The Winnipeg Jets and giant defenceman Logan Stanley, as well as centre David Gustafsson, have come to terms on two-year contracts. The decision by General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to re-sign Stanley and Gustafsson was an easy one. It took some negotiation as Stanley is deserving of the slight pay increase. At the end of the day, having the hard-nosed D-man in the lineup makes your team tougher to play against. Same goes for the depth centre, Gustafsson, who is reliable and does everything the Jets ask of him. Stanley goes for a cap hit of $1.25 M, whereas Gustafsson’s is $835K for the next two NHL campaigns.
David Gustafsson and Logan Stanley are staying in Winnipeg. 🛩️✍️ https://t.co/Y8HWaydBxC pic.twitter.com/yoKMksg6JH
— theScore (@theScore) July 6, 2024
Logan Stanley Re-signs Contract with the Winnipeg Jets
As the 6’7” Logan Stanley re-signs a contract, he is coming off a couple of tough seasons. However, this contract is a indication that the Jets still have faith in him. A tough 2022-23 season that saw him suit up for 19 regular season games. He was injury prone throughout the season, dealing with a foot ailment. When he was in the lineup, he played his usual game. He is tough to play against, very difficult to win a battle of strength against, and can be a solid shutdown defender. This past season, 2023-24, he only appeared in 25 games, usually a healthy scratch. In his four years in the league, he has played 139 career NHL games. In that time, he has compiled 191 block shots and 269 hits. Moreover, he only has 22 career points. Still, despite the lack of offensive production, it is a shutdown guy in your own zone where he shines.
For David Gustafsson, the Gus Bus re-signing, Winnipeg relies on him being a dependable fourth-liner. In 39 games for the Jets in 2023-24, in just 9:16 of ice time, he had three goals and added four assists. Also, he picked up 23 blocked shots, and chipped in with 30 body checks.
What Does This Mean for the Winnipeg Jets
The Jets are just looking to tweak their team, as they had a successful 2023-24 season. One that saw Connor Hellebuyck take home both the William Jennings and Vezina trophies. Therefore, the team is sound defensively, and players like Stanley and Gustafsson who contribute to that are solid fits. GM Cheveldayoff has been busy with adding depth such as Dylan Coghlan or Colin Miller, especially to the backend. Having Josh Morrissey emerge as an elite defenceman over the past couple seasons, also helps the blueline. The Jets are going through their lineup, identifying who is to be a part of this roster. Signing some of these free agents is just business-as-usual type of work. If they figure out the Nikolaj Ehlers situation of him looking for more ice time, or a trade out of town, and as long as their other high-end players want to stick around, they should compete for a 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff position.
Main photo: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
