Free agent frenzy is set to kick off on Canada Day, and with what seems as an impending exit for Nikolaj Ehlers, the Winnipeg Jets have reportedly made Brock Boeser their 'Plan A'.
The Jets enter the highly anticipated day with approximately $23.5 million in cap space, although they have restricted free agents Dylan Samberg, Gabriel Vilardi, and Morgan Barron to re-sign. Once formulating deals with the players they'd want to bring back, they should have cap space left over to chase a big name, although the market is very thin.
Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, John Tavares, Matt Duchene and Brad Marchand have signed extensions, leaving Ehlers, Boeser and Mikael Granlund as the big-name forwards left, and according to Chris Johnston and other insiders, the Jets have made Boeser 'plan A' whether they re-sign Ehlers or not.
Reports from several insiders have confirmed that the Jets are “actively pursuing” Brock Boeser. Johnston said that it “would not surprise [him] in the least if the Jets are pretty aggressively going after Brock Boeser; he’s Plan A for Winnipeg at this point in time.”
Alongside the Jets, there are a plethora of teams looking to sign the 28-year-old sniper. The Minnesota Wild, his hometown team, the Boston Bruins and the Los Angeles Kings are all teams that make sense as landing spots.
Boeser recorded 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games this season, a year removed from a career-high of 40. Throughout his career with the Vancouver Canucks, Boeser has struggled with consistency, but has scored at a 20-goal and 50-point pace for most of his career.
As the market for Boeser grows, his price tag likely does too, and he could fetch over $8-million. The Jets need to add more scoring to their top six, and Boeser would fill that void.
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