Lots of teams looking around the league at the free agent list and the Jets are no different. While Winnipeg is not seen as a big player on the free agent market they may have some more room given the news that Nikolaj Ehlers intends to test free agency on July 1st.
One of the names on the list of free agents is the Canucks Brock Boeser. The Minnesotan was drafted by Vancouver back in the firstt round of the 2015 Draft and has played in B.C for the last eight seasons. He also spent two years at the University of North Dakota just down the road in Grand Forks.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Which brings us to today’s Insider Trading segment on TSN as the panel discussed the latest scuttlebutt around the NHL heading into Draft Weekend. Host Gino Reda asked hockey insider Darren Dreger about potential guys who won’t necessarily be considered “big game hunting” but will be around after the first wave of signings.
“Likely Brock Boeser right. When you’re looking at a scoring winger, a player that is attractive to a lot of teams both north and south of the border and Brock Boeser is open to all options. I’m looking at the Winnipeg Jets and he seems to be, Boeser that is, as a free agent a real good fit. And that’s assuming that Nikolaj Ehlers is going to leave Winnipeg. Now we believe, and we can understand why Nikolaj Ehlers would want to test the market on July 1st, he’s a pending unrestricted free agent. He wants to full educate himself on what all of his options are but he hasn’t closed the door on Winnipeg and I believe that Kevin Cheveldayoff will continue to be in the game to retain Nikolaj Ehlers, but if he signs somewhere else then Brock Boeser might be a good option.”
Last season Boeser had 25 goals 25 assists for 50 points in 75 games. He had 40 goals two seasons ago.
Of course his contract projection is a bit stiff as outlined by Dom Luszczyszyn for The Athletic from earlier this month with the ominous title ‘Brock Boeser’s next contract and the dangers of free agency‘. In it he indicated “AFP Analytics projecting a six-year Boeser deal at $8.5 million while Evolving Hockey is expecting a seven-year deal at $8.2 million.” And he lays out in detail why this might be a difficult one to get good value from.
Watch it here:
