The Winnipeg Jets have extended qualifying offers to four of their seven restricted free agents, meaning the team has the first right of refusal if these players sign an offersheet this off-season. The players to receive their qualifying offers are: Connor Hellebuyck, JC Lipon, Brandon Tanev, and Andrew Copp.
The #NHLJets have extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Connor Hellebuyck, Andrew Copp, JC Lipon, and Brandon Tanev.
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 26, 2017
These players now have the option of signing their one-year qualifying offer or negotiating a new contract with the team. The qualifying offer comes with a mandated 15% raise. In some cases the team does not want to give a player a raise and therefore they do not qualify them. This most notably happened with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tyler Kennedy after their 2009 Stanley Cup win.
RFAs who did not receive a qualifying offer from the Jets and stand to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 are Scott Kosmachuk, Quinton Howden, and Ryan Olsen.
The following restricted free agents have not been extended qualifying offers: Scott Kosmachuk, Ryan Olsen, and Quinton Howden.
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 26, 2017
For all three players this must be seen as a disappointment, but none of them were major producers with the Manitoba Moose. It is possible that Kosmachuk and Howden are brought back on contracts that are AHL only or even simply not given the 15% raise.
