- While forward Brad Lambert was one of the most divisive players of the 2022 entry draft cycle, it seems that such debates over his merit are over in Winnipeg. Per Murat Ates of The Athletic, Lambert’s agent, Rick Curran, and the Winnipeg Jets have had “positive” contract talks regarding an entry-level deal, and Curran is confident that a deal will be reached before the start of the season. While Lambert might have a hard time breaking into one of the Jets’ scoring lines to start this season, his impressive play this preseason could force the Jets into a more aggressive timeline regarding his transition to North American professional hockey.
Jets Rumors
Brad Lambert's Opening Night Status "Yet To Be Determined"
- As reported by TSN’s John Lu, Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness today commented on 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert, whose opening night spot “has yet to be determined.” He went on to say that Lambert’s skating and speed are NHL-ready, but is unsure about his ability to elevate his intensity and decision-making to NHL standards at this time. Lambert, who’s still just 18, slipped to the Jets at 30th overall after scoring 10 points in 49 Liiga games last season.
Waivers: 10/03/22
The waiver wire is full as teams continue to get closer to regular season rosters. These are the players available today, after Radim Zohorna and Magnus Hellberg were claimed from yesterday’s list.
Anaheim Ducks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Trey Fix-Wolansky
Gavin Bayreuther
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Joe Hicketts
Joseph Cramarossa
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets
Training Camp Cuts: 10/1/22
Even after nearly 150 players were cut yesterday, many teams will be paring down their training camp rosters further today. We’ll keep track of today’s cuts here.
Anaheim Ducks (via team release)
F Bryce Kindopp (to San Diego, AHL)
F Ben King (to San Diego, AHL)
Arizona Coyotes (via Twitter)
G Ivan Prosvetov (to Tucson, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (via team release)
F Brandon Biro (to Rochester, AHL)
F Filip Cederqvist (to Rochester, AHL)
F Mason Jobst (released from PTO)
F Aleksandr Kosakov (to Rochester, AHL)
F Tyson Kozak (to Rochester, AHL)
F Jiri Kulich (to Rochester, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (released from PTO)
F Brett Murray (to Rochester, AHL)
F Kohen Olischefski (released from PTO)
F Josh Passolt (released from PTO)
F Isak Rosen (to Rochester, AHL)
F Lukas Rousek (to Rochester, AHL)
F Matt Savoie (to Portland, WHL)
F Brendan Warren (released from PTO)
F Linus Weissbach (to Rochester, AHL)
D Zach Berzolla (released from PTO)
D Mitch Eliot (released from PTO)
D Oskari Laaksonen (to Rochester, AHL)
D Ethan Prow (released from PTO)
D Peter Tischke (released from PTO)
G Michael Houser (released from PTO)
G Beck Warm (released from PTO)
Chicago Blackhawks (via team release)
D Nolan Allen (to Prince Albert, WHL)
D Ethan del Mastro (to Mississauga, OHL)
G Jaxson Stauber (to Rockford, AHL)
D Adam Clendening (released from PTO)
G Dylan Wells (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (via team release)
F Riley Barber (to Texas, AHL)
D Joseph Cecconi (to Texas, AHL)
F Rhett Gardner (to Texas, AHL)
D Ben Gleason (to Texas, AHL)
F Tanner Kero (to Texas, AHL)
D Jerad Rosburg (to Texas, AHL)
New York Rangers (via team release)
F Will Cuylle (to Hartford, AHL)
D Ty Emberson (to Hartford, AHL)
F Tim Gettinger (to Hartford, AHL)
F Lauri Pajuniemi (to Hartford, AHL)
D Andy Welinski (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via team release)
F Angus Crookshank (to Belleville, AHL)
F Philippe Daoust (to Belleville, AHL)
F Roby Jarventie (to Belleville, AHL)
F Egor Sokolov (to Belleville, AHL)
F Cole Reinhardt (to Belleville, AHL)
D Maxence Guenette (to Belleville, AHL)
D Kristians Rubins (to Belleville, AHL)
D Lassi Thomson (to Belleville, AHL)
D Jorian Donovan (to Hamilton, OHL)
G Kevin Mandolese (to Belleville, AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle (released from PTO)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
F Andrei Bakanov (to Springfield, AHL)
F Brayden Guy (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mathias Laferriere (to Springfield, AHL)
D Griffin Luce (to Springfield, AHL)
D Brady Lyle (to Springfield, AHL)
F Hugh McGing (to Springfield, AHL)
F Dylan McLaughlin (to Springfield, AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (via team release)
F Jack Finley (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Felix Robert (to Syracusa, AHL)
