From what looked like a looming rebuild this time last year, the Winnipeg Jets have completely changed their narrative not only for the 2023-24 season but for years to come. That said, the 2024 offseason will be about new additions wanting to either stick around in or come to Winnipeg and play for a franchise that may have some great seasons ahead for the rest of the decade.
And the Jets have enough cap space to keep a big name pending unrestricted free agent like Sean Monahan or Tyler Toffoli around, with $14.127 million in cap space for the upcoming offseason. Among legitimate playoff contenders, the Jets have more cap space than seven of them, even if they do have quite a few pending unrestricted and restricted free agents they may wish to keep around.
Winnipeg, if they wanted to keep everything as is, may not have enough to add another piece to the puzzle; at least, that’s the way things look like on paper. But there is enough space that, should the likes of Monahan, Toffoli, and blueliner Colin Miller prove to be rentals, they could lure a cost-effective talent from outside the organization to Manitoba.
Winnipeg Jets could have the space to add more talent in 2024 offseason
Winnipeg’s goaltending will be set with Connor Hellebuyck and perhaps with the return of backup Laurent Brossoit, but what remains a mystery is if this franchise will hang onto the likes of Toffoli and Monahan, among others.
It is highly likely that they keep pending restricted free agents like Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson, and Logan Stanley. But if they have room to add one more scorer via free agency or trade, look for it to occur, as the Jets can use help on that front.
This will happen should Winnipeg feel they can upgrade over Toffoli and Monahan, as they have been a middle-of-the-pack team from a scoring standpoint all season. If they land a serviceable scorer and their goaltending remains on form, there is a chance the Jets will be the West’s team to beat in 2024-25.