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The Winnipeg Jets won the President's Trophy as the top regular season team in the NHL in 2024-25. Still, they would fall in the second round of the playoffs to the Dallas Stars. This left GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Jets in a precarious situation of attempting to improve the team in NHL Free Agency, while keeping other key parts and staying under the salary cap. The Jets made multiple signings this offseason and had a solid summer.
The offseason started with bad news for the team, learning they will be without Adam Lowry to start the season, with him having hip surgery. They also lost some key players this offseason. Mason Appleton signed with the Detroit Red Wings, while Brandon Tanev went to the Utah Mammoth. They also lost depth pieces in Dominic Toninato and Dylan Coghlan. The biggest loss was that of Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. He played in 69 games last season, scoring 24 goals and adding 39 assists.
Overall, the Jets still have $8.1 million in cap space, even after making 15 signings this summer. Many of the signings were depth pieces in the AHL. This is how their signings grade out.
Jonathan Toews returns to the NHL
After being out for the past two seasons, the Jets signed Toews to a one-year deal. It was an incentive-laden deal worth a base salary of $2 million this year. The contract can reach up to $7 million, based on playing time and team performance. Still, if Toews is playing enough and the Jets win enough, which includes lifting the Cup, they will gladly pay the contract. The Canadian was the third overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006 and has consistently produced in his NHL career.
In the past nine seasons he played, the center scored over 30 points in each of them. Further, he brings playoff experience to the team, winning the Stanley Cup three times with the Hawks. While there will be concern about his production after two years away, if Toews can even reach even his career low, which is 25 points in 47 games, this will be a solid signing for the Jets.
Jonathan Toews contract grade: A-
Winnipeg brings in Gustav Nyquist
Gustav Nyquist joins the Jets on a one-year, $3.25 million contract. After playing at the University of Maine, he would join the Detroit Red Wings organization. The Swede has spent time with the Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, and Nashville Predators in his career. He was once a routine 40-point scorer in the NHL, but as of late has not been at the same level.
In his last three seasons, Nyquist has eclipsed 30 points just once. Still, that season, 2023-24, he scored 23 goals and added 52 assists. He is coming off a season where he scored 11 goals and 17 assists, but did spend much of the season with the Predators, who struggled to score in general, before being traded back to the Wild. He has also been a contributor on both the powerplay and the penalty kill in his career. At a low cost for someone who has the potential to be a major contributor, this was a solid deal.
Gustav Nyquist contract grade: A
The Jets add Cole Koepke
Cole Koepke was brought into the franchise on a one-year deal worth $1 million this year. He was the 183rd overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. After playing at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he would join the Lightning franchise, playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch initially. Between 2022-23 and 2023-24, he would play in 26 games, scoring one goal and two assists with the franchise. The American forward would join the Bruins for 2024-25, playing in 73 games and adding 10 goals and seven assists.
The former Bruin will most likely be a depth piece on the fourth line for the Jets. At a cost of just $1 million, this was another solid deal for the Jets. They get a strong defensive player who can add some offense. Playing on the fourth line will give the Jets a solid checking line that could add a goal every couple of games, making them a more potent team as a whole. Koepke has not shown he can consistently produce at the NHL level, but if last year was a breakout season, he could be a very strong addition for the Jets.
Cole Koepke contract grade: B+
Tanner Pearson heads to Winnipeg
The former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 is also joining the Jets. Tanner Pearson would play his first game at the NHL level in the 2013 playoffs and would join the Kings full-time the next season after a short stint in the AHL. In his career, he has spent time with the Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, and last season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2014 with the Kings.
The Canadian forward is coming off a solid season with the Golden Knights, scoring 12 times while adding 27 assists. He once produced at a pace of 40 points per year, but has regularly been just over 20 points in recent years. He also got a raise from the $775,00 from last year, and this will be a solid contract for the Jets if he continues his production. Using the metric of efficiency of $100,000 of pay for every point, if the forward continues his regular production, the Jets got a steal of a contract.
Tanner Pearson contract grade: A-
Morgan Barron avoids salary arbitration
Morgan Barron was brought back on a two-year deal worth $1.85 million per year, avoiding salary arbitration. He was the 174th overall pick of the New York Rangers in 2017. He would break into the NHL with the Rangers in 2020-21, playing in five games. The Canadian would be traded in March of 2022 to the Jets. With the team, he has broken out. In the last three seasons, he has played in 70 or more games in each season while scoring 15 or more points.
Last season was his worst with the team, scoring eight goals with seven assists. He would also play in 13 playoff games, adding just two assists. Barron is a depth piece overall, though. He does have versatility, playing all three forward positions last year. Still, he is likely to be a healthy scratch at times this year, while also playing on the fourth line some. At a cost of more than both Koepke and Pearson, and with similar, if not worse production, this was a slight overpay.
Morgan Barron contract grade: C+
The Jets bring back a major piece of the offense
The biggest move of the offseason for the Jets is the return of Gabriel Vilardi. The team could not afford to lose Vilardi with the loss of Ehlers. Last year, five players on the Jets scored 60 or more points, with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the way. Vilardi was the third piece to that line, and losing him would really hurt. Ehlers was also one of the forwards who scored over 60 points, so losing Vilardi would have been a major knock to the team's projection.
The Canadian has also consistently improved. While he has missed time the last three years, he has seen his points per game continue to grow. In 2022-23, he has .65 points per game, which would improve to .76 points per game the next year, and .85 points per game last season. He is also coming off his best campaign in expected goal total and high danger scoring chances created. Overall, this was a great signing for the Jets.
Gabriel Vilardi contract grade: A
The rest of the signings
The Jets also would sign seven one-year, two-way contracts and a pair of two-year, two-way contracts. Isaak Phillips has seen NHL time as a defenseman with the Blackhawks and was solid in that time. He also spent last year with the Jets' AHL affiliate and is a solid prospect who could see the NHL roster in a call-up situation. The top signing may be that of Isaac Poulter. The 23-year-old goaltender has yet to play at the NHL level, but has been solid at the AHL level. The Winnipeg native has played 77 games in the AHL, going 40-24-10 with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. This gives the Jets a young option as a backup to Connor Hellebuyck if Eric Comrie struggles.
Jets' depth signing contract grade: B-
Final grade on the Winnipeg Jets 2025 Signings
While losing a player like Ehlers really hurts the team overall, the Jets did make some solid moves. First, bringing back Vilardi was major for the franchise. They could not afford to lose him, and they got him on a fair contract for years to come. The additions of Nyquist and Toews could also pay off to shore up the depth. Further, Winnipeg now has four lines of production with the additions of Pearson and Koepke. They could have better addressed their need for a backup goaltender or added another blue liner, but regardless, this was a solid class.
Final grade for the Winnipeg Jets' 2025 free agency class: B+
