Jonathan Toews is coming home.
The 37-year-old product from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has agreed to terms on a one-year, $2M deal with plenty of performance bonuses with the Winnipeg Jets.
The three-time Stanley Cup Champion will add to Winnipeg’s centre depth, how much is the question, after three years away from the NHL due to the effects from long COVID-19.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
The Winnipeg Jets bet on Jonathan Toews
The Winnipeg Jets are making a low-ish-risk bet. Make no mistake, this is not a no-risk bet, as we dive deeper into the performance bonuses in this contract.
However, bringing Toews to his hometown to return to the NHL is a signing that has Jets fans excited for next season already.
Toews, in the Jets’ press release, shared his excitement as well:
“I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets,” Toews said. “It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can.”
In his last NHL action, Toews played 53 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022-23 season, posting 15 goals and 16 assists in those games.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
With Adam Lowry out for the next 5-6 months due to hip surgery, his availability for the first 1-2 months of the regular season is in question.
For a team that will be short on centre depth to begin the season, the Jets will be hoping that Toews can fill in and provide an impact down the middle. expectations should be tempered for the 37-year-old, who has not played in two years. If he can provide a solid middle-six impact over the course of the regular season and into the playoffs, the Jets would likely view that as a win. For the time being, Jets fans can get excited about the most decorated hockey player in this city’s history playing for his hometown team next season.
Performance bonuses complicate deal
Here’s how the bonuses will work for Jonathan Toews. He’s making $2M in base salary, and that will be his cap hit for the 2025-26 season, with performance bonuses added in.
After 20 Regular Season GP: $550,000
After 30 Regular Season GP: $550,000
After 40 Regular Season GP: $550,000
After 50 Regular Season GP: $550,000
After 60 Regular Season GP: $550,000
Jets in playoffs + Toews plays 50 games: $500,000
Jets win 1st RD + Toews plays 50% of games: $250,000
Jets win 2nd RD + Toews plays 50% of Round 2: $250,000
Jets win 3rd RD + Toews plays 50% of Round 3: $250,000
Jets win Stanley Cup + Toews plays 50% of Stanley Cup Final: $1M
The cap hit is $2M, with $5M in performance bonuses. Per PuckPedia on X, “Toews will use up $2M on WPG’s cap during the season. At the end of the year, any bonuses earned are added to the final team cap hit. If that brings their new total over the $95.5M cap, any amount over is a bonus carryover cap charge the following season.”
The Winnipeg Jets have $24.4M in cap space after this signing, with key RFAs and UFAs yet to sign.
The performance bonuses are tricky. The Jets, coming off of a Presidents’ Trophy, and seemingly doing everything they can to compete, should have no issue spending to the cap and rolling that money into next year, as PuckPedia states above.
At the same time, we have seen Kevin Cheveldayoff cite performance bonuses against the cap before, when Cole Perfetti was on his entry-level contract.
The way I see it, if Cheveldayoff pulls back from potentially adding to the roster due to these bonuses, then they become an issue and block the team from potentially acquiring a strong talent in the offseason or at the deadline. After leaving $6M on the table at this past season’s deadline, many Jets fans are concerned that the Jets could play their cards similarly this upcoming season.
With that being said, there is plenty of business for Cheveldayoff to take care of.
The draft is one week away, Free Agency is on July 1, and the Jets have a list of players that they’ll look to sign.
Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for the latest on the Jets ahead of the Draft and Free Agency.
