5 Offseason Targets for Winnipeg Jets to Bolster Blueline

One of the priorities for the Winnipeg Jets this offseason is to bolster the blueline.

To that end, Murat Ates in The Athletic has listed five potentially realistic offseason targets for the Jets to shoot for. Let's break it up in terms of unrestricted free agency vs. the RFA/trade route.

UFAs

Logan Stanley

After dealing the big d-man away at the trade deadline, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said he was open to bringing the six-year veteran back as a free agent. “When we talked, I told him that I certainly hadn’t closed any doors and hoped that he hadn’t as well."

Jamie Oleksiak

Another 6-foot-7 sizeable target for the blueline, Ates writes that Oleksiak would be right at the top of Cheveldayoff's list, along with Stanley.

Carson Soucy

The eight-year veteran is probably a more affordable option, and still comes in at 6-foot-4. He's coming off a $3.25M cap hit, which is around a million per year less than what the two aforementioned blueliners will be asking for.

RFA/Trade Market:

Simon Nemec

The Devils' former No. 2 overall selection (2022 NHL Draft) found his name all over the rumor mill this season at the deadline. New Jersey had been asking for an impact forward in return. As Ates suggests, "The Jets might not be able to keep up with a bidding war with Cole Perfetti as their top piece."

Pavel Mintyukov

Also taken in the Top 10 of that '22 Draft, at #10, Mintyukov is another pending RFA. He has been a nice contributor to the Ducks this season in a top-four role. But whether he'd want to leave a team on the rise in Anaheim is another question.

There are many other honorable mentions in Ates's musings about Jets' blueline targets, including shooting for high-priced veterans like Dougie Hamilton or Colton Parayko. But the latter holds a full no-trade clause, while the former has a 10-team Trade List. Getting them to waive to come to Winnipeg could be a difficult challenge.