JETS BUY OUT NATE SCHMIDT AHEAD OF FREE AGENCY
The Winnipeg Jets are freeing up some additional cap space ahead of the free agency window opening on Monday.
After placing him on unconditional waivers on Sunday, the team will buy out the final year of defenceman Nate Schmidt’s contract.
The move will free up $3,233,333 of cap space for the coming season, but the Jets will carry a $1,616,667 dead cap hit in 2025-26.
Winnipeg will have $5.46 million in dead space in 2024-25, with Schmidt’s $2.75 million added to the final year of Blake Wheeler’s buyout, which is $2.7 million.
The 32-year-old was set to enter the final season of a five-year, $35.7 million contract signed while he was with Vegas in 2018.
The deal came with an annual cap hit of $5.95 million.
Schmidt, a well-liked figure in the dressing room, played three seasons in Winnipeg, scoring 13 times and 65 points in 211 games after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2021 offseason.
His role diminished this past year, and he was limited to 63 games, partly due to being healthy scratched on several occasions.
The move allowed general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to hit the free agent market on Monday with just under $12 million to work with.
The team’s needs include a second-line centre, a defenceman, and a backup netminder.
The Jets also have three restricted free agents this offseason, including Cole Perfetti, whose projected bridge deal will chew up around $3 million.
David Gustafsson, Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola, Simon Lundmark, and Perfetti were extended qualifying offers on Sunday.
Goalie Oskari Salminen and defenceman Artemi Knaizev were not and will become unrestricted free agents.
X: @scottbilleck
2024-06-30T16:56:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd
