While defenceman Sami Niku's name has been floated in trade rumours, the 24-year-old's agent, Mike Curran, said Niku hopes to stay with the Winnipeg Jets this off-season.

Niku is one of three restricted free agents who have yet to re-sign with the cap-crunched Jets.

"I wouldn’t comment on that normally. But no, we haven’t (asked the Jets for a trade)," Curran told Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. "It’s been out there mentioned. But it didn’t come from us.

"(Niku) has set up shop there. For a kid not to go back to Finland during this whole pandemic process, that should say a lot about his desire to be there."

The Jets currently have just $27,144 in cap space, per CapFriendly, but are expected to free an additional $5.29 million when Bryan Little is placed on long-term injured reserve. In addition to Niku, Jack Roslovic and Jansen Harkins are also in need of new deals.

"Everything’s going fine," Curran said of negotiations between the Jets and Niku. "I don’t really comment too much on what’s said or what’s done. But we’ve had great conversations. He’s in Winnipeg and he wants to stay. I can’t get into specifics but they’re going fine," he said, from New Jersey.

Niku had five assists in 17 games with the Jets last season, adding three goals and 14 points in 18 games with the AHL's Manitoba Moose. A seventh-round pick in the 2015 draft, Niku has two goals and 10 points in 48 career games with the Jets.