2 UFAs Winnipeg Jets Need To Re-Sign

The Winnipeg Jets may very well blow up the roster in the offseason as they had a disappointing end to the season and disappointing times during the season. Contracts of multiple of their players will be ending sooner than later, but if they choose to relatively keep the roster together or not, there are two UFAs the team would do well to keep around.

Vlad Namestnikov

Vlad Namestnikov is a player that doesn't get long-term contracts and bounces around every season. He is widely sought after at the trade deadline. He has played for seven teams since 2017-18 and has played in five different postseasons for four different teams. At 30 years old, teams know what he can provide and it is consistent play.

The Jets acquired him at the trade deadline this season and he fit in quite well. Namestnikov scored two goals and 10 points in 20 games during the regular season and added two more points in the five playoff games. He can be a cheap player to bring back and can play up and down the lineup.

Sam Gagner

The Jets lost a leader when Sam Gagner went down for the season and wasn't a part of the playoff roster. He was a steady contributor to the bottom-six when healthy this season, scoring eight goals and 14 points in 48 games. While the Jets had some younger players they were trying to mix into the lineup and struggled to find their footing, Gagner did exactly what the team needed from him.

He will cost very little to keep around and even though he logged no shorthanded minutes this season, he is more than capable of doing so as he played nearly 200 minutes on the penalty kill the season prior. Gagner can also contribute on the second power-play unit as he did this season with the Jets.