Three best fits for Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Connor if he hits free agency in 2026

The 28-year-old is set to play out the final season of his seven-year, $50 million deal signed back in 2019. 

Connor will surely receive a substantial pay raise on his next contract. Given that his camp wants to evaluate their options, let's examine three teams that would be the best fits to pry the two-time All-Star out of Winnipeg next summer.

Detroit Red Wings

A team that's already been linked to Connor, and for good reason, is the Red Wings. The Shelby Township, Michigan, native would likely be interested in a potential homecoming, and it makes sense for both sides.

Detroit is looking to put an end to a lengthy nine-year playoff drought, and the addition of one of the game's best wingers would certainly help the cause. The Red Wings have their core of center Dylan Larkin, wingers Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Moritz Seider locked in, with some top prospects soon to join the big club. The time to strike is now. 

They are poised to have over $44 million in cap space next offseason, per PuckPedia, allowing them to throw a massive offer that could be hard for Connor to resist.  

Washington Capitals

Another great fit for Connor would be the Capitals. Washington came down to the wire in the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes this summer but was narrowly edged out by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Given their strong interest in Ehlers, there's a good chance Caps general manager Chris Patrick would push even harder for a player of the caliber of Connor. Placing a seven-time 30-goal scorer on the reigning top seed in the Eastern Conference could be dangerous for the rest of the league. 

They are set up well to compete against anyone in a bidding war, with $36.5 million in projected cap space following the 2025-26 season, according to PuckPedia. 

Columbus Blue Jackets

Lastly, how about the Blue Jackets? Not many teams' futures look brighter than Columbus's, and it sounds like general manager Don Waddell wants to be active in aiding them along.

The Blue Jackets almost landed star defenseman Noah Dobson via trade before the 2025 draft, demonstrating their newfound aggressive approach as their young core continues to show improvements. While they appear to be on the rise, it remains evident that they're lacking a true star up front, a problem that Connor could solve. 

Currently slated to have over $46 million in available cap space, via PuckPedia, money will not be an issue for Columbus in its pursuit of Connor.