Jets Sign Jim Slater to Three-Year Extension

The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have signed center Jim Slater to a three-year contract extension worth $4.8 million.  The deal will average out to $1.6 million per season.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 78 games last season, he had 13 goals and eight assists for 21 points.  This is an excellent move for the Jets, as Slater is an excellent checking line forward on the team.  He has lots of speed, is excellent on faceoffs and the penalty kill, plenty of defensive skill, some offensive ability, and plays with a little grit.  Look for Slater to be a solid forward for the Jets over the next three years and his $1.6 million is an excellent deal for a player of his caliber.

Blackhawks Acquire Johnny Oduya from Jets

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have acquired defenseman Johnny Oduya from the Winnipeg Jets for a second and a third round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. In 63 games so far this season, he has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. The Blackhawks were desperate for some defensive depth and they got it in Oduya. He's a very mobile defenseman who can play a shutdown role and can add some grit to his game when needed. Chicago paid a steep price to land him, but they needed to add some defensive depth to their struggling blueline. As for the Jets, Oduya had pretty much been replaced when they plucked Grant Clitsome off waivers earlier in the day. While Clitsome isn't as good as Oduya, the acquisition of the draft picks made it a great move for Winnipeg.

Jets Claim Grant Clitsome Off Waivers from Blue Jackets

The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have claimed defenseman Grant Clitsome off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 51 games so far this season, he has four goals and 10 assists for 14 points. He still has one more year left on his current contract. Not a bad pick-up for the Jets, as Clitsome will bring some puck-moving and offensive skill to their blueline.

Jets Acquire Maxime Macenauer from Ducks for Riley Holzapfel

The Winnipeg Jets announced on Monday that they have acquired center Maxime Macenauer from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for center Riley Holzapfel. In 29 games with the Ducks, Macenauer had one goal and three assists for four points. He also appeared in 13 games with Syracuse of the AHL, scoring four goals and two assists for six points. In 29 games this season with St. John's of the AHL, Holzapfel has eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. This is really just a depth move for both teams, as both players will likely spend most of the rest of the season in the minors. However, Macenauer could potentially see some time with the Jets on their fourth line late in the season if injuries mount. He possesses plenty of speed and some offensive ability, so he's not a bad acquisition for the team. As for the Ducks, Holzapfel will bring some two-way ability to their system and should be a solid addition to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse.

Flames Acquire Akim Aliu from Jets for John Negrin

The Calgary Flames announced on Monday that they have acquired right wing Akim Aliu from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for defenseman John Negrin. In 13 games this season with Abbotsford of the AHL, Aliu has four goals and one assist for five points. He also appeared in 10 games with Colorado of the ECHL, scoring two goals and four assists for six points. Negrin has one assist in 26 games with Abbotsford. He has also appeared in nine games with Utah of the ECHL, scoring one goal and five assists for six points. Both players have yet to appear in an NHL game and will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer. In Aliu, the Flames add a talented forward with plenty of size and some offensive upside despite struggling offensively in the minors. For now, he will bolster Calgary's minor league affiliate in Abbotsford. In Negrin, the Jets get a defenseman with plenty of size and a little offensive ability. He has battled some knee injuries throughout his hockey career, but should be a steady blueliner for the team's AHL affiliate in St. John's.

Jets Claim Ben Maxwell Off Waivers from Ducks

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have claimed center Ben Maxwell off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in St. John's. The Ducks had previously claimed him off waivers from the Jets on November 10. In 10 games so far this season with Winnipeg and Anaheim, he has one assist. Not a bad depth move for the Jets, as Maxwell will bring some two-way ability to the team. For now he will stay in the minors and could be called up by Winnipeg if injuries should begin to mount on the forward lines.

Ducks Claim Ben Maxwell Off Waivers from Jets

The Anaheim Ducks announced on Thursday that they have claimed center Ben Maxwell off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. In four games with the Jets this season, he had no points. Not a bad depth move for the Ducks, as Maxwell will bring some two-way skill to the team. For now, he will likely play on the fourth line.

Jets Claim Brett MacLean Off Waivers from Coyotes

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have claimed right wing Brett MacLean off waivers from the Phoenix Coyotes. He is pointless in only one game so far this season with the Jets. In 13 games last season with the Coyotes, he had two goals and one assist for three points. He also appeared in 51 games with San Antonio of the AHL, scoring 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points. Not a bad pickup for the Jets, as MacLean has plenty of potential to become a scoring winger at the NHL level. He has plenty of two-way and scoring upside and is versatile enough to play at center. Look for him to stick with the Jets throughout the season.

Jets Sign Kyle Wellwood to One-Year Contract

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have signed center Kyle Wellwood to a one-year contract worth $700,000. In 35 games last season with the San Jose Sharks, he had five goals and eight assists for 13 points. He also added one goal and six assists for seven points in 18 playoff games. He also appeared in 25 games early in the 2010-11 campaign with Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, scoring five goals and three assists for eight points. Not a bad signing for the Jets, as Wellwood will add some offensive depth to the forward lines. He is a decent playmaker, but is somewhat inconsistent in his scoring. Look for him to play a checking line role with the Jets next season, and given his fine playoff performance with the Sharks this past season, he may be a good playoff performer for the Jets if they make it to the post-season.

