WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets are welcoming back goaltender Laurent Brossoit — and saying goodbye to ex-captain Blake Wheeler.
Winnipeg signed the 30-year-old Brossoit to a one year, US$1.75 million dollar contract on Saturday, the opening day of NHL free agency.
Brossoit spent three seasons (2018-21) with Winnipeg as Connor Hellebuyck's backup before signing a free-agent contract with the Vegas Golden Knights before the 2021-22 campaign.
The Surrey, B.C. product started the first eight playoff games of the Knights' Stanley Cup drive, before suffering an injury in Game 3 of the second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers.
He was replaced by Adin Hill, who started the remaining 14 games.
The New York Rangers signed Wheeler, Winnipeg's franchise leader in points and games player, to a one-year contract on Saturday.
New York did not disclose the terms of the deal.
The signing came one day after the Jets placed Wheeler on unconditional waivers to buy him out.
Wheeler served as Winnipeg's captain for seven years before having the title stripped from him at the start of training camp by new head coach Rick Bowness, who then installed a three-alternate leadership group of Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele.
In 1,118 games over the course of his NHL career, he has 312 goals and 610 assists.
The 36-year-old winger produced 16 goals and 39 assists in 72 games last season.
Winnipeg re-signed forward Vladislav Namestnikov to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million.
Namestnikov recorded two goals and eight assists in 20 games for the Jets after being acquired late in the season from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft.
The 30-year-old Russian chipped in with two assists in five playoff games.
The Jets signed a pair of free agents — goaltender Collin Delia and forward Jeffrey Viel —to identical one-year contracts worth $775,000.
Delia split last season between the Vancouver Canucks and its AHL affiliate, while the 26-year-old Viel has spent his entire five-year career in San Jose, shuttling back and forth between the NHL's Sharks and AHL's Barracuda.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2023.
The Canadian Press
