Jets’ 2025 Free Agency Class: Who’s Re-Signed, Who’s Gone, & Who’s Left

The Eden, New York product was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the June 2023 trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois the other way.

Neal Pionk

The Jets dished out a lucrative extension to Pionk on April 17, inking him to a new six-year deal worth $7 million per season.

The 29-year-old defenseman had something of a renaissance season in the last year of his four-year deal that paid him $5.875 million per season. Skating on the second pairing primarily with Samberg, he recorded 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points and a plus-21 rating in 69 games while averaging 22:04 in ice time and dishing out 114 hits. His ice time was the highest since his rookie 2017-18 season with the New York Rangers.

He has played six seasons for the Jets since being acquired from the Rangers in the 2019 trade that sent Jacob Trouba the other way.

Mason Shaw

The Jets re-signed Shaw to a one-year, two-way deal on July 3 despite not tendering him a qualifying offer.

The 26-year old played a top-six role on the Manitoba Moose last season and was one of their few reliable offensive threats, finishing first on the team in points with 37 (17 goals, 20 assists) and being named team MVP. He was the only member of the Moose to play all 72 games.

Who’s Gone:

Mason Appleton

Appleton signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings on July 2 with a $2.9 million annual average value (AAV.)

Appleton scored 10 goals and added 12 assists for 22 points in 71 games for the Jets in 2024-25, the final season of a three-year deal with a $2.166 million AAV he signed with the Jets in 2022 after being reacquired from the Seattle Kraken at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He also recorded seven assists in 13 playoff games.

Dylan Coghlan

Coghlan signed a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 1 worth $775,000.

The Jets signed Coghlan last summer to a one-year deal worth $775,000 to provide more defensive depth, but their crowded blue line caused him to spend most of the season with the Moose (and plenty of time in the Jets’ press box as a healthy scratch through the first third of the campaign.)

The 27 year old showed off his offensive upside with the Moose, recording 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in 36 games to lead Moose defenders in scoring. He also suited up for six games for the Jets, recording no points and a plus-1 rating.

Chris Driedger

The Winnipeg-born goaltender signed a one-year deal with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Traktor Chelyabinsk on June 17.

The 31 year old played in five games for the Moose, posting a 1-3-0 record, 3.30 goals against average, and .872 save percentage, after being acquired the Florida Panthers near the 2025 Trade Deadline. He was with the Jets for the playoffs as the third goalie but didn’t dress.

Nikolaj Ehlers

The Jets’ biggest UFA and one of the biggest fish in the free-agent pond signed a six-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 3.

For 10 seasons since he broke into the league in 2015-16, Ehlers was one of the Jets’ most unique and game-breaking players and will be remembered as a true draft success story.

The creative speedster racked up 225 goals and 290 assists for 520 points in 674-career games with the Jets since being selected ninth overall in 2014, becoming a fan favourite in the process nicknamed “Fly.” He turned many a game on its head and generated plenty of highlight-reel end-to-end goals and slick assists.

He put up 63 points (24 goals and 39 assists) in 69 games last season and seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven playoff games.

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

The forward signed a three-year deal with the Swedish Hockey League’s Brynas IF on May 24.

The 27 year old had 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 65 games for the Moose last season and did not play any NHL games. He played 78 games for the Jets over three seasons, recording 19 points, since being claimed off waivers from the Washington Capitals in October, 2021.

Rasmus Kupari

Kupari signed a two-year contract with the Swiss National League’s HC Lugano in early June. The Jets tendered him a qualifying offer ahead of July 1 to maintain his NHL rights.

The 20th-overall 2018 pick performed better last season after his 2023-24 campaign was a total write-off. Overall, the now 25-year-old Finn bounced back nicely after having just one assist in 28 games last season and missing a lot of time due to injury.

While his five goals and three assists for eight points in 59 games didn’t jump off the page, he acted as an effective bottom-six forward when in the lineup, providing blistering speed and a strong forecheck. He was strong when deployed as a centre, winning 52.5 per cent of his draws.

Unfortunately, the concussion he sustained in early March derailed his season a bit and limited him to just one game between then and the end of the campaign. He was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs.

Simon Lundmark

Lundmark signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 2. The Jets did not tender the 2019 second-rounder a qualifying offer, making him a UFA.

The Swedish defenseman had four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 66 games for the Moose last season.

Brandon Tanev

Tanev signed a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth on July 1 worth $2.5 million per season.

Tanev, acquired from the Kraken at the 2025 Trade Deadline, spent last season on the final year of a six-year deal with a $3.5 million AAV he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019.

The spark plug left winger began his NHL career with the Jets, playing for them for four seasons between 2015-16 and 2018-19 after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Providence College. He became a fan favourite in Winnipeg for his “junkyard-dog” mentality, hustle, tenacity, and willingness to lay his body on the line.

