The Winnipeg Jets have let forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby control his own destiny. Whether that decision was made accidentally or on purpose remains a question likely never to be answered.
In failing to reach the required mark of 75 NHL games played before the completion of the 2022-23 season, Jonsson-Fjallby will be moved to Group 6 unrestricted free agent status come July 1, 2023.
This means the 25-year-old will be eligible to sign wherever he so chooses, alongside the other UFAs as free agency opens in July.
Making matters considerably worse? The fact that came just one game short of the mark.
Jonsson-Fjallby joined the Jets as a Waiver pickup from Washington, where he filled an immediate role in a lineup scathed from early-season injuries.
But as players regained their health, AJF found his role diminish. He spent time as the 13th forward in the press box, before ultimately being sent down to the Manitoba Moose for four games. In those games he scored three times and added an assist to maintain a full point-per-game rate.
His 50 games for coach Rick Bowness included six goals, 14 points and eight penalty minutes, including significant time on the power play. Jonsson-Fjallby finished the year a -1 and made it into one postseason contest for the Jets, his first career Stanley Cup Playoff game.
AJF does have the ability to sign either a one or two-way deal with the Jets come July 1, but that remains up in the air. Should his exit meeting with Bowness have well, the possibility of a return may not be out of the question. But at a critical juncture in his career, this next NHL contract may be his last. Strong self-evaluation will be needed going forward.
This isn't the first time that interesting asset management has come into play for Winnipeg. Just last season, backup goaltender Eric Comrie needed roughly 90 more minutes of game time to be retained under Winnipeg's control, but he was not handed the necessary start/substitutions required in a lost season.
The then 26-year-old took his talents to Buffalo and signed a two-year, $3.6 million deal that will see him in the blue and yellow through the 2023-24 campaign. He will, however, be battling for a job come training came with young phenom Devon Levi and established backstop Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
So, after the Comrie blunder - to which Jets management deflected as a late-season push for the playoffs, a new head coach (Dave Lowry) and overall naiveness - one would imagine the team had its collective eye on contract stipulations as the 2022-23 season came to a close.
That clearly wasn't the case. Or was it? Did the Jets know that AJF was that close to his 75th career big-league game? Had they already made the decision to move on?
These questions will likely never be answered.
"The fans want to make sure that whatever decisions are made are made with a purpose," Jets' GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said in his year-end media availability. "They’re not made just to have a knee-jerk reaction. They’re not made to create headlines. They’re not made for Twitter clicks. They’re made for a purpose and they’re made to (achieve) a common goal."
That said, it will certainly be an interesting summer ahead for Winnipeg, which currently has 16 players under contract, five restricted free agents in need of new deals, and six UFAs (AJF included) on its roster.
Upcoming RFAs:
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
Upcoming UFAs:
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined