Jets readying for free-agent market

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/06/2014 (4396 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets were busy on the eve of the free-agent market, re-signing veteran winger Chris Thorburn and defenceman Adam Pardy and extending qualifying offers to six others.

Important pieces, yes, but now the real work begins on finding bodies to fill the remaining holes on their roster.

Monday night the Jets announced they had agreed to terms on a new three-year deal with Thorburn with an average annual salary of $1.2 million. And earlier in the day they re-signed veteran defenceman Adam Pardy to a one-year contract worth $700,000.

At the same time they made qualifying offers to six players — all of whom saw action with the Jets but were more instrumental in the St. John’s IceCaps run to the Calder Cup final — meaning they retain their negotiating rights.

Those six are forwards John Albert, Patrice Cormier, Eric O’Dell and Carl Klingberg, defenceman Ben Chiarot and goaltender Michael Hutchinson.

Barring any last-minute deals, the Jets will head into free agency – which opens Tuesday at 11 a.m. – looking to fill the spots once held by unrestricted free agents Olli Jokinen, Devin Setoguchi, Matt Halischuk, James Wright, Keaton Ellerby and Al Montoya.

Zach Redmond, Jerome Samson, Cody Sol and Andrew Gordon are also unrestricted free agents.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait