Winnipeg Jets

It's day four of NHL free agency and the Winnipeg Jets are still in need of reaching the cap floor, which is roughly $54 million. In order for the Jets to reach that area, they’ll have to spend a little more than $5.5 million in the remainder of this offseason.

The Jets have roughly $48.6 million in payroll and have five openings on their roster with a major RFA still left to re-sign. The Jets have already been quite active in free agency with signings in each of the first two days. 

On day one, General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff went out and brought Derek Meech back and signed Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one-year deal. On day two, Cheveldayoff signed Olli Jokinen to a two-year deal. With more needs to be filled, Cheveldayoff took a day off on day three.

It's day four and the Jets will look to fill those needs from here on out to help get to the cap floor. But how will the Jets approach it and who will they look to sign? With where the Jets currently stand, it’ll be easy for them to spend at least $6 million more.

The first part is simple and should be obvious. Evander Kane is going to get re-signed at some point in the coming weeks. Kane’s contract should take up at least $4 million of what’s needed to reach the floor. With the major RFAs out of the way, the Jets will look to UFAs to fill out their roster.

One of the major roster needs is a backup goaltender. The cost should be very minimal but will help net the Jets closer to the cap floor. I would not expect any amount to be over $1 million per year for a backup goalie, no matter whom that goalie may be.

After these two signings, the Jets will have three openings left. Spencer Mahacek would then be the last RFA on the team. The Jets will look to get him back on the roster or maybe a two-way deal which could possibly leave two spots open. By now, the Jets should be at the floor or very close to it.

However, there are two spots left so I’ll bite. Cheveldayoff said he’s not done yet, not by any stretch of the imagination. He’s been clear the whole time that the Jets will be active as soon as the free agency period began. I’m expecting the Jets to go for another forward and/or defenseman via free agency.

I’d say there’s an outside chance the Jets try to make a splash with Alexander Semin. It’s probably up to the player at this point, but after Cheveldayoff showed courage and commitment by going hard after Zach Parise, anything becomes possible with this committed management and ownership.

There are other possibilities out there, cheaper and more flexible options. I’ve been pondering about it for a while, but a Cam Barker signing could make sense right now. As it stands, the Jets' sixth defenseman is Grant Clitsome with Meech being a possibility.

The Jets will need more than just six defenseman and there isn't a drop off between Barker, Clitsome, and Meech. Barker would be a cheap option with an extremely low risk/high reward potential. Plus, he's a Winnipeg boy. For a bottom-pairing defenseman, you can't go wrong.

If the Jets look to fill out their roster with forwards via what's left in free agency, there is one option that intrigues me. I'm not sure if he's on the Jets' radar or if the Jets are even looking center at this point, but Peter Mueller could be a very nice addition to the lineup. If it weren't for his injuries, he'd already be an NHL regular. Just like Barker, it's a low risk/high reward opportunity. And just like Barker, another change of scenery could do him good.

There are other opportunities out there and Cheveldayoff is looking at them all. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jets in on the trade front. The Jets should reach the cap floor relatively easily and become a stronger team in the process.

The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with free agent center Olli Jokinen on a two-year contract worth $9 million, according to Ed Tait of The Winnipeg Free Press. The deal averages out to $4.5 million per year.

Analysis

Jokinen is a veteran center with size that the Jets need down the middle. He's 33 years old and still has a lot to offer in the NHL.

Last season, Jokinen had a total of 61 points and scored 23 goals playing with the Calgary Flames.

Jokinen's prime years are past him. He was once a 90-point player with the Florida Panthers. However, Jokinen is still able to produce at a reasonable pace.

The two-year deal also means that this is a short-term fix, and that the Jets are serious about contending for the playoffs next season.

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has addressed needs to fix the short-term worries with his signings of Alexei Ponikarovsky and now Jokinen. The $4.5 million per year will not be a worry to the Jets since it's a short-term contract.

Cheveldayoff's goal is to make the playoffs every year and, with these signings, it's more of a possibility the Jets will be a playoff team next season. While the short-term goal is fixed, it gives time for the young players and prospects to continue to progress and help achieve the Jets' long-term goal.

