With Wyatt Kaiser returning from illness, Phillips has been sent down to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. Last season, Phillips split time between Rockford and Chicago. The 23-year-old defenseman set a career-high in games played last season, scoring six points (0G / 6A) in 33 games with the Blackhawks.
Driedger served as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky in the Panther's 6-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday but will return to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) with Spencer Knight being recalled to back up Bobrovsky. The 30-year-old Driedger spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, where he posted an excellent 2.26 GAA and .917 SV% in 39 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (24-7-7).
Anderson-Dolan signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Jets in the offseason but will begin the 2024-25 campaign on Injured Reserve. The 25-year-old split last season between the Los Angeles Kings and the Nashville Predators but was limited to only 31 games, tallying four points (1G / 3A), 22 blocks, and 56 hits.
Hellebuyck has been away from the team for two days due to a personal family issue but will be ready to start in goal for the Jets' season opener against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old American netminder was tremendous last season, winning his second Vezina trophy with a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV% in 60 games (37-19-4). That said, Hellebuyck and the Jets will be put to the test in their first game of the season against the high-flying offense of the Stanley Cup runner-ups.
Hellebuyck is away from the team due to a personal family issue but is expected to play in the Jets' season opener on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old American netminder was tremendous last season, winning his second Vezina trophy with a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV% in 60 games (37-19-4).
Lambert was the 30th overall pick of the Jets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and was speculated to be an option for the team on their opening-night roster but will begin the season with the Manitoba Moose (AHL). The 20-year-old Lambert scored 55 points (21G / 34A) in 64 games with Manitoba last season.
Gustafsson left Winnipeg's preseason matchup on Wednesday in the second period due to an undisclosed injury but returned to practice on Friday as a full participant. It is a sigh of relief for Winnipeg and the 24-year-old as he looks like he will not miss any of the regular season. He will be looking to build off his career year from 2023-24 which saw him pick up three goals and seven points in 39 games.
Gustafsson left Winnipeg's preseason matchup on Wednesday in the second period due to an undisclosed injury and is not practicing on Thursday. The Jets are expected to provide an update from head coach Scott Arniel on Gustafsson's injury status later Thursday. In 39 games played in 2023-24, Gustafsson had three goals, seven points, and 27 SOG.
Stanley's run of injuries and bad luck continued on Friday after it was announced the 26-year-old would be undergoing knee surgery and is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks. The towering defenseman has struggled to stay healthy throughout his entire four-year career, missing 120 of the last 164 games in the previous two seasons alone. In 2023-24, he struggled to get anything going offensively with a goal, two points, 36 PIMs and 29 SOG in 25 games played.
After a long drawn-out summer of negotiations, Cole Perfetti and Winnipeg have agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension ($3.250,000 AAV) on Monday. The 22-year-old was Winnipeg's 2020 1st-round pick (10th overall) and is entering his fourth season with the team. In 2023-24, he had career highs in goals (19), points (38), games played (71), powerplay points (11) and SOG (142).
Heinola last took the ice on January 19, 2023 due to an ankle surgery and will remain out indefinitely after it was announced Friday that he has an ankle infection in the same surgically repaired ankle. The 23-year-old was Winnipeg's 2019 1st-round pick (20th overall) and has not appeared in more than 12 games in any of the four seasons he's played in since 2019-20. In 35 career NHL games, he has 1 goal, 11 points, and 18 PIMs.
When Rutger McGroarty announced he would be returning to Michigan (NCAA) this upcoming April he handcuffed Winnipeg which has led to them trading his rights to Pittsburgh for Brayden Yager. Yager was Pittsburgh's 2023 1st round pick (14th overall) and has already signed his three-year, entry-level contract. The 19-year-old is expected to return to Moose Jaw for the 2024-25 season where he had 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games played in 2023-24.
Phillips set career highs in both games played (33) and assists (6) in 2023-24 and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain with Chicago. The 22-year-old mobile defensemen has struggled defensively in his three NHL seasons with a collective -37 plus/minus in just 53 career games played but will look to improve that ugly number when he takes on an expected bigger role in 2024-25.
Lundmark completed his third AHL season with Manitoba in 2023-24 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the Jets. The 23-year-old defensemen was Winnipeg's 2019 2nd round pick (51st overall) and had five goals and 17 points in 67 games with Manitoba (AHL) last season.
Yager was Pittsburgh's 2023 1st round pick (14th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins on Thursday. The 19-year-old forward has spent the last four seasons in Moose Jaw (WHL) and had 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games played in 2023-24.
Restricted free agent Ville Heinola has come to an agreement with the Jets and will avoid arbitration after signing a two-year, contract $1.6 million extension ($800,000 AAV) with Winnipeg. The 23-year-old was Winnipeg's 2019 1st round pick (20th overall) and has a goal and 11 points in 35 career NHL games across four injury filled seasons.
Coghlan spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, where he was tied for the league-lead among defensemen with 16 goals and his 41 points was tied for 11th and has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Winnipeg. Coghlan provides the Jets with additional blueline depth and comes to them with 106 career NHL games between the Golden Knights and Hurricanes. Coghlan figures to be in a competitive battle with Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola and Colin Miller for playing time on the Jets' third pair in 2024-25.
Coghlan spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, where he was tied for the league-lead among defensemen with 16 goals and his 41 points was tied for 11th. Coghlan provides the Jets with additional blueline depth and comes to them with 106 career NHL games between the Golden Knights and Hurricanes. Coghlan figures to be in a competitive battle with Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola and Colin Miller for playing time on the Jets' third pair in 2024-25.
Stanley has been a fringe player for the Jets the last two seasons, playing in just 44 of 164 games. The massive (6-foot-7, 231 lbs.) defenseman has just two goals and three assists (five points) in those two seasons combined. If given a full work load, Stanley would likely top 150 hits and 100 blocked shots.
Gustafsson has been a fringe roster player for the Jets for the last two seasons, combining for 13 points (3G / 10A) in 85 games. Entering the 2024-25 season, Gustafsson looks poised to lockdown the Jets' fourth-line centre role.