F Grant Mismash (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gage Goncalves (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Lucas Edmonds (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Bennett MacArthur (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jaydon Dureau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ilya Usau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Simon Ryfors (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walcott (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Jack Thompson (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Declan Carlile (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Trevor Carrick (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Darren Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Dmitry Semykin (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Hugo Alnefelt (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Maxime Lagace (to Syracuse, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)
D Layton Ahac (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jakub Brabanec (to Charlottetown, QMJHL)
F Brendan Brisson (to Henderson, AHL)
D Lukas Cormier (to Henderson, AHL)
D Daniil Chayka (to Henderson, AHL)
F Zach Dean (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Byron Froese (to Henderson, AHL)*
D Zack Hayes (to Henderson, AHL)
G Michael Hutchinson (to Henderson, AHL)*
F Sakari Manninen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Maxim Marushev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Ivan Morozov (to Henderson, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Henderson, AHL)*
G Jiri Patera (to Henderson, AHL)
F Gage Quinney (to Henderson, AHL)
F Sheldon Rempal (to Henderson, AHL)*
Winnipeg Jets (via team release)
D Tyrel Bauer (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Wyatt Bongiovanni (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Declan Chisholm (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Michael Eyssimont (to Manitoba, AHL)*
D Leon Gawanke (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Nick Jones (released from PTO)
F Alex Limoges (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Chaz Lucius (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Simon Lundmark (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Jeff Malott (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Cole Meier (released from PTO)
F Henri Nikkanen (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Evan Polei (released from PTO)
G Oskari Salminen (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Ashton Sautner (to Manitoba, AHL)*
F Daniel Torgersson (to Manitoba, AHL)
*-pending waivers
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Waivers: 10/1/22
October 2nd: Per CapFriendly, all players placed on waivers yesterday, October 1st, have cleared (link).
October 1st: It’s expected to be another busy day on the waiver wire today as teams continue to trim down their rosters. We’ll keep track of the players being placed on waivers here.
Edmonton
Montreal
NY Rangers
St. Louis
D Steven Santini
F Nathan Todd
D/F Luke Witkowski
Tampa Bay
D Sean Day
Vegas
F Byron Froese
G Michael Hutchinson
D Brayden Pachal
F Sheldon Rempal
Winnipeg
F Michael Eyssimont
D Leon Gawanke
F Jeff Malott
D Ashton Sautner
All 22 players that were on waivers yesterday cleared.
Jets Likely To Carry Eight Defensemen To Start The Season
- The Jets appear likely to carry eight defensemen on their roster to start the season, suggests Jeff Hamilton of the Winnipeg Free Press. With their six returning regulars from 2021-22, that leaves a couple of roster spots open. Ville Heinola and Dylan Samberg would appear to be the favorites for the final two slots but only if they’re going to be in the top six. That could have newcomer Kyle Capobianco and younger Leon Gawanke (who is now waiver-eligible) on the outside looking in, making them a pair of possible claim candidates in the coming weeks.
Pierre-Luc Dubois: “I Could See Myself In Winnipeg”
This offseason, Pierre-Luc Dubois could have committed long-term to the Winnipeg Jets. He was a restricted free agent, had just turned 24, and coming off a solid 28-goal season. Instead, he told the team he wasn’t interested in a long-term deal and accepted his $6MM qualifying offer.
That set off plenty of speculation about his future, as Dubois only has one more year of RFA status left after this season. Next summer he could accept another qualifying offer, or go to arbitration for a one-year contract and walk from Winnipeg in the summer of 2024 at the age of 26. His love for the Montreal Canadiens has only been stoked by his agent (and being spotted at the draft), which has suggested to some that he might be waiting to go there in free agency one way or another.
Darren Dreger of TSN caught up with Dubois ahead of Jets training camp this week and asked him about the decision to accept a qualifying offer.
I could see myself in Winnipeg in the future. Just this summer I didn’t have the answer. Everyone wants an answer immediately, that’s kind of the world we’re in. But it’s my life at the end of the day. It is a decision that six, seven, eight years is a long time to bring me toward the end of my career. It’s not just me, it’s also a family that I have. It is a big decision that this past summer I wasn’t ready to make.
