Elias Salomonsson sends strong message he belongs in Jets top four now
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Daniel Lucente
Mar 20, 2026 (4:10 PM)
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Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Hockey Writers had the hook, but Elias Salomonsson's real message is louder, 25 NHL games, 1-3-4, 18:26 a night, and no sign he should come out.
Salomonsson is 21, a 2022 second-round pick by Winnipeg, and his entry-level deal carries an $815,000 cap hit through 2026-27. That is not trivia. That is roster-building value.
This is the part Arniel and Cheveldayoff cannot miss. A right-shot defenceman on that ticket, already handling real minutes, changes how hard the Jets need to shop for blue-line help.
The numbers back the eye test. Salomonsson has played more than 20 minutes in four of his last eight games, which means the staff is not sheltering him anymore.
He is moving pucks out fast, keeping tighter gaps, and giving Winnipeg cleaner exits. That feeds the rush and lets the top-six spend less time coming back for the puck.
The post below says a lot because the pace never looks too fast for him.
He does not play like a kid hoping to survive a shift. He plays like someone trying to keep the chair for good.
Elias Salomonsson is pressing the Winnipeg Jets
Fans can feel where this is going, one young defenceman is making an older decision look shaky.
That is the real pressure point. If Salomonsson holds this level, Winnipeg can save assets, trust internal growth, and aim any bigger move at another need.
His first NHL season is still small in volume, but the trend matters more than the raw total. March usage tells the story better than March hype.
For the next game, he has earned another serious assignment. For the GM, he has earned a harder question about what this blue line should look like next fall.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 20|279 ANSWERS Elias Salomonsson sends strong message he belongs in Jets top four now Has Elias Salomonsson already earned a full-time Jets job for next season? | ||
| Yes | 247 | 88.5 % |
| No | 32 | 11.5 % |
| List of polls | ||