Jets’ RFAs Giving Roster Hope to Fringe Players

With seemingly little to no progress in contract discussions between the Winnipeg Jets and restricted free agent young guns Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine, the chances of one or both of them sitting out to start the 2019-20 regular season are becoming increasingly likely.

A right-shooting left-winger, Luoto spent the past three seasons with Tappara Tampere of the SM-liiga, recording 38 points in that time.

“Luoto clearly has some upside, demonstrating a gritty, hard-charging performance over four days on the ice that culminated with the lone goal for Team White in Friday’s one-hour scrimmage at Bell MTS Iceplex,” the Winnipeg Free Press’ Jason Bell wrote in late-June. “He’s got plenty of speed and wasn’t hesitant to engage physically in a few battles along the wall, with the Jets brass watching intently from behind the glass.”

From ‘Luoto stands out amongst Finnish skaters,’ Winnipeg Free Press, 06/28/19.

Mark Letestu

At 34-years-old, Mark Letestu will be looking to revitalize his NHL career — he spent nearly the entire 2018-19 season with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, playing just two games for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Letestu, acquired by the Jets during Free Agent Frenzy, is the most experienced of any on this list by far, having played 560 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, and Blue Jackets.

However, a spot on the Jets’ opening-night roster won’t come easily for the Albertan — he’s definitely on the outside looking in. He’s a centre, and the spots left vacant will be spots on the wing. The Jets are set up the middle with Mark Scheifele, Brian Little, Adam Lowry, and Andrew Copp.

Letestu has won 52.2 percent of his career face-offs but won’t usurp any of them. He will be in tough to supplant someone younger with more potential upside such as Bourque, Shaw, and Luoto.

CJ Suess

Another player with an outside shot is left-winger CJ Suess. A strong and sturdy player, Suess has playmaking and goal-scoring ability which he showed during four years with Minnesota State U and during the preseason last September.

The fifth-round 2014 pick have a better shot at cracking the Jets’ roster this season if he was healthy in 2018-19 — after being sent to the Moose, playing a top-line role, and tallying 12 points in his first 26 games, he broke his leg during a December game against the Toronto Marlies and missed the rest of the season.

That makes him a definite a dark-horse, but he could enter himself more deeply into the conversation with a strong preseason.

Answers Coming Soon

We won’t have to wait long for the competition for bottom-six spots to get underway — the Jets’ preseason slate begins on Sept. 16 with a tilt against the Edmonton Oilers.

Of course, there’s still an outside chance Connor and/or and Laine will sign by then, rendering all this moot. However, it’s definitely something to keep your eye on as the Jets’ season-opener on Oct. 3 in the Big Apple creeps ever-closer.