NHL analyst Jake Tye of 'The Hockey News' believes the Jets could be in a strong position to target Niko Mikkola if he hits free agency next summer. The 2026 NHL offseason could potentially be the most revolutionary in years. Whereas the years leading up had the stars trailing behind, <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/connor-mcdavid-powerful-message-to-fans-clarifies-his-future-plans-per-nhl-insider-gene-principe' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the free-agency pool in the year ahead could potentially have headlining players</a> in the form of Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Artemi Panarin. That has the front offices bracing for the league's potential redefining summer. One team most affected might be the Florida Panthers. Although the team has had consecutive Stanley Cup victories and possesses a healthy roster in the books on the current squad, cap limitations will involve difficult choices, including towering defenseman Niko Mikkola in the last year of his contract. <h3>Not only is Niko Mikkola towering, he is extremely solid in his own zone</h3> He is 6-foot-6 and a shutdown defenseman in the ideal postseason role. Although he won't contribute much offense, he has been a shelter in the back with a two-season +23 in the plus/minus chart, 212 blocks, and 335 hits. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/flpanthersmuse/status/1947705903727186130'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Reliability and hits are attractive for contenders. If Niko Mikkola reaches free agency, the Jets will almost assuredly be in the picture, <a href='https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets/latest-news/could-winnipeg-target-florida-s-niko-mikkola' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>per NHL insider Jake Tye of 'The Hockey News.'</a> That kind of production won't go unnoticed. If Mikkola hits the open market, he's expected to draw serious interest, and one team that could make a strong push is the Winnipeg Jets. With $10 million in projected cap space and more flexibility on the horizon, Winnipeg is in a solid position to add a dependable veteran like Mikkola. - Jake Tye With $10 million in cap space and more through likely exits by Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, and a secondary defenseman, the Jets will clear approximately $10 million more. Winnipeg should have room to provide Mikkola a competitive offer-sheet bid without losing valuable core pieces. Since defense could always use another boost in the NHL, the fact that there is a postseason-validated physical defenseman in the name of Mikkola would cement an already powerful unit that relinquished the fewest opportunities in the league. As a team considering making a long postseason run, this signing will definitely be considered.