The Winnipeg Jets have officially announced the team roster, taxi squad composition, injury designations and final cuts in time for puck drop on Thursday evening’s season opener against the Calgary Flames from Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg.
The biggest news coming from Jets camp prior to the official roster release came on Monday/Tuesday, as veteran winger Mathieu Perreault was placed on Waivers (alongside Luca Sbisa, Eric Comrie, CJ Suess and Nelson Nogier) in an attempt to get Winnipeg’s cap hit down below the required value for the start of the season.
Luckily for Perreault, the seventh-year Jet went unclaimed and remains in Manitoba. The same could not be said for Sbisa (Nashville) or Comrie (New Jersey) who were picked up and will join their respective teams following a quarantine period. Suess and Nogier went unclaimed alongside Perreault. Nine players were also sent down/released on Tuesday evening.
Officially, forwards Kristian Reichel, Skyler McKenzie and Joona Luoto, defencemen Johnathan Kovacevic, Luke Green and Declan Chisholm and goaltender Mikhail Berdin were cut to the American Hockey League on Monday evening. Defenceman Jimmy Oligny and goaltender Cole Kehler were also released from their respective PTOs. Although unable to earn NHL contracts this time around, the two will most likely continue the tryout phase with Manitoba (AHL).
But with Comrie claimed, Jets head coach Paul Maurice was already forced to recall Berdin, who will now serve as the Jets’ third goaltender and occupy the taxi squad placement for the current season.
Wednesday morning saw final cuts and designations, as Kristian Vesalainen earned a spot on the active roster, while Mathieu Perreault has been placed on the taxi squad. Joining Perreault is young defencemen Logan Stanley and Dylan Samberg, as well as Berdin and fellow forward David Gustafsson. Bryan Little and Dominic Toninato are currently on LTIR, while Trevor Lewis is expected to sign an official one-year contract later in the day. Final cuts included Ville Heinola, Cole Perfetti, Nelson Nogier and CJ Suess.
The Jets’ opening day roster currently appears as so:
Forwards:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Stastny-Laine
Copp-Lowry-Appleton
Lewis-Thompson-Harkins
Defencemen:
Poolman-Morrissey
Pionk-Forbort
Demelo-Beaulieu
Goaltenders:
Hellebuyck-Brossoit
Extra: Niku
Taxi Squad:
Perreault-Gustafsson-Samberg-Stanley-Berdin
LTIR:
Little-Toninato
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