Winnipeg Jets: 3 Forwards the Jets Should Look to Sign this Offseason
The Winnipeg Jets will be in the market for a forward this offseason. Here are three forwards the Jets should look to sign during free agency.
The Winnipeg Jets may have four pending free agent forwards that are set to hit free agency this offseason and there is a good chance we could see some of those players suiting up for opposing teams during the 2021-2022 season.
But when one door closes another door opens. According to Cap Friendly, the Winnipeg Jets have a projected cap space of $20,560,477 as they look to build a Stanley Cup contending roster for next season.
There are many interesting pending unrestricted free agent (“UFA”) forwards, around the NHL, that are set to hit the free agent market on July 28 and can be a great addition to the Jets.
Below are three pending UFA forwards that the Jets should target during this offseason:
3. Jaden Schwartz
Many Winnipeg supporters are already familiar with Jaden Schwartz as prior to last season’s divisional realignment, he was a central division rival of the Jets and was a key player of the Blues team that knocked the Jets out of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Schwartz played absolutely outstanding during that first-round series two years ago as he scored a hattrick in game six which was the series clinching game and the game winning goal with fifteen seconds remaining in game five. Ultimately, the Melfort, Canada native finished that series with four goals, one assist, and a plus-4 plus/minus en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
He had another solid campaign in 2019-2020 with 22 goals and 35 assists in 71 games, but the former 2010 fourteenth overall selection did not have the best of luck during the most recent season.
The left-winger missed a considerable amount of time in the middle of last season with a lower-body injury and only appeared in 40 games. He did score eight goals and had eight helpers, but was held pointless in the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche and was a minus-five throughout that series.
Jaden Schwartz has a proven track record as someone who can score a lot of points and could be the perfect fit on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers. A player like Schwartz may be able to bring out the best of Dubois and create a dangerous line that could be the x-factor for the Jets for next season.
2. Blake Coleman
The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion, Blake Coleman, has shown his worth the past two seasons with the Lightning.
Coleman arrived in Tampa at the 2020 trade deadline and was the final piece of the puzzle for the Lightning as they won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and repeated this past season in dominant fashion.
The twenty-nine-year-old is a jack of all trades player that can do it all. Coleman had a respectable 14 goals and 17 assists in 2021, but he finished with an excellent plus-15 plus/minus. His play got even better in the playoffs as he scored three goals and added eight assists in 23 games.
Although Coleman is listed as a centerman, he played the right wing on a line with Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow throughout most of the season for the Lightning. This line was terrific for the Lightning and was arguably the best third line throughout the league in the postseason.
The native of Plano, Texas is a great penalty killer and defensive forward. Coleman takes care of his own zone first and then is a great forechecker as his team moves up the ice in transition.
Just like he did when he got traded to Tampa, Blake Coleman could be the perfect depth signing for the Winnipeg Jets. He can slot onto either the Jets’ second or third line and be a great asset in shutting down the opposition.
Coleman’s expiring contract was for three years and carried an AAV of $1,800,000. Considering his age and his performances over the past couple of seasons, expect Coleman to see a pay raise as any team would love to have a player like him.
1. Casey Cizikas
As I have watched the Islanders for many seasons and have been a writer for their FanSided site, EyesonIsles.com, I am extremely familiar with Casey Cizikas, his style of play, and what he can bring to a team like the Winnipeg Jets.
Cizikas is an exciting pending UFA, he is one of those players that gives it his all every single night. As a matter of fact, Lou Lamoriello stated that he and the Islanders’ front office “will do everything we possibly can to try and have him back.” That quote should say a lot about Cizikas’ value considering it is coming from the back-to-back general manager of the year.
The Toronto native is the definition of a grinder: Cizikas never passes up a hit, plays smart in the defensive zone, and is a great penalty killer.
In the past two seasons, the thirty-year-old has played in 104 regular season games and leads all Islanders’ forwards in penalty kill time on ice while finishing third on the team in hits. He has been one of the best centermen on the Island over that time span with a 53.4 faceoff win percentage.
Cizikas is a defensive forward and is not one to pick up many points. Over his ten-year career in New York, Cizikas has amassed 185 points in 590 games but has a great plus/minus of plus-20 over his career.
Under Barry Trotz, Cizikas and, his fellow linemates, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin have had the task of matching up against opposing top lines while bringing energy to the Islanders night in and night out. This play has given this line the reputation as one of the best fourth lines in all of hockey.
Cizikas would be the perfect fit to slot on the fourth line for Winnipeg Jets or depending on who moves on from the Jets this offseason, Cizikas can slot onto the third line.
The Jets can find the identity player they need in Casey Cizikas. Whether he blocks a hard shot on the penalty kill, throws the bone-crushing hit, or scores an unexpected goal, Cizikas is a player that can change the momentum of a game at a moment’s notice.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Which UFA forwards do you want the Winnipeg Jets to sign when free agency begins? Leave your comments below!
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*All Stats Provided by the NHL & All Current Contract Information Provided by Cap Friendly*