Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele indicated he'll be having serious conversations about his future with the franchise after ending the regular season outside the playoffs Sunday.
"I just have to know where this team is going and what the direction is and what the changes are going to be, if any," Scheifele said after the Jets' comeback win over the Seattle Kraken, according to Sportsnet's Ken Wiebe.
"I'm in the prime of my career. I still have so much to improve on, too, and I like where my game is at. I like the physical nature that my body is at. I'm only improving, I'm only getting better, and I'm only going to be a better player next year than I was this year. … I have to think about my career and what's going to be best for me. Those are going to be … talks with my agents and everyone in my family (to) figure out what I really want. So, it will be a tough talk tomorrow," he added.
The Jets are holding exit meetings Monday after missing the playoffs by eight points. It's the first time since 2016-17 that the club failed to qualify for the postseason.
Scheifele is under contract for two more seasons with a cap hit of just under $6.13 million. He ranked second on the Jets in scoring in 2021-22 with 70 points in 67 games and has 577 points in 642 contests with the franchise since being drafted seventh overall in 2011.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, a pending restricted free agent, is the Jets' best player in need of a new contract this summer. Winnipeg has over $16 million in cap space to accommodate a new deal, according to Cap Friendly.
