ADD Arturs Kulda to the list of defencemen trying to crack the Winnipeg Jets' starting lineup.

The club made Kulda's return official on Monday, confirming a report last week on his KHL team's website that he was heading back to Winnipeg. Kulda reportedly signed a one-way, one-year deal worth $550,000, pro-rated. To make room for his addition, the Jets placed goaltender Al Montoya on injured reserve retroactive to March 13.

The 24-year-old Latvian played 50 games with Novosibirsk this season and picked up 15 points (9G, 6A) before they were eliminated from the KHL playoffs. He has appeared in 15 NHL games in his career with Winnipeg and Atlanta and will join a team already carrying Paul Postma, a healthy scratch of late, and which is awaiting the return of Toby Enstrom from the injured list.

A restricted free agent last summer, Kulda was on the Jets' reserve list when he headed overseas to the KHL.

O'DELL HONOURED: St. John's IceCaps centre Eric O'Dell has been named AHL player of the week for the period ending March 17. O'Dell had three goals and two assists in two games last week in helping St. John's pick up a pair of wins. In 45 games this year O'Dell has notched 21 goals and 17 assists. A second-round draft choice (39th overall) by Anaheim in 2008, O'Dell is in his second pro season. The 22-year-old native of Ottawa played four seasons of junior with Sudbury in the Ontario Hockey League.

-- Ed Tait

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 19, 2013 D6