On the Winnipeg Jets …
- Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun: Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien are looking to cash in on one last big contract, and both are really important to the Jets according to coach Paul Maurice.
“One’s the captain, and the other runs the room,” is how head coach Paul Maurice put it, Tuesday.
As an organization, the Jets are kind of in no-man’s land as they are not a Stanley Cup contender where keeping both would make them a legit contender, and they are not in a rebuilding phase where they need to trade both for future assets.
The Jets have around $10 million in cap space, but they have other free agents to sign, and may not have the room to extend both Ladd and Byfuglien.
“(They) understand the process and don’t take it as maybe personally as younger players do – they have the ability to do that,” Maurice said. “On all distractions. Whether it’s contract, injuries, just had a baby – whatever it is that veteran players get used to going through.”
- Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press: Tim Campbell’s report yesterday that Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba could be looking for a combine $152 million on long-term deals. That is the asking prices the agents may be looking for, but it’s safe to say they will sign for less than the numbers they are reportedly looking for. It would still be a big number though for all three.Mark Scheifele is also a pending RFA, and in a couple years they will have to extend Nikolaj Ehlers. The Jets may have to ask themselves.
Is this team’s future now in players such as Ladd and Byfuglien, or is their future still to come with the likes of Trouba, Scheifele and Ehlers?
Jets ownership has said they would send to the salary cap ceiling when the time is right, but is this the right time?
- Winnipeg Jets salary numbers from General Fanager.