Dubois went on to say how things feel different in Winnipeg this season – in a good way, he clarified – and that he’s excited to take another run at the playoffs with this group.
The third-overall pick from 2016 has scored 102 goals and 239 points in his 361-game career but drove much of this speculation with the way he exited his last team. Uncomfortable with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he seemed to stop trying during his final games there, leading to plenty of ire from the fanbase and a seat on the bench from head coach John Tortorella. The forward was eventually traded to the Jets for Patrik Laine, another star who didn’t seem content with his situation.
For the Jets, knowing where Dubois leans is incredibly important. The team will be moving on from former captain Blake Wheeler and top center Mark Scheifele at some point down the road, and could use a big two-way center to build around for the future. Dubois represents that, and along with Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers, could keep the team’s offense churning.
If he is going to leave, there is an argument to be made that the Jets should move him as soon as possible. After missing the playoffs last season this could be another lean year, and getting back assets to put in the system would be better than watching him leave in free agency. For now, he’s signed for this year and can’t go anywhere until 2024. Hopefully, for Winnipeg’s sake, his comments about leaving the door open for the Jets are true.
Snapshots: Hague, Pastrnak, Jets
When Vegas Golden Knights training camp opens tomorrow morning, defenseman Nicolas Hague won’t be there as he awaits a new contract. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that he isn’t expected to be on the ice with his teammates Thursday morning at City National Arena, the team’s practice facility.
Hague is one of the few remaining restricted free agents in the NHL, alongside Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin and Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson as the marquee names. Granger expertly notes that Hague missing camp is more detrimental than in previous seasons, as new head coach Bruce Cassidy will be installing a completely foreign defensive system from what the Knights have been used to in past seasons. Hague, the 34th overall pick in 2017, had 14 points in 52 games last season.
- Speaking today during preseason media availability, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney says it’s a priority for him to get pending free agent winger David Pastrnak signed as soon as possible. Pastrnak, while he’s expressed a strong desire to stay in Boston, hasn’t shared the same urgency in negotiations in previous reporting. Pastrnak, who’s notched 40 or more goals in his last two full seasons, will be in line for a substantial raise, and it may behoove Sweeney to get a deal done before his value rises even further.
- The Winnipeg Jets have made three scouting hires, including the first woman scout in team history, Sydney Daniels. Daniels joins the team as an NCAA scout, having previously served as the assistant coach for the women’s team at Harvard. The team also brought on Jari Kekalainen, brother of Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, as a European scout, and former Toronto Maple Leafs scout Tony Martino as a USHL scout.
Cole Perfetti Cleared To Play At Rookie Tourney
- Jets forward Cole Perfetti has been cleared to participate in Winnipeg’s rookie tournament contests after dealing with multiple injuries last season, relays Postmedia’s Scott Billeck. The 20-year-old got into 18 games with Winnipeg in his rookie year and acquitted himself well with seven points while averaging over 14 minutes per game. Perfetti suffered a shoulder injury back in February and while rehabbing it, he re-aggravated a back injury that needed several months to heal. He’ll use this event as a tune-up for training camp.
Blake Wheeler No Longer Captain Of Winnipeg Jets
There have been rumors all offseason about big potential trades the Winnipeg Jets could make to change the dynamic of the team, and yet now with a few weeks to go before the season begins, not much has changed.
Today, however, the team did announce some interesting news regarding their leadership group. Blake Wheeler will no longer wear the captain’s “C” – in fact, no one will. New head coach Rick Bowness released the following:
It is the determination of the coaching staff that we will enter the 2022-23 season without a specific captain but rather a group of assistants still to be determined. It is our goal to expand the leadership base within our hockey team. We have high expectations for our core players and we want to provide them with the opportunity to step into those greater leadership roles as a group.
Bowness and Wheeler will meet with the media together later this afternoon to discuss the situation.
The core of the Jets has remained intact over the offseason, with Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Connor Hellebuyck, and Josh Morrissey still the group that drives the team, making at least $6MM each and signed through 2023-24 (at least). Pierre-Luc Dubois, as important a player on the ice as any other, has been surrounded by rumor since he made it clear that a long-term extension wasn’t on the table. Dubois is signed through this season and is an arbitration-eligible RFA in 2023 but could reach the open market the following summer.
Wheeler, Schiefele, and Hellebuyck are all scheduled for UFA status in 2024.