Jets Rumors: Potential Futures Of Connor & Lowry

The Winnipeg Jets are a team that may have it the toughest when it comes to attracting free agents or being a team most players have on their no-trade list. They have had to be good at drafting and developing, but they have been and it led them to a Presidents' Trophy last season.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to keep someone like Nikolaj Ehlers around after that season though. After next season, the Jets have two key forwards who are UFAs and will need to be re-signed before then. Elliotte Friedman said that, "We'll see what happens with Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor. The one thing the jets have going their way is they have a group of players who really like each other."

Connor is going into year seven of his deal with a cap hit of $7.142 million AAV and is arguably the best skater on the team, finishing 2024-25 with 41 goals and 97 points. Lowry is the captain and has been on a team-friendly deal of $3.25 million AAV for five years. He scored 16 goals and 34 points, but is great defensively, finishing eight of his last nine seasons with a 50% or better faceoff percentage, finishing top-10 in Selke Trophy voting each of the past two seasons, and he kills penalties.

Both Connor and Lowry are expected to get pay increases from their current contracts. I expect Connor to exceed $8.5 million AAV, which is what Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck signed for a couple of years ago for seven years. The Jets will very likely try to get Connor locked down for eight years, the maximum right now. He is a consistent point-per-game or near point-per-game player and will consistently score 30+ goals, doing so in all seven full seasons (excluding the 56-game COVID season).

Lowry has been a great captain and his leadership qualities are clear considering he isn't one of the best players on the team. Fortunately the Jets have eight other players who will become UFAs, freeing up more money than they already have to spend, which is $4 million. Winnipeg should be fine, especially if the team does well next season to show Connor and Lowry the team can win it all.