Happy Thanksgiving, Winnipeg!
Monday, October 9, seemed like a quieter day for the team. The Jets are preparing for their season opener on Wednesday, October 11, where they’ll face the Calgary Flames.
If you had told me a month ago that Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck would sign long-term extensions, I might’ve laughed. Nevertheless, here we are, both players inked seven-year deals worth $8.5 million annually.
Here are some simple stats to note for these contract extensions: both will kick in at the start of the 2024-25 season and end in the 2030-31 season. Both contracts will carry an average annual value of $8.5 million per season and expire when the player is 38 years old.
Connor Hellebuyck’s Contract Breakdown
I’m splitting both contract breakdowns as Hellebuyck’s contract details have been confirmed. Years one to three will carry a full no-movement clause, whereas years four to seven carry a 10-team modified no-trade list. Connor Hellebuyck will also receive a $5 million signing bonus on July 1, 2024.
Hellebuyck, 30, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round (130th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Hellebucyk is entering his ninth season with the Jets from Commerce, Michigan. Hellebucyk was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2018 and 2023 and won the award in 2020. Hellebucyk has also finished in fourth place for Vezina voting two other times in his career. Hellebuyck’s record of 238 wins, 154 losses, and 37 overtime losses is paired with a 2.66 goals-against average and a 0.916 save percentage in his 445 career regular season games. Hellebucyk also leads the Jets franchise for goaltender statistics in games played (445), wins (238), shutouts (32), and saves (12,465).
Hellebucyk is also deeply rooted in the Winnipeg community. Being actively affiliated with the mental health awareness initiatives and Project 11. Hellebuyck also worked with the author Thom van Dycke to write a children’s flipbook titled “Bucky Beats the Blues, Is Something Wrong with Weasel.”
OPINION: Hellebuyck’s Extension Is As Expected
I like Hellebuyck’s extension. It shows that the team and Hellebuyck are confident that they can contend in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the next seven years. With speculation that Hellebuyck would be traded, it is a gift on Thanksgiving Monday that we get to keep our Vezina-caliber goaltender.
Related: Connor Hellebuyck Stats
With Hellebuyck locked in for eight seasons, the Jets can now focus on shifting back into win-now mode. We know their fall from the top of the Central Divison after being first in January. We know they started incredibly strong for the 2023 portion of the season. The Jets barely squeaked into the playoffs and then were shown the door in five games by the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights.
This proves that the Winnipeg Jets and Connor Hellebuyck have found a middle ground they can settle on as they focus on winning. Cheveldayoff retooled quickly after it looked like dark days were ahead with a rebuild for Winnipeg Jets fans. You don’t draft a Vezina-caliber goaltender like Connor Hellebuyck in the NHL draft every year.
Mark Scheifele’s Contract Breakdown
Writer Note: Scheifele’s contract details are identical to Connor Hellebuyck’s contract details.
Scheifele, 30, was the first player drafted by the Jets as they returned to Winnipeg. Scheifele was selected in the first round (seventh overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. From Kitchener, Ontario, Scheifele is entering his 11th full season with the Jets and will look to build on the momentum he had last season. Scheifele previously scored a career-high 42 goals in his 2022-23 season, and he will look to continue this scoring pace during the 2023-24 season.
Scheifele, like Hellebuyck, is also deeply rooted in the Winnipeg community. Scheifele has put a lot of work into giving back and using the platform that he has to help others. On and off the ice, Scheifele is fundraising for organizations like KidSport. He’s also a part of a program called “Scheif’s Healthcare Heroes,” an initiative at Jets home games that gives back to frontline workers.
OPINION: Scheifele’s Extension Is A Welcome Surprise
Scheifele being extended is a welcome surprise, as the title states. While Scheifele has been a slight issue defensively, he makes up for it as he’s the Jets’ top centerman. Scheifele has shown for years that he’s progressed and that he’s valued playing for only one team throughout his entire career. When uncertainty surrounded the Jets’ franchise centerman, it only seemed like it was a matter of time before Kevin Cheveldayoff parted ways with another top-end talent.
Related: Mark Scheifele Stats
When it was announced that Scheifele signed a seven-year extension, my jaw dropped. It seemed as if the Jets were ready to bring in a massive trade deadline package for Scheifele. That’s not the case anymore. Eight more years of Mark Scheifele means the Winnipeg Jets have made long-term plans to avoid going through a rebuild. Scheifele and Hellebuyck went from realizing their age and wanting to win a cup, even if they won with another team, to buying into the Winnipeg Jets’ long-term plans and goals.
Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving Monday in Canada marked new hope for Winnipeg Jets fans. Head Coach Rick Bowness has two players that he can work with long-term to provide leadership and veteran presence. Kevin Cheveldayoff can build around Scheifele and Hellebuyck for the next eight years. Both contracts suit the needs of the Winnipeg Jets and help them tremendously in a financial sense.
