3 Winnipeg Jets players who may not return next season feat. Nikolaj Ehlers

By Jackson Weber

Modified May 18, 2025 16:54 GMT

Follow Us

Share

0 Discuss

The Winnipeg Jets' 2024-25 season officially ended on Saturday night.

The President's Trophy winners lost Game 6 of their second-round series against the Dallas Stars in heartbreaking fashion, falling 2-1 in overtime.

The loss eliminated the Jets from the Stanley Cup Playoffs much earlier than they would have liked. A hard-fought seven-game first-round series against the St. Louis Blues took a chunk out of Winnipeg, and they couldn't overcome a loaded Dallas Stars team that is poised to make a run for the cup.

Led by Mark Scheifele, the Jets put up a tremendous effort after going down 3-1 in the series. Then came the news of Scheifele's father's passing, and all they did was continue to fight until the very end. It was an admirable showing all around.

Unfortunately, Winnipeg fell short of its ultimate goal, and now comes another offseason where change is inevitable. While they do have a large portion of their roster locked up for the long term, there remains a handful of players who could find themselves finding a new home this summer.

Let's dive into three of those players who might be moving on prior to the 2025-26 campaign.

3 Jets Who May Not Return in 2025-26

1: Nikolaj Ehlers

Nikolaj Ehlers is the most prominent Winnipeg Jet who faces an uncertain future with the team. The 29-year-old is a pending UFA in the final season of a seven-year, $42,000,000 contract extension signed with the Jets in 2017. Their first-round pick (ninth overall) from the 2014 draft has spent his entire career in Winnipeg thus far; however, there's a very real possibility that could be coming to an end.

The Jets would love to keep Ehlers, and they have the cap space to do so. The problem is, should he make it to July 1st, other teams around the NHL are likely to offer him a massive contract and outbid Winnipeg. Injuries have also been a big part of his career, which could play a factor in their decision to play Ehlers. It's a situation that bears watching as we move into the offseason.

2: Mason Appleton

Next up is another staple in Mason Appleton. The 29-year-old is a pending UFA in the final season of the three-year, $6,500,001 contract signed with Winnipeg in 2022. Appleton has been a part of arguably the best third line in hockey alongside Adam Lowry and Nino Niederreiter for the last several years.

He's had plenty of success with the organization, though it feels like a change of scenery could be best for both parties at this point in time. Appleton is a solid middle-six forward, but certainly someone the Jets can replace through free agency or trade.

3: Brandon Tanev

Lastly comes Brandon Tanev. The 33-year-old made a return to Winnipeg at the trade deadline following several seasons in Pittsburgh and Seattle after originally breaking into the league with the Jets. He is also a pending UFA in the final season of the six-year, $21,000,000 contract he signed with the Penguins in 2019.

Tanev is a beloved player who provides energy on every single shift. He's another player that the team would like to have back, though they'll have to factor in that he's turning 34 years old next season and does have an injury history. The question will be whether he prices himself out of Winnipeg, similarly to back in 2019.