The Winnipeg Jets just enjoyed their best regular-season in franchise history, winning 56 games and capturing the President's Trophy in the process. Although it ended in a disappointing six-game loss to the Dallas Stars in Round 2, this still projects as a Stanley Cup contender in 2025-26 — and Kyle Connor is a critical part of that continued quest.
The 28-year-old was terrific last year, scoring 41 goals over a full 82-game slate and managing a career-high 97 points. The Jets would love to keep him around, and as The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reports, one of the main reasons he could stay is the eclectic hunting community in Manitoba.
“It might surprise some people outside of Winnipeg that an American pending UFA star player would want to stay on with the Jets, but I’ll point out Connor loves the outdoor life the market affords,” the hockey insider reported on Wednesday.
“He’s an avid hunter, like many players on the team. That’s not reason alone, of course, for him to stay. There are other markets where you can find that outdoor life. But it’s not nothing. (Fellow American star and avid outdoorsman Connor Hellebuyck also extended two years ago).”
It's been widely documented that Canadian teams usually have a harder time retaining top talent, and Connor was born in Clinton Township, Michigan. But whatever the draw is, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will take it if it means keeping the sniper in town.
Connor is entering the final season of a massive seven-year, $50 million contract he signed with the team back in September of 2019. His $7.14 AAV is looking like a bargain after scoring 30 or more goals in five of his six campaigns since signing the deal.
Undoubtedly, the former University of Michigan Wolverine will be looking for a significant raise, and as TSN's Darren Dreger reported, progress is being made.
Jets can't afford to lose Kyle Connor
“Colleague Darren Dreger reported during our Insider Trading segment Tuesday on TSN that there’s progress in negotiations and mutual interest to get something done between Kyle Connor and the Winnipeg Jets,” LeBrun continued.
“That’s no guarantee it gets done before the regular season. There’s no firm timeline to get a deal done, Dreger noted, but both sides are hoping to keep at it… Again, nothing is done until it’s done, but the mere fact there’s mutual interest in getting an extension done answers an important question about Connor’s mindset.”
After losing key forward Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency, the Jets can't afford to let a second star forward reach the market in as many years. Connor is the lifeblood of this Winnipeg team, having spent his entire career in Manitoba after being selected No. 17 overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
He's a staple on the top powerplay unit, and helps form one of the most dynamic top lines in the league alongside Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi.
It'll be interesting to see if Cheveldayoff and the front office can get Connor locked up — and whether a new deal will materialize before opening night on October 9.
