Adam Lowry’s defensive impact is significant for the Jets

The Winnipeg Jets signed forward Adam Lowry to a five-year, $25-million contract extension on Wednesday, which starting next season will pay him $5 million annually through 2030-31.

Lowry, who has served as team captain since 2023-24, didn’t make his regular-season debut until Nov. 4 after undergoing hip surgery last May. Through seven games, he has a goal and two assists for three points.

However, it’s his play away from the puck that’s so valuable for a Jets squad that’s finished at or near the top of the league in the last few seasons. The 2011 third-round pick has finished in the top 10 for Selke Trophy voting in the last two seasons.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss Lowry’s extension and what his value is to a Winnipeg group hoping to find playoff success.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Lowry is a guy whose individual numbers will never jump off the page, he’s never recorded more than 40 points in a season. But the proof is in how good the Jets are when he’s on the ice. Here’s the goal differential in the last three years for Lowry at 5-on-5:

This year, he’s been banged up, but it’s 4-0 when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5. Last year? 34-21. The year before that? 38-21. You’re plus-13, plus-17 with this guy on the ice at 5-on-5, and this isn’t someone who is playing nine minutes a game against the other team’s fourth line. This is a guy who head coach Scott Arniel and before that Paul Maurice, trust to take on the other team’s best players.

What does that do? If you have this guy eating tough matchups putting up these numbers, it feels up Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and all those other guys to go out and play easier matchups at 5-on-5. The domino effect of having him in the lineup is so important, and you can see why the team wants to get it done.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…