Murat Ates

Ok back to the family holiday. My mom says hi, everyone 👋

Jets sign defenceman Dylan Samberg to 3-year deal, avoiding arbitration: Source Samberg's $5.75 million AAV buys two UFA years; it would have cost Winnipeg much more to sign him to a seven or eight-year pact.

Winnipeg has signed defenceman Dylan Samberg to 3-year deal, avoiding arbitration — as first reported by The Athletic ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with defenceman Dylan Samberg.

The deal is three years, $5.75 million AAV.

Dylan Samberg: Lots of interest in a long term deal. I don't see why it wouldn't get done.

That said, a lot of people assume it will be easy. In practice, it's tough to price such a positive defensive impact. Pay Samberg for points+TOI and you don't pay him enough.

Big day.

Winnipeg Jets fan survey: Jonathan Toews’ ceiling? Scott Arniel’s impact? Playoff outlook? Which top prospects make the team? What's a reasonable prediction for Toews' performance? The choices are yours to make.

In our Winnipeg Jets fan survey, we'll ask you about the #NHLJets regular season success, playoff heartbreak and how to take the team to its ultimate goal — a Stanley Cup.

Plus offseason moves, 2026 expectations and more.

LINK ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Later, Vilardi spoke to perceptions about Winnipeg.

He admitted that staying downtown a visiting player, particularly during freezing cold weather, undersold the city. Didn't make him want to explore dinner spots.

Being here, he's loved multiple neighborhoods. Feels at home.

Gabriel Vilardi says he chose Winnipeg because, as he and his girlfriend have gotten to know it over the last two years, Winnipeg feels like "home."

Loves the window to win. Says it was an easy decision to commit long term.

Winnipeg Jets sign Gabriel Vilardi to 6-year contract extension, avoid arbitration Vilardi scored 61 points in 71 games last season and plays an integral role on Winnipeg's top power-play unit.

Gabriel Vilardi has signed a six year contract with Winnipeg, closing a trade request tree that began with Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.

What it means, the value of Vilardi at $7.5 million, and what comes next ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Winnipeg Jets sign Gabriel Vilardi to 6-year contract extension, avoid arbitration Vilardi scored 61 points in 71 games last season and plays an integral role on Winnipeg's top power-play unit.

Gabriel Vilardi has signed a six year contract with Winnipeg, closing a trade request tree that began with Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.

What it means, the value of Vilardi at $7.5 million, and what comes next ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Murat notes that Dylan Samberg has an arb hearing set for July 30, so you can expect that deal to get done by that date. No one wants to actually have a hearing. Big fella gonna get paid.

Winnipeg Jets sign Gabriel Vilardi to 6-year contract extension, avoid arbitration Vilardi scored 61 points in 71 games last season and plays an integral role on Winnipeg's top power-play unit.

Winnipeg Jets sign Gabriel Vilardi to 6-year contract extension, avoid arbitration

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

This is solid for Winnipeg in a rising cap environment. Vilardi is going to make hay on the #NHLJets power play and he'll produce at even strength if he keeps getting those Connor/Scheifele minutes, too.

Winnipeg has signed Parker Ford to a two year, two way contract with an AAV in the NHL of $812,500.

Ford made his NHL debut last season and gained attention at Jets camp via his tenacious style of play. I'd expect him to be Moose this season.

This is a good answer.

Do you think the NHL is making a huge mistake with Jett Woo not playing in Winnipeg and/or Marat Khusnutdinov not being covered by a Murat and, while we're on the topic, can you think of other blunders in the same theme?

I used more words on the site but essentially I gave Iafallo to Niederreiter/Lowry because I trusted him in the d-zone and Nyquist to Toews because of the way Arniel sheltered last year's second line.

I'm not at all sure it plays out like that, mind you, just sharing the rationale.

Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 lineup projection, plus the biggest questions at every position As the Jets roster crystallizes, here are the biggest questions facing Winnipeg's projected roster — up front, on defence and in net.

Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 lineup projections — plus the biggest questions at every position ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

At yesterday's funeral, a speaker shared that Olivia survived for long enough for her family to say a final goodbye — thanks to a supply of available blood.

I haven't donated in a million years but I've made an appointment for tomorrow.

Programming note: I'll be taking a week off now, starting with a trip to see Fred Penner open Winnipeg Folk Fest on the main stage (and Hayley Penner singing with him!)

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer sun.

Inside the Hurricanes’ pursuit of Nikolaj Ehlers: How Carolina landed the top UFA It took an aggressive recruitment pitch from GM Eric Tulsky, coach Rod Brind'Amour and goalie Frederik Andersen to land the longtime Jet.

Nice behind-the-scenes look at the Hurricanes landing Nikolaj Ehlers by @wpgmurat.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...

I didn't zero in on the six year item, pardon me.

Thank you, Rick. It was a fun one to tell / everyone involved was generous with their time in telling it.

Inside the Hurricanes’ pursuit of Nikolaj Ehlers: How Carolina landed the top UFA It took an aggressive recruitment pitch from GM Eric Tulsky, coach Rod Brind'Amour and goalie Frederik Andersen to land the longtime Jet.

What does it look like to land the summer's top free agent?

This is the inside story of how the Carolina Hurricanes recruited Nikolaj Ehlers

— With insight from Eric Tulsky, Rod Brind'Amour, and Frederik Andersen ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...

The NHL and NHLPA have ratified a new, four year extension to the CBA. It will run through the 2029-30 season.

The Manitoba Moose have signed defenceman Dylan Anhorn and forwards Tyson Empey and Reece Vitelli to one year contracts.

All three players have filed.

I expect that Morgan Barron will file for arbitration, too. Not confirmed.

Barron filed in 2023, as did Vilardi. Both signed two year deals before their hearings.

Winnipeg Jets RFAs Dylan Samberg and Gabriel Vilardi will file for arbitration today.

Don't read too much into it. It prevents offer sheets and creates a deadline, in a way, when the hearings are scheduled.

"That's just procedural," Kevin Cheveldayoff said yesterday.

The Hurricanes' TOI distribution is tightly banded. There's a chance he doesn't get more (or much more) total time. I should probably be louder about that for the folks who expect an out and out explosion

Nikolaj Ehlers excited for fresh start with Hurricanes, calls Jets exit ‘very emotional’ "I told (the Jets) they didn't do anything wrong," Ehlers said. "I loved it there. I love the organization, the people in it, the guys."

Eric Tulsky made it clear: If Nikolaj Ehlers wanted to get more money, he could have found it.

"My understanding is he was looking for the place that felt like the right fit, where he’d be happy, where he’d have a chance to win."

STORY ⤵️:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/647...