Jets Sign Andrew Ladd to Five-Year Contract

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have signed left wing Andrew Ladd to a five-year contract worth $22 million. The deal will average out to $4.4 million per season. The team also announced that he will remain as their captain when they hit the ice for the 2011-12 season. He was named captain of the Atlanta Thrashers last November. In 81 games last season with the Thrashers, he had 29 goals and 30 assists for 59 points. This is an excellent signing for the Jets, as Ladd will bring plenty of offensive skill, scoring upside, and toughness to the forward lines. He posted career numbers last season in Atlanta with increased ice time, so there's a good chance he will probably improve on those numbers next season.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Aaron Gagnon and Mark Flood

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have signed center Aaron Gagnon to a two-year contract and defenseman Mark Flood to a one-year contract. The financial terms of both deals were not disclosed. In 19 games last season with the Dallas Stars, Gagnon had two assists. He also appeared in 58 games with Texas of the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points. Flood appeared in 63 games last season with Manitoba of the AHL, scoring 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points. He last played in the NHL during the 2009-10 season with the New York Islanders. These are really just depth signings for the Jets, as both players will likely spend most of next season in the minors. However, Gagnon does have some offensive instincts and could see a little time with the team as an injury replacement.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Randy Jones and Rick Rypien

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have signed defenseman Randy Jones to a one-year contract worth $1.15 million and right wing Rick Rypien to a one-year contract worth $700,000. In 61 games last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jones had one goal and 12 assists for 13 points. He missed the last 16 games of the regular season and eight playoff games with an ankle injury. Rypien appeared in nine games with the Vancouver Canucks last season, scoring one assist. He was suspended six games last November for an altercation with a fan during a game against the Minnesota Wild. He would go on to miss the majority of the 2010-11 season because of personal reasons. He also appeared in 11 games with Manitoba of the AHL, scoring two assists. These aren't bad depth signings for the Jets. Jones will add some offensive skill and puck-handling skills to the blueline as a sixth or seventh defenseman, while Rypien will bring lots of grit and toughness to the checking lines.

Jets Sign Derek Meech and Tanner Glass

The Winnipeg Jets announced on the first day of free agency that they have signed defenseman Derek Meech and left wing Tanner Glass to one-year contracts worth $700,000 and $750,000, respectively. For you trivia buffs out there, Meech is the first free agent signing for the new franchise and is also a native of Winnipeg. In 74 games last season with Grand Rapids of the AHL, Meech had 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points, while Glass appeared in 73 games with the Vancouver Canucks, scoring three goals and seven assists for 10 points and 72 penalty minutes. These aren't bad depth signings for the Jets. Meech will provide some offensive skill to the blueline, as well as some versatility to the team as a whole, as he can also play on the wing. Glass will bring plenty of grit and toughness to the checking lines for the Jets.

Atlanta Thrashers Set to Move to Winnipeg

The NHL is on its way back to the Manitoba capital. True North Sports and Entertainment announced today that they have completed a deal to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers and relocate the team to Winnipeg in time for the 2011-12 season. The sale of the franchise is still pending approval from the NHL Board of Governors, which should occur on June 20 in New York. The transfer of ownership will require 75 percent approval from the Board of Governors, while relocation will only need a majority result. True North Sports and Entertainment and the Thrashers' owner, Atlanta Spirit, had been working on a deal for several weeks. The franchise price will be $170 million with a $60 million relocation fee. That relocation fee will be dispersed to the other 29 NHL teams. The team will play out of the MTS Centre, which opened in 2004 and has a seating capacity of just over 15,000. A nickname has not been chosen for the team yet and True North is now launching a season ticket campaign, with ticket prices ranging from $39-$129 per game. According to TSN insider Bob McKenzie, the Winnipeg franchise will remain in the Southeast Division for the 2011-12 season, with realignment set to occur prior to the 2012-13 season. It has been 15 years since the Winnipeg Jets departed Canada and moved to Arizona to become the Phoenix Coyotes. This is the second time the city of Atlanta has lost an NHL franchise. The Flames played in Atlanta from 1972 to 1980 before relocating to Calgary. The Thrashers were an expansion team for the 1999-2000 season. This is great news for the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba, as hockey fans in Winnipeg have been really vocal about getting the NHL to return to their city. It's nice to see Canada getting another hockey franchise and that the team is going to a city with a fan base that will appreciate them. The Thrashers were not a huge grab in Atlanta, so it will be good for the franchise to be in a city that will have a stronger fan base. A big congratulations goes out to the city of Winnipeg for acquiring an NHL franchise. You have certainly earned it.