This means that Jets top prospect Mark Scheifele can now continue to develop in the juniors instead of being rushed up. When Jokinen's two years are up, Scheifele should be ready.

A very nice job done by Cheveldayoff.

Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told the media he was going to be quite active as soon as the clock struck 12. Thus far, the Jets have made some moves and are rumored to still be quite active on the free agency front.

Signings and Movement

Firstly, the Jets have lost out on Jonas Gustavsson, Tanner Glass and Chris Mason. All of these players have found new homes this afternoon.

What do these losses mean?

Tanner Glass made up one-third of the "GST" line. He was a fan-favorite in Winnipeg and had a solid season last year. Although it would have been nice to reunite the "GST" line, this is by no means a major loss. Expect Patrice Cormier or Spencer Mahacek to get a chance in his place next season.

Losing Mason and Gustavsson mean that the Jets are without a backup goalie. A backup goalie is easy to acquire at this point, so there shouldn't be much worries on this front.

What names are there to keep an eye on? How about Johan Hedberg. The "Moose" was once a part of this franchise, and not too long ago in Atlanta, there was a tandem of Pavelec and Hedberg.

Now, let's take a look at who the Jets acquired.

Defenseman Derek Meech was re-signed early this afternoon when free agency first began. He is most likely going to provide the Jets with the seventh man option and probably see ice time when injuries occur. I'm not sure if the Jets want to roll with him as their sixth defenseman because he may not be good enough.

And maybe the Jets aren't done on defense just yet.

Now on to a more groundbreaking deal (don't get too excited). The Jets acquired forward Alexei Ponikarovsky this afternoon on a one-year, $1.8 million contract. This move should be seen as a short-term fix and nothing more. Ponikarovsky is good friends with Nik Antropov from when they both played together in Toronto, so the possibility that they play together exists.

Rumors

The Jets have been rumored to be in on a number of forwards. P.A. Parenteau was one of those forwards but signed with the Colorado Avalanche. Olli Jokinen is another that's been rumored to the Jets. He could very well be a Jet before the day is over.

With the Jets needing a backup goalie, expect to see them go after an ideal veteran backup. I wouldn't be surprised to see Hedberg reuinted with Pavelec.

In bigger news, the Jets have been one of the teams making a pitch at Zach Parise. This is a move that would do wonders in boosting confidence of fans. This tells you the Jets are serious about winning.

Even though they probably won't end up with Parise, they are trying hard to get the best. This is what I like to see.

The Winnipeg Jets returned to the NHL this past season, but it may have not been the return that many people would have liked to see. However, it was a return full of improvements, a return that took a dying franchise and restored hope. And now, the Jets need to take that positive and build off of it each year, starting in their sophomore year this coming season.

The Jets' second season will be important for the franchise as they look to build off of the previous season and establish a commitment to winning, not only for next season, but for the long-term. The Jets’ goal is to build a foundation, to be a winning team each and every season. It may not happen right away, but the plan is set.

The Jets don't want their franchise to continue the way it went in Atlanta, where it was nothing but losing season after losing season.

Most important, the Jets need to win games to allow them to annually compete for the playoffs. Next season could be the start of it. They have a young team, and making the playoffs for the first time (not counting the 2007 season in Atlanta) would provide some much needed experience for them.

The only way for fans to buy into GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s way of managing is for them to see success on the ice. Everyone knows the direction this team is headed in and just how much potential this current roster has. That is important for a franchise located in Winnipeg where fans worship hockey as their religion.

It’ll be important for the Jets to establish themselves as a threat on. People still frown on this franchise because of its past woes from when the team was still in Atlanta with uncommitted ownership and awful management. Success is measured in wins and playoff appearances, which will ultimately differentiate the Jets of new from the Thrashers of old.

There are some concerns that exist, though.

What if the Jets struggle like the Thrashers did year in and year out? What if they don’t make the playoffs until eight years after their return to the league, just as it took the Thrashers eight years? I’m not saying Atlanta and Winnipeg are equivalent in terms of being hockey cities, but how long will Winnipeg be allowed to play poorly before being put on a short leash?

That can't happen.

