Winnipeg Jets Make 2 Massive Signings Locking In Hellebuyck & Scheifele

The Winnipeg Jets have come to agreements on new contracts with two of their top players out of nowhere. Both Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck have been signed to identical seven-year, $8.5 million AAV extensions.

HERE TO STAY 😤

Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck have signed identical seven-year contract extensions with an average annual value of $8,500,000. pic.twitter.com/vINkMjXh9b
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) October 9, 2023

Both Scheifele and Hellebuyck were expected to leave at either the trade deadline or after the season. This was causing a lot of concern and uncertainty for the Jets heading into this season, but the fans, organization, and the player can rest easy and now focus on winning with these two cornerstone pieces locked in for the next seven years.

Hellebuyck is a former Vezina Trophy winner and has finished in the top four in voting in three other seasons. He is without a doubt one of the best goaltenders in the league and will help the Jets stay relevant past this season. He wins the team games and limits his really bad starts. If the Jets were going to win with this group, Hellebuyck had to be a part of it.

Scheifele on the other hand is the team's top center and has been for many years. He played at a point-per-game for six consecutive seasons before the 2022-23 season, where instead, he decided to score over 40 goals for the first time. He is a very good player and should continue to be for a few more seasons. The Jets are thinking shorter term with these signings and not worrying about the end of the contracts for both of them. There had been a lot of negotiating for these deals and the term is the price the Jets had to pay to keep them around.