As we inch slowly towards a new season, the Winnipeg Jets still have not put ink to paper on new contracts for Patrik Laine or Kyle Connor. While we are just under a month away from training camp, time is getting tighter for both players to sign. Laine recently gave an interview with Sportsnet where he said he was ready for anything. What does anything mean?
It means that Laine might not be in Winnipeg for the start of training camp and might remain in Finland where he can practice with a team there. It means that without a contract, Laine would not be suiting up for the Jets. It means that it is in the best interest of both parties that Laine is signed soon and the same goes for Connor.
What is the hold up? Probably a mix of term and money. The Jets do not have a lot of the latter and the former is the difference between and long-term and a short-term contract. They would most likely want to sign Laine to a long-term contract with him coming off of a down year and yet Laine would want a bridge deal for the same reason. It is foolish to think that the salary cap would change much in the coming seasons, but it is easy to see why Laine would not want a long-term contract to be based off of last season alone. As for Connor, it might be in the Jets best interest to see him play regularly on a line without Mark Scheifele and a short-term bridge contract would be ideal for the Jets in that scenario.
The Jets are entering the last month before training camp with two key players still unsigned and one of them has said he is prepared for whatever happens. The only question is, are the Jets prepared for anything as well?