It’s no secret; everyone knows how dismal the Atlanta Thrashers were for their entire existence. Although the Jets made massive improvements last season, they still missed out on the playoffs and looked woeful for stretches, reminding us that they’re still the Thrashers. The Jets have to branch off and start anew. And it can’t take years for it to happen.

So why am I blabbing on about the past?

The Jets need to make sure that their sophomore season is another step in the right direction. After the 2007-08 playoff season for the Thrashers, they declined enormously—a theme that haunted them. The Jets need to be able to string together positive seasons.

That’s why it is important for the Jets to establish themselves early, not eight years later and not once every eight years. It’ll be a challenge, but it’s an important one to overcome. The Jets need to establish themselves as a legitimate force, one to be reckoned with around the league.

There’s a lot of pressure on them. That’s the way it usually works with Canadian markets, but the fans understand that becoming a winning team doesn’t happen overnight. But it has to happen, and the Jets have to take this past season and build off it in their sophomore season.

The Winnipeg Jets re-signed netminder Ondrej Pavelec to a five-year deal worth $19.5 million, an annual cap hit of $3.9 million per year according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

Early reports a few weeks ago rumored Pavelec to have a "big money" contract offer from a KHL team on the table. Pavelec, who will turn 25 in August, is coming off of the best season of his young career posting a career-high of 29 wins.

Analysis

The RFA netminder agreed to terms with the Jets this afternoon for what should be five more years of starting in front of a crowd that loves him, as well as continuing to develop into an elite goaltender.

The Jets acquired the rights of Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson on day two of the NHL draft, which may have had Pavelec thinking about the situation during these past few days. Pavelec may have signed faster out of fear of the Jets potentially moving on without him.

Regardless of whether or not the situation with the KHL was real, it's great to have the up-and-coming star back for five more seasons.

This move does wonders for the Jets franchise. Their rebuilding process can continue without any bumps in the road. It's probably most important to build from the net out, and the Jets have that piece.

Chris Mason, the Jets UFA backup goalie, is probably on his way out. If the Jets can get Gustavsson re-signed, expect a tandem of Pavelec and Gustavsson, with Pavelec getting at least 75 percent of the starts.

The Winnipeg Free Press has reported that the Winnipeg Jets and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec have agreed to a new five-year deal worth $19.5 million. This is a huge upgrade for Pavelec, who only made $1.3 million as the Winnipeg's starting goaltender last year.

After the Jets acquired goaltender Jonas Gustavsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs over the NHL draft weekend, nothing was set in stone as far as to who would be between the pipes for the upcoming season. However, after the extension given to Pavelec, one would have to speculate that he will once again be the guy called on this season.

Pavelec finished last year with a 29-28-9 record, 2.91 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. I recently ranked him as the 27th best goaltender entering next season.

The Jets now have two young goaltenders that they can rebuild around, and now need to focus on getting some depth in the scoring department. At the least, Winnipeg fans can rest a little easier knowing that their front office has found a guy who they believe will be the one to take them deep into the playoffs.

TSN hockey insider Bob McKensie tweeted that Pavelec's year-by-year payout will be $3.25 million, $3.5 million, $3.75 million, $4.25 million and $4.75 million.

Position: Defenseman

Height/Weight: 6'1", 194 lbs

Shoots: Right

DOB: 2/24/1994

Team: USA National Development Team (USHL)

Jacob Trouba is not the most polished defenseman in this draft class, but he's already shown with the United States development team that he has all the talent needed to be one of the more complete blueliners in hockey. His skating ability, especially his quickness and agility, are quite impressive at this stage of his development.

In 22 games in the USHL, Trouba scored four goals with 14 assists. His offensive game is solid, and he will have no problem providing some scoring depth to an NHL team when he arrives as a rookie.

You won't ever have to tell Trouba to shoot because he is aggressive with the puck on the blade of his stick around the blue line. When Trouba fires a puck toward the net, his shot power is put on full display, and it wouldn't be surprising if he participates in a hardest shot competition at the All-Star skills competition at some point in his career.

Defensively is where Trouba needs to keep improving if he wants to be a top-tier NHL defenseman. He has good size, but he needs to make smarter decisions in his own end and not go for the big hit or take risky chances.

