Jaydon Dureau Signs AHL Deal In Jets Organization
The Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, announced yesterday that they’ve signed forward Jaydon Dureau to a one-year contract. He could be in training camp with the Jets next month on a PTO before heading to Manitoba’s camp later in September.
Dureau, 24, never broke through as a full-time AHLer after being drafted by the Lightning in the fifth round in 2020. He was nonetheless a productive player for their ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears, where he had his best showing yet in 2024-25 with a 14-15–29 scoring line in 32 games. The 6’0″, 176-lb winger averaged 0.71 points per game with a +14 rating in 103 appearances for the Bears over the last three seasons, having signed his entry-level contract with Tampa Bay in 2022 shortly before his rights were due to expire.
In the AHL, the Saskatchewan native only managed 36 appearances with the Syracuse Crunch during his tenure in Tampa’s organization. He was only good for three goals and four assists for seven points in that time, just 0.19 points per game.
Understandably, the Lightning opted not to qualify Dureau in June and he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Presumably without any NHL two-way deals or notable European offers there for him, he’ll take an AHL pact with the Moose as he tries to carve out a full-time role on the second rung on the ladder of North American professional hockey. If he can’t break camp with the Moose, he’ll be slated for a fourth season spent primarily in the ECHL – this time with Winnipeg’s affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.
The Jets already have 13 forwards under contract who are projected to begin the season in Manitoba, per PuckPedia. That means Dureau will face an uphill battle for playing time there, especially with the Moose already having four other players on AHL deals prior to his signing.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jaydon Dureau
As June approaches, several prospects that were drafted in 2018 or 2020 will be nearing a chance at unrestricted free agency. Not so for Jaydon Dureau, who signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning today.
Selected 147th overall in 2020, Dureau finished his junior career with the Portland Winterhawks a few days ago when they went down to the Seattle Thunderbirds in round two of the WHL playoffs. The 21-year-old forward had 66 points in 49 games for Portland this season, adding another six in nine postseason appearances.
Already with five AHL games under his belt over the last two years, Dureau will join the many other mid-round CHL players to enter the Tampa Bay development program and should be a full-time member of the Syracuse Crunch next season.