Jets sign Brendan Lemieux to three-year contract

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This article was published 03/07/2015 (3759 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets have locked up another horse in their stable of prospects, agreeing to terms on a deal with winger Brendan Lemieux.

The club announced Friday it has signed Lemieux to a three-year, two-way, entry-level contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million. The 19-year-old Lemieux, son of longtime NHLer Claude Lemieux, was acquired in the trade with the Buffalo Sabres last winter that sent Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and goalie prospect Jason Kasdorf east for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia and a first-round draft pick, which the club just used to select Jack Roslovic.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Lemieux of his first NHL contract. “We were working on it in Buffalo and it didn’t work out there. It’s just great to get it done in Winnipeg. I’m obviously ecstatic. It’s been a good summer so far. I had a hand injury and a whole bunch of stuff I had to deal with, but now I’m healthy and to be back right on time for development camp and to be able to get my contract done all in the same day is pretty exciting.”

A second-round draft pick of the Sabres (31st overall) in 2014, Lemieux had 41 goals and 60 points in 57 games playing with Dale Hawerchuk’s Barrie Colts last season. He has 74 goals and 127 assists in 164 OHL games and was a member of Canada’s gold-medal squad at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka U-18 tournament.

“He’s been a massive part of why I’m here today,” Lemieux said of Hawerchuk. “He’s developed me the last three years, which have been the three biggest years of my growth. I’m definitely thankful I had him as a coach.”

ALL ABOARD: The Jets will have some continuity behind the bench this season after announcing Friday they have re-signed assistant coaches Charlie Huddy and Pascal Vincent, along with goaltending coach Wade Flaherty to three-year contracts.

As well, Rick St. Croix returns to the organization as the new developmental goaltending coach, replacing Dusty Imoo.

MORE D-HELP: The Jets added to their defensive depth Friday, agreeing with blue-liner Andrew MacWilliam on a one-year, two-way deal, worth an annual average value of $600,000. He’ll help augment a roster that was occasionally hammered by injuries last season. Twelve different defencemen suited up during the course of the campaign.

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The 25-year-old Calgary native has been a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for the past three seasons, registering two points in 12 NHL games and 16 points in 117 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies.

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ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait