t shocking that a true number one deal didn\u2019t come his way but rather one for a higher-end second-stringer.\u00a0 If Skinner can become steadier and less inconsistent, there\u2019s a pathway to a potential starting job and contract.\u00a0 Otherwise, this will be the price point he stays in.<\/p>\n 2028-29<\/p>\n Forecasted Upper Limit: $123MM It\u2019s going to cost considerably more for the Jets to keep their UFA group in the fold, more than covering the projected cap increase.\u00a0 While that shouldn\u2019t stop Cheveldayoff from trying to add in the 2027 offseason, they may be more hard-pressed to add to the core in the 2028 summer if they can keep their blueliners, in particular, in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (RFA): F Viggo Bjorck<\/a> ($1.075MM + $1MM in \u2018A\u2019 bonuses)<\/p>\n Bjorck\u2019s inclusion here could be premature if he doesn\u2019t make the team out of training camp and ultimately defers the start of this deal.\u00a0 But all signs point to Bjorck getting a chance to play an impactful role early.\u00a0 If they ease him in, he may not hit his bonuses early in the contract but by 2029, it could be realistic if he\u2019s in a top-six role.\u00a0 And if Bjorck\u2019s in that role as a center, the sky is the limit on his second contract as we\u2019re starting to see with quality young middlemen.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (UFA): D Mario Ferraro<\/a> ($4MM)<\/p>\n Ferraro\u2019s contract was one of the more reasonable ones signed in free agency as the long-term deal he was seeking never came to fruition.\u00a0 Barring a big role change with the Jets (if anything, he might play less now), his next contract should come in relatively close to this one.<\/p>\n 2029-30<\/p>\n Forecasted Upper Limit: $133.5MM (8.5% increase) If Bjorck pans out into the core piece the Jets think he can be, a big chunk of the forecasted increase to the cap could very well go to him.\u00a0 If they want to keep Ferraro as well, they may not be able to afford much more than that.<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (RFA): None<\/p>\n Expiring Contracts (UFA): None<\/p>\n Signed For 2030-31 And Beyond<\/p>\n For that season, there will be a new CBA in place so trying to forecast the cap and cap space basically becomes a guessing game.\u00a0 Accordingly, we\u2019ll go back to the old Deep Dive format for players signed beyond the 2030-31 campaign.<\/p>\n F Kyle Connor<\/a> ($12MM through 2033-34) Connor\u2019s extension came last season, one that drastically reset Winnipeg\u2019s salary structure.\u00a0 But top-line wingers who generally put up over a point per game are hard to come by and his deal falls in line with several recent comparable deals.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be 37 when this deal is up so it\u2019s unlikely he\u2019ll be able to command more than this next time out.\u00a0 Scheifele has been a bargain through the first three years of his deal and that should continue for the foreseeable future.\u00a0 Even if he\u2019s just a second liner at the end of the contract, that\u2019s about where the market price should be.<\/p>\n Vilardi, when healthy, is a capable top-line threat but his injury history played a role in a non-max-term deal at a lower rate than some of Winnipeg\u2019s other top players.\u00a0 Unlike Connor and Scheifele though, he\u2019ll be young enough when this deal expires (entering his age-32 year) to still command a big raise if he continues on his current trajectory.<\/p>\n Perfetti signed his deal this summer coming off his bridge deal, one that left some questions after he struggled last season.\u00a0 This is reasonable money for a second-liner and there\u2019s reason for optimism that he can get back to that level of production.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be 29 when this deal is up, giving him a chance for a multi-million dollar increase if he can live up to his potential.\u00a0 Lowry\u2019s deal will go okay if he can get back to 30-point form, not the 21-point performance from last season.\u00a0 He\u2019s ideally a third liner and relative to some other recent contracts, it\u2019s on the higher side, especially for someone who will be 38 when it\u2019s done.<\/p>\n Pionk is coming off a tough year but his overall track record as a second or third option suggests he\u2019ll rebound well.\u00a0 If that happens, they will get a solid return on his contract, one that will carry him through his age-36 season.\u00a0 If he\u2019s still a 20-minute player, a small raise on a short-term deal could happen.<\/p>\n Hellebuyck\u2019s future with Winnipeg has been a storyline all summer but no move has happened yet, at least.\u00a0 He\u2019s coming off a down year (many Jets are, to be fair) but his reputation as an elite netminder is well-earned.\u00a0 From a value standpoint, this price tag for an elite starter is strong value, though there are concerns about how the final couple of years could go as he gets older.\u00a0 (Adding Skinner, capable of playing more than Eric Comrie<\/a>, could help in that regard.)\u00a0 As long as he\u2019s an above-average starter, they\u2019ll be fine with this deal.<\/p>\n Outlook<\/p>\n In the short term, Cheveldayoff and the Jets should have some financial wiggle room to add to the core.\u00a0 But a bumper crop of 2028 UFAs will see either key pieces leaving or the team paying a lot more to keep them in the fold.\u00a0 In the latter scenario, Winnipeg could be tighter to the Upper Limit than they\u2019ve been in recent years.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.\u00a0 Teams that 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Current Cap Charge: $86,266,666 (16 players signed)
Cap Space: $27,233,334
Potential Bonuses: $1MM (possible some of the \u2018A\u2019 bonuses are reached)
Dead Cap: None<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/josh-morrissey-jets-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Morrissey is going to be the big one that the Jets have to contend with in the near future.\u00a0 From a contract perspective, doubling his current AAV feels like a lock.\u00a0 In reality, it\u2019s how much more beyond $12.5MM they\u2019re going to need to go for someone who is an all-situations number one defender for Winnipeg, and has been for several years now.\u00a0 A jump closer to the $15MM mark might be where he ultimately lands.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be extension-eligible come July and it will be interesting to see if the two sides can work out an extension quickly.\u00a0 If not, it wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see speculation pick up on the trade front.<\/p>\n
Current Cap Charge: $63.425MM (9 players signed)
Cap Space: $59.575MM
Potential Bonuses: $1MM (possible some of the \u2018A\u2019 bonuses are reached)
Dead Cap: None<\/p>\n
Current Cap Charge: $54.5MM (7 players signed)
Cap Space: $68.5MM
Potential Bonuses: None
Dead Cap: None<\/p>\n
G Connor Hellebuyck<\/a> ($8.5MM through 2030-31)
F Adam Lowry<\/a> ($5MM through 2030-31)
F Cole Perfetti<\/a> ($6MM through 2030-31)
D Neal Pionk<\/a> ($7MM through 2030-31)
F Mark Scheifele<\/a> ($8.5MM through 2030-31)
F Gabriel Vilardi<\/a> ($7.5MM through 2030-31)<\/p>\n