After a dismal statistical campaign, a veteran-friendly reunion could offer the Jets a low-risk gamble to bolster their bottom six and reclaim some missing offensive upside.
One of the more debated decisions made by Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff last off-season was his attempt to address the production lost from the departure of standout winger Nikolaj Ehlers.
Rather than pursuing a like-for-like replacement, Cheveldayoff leaned on internal development and veteran depth, pairing emerging young forward Cole Perfetti with experienced Swedish winger Gustav Nyquist and hoping the combination could fill the void.
On paper, the Nyquist signing carried some logic as the 36-year-old had been sensational during the 2023-24 season with the Nashville Predators, recording 75 points in 81 games in what looked like a late-career renaissance.
But the following season told a different story, as Nyquist's production fell sharply to just 28 points in 79 games split between Nashville and the Minnesota Wild. Cheveldayoff was betting that a change of scenery and the right situation in Winnipeg could help Nyquist rediscover that form.
Instead of a bounce-back season however, Nyquist turned in the worst statistical campaign of his career, missing 31 games and finishing with just 12 points. Age appeared to catch up with the veteran winger at an inopportune time, and the hope that he could serve as even a partial answer to the Ehlers question never came close to being realized.
Still, not everyone has written him off entirely as some around the league believe that given more time to settle into the Jets system, Nyquist could carve out a useful role, not as an Ehlers replacement, but as a low-cost, bottom-six scoring option who brings experience and the ability to contribute on the scoresheet in a reduced capacity. The caveat is that his body of work this past season makes it difficult to project with any confidence.
Nyquist carried a $3.25 million cap hit on his one-year deal and his open market value heading into free agency figures to be considerably lower given his 2025-26 struggles. That reality could actually work in Winnipeg's favor.
The Jets could look to bring him back on a veteran-friendly contract at a reduced cap hit, potentially with performance incentives built in to reward Nyquist if he finds his footing again. From Nyquist's perspective, returning to a system he has spent a season learning may be more appealing than starting fresh somewhere new, and that familiarity could factor into his decision.
The final call will rest with Cheveldayoff, who already has plenty on his plate with Cole Perfetti due for a new deal as a pending restricted free agent. But given how little Nyquist would likely cost on a new contract and how much upside remains if he can stay healthy and recapture even a fraction of his 2023-24 form, taking another shot on him represents exactly the kind of low-risk, high-reward gamble that can quietly strengthen a roster's depth.
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