Jets extend qualifying offers to Cole Perfetti and Tyrel Bauer, decline Jaret Anderson-Dolan

The Winnipeg Jets moved to secure two key restricted free agents on Monday, extending qualifying offers to forward Cole Perfetti and defenseman Tyrel Bauer. At the same time, the Jets declined to qualify forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan, which made him an unrestricted free agent and opened the door for the winger to sign with another organization.

For the Jets, qualifying offers are a way to retain negotiation control. By extending to Perfetti and Bauer, Winnipeg ensured it would remain part of the decision-making process for their next contract while still allowing the players the chance to determine whether a long-term deal can be reached during the offseason.

Perfetti’s role in Winnipeg’s depth-forward mix is the central reason the Jets moved to keep his rights. A playmaking option in the middle of a rotation, he represents the kind of young skill element teams typically prioritize when they are trying to build depth that can contribute without forcing overuse of top-end talent.

Bauer, meanwhile, fits a different need. As a physical defenseman, his value is often measured in how he changes games at the pace level teams play when they are protecting leads, defending in contested areas, and trying to limit opponents’ easy entries. Extending his qualifying offer suggests the Jets believe they can use that style of play as part of their defensive identity.

Anderson-Dolan’s situation is the other side of that equation. The Jets declined to qualify him, ending Winnipeg’s contractual hold and making him free to sign anywhere. The decision also indicates the organization is ready to move on from a player who was selected higher in the draft and had expectations to become a longer-term contributor.

Because this announcement is about qualifying offers and not a completed signing, it does not guarantee that Perfetti or Bauer will remain in Winnipeg beyond the next negotiation window. What it does confirm is that the Jets intend to continue discussions and keep both players in the Jets’ orbit as contract terms are set.

The immediate offseason storyline for Winnipeg is how this process affects the rest of its roster-building plan. With one player reaching unrestricted free agency, the Jets’ forward and depth-market needs may expand, while retaining Perfetti and Bauer keeps at least two familiar pieces available for future lineup construction.

As the market develops, watch whether Winnipeg can convert the qualifying-offer situations into multi-year agreements, and whether Anderson-Dolan’s free-agent signing changes the Jets’ depth options or pushes them toward different types of players to fill the same role in their bottom-six planning.