Simon Lundmark

5:02 p.m.: After Winnipeg completed a 5-2 win over Toronto, Lundmark is back to the minors and off the active roster for the holiday break. Expect him to be recalled later this week if Stanley and Fleury aren’t ready to go for their next contest.

3:27 p.m.: The Jets announced that they’ve recalled right-shot defenseman Simon Lundmark from AHL Manitoba prior to today’s game against the Maple Leafs. It’s the first recall of his NHL career aside from a one-day emergency stint on the roster in January 2022. Winnipeg had an open active roster spot, so no corresponding transaction is necessary.

Lundmark was scratched from today’s contest, but his services may be needed when Winnipeg resumes its post-break schedule against the Senators on Saturday. Logan Stanley has missed the last two contests with a lower-body injury, while Haydn Fleury left today’s game with a non-contact right knee injury. The 24-year-old, who the Jets selected in the second round in 2019, hit restricted free agency last summer but eventually agreed to a one-year, two-way pact to stay in Winnipeg and cleared waivers during training camp. He’s made 22 appearances with Manitoba this season, posting six points in 22 games. He has a -7 rating that’s middle of the pack on a Manitoba team that’s struggled to the tune of a 7-17-1 record.

While Lundmark has been a regular contributor on Manitoba’s blue line since coming to North America from his native Sweden in 2021, he’s never done enough to put himself in serious consideration for a roster spot. His offensive production has been consistent, stagnating at around 0.25 points per game, and he has a cumulative -24 rating across 210 AHL appearances.

Lundmark can remain on the Jets’ roster for up to 30 days or play 10 games until he requires waivers to return to the minors. He carries a $775K cap hit, leaving the Jets with $4.22MM in current cap space with a full roster.

The Jets have re-signed defense prospect Simon Lundmark to a one-year, two-way deal, per a team release. It’s an NHL salary and cap hit of $775K, although his AHL salary wasn’t disclosed by the team.  However, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press relays that Lundmark will make $100K in the minors.

The 51st pick of the 2019 draft, Lundmark spent all three seasons of his entry-level contract on assignment to AHL Manitoba. He became an RFA this summer after the Jets tendered him a qualifying offer.

Before signing his ELC in 2021, Lundmark spent two post-draft seasons with Linköping HC in his native Sweden. There, the right-shot defender scored twice and added 14 assists for 16 points in 118 games with a -20 rating before making the move across the pond.

Lundmark put up good offensive totals at the junior level in Sweden, but he was always projected as more of a stay-at-home defender in the professional ranks. That profile has held true on the farm, where he’s consistently averaged around 0.25 points per game across his three AHL seasons. In total, Lundmark has put up 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) with a -17 rating in 188 games with Manitoba.

He’s still likely developed a bit slower than expected. Five years post-draft, the Jets would have at least liked Lundmark to earn an NHL recall at some point, even if he’d yet to establish himself as a full-timer.

That hasn’t been the case for the 23-year-old Stockholm native, but it could change next season with his new contract in hand. The loss of Brenden Dillon on the open market and the buyout of Nate Schmidt will open up some increased opportunities for the Jets’ young defenders, namely 2019 first-round pick Ville Heinola. But Lundmark, who was selected 31 spots after Heinola that year, should find himself in that conversation as well.

The youngsters will be competing with more experienced adds Dylan Coghlan and Haydn Fleury, who both signed two-way deals with Winnipeg this summer, for call-ups from Manitoba. Heinola, who’s logged 35 NHL appearances but spent all of last season in the minors, may be on the opening night roster this fall.