The Winnipeg Jets announced on Thursday that they have extended Bryan Little through the 2023-24 season. He was entering his last year of a deal signed in 2013. On that deal, he was a $4.7 million cap hit. With his new contract, he’ll clock in at $5.291 million.
The Winnipeg Jets Extend Bryan Little Through 2023-24
Little is a big part of the Jets top six forwards. With Mark Scheifele taking over the top line spot, and Patrik Laine on wing, Little has taken over the second line center role. He’s seen a slight decrease in ice time because of it, but the price of his deal shows that the team still thinks he plays an important role. His stats do enough to back him up, too. Little’s been a consistent point scorer with the team. Last season he tallied 47 points in 59 games. These are great stats for someone who only averaged around 17 and a half minutes.
Little and Scheifele are the only two Jets signed through 2021-22. Though a handful of players, like Laine, will obviously get deals when their contracts expire. Still, the deal Little was given is significant. While he’s still a $4.7 million cap hit for this upcoming year, but his price throughout his extension will set the Jets back a bit. The young team will have nine RFAs next season, including Jacob Trouba and Connor Hellebuyck. Laine will hit restricted free agency in the following year. These are three significant players who will cost the team a pretty penny, and they’ll need every buck they can get. Little’s one million dollar raise could end up making or breaking any future deals.
The team has a lot of hope in Little to be a solid part of their offense. At 30 years old, and with 672 NHL games under his belt, Little is a definite leader in Winnipeg. Along with Blake Wheeler, who will likely be on Little’s wing, the two will be some of the most important players with the Jets.
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