It’s not a coincidence that the Winnipeg Jets’ deepest playoff run was accomplished by the most cap efficient team in franchise history.The 2017-18 Jets had advantages like Mark Scheifele starring as a No. 1 center and Blake Wheeler scoring 91 points for less than $12 million combined. Their linemate, Kyle Connor, along with Patrik Laine, and Nikolaj Ehlers were still on entry level contracts, meaning they earned less than $3 million in base salary combined, but they scored 104 goals between them. In goal was a rising star named Connor Hellebuyck, who earned $2.25 million for 44 wins and a .924 save percentage.The Jets’ spending was so efficient that they could pay market value for star veterans like Dustin Byfuglien and add Paul Stastny at the trade deadline. It helped them become realistic Stanley Cup contenders for the first time in team history.The 2026-27 Jets aren’t quite in the same situation.Winnipeg was ranked 21st in The Athletic’s offseason cap efficiency rankings, receiving a grade of B-minus. The Jets have great veterans who drive results, including Scheifele ($8.5 million), Josh Morrissey ($6.25 million), and Hellebuyck ($8.5 million). They get strong value in other places of their lineup, too, but the idea of getting more than 100 goals from players on their ELCs is ancient history. There are also drains on the current team’s cap efficiency that Winnipeg largely avoided in its best years.But which players have Winnipeg’s best and worst contracts? Which ones are the most difficult to project? And who are the Jets’ best bets to dramatically outperform their current projections, dragging the team back into the playoffs after a disappointing 82-point campaign in 2025-26.Best forward contractsBefore we get going, remember this is not a ranking of best or worst players. Teams that win tend to have a lot of great players, yet this still requires cap efficiency somewhere on the roster. For some teams, “overpaying” a superstar is made possible by “underpaying” players further down the depth chart.The other thing to keep in mind is that it’s easier to stand out for better (or worse) by having a long contract. A $1 million savings for a single season won’t grade out nearly as well as that same efficiency on a player with five years left on their deal. Finally, projected performance is estimated based on Dom’s model and players are human beings who may perform or age better or worse than the model suggests.Without further ado, the forward who carries Winnipeg’s most efficient contract through the life of his deal?That would be Lego enthusiast and mental health advocate, Gabriel Vilardi, defeating Scheifele by the narrowest of margins.Vilardi is projected to provide $9.7 million in value per season for $7.5 million for the next five years, giving Winnipeg a projected surplus of $10.9 million through the life of his deal.