There has been a ton of chatter around the upcoming 2026 NHL free agent class.
With the likes of the world’s best player, Connor McDavid, and a superstar winger in Kirill Kaprizov still in the mix to become available, the other pending UFAs tend to be forgotten, though that shouldn’t be the case for Kyle Connor.
The Winnipeg Jets star belongs in those conversations and is just as intriguing a target for teams to make a run at next summer. That is, if he even makes it to the open market come July 1, 2026.
While Connor has yet to sign an extension with the Jets, chairman Mark Chipman remains confident that a deal will get done, and potentially quite soon. RG Media recently spoke to Chipman and asked whether they felt any concern with where things currently stand in contract negotiations with their star winger.
“No, I think my sense, and I’m not involved in this directly, this is what Chevy’s [Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff] done so well for us and his group, so I don’t envision ‘K.C.’ going anywhere. I think he’s part of that group that I’ve been talking about. He’s part of our core, and these guys are very, very close. I think it would be my expectation that we’ll get something done sooner rather than later. My instincts are telling me that this is likely going to get done,” Chipman said.
Exclusive with RG: Jets chairman Mark Chipman on Kyle Connor’s extension, small market challenges, and what Jonathan Toews brings to Winnipeg ⬇️
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— RG (@TheRGMedia) September 23, 2025
The 28-year-old is poised to enter the final season of the seven-year, $49,999,999 contract extension signed with the Jets back in 2019.
Winnipeg has the cap space to retain Connor
The Winnipeg Jets have had no trouble locking up the core of their team to long-term deals in recent years, and assuming he wants to stay, that should remain the case with Kyle Connor.
Kevin Cheveldayoff and company are projected to have over $42 million in cap space next offseason, with the vast majority of their key players under contract aside from Cole Perfetti and captain Adam Lowry.
Connor would certainly receive massive offers on the open market, though there’s no reason for the Jets to be outbid by anyone, given the money they’ll have available.
While plenty of other marquee pending UFAs face very uncertain futures, Kyle Connor feels much more likely to stay where he is, much to the chagrin of opposing general managers.