Tanev had one goal and four assists for five points in 19 games with the Jets in a fourth-line role and 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points overall between the Jets and Kraken last season. He had no points in 13 playoff games.

Dominic Toninato

Toninato was named Moose captain in late November and recorded 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 60 games in a top-six centre role to finish second on the team in points and set a new personal American Hockey League (AHL) career high. He also played five games for the Jets, going pointless.

The 30 year old had been with the Jets organization since October, 2020 when he signed as a free agent and played an NHL-career high 77 games with the Jets in 2021-22.

Who’s Left:

Tyrel Bauer (RFA)

The rugged 23-year-old defenseman/enforcer, in his third season with the Moose, had two assists in 59 games and was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, dropping the gloves seven times. A fight he had against the Calgary Wranglers’ Alex Gallant in early March went viral for its old-school ferocity.

Morgan Barron (RFA)

Barron was a rock-solid fourth-liner and penalty-kill stalwart for the Jets again last season.

The 6-foot-4 power forward, who the Jets know they can rely on to play an honest hard-working game every night, scored eight goals and added seven assists for 15 points in 74 games while dishing out 122 hits and blocking 38 shots. Impressively, he was only on the ice for 15 even strength goals against all season in 10:23 of average ice time.

Barron was deployed on the wing for a lot of last season, but really excelled when shifted to centre down the stretch. He was able to use his size and speed effectively and also won 52.1 per cent of his faceoffs, up from his 46.3 per cent winning percentage last season. He added two assists in 13 playoff games.

The now 26-year-old came off a two-year deal he signed in 2023 with a $1.35 million AAV. Barron has filed for Salary Arbitration.

Parker Ford (RFA)

The undrafted forward was one of the Moose’s more-productive players when in the lineup, scoring 14 goals and adding seven assists for 21 points in 41 games. The 24-year-old, who was coming off a 41-point rookie AHL campaign, made his NHL debut on Jan. 30 against the Boston Bruins, scoring a goal in the third period of a 6-2 rout. It was his first of three games with the Jets before being sent back down.

Unfortunately, he suffered an upper-body injury in late February while playing with the Moose that caused him to miss the rest of the season.

Ford came off a two-year deal with a $867,5000 AAV he signed in March 2023 after spending four years at Providence College.

Dylan Samberg (RFA)

Samberg continued to blossom in 2024-25 and excelled in his expanded role.

Tapped by first-year head coach Scott Arniel for a second-pairing assignment after two seasons on the third pairing, the now 26 year old recorded a career-high 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 60 games and a plus-34 rating in 21:08 of average ice time. He also blocked a career-high 120 shots, showing his fearlessness. He added three assists in 13 playoff games.

His fearlessness caused an injury, as he missed 21 games with a broken foot he suffered when blocking a Steven Stamkos power-play one-timer on Nov. 23 against the Nashville Predators, but returned on Jan. 10 and didn’t miss a beat. Perhaps best illustrating his value on the Jets’ blue line is the fact the team went 45-13-2 with him in the lineup and 11-9-2 without him.

Samberg is coming off a two-year bridge deal with a $1.4 million AAV he signed in 2023. Considering he has proven himself a true top-four talent and is potentially the Jets’ most-improved player over the past two seasons, he seems in line for a substantial raise on a longer-term deal.

Samberg has filed for Arbitration.

Isaak Phillips (RFA)

Phillips recorded three goals and five assists for eight points in 39 games on the Moose blue line and 16 points in 67 AHL games overall between the Moose and Rockford IceHogs.

The Jets acquired the 23-year-old 2020 fifth-rounder in a January swap with the Chicago Blackhawks that sent Dmitry Kuzmin the other way in order to get another depth defender with NHL experience. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder also played three games with the Blackhawks prior to the trade, scoring one goal.

He came off a a one-year deal worth $775,000 he signed with the Blackhawks last summer.

Gabriel Vilardi (RFA)

The 25 year old set new career highs in goals (27) assists, (34) and points (61) in 71 games last season and added one goal and three assists in nine playoff games. A “freak” upper-body injury he suffered in late March prevented him from having his first-ever completely-healthy campaign and caused him to miss the first four games of the postseason.

Vilardi played first-line right wing alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele for most of his second season with the Jets and they were one of the league’s most productive lines in combining for 245 points. Vilardi also featured on the first power-play unit in the net-front position and his unique and skillset was on display prominently there once again — his wizardry around the net and his puck-handling ability in tight make him unlike any other player the Jets have had in the 2.0 era.

Vilardi came off a two-year bridge deal with a $3.43 million AAV he signed upon being acquired from the Kings in June 2023 with Iafallo. He could command $6.5 million to $7.5 million annually on a longer-term deal in the six-to-eight-year range.

Vilardi, like Barron and Samberg, has filed for Arbitration.