The Winnipeg Jets are trying to keep their key players around as they have plans to compete in the present and future. Kyle Connor is one of the players they want to get an extension done with, but nobody knows when they will come to an agreement.
If he doesn't get an extension, there is a feeling that he could leave the team in free agency after the season. ESPN made a prediction for each team, and they believe that Connor stays, and he makes around the same money as one of his counterparts.
“Connor is 13th in goals scored (153) over the past four seasons, four fewer than Nathan MacKinnon. If he hit unrestricted free agency next summer, he'd see slightly more interest than a ChatGPT IPO. The Jets understand this. They want him to stay. Connor has given no indication he wants to leave. But if Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen are $12 million AAV players under this season's cap, so too will Kyle Connor under next season's cap — and Winnipeg has the space to add it,” Greg Wyshynski wrote.
It has been projected that Connor's extension could be around the $11 million to $12 million range, which would place him among the NHL’s highest-paid wingers. That would be a good contract for Connor, especially when looking at his production through the years.
The Jets should know that it's not easy to get like Connor, and they'll need to do whatever they can to keep him. If the Jets want a chance to compete for a championship, making a commitment to Connor might be the move they need to make to guarantee success now.
At the same time, the Jets may be looking at how a contract like that could affect the outlook of the entire team, and if they'll have enough cap space to sign other players.
