Winnipeg Jets Sign Mark Scheifele And Connor Hellebuyck To Identical Extensions
So much for those trade requests. It felt like the Winnipeg Jets were stuck in the middle (and maybe they still are). Connor Hellebuyck even went as far as to say that he was no longer considering staying with the Jets. He’s now had a change of heart (along with Mark Scheifele). Now both players are signing extensions to stick around in Winnipeg.
The Jets top center and goalie are signing identical extensions. Literally the same extension. The Jets have announced matching seven-year, $59.5 million extensions for Hellebuyck and Scheifele.
“WINNIPEG, October 9, 2023 – The Winnipeg Jet Hockey Club announced today they have agreed to terms with both forward Mark Scheifele and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on identical seven-year contract extensions with an average annual value of $8,500,000. Both of their seven-year contract extensions will begin in the 2024-25 season.”
Let’s quickly sum this up as best we can:
A: Hellebuyck is a really good goalie. We know this. He’s coming off a season where he posted .920 SV%. The question is if he can maintain that heading into his late 30’s. That part is the question. I’m out on paying goalies so I personally hate this move. It’s a matter of how long Hellebuyck can remain elite for the price tag to make sense.
B: After the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, Scheifele is the top line center with the Jets. He’s a great passer and goal scorer. The guy plays zero defense though. I mean ZERO defense. I’m not sure you can win if that’s the case with your top line center. Scheifele is better off at wing but the Jets don’t have any center talent now. Scheifele pocked 42 goals a season ago but how long can he play like this? He’s already 30 and this extension takes him way past his prime.
Should the Jets have tanked instead? That may have better the better option. Let us know in the comments.
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