Trouba will work on all his weaknesses in college and will have plenty of time to become a more complete player. Fans must be patient because Trouba will be a solid NHL player when he's ready to make the jump to the pros.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Nicholas Goss is an NHL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was also the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Boston.

The Winnipeg Jets will make their first-round selection with the ninth overall pick at tonight's 50th NHL entry draft.

Judging from previous years, what can the Jets expect at ninth overall? Let's go back in time and analyze the former ninth overall draft picks since the 2004-05 lockout season.

With the ninth overall pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft, the Ottawa Senators took United States-born defenseman Brian Lee. Lee only totaled 167 games through five seasons with the Senators before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lee was drafted as a high school senior and needed time to develop his game in college, but the blueliner was unable to find it at the NHL level.

In 2006, the Minnesota Wild selected center James Sheppard with their ninth overall pick. Sheppard spent three seasons with the Wild (224 games), but only tallied 11 goals to go with 49 points. Sheppard suffered a non-hockey related accident which forced him to miss the entire 2010-11 campaign. Last summer, Sheppard was dealt to the Sharks, but didn't see any NHL action this past season.

In 2007, Logan Couture was drafted ninth overall by the San Jose Sharks. This is probably the best selection the ninth overall spot has seen since the lockout.

In his first season, Couture only played in 25 games, which wasn't enough to qualify as his rookie season. In his 2010-11 rookie season, Couture potted 32 goals along with 56 points. The young gun matched his rookie outing in 2011-12 when he netted 31 goals to go with 65 points.

The ninth overall spot in 2008 saw a center go for the third straight year when the New York Islanders drafted Josh Bailey. Bailey made the Isles' lineup his rookie year, and played in 291 games throughout his first four seasons.

Bailey's career-high in goals was set during his second year with 16, and he's been a 30-point player twice. Though he isn't a complete disappointment, the Islanders expected more from him. He's still young at the age of 22, so there is still a lot of time for this young center to develop his game.

The big 6'5," 230-pound defenseman was drafted ninth overall in 2009 when the Ottawa Senators took Jared Cowen. Cowen made one appearance with the Sens during his draft year. In 2011-12, he played a full 82-game season with his club. Cowen scored five times and tallied 17 points. The young defenseman has a lot of upside and potential, and the Senators believe he will amount to it.

In 2010, the Minnesota Wild selected Finnish center Mikael Granlund with their ninth overall selection. Granlund hasn't made the team yet, but he is expected to be one of the next best Finnish players in the game. There's still a lot of time between now and then, but early speculation is that Granlund has the potential to be a star in the NHL.

At last year's NHL entry draft, the Boston Bruins took Dougie Hamilton with their ninth overall selection. The fall to ninth shocked some people, and many saw it as a steal for the Bruins. Why wouldn't they? Hamilton is a 6'5" defenseman who has all the tools to become one of the best shutdown defenseman in the game. And with Zdeno Chara there to teach him, it looks like he won't have any trouble learning the ropes.

The ninth overall pick has been popular for defensemen and centers. Some players have already fallen out of the NHL, and one has already made a name for himself. Others are too young to predict what will happen in their career.

Tonight, it will be the Winnipeg Jets' turn to make a selection at the ninth spot.

Pre-Draft Buzz

There are just three days left until the highly-anticipated NHL draft. It’s an exciting night for hockey fans and for these young players waiting to find a new home. It’s a night where the Winnipeg Jets will look to add another piece to their collection in the process of building a Stanley Cup-caliber team. So without further ado, with the ninth-overall pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft, the Winnipeg Jets select…

There are still plenty of mock draft boards that have the Jets selecting defenseman Jacob Trouba with their first-round pick. It’s probably the consensus pick right from mock drafts I’ve viewed, but the only thing that matters is what GM Kevin Cheveldayoff thinks. Cheveldayoff has been quiet on the subject, but it’s expected that he’ll take the best available player when the Jets are on the clock this Friday.

Trouba may be a Jet come Friday, but things could change depending on how teams draft ahead of them. Or the Jets could reach for someone; we’ve seen it as early as last year when the Jets took Mark Scheifele about 10 picks too soon.  

