Winnipeg Jets Salary Arbitration Hearing Dates

The Winnipeg Jets have two restricted free agents who elected to declare salary arbitration. Forward Morgan Barron and newly acquired forward Gabriel Vilardi both have their hearing dates set. Morgan Barron, 24 years old, scored a career-high in goals (eight), assists (13), and points (21) in his 70-game stint with the Winnipeg Jets this year. Gabriel Vilardi, 23 years old, was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, where he also posted a career-high in goals (23), assists (18), and points (41) in his 63-game stint with the Kings.

Morgan Barron’s Arbitration Case

Morgan Barron, listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has been an incredible third-line player for the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022-23 season. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native was drafted in the sixth round at 174th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. Barron struggled to find his role with the Rangers and then was eventually traded to the Winnipeg Jets on March 21st, 2022, in the deal that saw Andrew Copp being traded to the Rangers.

Morgan Barron Stats

Up until the 2022-23 season, Barron would always split time between the NHL and AHL. With Winnipeg getting a new bench boss in Rick Bowness this year, Barron would be given the opportunity to become a full-time third-line player.

Expected Contract

Morgan Barron’s salary arbitration hearing case is set for August 2nd, 2023. While he isn’t the big fish in the player to elect salary arbitration, Morgan Barron is expected to receive a nice pay raise. Expect something similar to Dylan Samberg’s two-year, $1.4 million dollar contract to be comparable to Morgan Barron in the arbitration case.

Gabriel Vilardi’s Arbitration Case

This is definitely one of the more interesting arbitration cases to date. Gabriel Vilardi, newly acquired via the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, could not reach an agreement for a contract with his new team and chose to elect salary arbitration. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, the Kingston, Ontario native is definitely looking to earn a long-term contract and full-time roster spot with the Winnipeg Jets. Drafted 11th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Vilardi has shown promising signs of constant improvement and can definitely help the Winnipeg Jets create a new identity on and off the ice.

Gabriel Vilardi Stats

As previously mentioned, Vilardi is coming off of a career-high season across the entire stat sheet. The Jets have a promising young player that they still have time to negotiate, but time is slowly running out, and Vilardi may get his new contract via salary arbitration.

Expected Contract

Gabriel Vilardi’s salary arbitration hearing case is set for July 28th, 2023. It isn’t every day that you acquire a new player, and they immediately elect salary arbitration, Vilardi is that case now. Vilardi will get a nice cushy new contract that may look rough at first, but Vilardi’s ceiling is high, and it may be a gamble of a contract, especially with the salary cap increasing massively over the next few seasons. I fully expect Vilardi to receive a contract similar to teammate Alex Iafallo who is in the third year of his four-year contract worth $4 million annually. I can see Vilardi receiving a two-to-three year bridge deal worth $3.5 million annually.

Samberg's Contract, Jets Outlook, Moose Watch, and Bombers Trouble (01) – Jacko Media

In this week's episode of the Jacko Media Show, Conrad Jack breaks down the developments around Dylan Samberg's arbitration filing and what it means for the Winnipeg Jets as they prepare for the 2025-26 season. What does Samberg’s contract battle tell us about the team’s direction? And how does it impact Winnipeg’s defensive depth?We also take a broader look at the Jets' offseason moves and what storylines are already brewing ahead of puck drop. From player development to potential breakout stars, Conrad gives his take on where the team stands now and what fans should watch for come training camp.Shifting gears to the AHL, the spotlight turns briefly to the Manitoba Moose as we look at their early storylines and how they fit into the larger hockey picture in Winnipeg. What can we expect from the Moose this year, and how will their younger core contribute to the Jets pipeline?Finally, the focus briefly turns to the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Have they reached the beginning of the end of their dominant run? After a rocky stretch, questions are swirling about depth, age, and whether the team can still contend. Conrad shares his thoughts on what’s gone wrong and whether there’s time to right the ship.