Winnipeg Jets add goaltenders, depth at defence on first day of NHL free agency

While plenty of NHL teams went deep sea fishing on Monday, the Winnipeg Jets stayed close to shore and barely dipped their toes into the free agent waters.

Consider this: On a record-setting day when the other 31 clubs combined for more than $1.1 billion in new contracts, the Jets reeled in a depth defenceman and two goaltenders to compete for the backup spot: D Colin Miller (two years, US $1.5 million per season), G Eric Comrie (two years, US $825,000 per season) and G Kaapo Kahkonen (one year, US $1 million).

Not exactly the July 1 “frenzy” that many other markets experienced.

“For us, we’re sitting here on July 1 and there’s a little ways to training camp and there’s lots of different thought processes that we’ll certainly take a look at,” said general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who added he still had a “few other things on the go” which might pan out.

One of those is believed to be interest in veteran centre Adam Henrique, who joined the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline but was not re-signed. The Jets have a glaring need up the middle that he could help fill.

The biggest storyline around the Jets Monday wasn’t what they added, but what they lost, as four UFA skaters who were part of last year’s 110-point team quickly found new homes.

Second-line centre Sean Monahan, obtained prior to last year’s trade deadline for a first-round draft pick, signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets for five years at US $5.5 million per season. The Jets were in the bidding right up until the final moments.

“I had a great time in Winnipeg. Some great friendships. It was a brief stint and definitely something I was trying to decide on,” Monahan told the Free Press in a Zoom interview. “It was not an easy decision.”

Monahan, 29, said it came down to family and wanting to play in the Eastern Conference and re-unite with former Calgary Flames teammate Johnny Gaudreau. His wife, who is great friends with Gaudreau’s spouse, just gave birth to their first child a month ago.

Goaltender Laurent Brossoit, who excelled as Hellebuyck’s backup last year and essentially priced himself out of Winnipeg, inked a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks for two years at US $3.3 million, where he’ll get a chance to perhaps be the No. 1 behind Connor Bedard and company.

“It was not an easy decision.”–Sean Monahan

Rugged defenceman Brenden Dillon is now a member of the New Jersey Devils (four years at US $4 million), while trade-deadline addition Tyler Toffoli went to the San Jose Sharks (four years at US $6 million).

The Jets also officially bought out the final year of Nate Schmidt’s contract on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent and clearing yet another spot on the blue-line.

“Obviously it was a tough decision, but we wanted to open up some opportunities within the organization for some of the players that have been here more,” said Cheveldayoff.

“But even more so I didn’t want to have to put Nate through the situation where if he’s a veteran guy that’s getting scratched, it just wasn’t right. So we talked about it and that’s why we as a group, including talking to Nate’s representatives, made that decision.”

The lack of activity, at least so far, would appear to be good news for promising prospects such as Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Ville Heinola, Elias Salomonsson and Simon Lundmark.

“If I’m a young player in the Jets organization today, I’m pretty excited about the opportunities that are in front of me and I’m working pretty hard in the offseason to make sure that I take full advantage,” said Cheveldayoff.

Another option to boost the roster could be finding a team that blew its budget and now is in a world of hurt when it comes to complying with the US $88-million salary cap and needs to shed a player or two at a discount rate.

Winnipeg currently has more than US $9 million of cap space available, although some of that will be taken up with new contracts needed for restricted free agents Heinola, Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson and Logan Stanley.

“I can guarantee you, because I’ve been on the other side, as exhilarating as it can be to be make some of those deals, sometimes you wake up the next morning and kind of wonder what did I just do,” said Cheveldayoff.

“The one thing about free agency is that it doesn’t just stop on free agency day. Once the dust settles, you go through the different teams and you may find some needs for trades or different things of the like in some organizations. We’ll take a look at all of that.”

As for the three players Winnipeg inked, two are familiar faces.

Miller, 31, was obtained at the trade deadline last year from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick, but barely played under then head coach Rick Bowness (five regular-season games and one playoff game). The right-hander will get a bigger chance under new bench boss Scott Arniel.

Comrie, 28, is back for a fourth stint with the organization that drafted him 59th-overall in 2013.

“I love everything about Winnipeg, I love the guys and it always feel special back there because I’ve had such great fond memories being there for a long time.”–Eric Comrie

“I love everything about Winnipeg, I love the guys and it always feel special back there because I’ve had such great fond memories being there for a long time,” Comrie, 28, said in a phone interview. “An unbelievable organization, they treat their players as good as any team I’ve been on, and I’ve been on a few so I know how well they treat their guys.”

Comrie has 57 games of NHL experience with a 24-26-2 record, 3.38 goals-against-average and .893 save-percentage. His best season in the big leagues came in 2021-22 with the Jets, when he appeared in 19 games with a 10-5-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .920 SV%.

“I just have a very good working relationship with Helly. I think myself and him get along really well, and he’s the best in the world, so it’s amazing to learn from him, watching him every single game and in practice,” said Comrie, who spent the past two years with the Buffalo Sabres bouncing between the NHL and AHL.

“And they have one of the best goalie coaches in the world, if not the best (Wade Flaherty). He’s unbelievable at what he does. How much my game grows when I’m with him and how sharp he keeps my game, it doesn’t matter how much you’re playing or when you’re playing, he knows how to keep goalies ready to go and keep them sharp.”

Kahkonen, 27, was drafted by the Minnesota Wild and split last season with the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils. He has appeared in 139 NHL games in his career and has a 49-67-15 record, 3.33 goals-against average, and .899 save percentage.

Thomas Milic had a terrific rookie season with the Manitoba Moose, so the organization wants a more veteran presence to work with him. Whether that’s Comrie or Kahkonen remains to be seen.

“Obviously you’ve got to go to camp and earn a job and that’s my main thing, to go there and earn a job and just work as hard as I can and try and secure that position,” said Comrie.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Sports reporter

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.

Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

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