Regardless of what happens, it should be an exciting night for Jets fans. And I emphasize the word “should” because the Jets have been in the news for other reasons lately which could be a downer.

Trade Rumors and Free Agent News

The Winnipeg Jets could be in the news for more than one occasion this weekend. Let’s take a look at the latest rumors that have been going around.

Rumors have been swirling that Jets’ goalie Ondrej Pavelec received a “big money” offer to play in the KHL next season, and today, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Jets only options are to pay him or trade him.

Dreger states that it’ll take at least $4 million per year and a multi-year contract to keep Pavelec in the NHL. So the big question here is do the Jets trade or keep Pavelec?

The consensus is to keep him and I’m sure that’s their goal right now, but what if Dreger is wrong? In the KHL, teams can afford to give away money like it’s nothing. What is the “big money” offer that awaits Pavelec in the KHL or in other words, how much would he receive on a yearly basis? What if Pavelec is seeking an outrageous dollar amount such as $5 to $7 million per year in the NHL and basing it off of his KHL offer?

A $4 million per year and four to five year contract wouldn’t be that bad at all so I’m not sure why anyone would be surprised with that number. And if he’s asking for $4 million a year, then it certainly doesn’t seem like a big deal for the Jets to pay. What worries me is if it’s a lot more than that. Sadly, the Jets have to consider trading him if the dollar amount is ridiculous.

Pavelec was the Jets anchor for so many games last season. When the Jets needed someone to step up, Pavelec was up to the task every time. The Jets rebuilding process has run smoothly to this point, but losing Pavelec would put a dent in this franchise and may even set them back a couple of years.

I never expected Pavelec to turn “money hungry” and I always thought he loved the NHL and had no reason to bolt to the KHL. Nor did I ever expect him to turn on the team that birthed him— the team that traded away a star in his own right in Kari Lehtonen just to please Pavelec.

If this situation does spiral out of control and Pavelec is forced to be traded or leaves for Russia, it’ll leave a bad taste in the mouths of many fans.

On to another rumor… one that doesn’t have any legs which is why I’m only going to briefly say a few words about it and move on.

Recently, there has been chatter from unreliable sources that Evander Kane is unhappy in Winnipeg and wants to be traded. No reliable outlet has reported this rumor to be true or not which is why I say it has no legs.

The important thing here is that Kane is still an RFA. However, Kane hasn’t mentioned anything about this rumor and there is no way to tell whether or not he is truly unhappy in Winnipeg. One thing to remember is Kane was one of the first players to embrace the move from Atlanta to Winnipeg. Kane knows this is his team, and that he’ll be the centerpiece of this franchise for years. He’ll stay.

This weekend will be an important one for the future of this franchise and I know it will be an exciting weekend even for Jets fans. Let’s get ready to welcome the newest members of the Winnipeg Jets!

According to a number of sources including NHL.com, the Winnipeg Jets have re-signed fourth-line center Jim Slater to a three-year deal worth $4.8 million, a cap hit of $1.6 million per year.

Slater is currently the longest tenured Jet, as he was drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2002. The 29-year-old center is one of the more gifted fourth-liners in the league. He's played all seven of his NHL seasons with the Winnipeg franchise and set new career-highs in goals (13) and points (21) this past season.

Slater makes up one-third of the fan-favorite "GST" line.

Analysis

Slater is a wealthy man for a fourth-line center. He received a well-deserved raise as he is one of the most hardworking players in the league. The Jets paid a pretty penny to keep Slater, but it's worth it for a player with Slater's abilities. He's spent his whole career with this franchise, and it'll be three more years of hard work, grit, energy, effort and heart that we will see out of Slater.

One down, one to go? With Slater out of the way, the Jets will turn their attention to another UFA.

With one-third of the fourth line returning next season, the Jets seem to be in talks with bringing back one of the other two members of the GST line, Tanner Glass.

The Jets have an established fourth line that played well all season long. It seems GM Kevin Cheveldayoff wants that to continue next season and possibly beyond. Fans should expect to see the hardworking GST line back for at least one more season.

Hard work is the key to success.