The importance of signing this deal before arbitration
Put yourself in Vilardi’s shoes for a moment. You’re 23 years old and just put together a 23-goal, 41-point season — the best of your young career — before getting shipped from Los Angeles to Winnipeg as the centerpiece of the Kings’ package for Dubois. Would you really want your first Jets contract to be signed through arbitration, after hearing Jets management argue why you’re not worth the raise you deserve? Avoiding arbitration was important for Winnipeg and Vilardi to get off on the right foot. Both parties knew it and this contract should not be a surprise. — Ates
This contract makes sense for Vilardi
There are fans who will look at Vilardi’s two-year contract term and worry: Is it too short? I can understand that perspective — he’s a quality player, turns 24 this August, and Winnipeg could really use some long-term security after Dubois’ early exit, the Blake Wheeler buyout, and the possibility that Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele are also moved this season. That said, I like the two-year term for Vilardi and the Jets, too.
Vilardi will get two years to get familiar with the Jets’ city and the organization before making any long-term commitments. He’ll try to use his 41-point breakout season as starting point for bigger production, continued health, and a solidified role in Winnipeg’s top six. Most of all, he’ll see what Winnipeg has to offer and learn whether or not he sees himself as a long-term fit — and that feeling takes time to develop. — Ates
Why this deal works for Winnipeg
From Winnipeg’s perspective, the two-year term protects against an early UFA exit.
Had Vilardi signed for three years, his contract would end in 2026 — one year before his earliest eligibility for unrestricted free agency. At that time, all he’d need to do to become a 2027 UFA would have been filing for arbitration, guaranteeing a one-year contract. Vilardi’s two-year deal protects Winnipeg against that outcome, giving the Jets two opportunities to sign him long term: 2025, when this contract ends, and again in 2026 if they go short term in 2025. It’s a bit convoluted but it’s the sort of thing you have to pay attention to in Winnipeg, given Dubois’ exit and given the other players who have fast-tracked their way to UFA status in recent years. — Ates
Gabriel Vilardi took a big step forward last season and his bridge deal should be a bargain for the Jets over the next two seasons. pic.twitter.com/FRm1IVVCl9
The Jets project to start the season with approximately $3.8 million in cap space with 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies under contract. This is plenty of space with which to work: The Jets aren’t in LTIR anymore and will build cap space throughout the season. If Hellebuyck and Scheifele were signed long-term at their current cap hits, you might even argue the Jets were in good position to be buyers at the trade deadline.
We all know that’s not the case: Hellebuyck and Scheifele’s futures remain uncertain, even if we now expect both players to start the season in Winnipeg. (The Jets also still need to sign Logan Stanley, Rasmus Kupari and Declan Chisholm. Those signings will eventually necessitate a player being sent to the minors; Winnipeg should have plenty of cap space to start the season.) — Ates
What comes next?
The added cap space helps Winnipeg if the Jets want to make additions this season in the name of chasing immediate-term success. It also helps if the Jets end up trading Hellebuyck and Scheifele mid-season.
By the trade deadline, rival teams’ needs will be more clear and Winnipeg will have paid most of Hellebuyck and Scheifele’s cap hits. If the Jets are not contenders, the added cap space will open up options by trade, whether in terms of retaining cap hit to increase trade returns or by taking back quality players whose cap hits are less than ideal. Whatever the end route, flexibility helps Winnipeg work — especially this season, before the cap increases next summer.
In the short term, the Jets will sort out Kupari, Stanley and Chisholm’s futures. They might find a way to clear some space on their crowded blue line. They’ll definitely address Hellebuyck and Scheifele’s futures, but perhaps without immediate clarity, just by bringing them to camp. There’s no rebuild on the near horizon; the Jets will try to navigate all of this uncertainty in a way that keeps them in the playoff mix. — Ates
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
