Off-Season Watch: Wheeler's time with Jets coming to an end

Ahead of the NHL Draft on June 28-29 and the opening of free agency on July 1, TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

Wheeler's Jets Tenure coming to an End

After 13 seasons with the franchise, it appears Blake Wheeler's time with the Winnipeg Jets will come to an end in the coming days.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports Wheeler wants a "fresh start" and next Friday's buyout window represents a deadline for the Jets to trade their former captain or exercise a buyout on him.

"We’ve talked about the fact that a buyout has been a possibility all along for the former Jets captain, which tells you a lot about how hard it is to move money in this frozen cap system," LeBrun said on Insider Trading.

"I think there’s been some confusion about what’s going on here. This isn’t about the Jets desperately trying to get rid of Wheeler, this is two sides working together. Wheeler wants a fresh reset just as much as the Jets are trying to make that happen for him. So, his agent and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff are really working together.

"So that could come in a few forms. First, it could come in a natural trade. Second, a buyout. Third, it could be a trade to a team where that team buys him out, as we’ve seen in the past. 

"The bottom line is the buyout window closes next Friday and the decision has to be made by then. Wheeler will not be playing for the Jets next year."

Wheeler has one year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $8.25 million. A buyout would clear $5.5 million in cap space for the Jets in the upcoming season, while leaving a cap charge of $2.75 million for the 2024-25 season.

The veteran forward had 16 goals and 55 points in 72 games with the Jets this past season. He added two goals and six points as the Jets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Wheeler was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in February of 2011, and is the only player that is still with the team through their move from Atlanta to Winnipeg following the 2010-11 season. He served as Jets captain from 2016 until just before the 2022-23 season. 

In 1,118 career NHL games played, Wheeler has 312 goals and 922 points.

It continues to be an eventful off-season for the Jets, who are exploring trades for both Pierre Luc-Dubois, a restricted free agent who has requested a trade, and Connor Hellebuyck, who has informed the team he will not re-sign ahead of free agency next summer.

Trade Flames Rising?

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports Elias Lindholm has not closed the door on signing an extension with the Calgary Flames as he enters the final year of his contract.

Other members of the Flames, though, appear to have closed the door on re-signing, leaving the Flames left to explore their options when it comes to Mikael Backlund, Tyler Toffoli and Noah Hanifin.

"Mikael Backlund, a long-time Flame, has indicated that he wants to let things play out. He’s not going to sign an extension immediately on July 1 and he wants to see where the Flames end up," Johnston said on Insider Trading.

"Forward Tyler Toffoli is in a similar boat and, as a result, it sounds like the Flames are at least open to exploring what he may bring back in a trade.

"Finally, defenceman Noah Hanifin, as Pierre LeBrun reported last week, he’s not going to sign and is another candidate to be traded."

Johnston later added that Toffoli appears to be looking for a trade out of Calgary, but "will keep an open mind" with no specific destination in mind.

The latest news adds to the long to-do list new general manager Craig Conroy has in Calgary. The Flames currently have just $1.25 million in cap space with only 18 players under contract for next season.

With at least three key players now appearing to want out of Calgary, TSN Hockey analyst Frankie Corrado joined Jay Onrait Thursday to discuss whether the Flames should commit to a rebuild.

Backlund, 34, had 19 goals and 56 points in 82 games this season. He carries a cap hit of $5.35 million on his contract that expires in 2024.

Toffoli, 31, had a career-high 34 goals and 73 points in 82 games this season. He signed at a cap hit of $4.25 million.

Hanifin, 26, posted seven goals and 38 points in 81 games this season. The defenceman is signed at a cap hit $4.95 million. 
 

Panthers a Potential Trade Partner for Flames?

As the Calgary Flames seek a trade partner to move Noah Hanifin, the Florida Panthers could be a team that comes calling.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Panthers are looking to upgrade their blueline this off-season, with an added push due their long list of injuries sustained in the playoffs.

LeBrun notes Anthony Duclair's name has come up in trade talks as the Panthers look to make to deal.

"With defencemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour projected to miss the start of the season with injuries, they’re going to try to really upgrade that blueline," LeBrun said on Insider Trading.

"A player that other teams are phoning them about is forward Anthony Duclair, knowing that the Panthers need to get another top-four defenceman and Duclair has another year on his deal at $3 million, a bargain for someone who can score 30 goals. The Panthers don’t really want to move him, but they know that they might have to in order to get a top-four defenceman.

"Keep in mind Noah Hanifin from the Flames, who we talked about earlier."

Duclair, 27, posted two goals and nine points in 20 games last season after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury sustained last summer. He added four goals and 11 points in 20 games during the Panthers' run to the Stanley Cup Final.