Jets add veteran forward Nash to mix

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This article was published 31/07/2021 (1508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

First they addressed the blue line. Now the Winnipeg Jets have added a free-agent boost to the bottom six of their forward group.

Veteran Riley Nash signed a one-year deal Saturday that will pay him US$750,000 for the 2021-22 season.

Nash, 32, has played 10 years in the NHL, starting with Carolina followed by Boston, Columbus and Toronto. The 6-2, 188 pound native of Consort, Alta., has 63 goals and 109 assists in 578 career regular-season games.

He is a checking centre and solid penalty killer who can also play right wing. Expect Nash to be in the mix with the likes of Dominic Toninato and young skaters Kristian Vesalainen, Jansen Harkins, David Gustafsson and Cole Perfetti for playing time on the fourth line this coming season.

One of those players could also see time on Winnipeg’s third line along with Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry, after winger Mason Appleton was selected in expansion draft.

The Jets’ top six is set in some fashion with Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Paul Stastny and Pierre-Luc Dubois.

The Jets made a second signing later in the day.

Austin Poganski, 25, agreed to a one-year, two-way contract that would pay US$750,000 in the NHL and less in the AHL.

Poganski is 6-1, 198 pounds and from St. Cloud, Minn., The right-winger played four years at the University of North Dakota and was drafted in the 4th round by St. Louis in 2014.

He has no points in six career NHL games, but 63 points (20G, 43A) in 119 AHL games. He joins another former UND forward in Luke Johnson, along with Mikey Eyssimont, as depth forwards brought into the fold in free agency.

Winnipeg made two big moves earlier this week, adding defencemen Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt in separate trades with Washington and Vancouver. Two second-round draft picks and a third-round selection went the other way.

The Jets have very little salary cap space to work with, especially with Copp and defencemen Neal Pionk and Logan Stanley all restricted free agents, who need new contracts this summer.

Getting someone with Nash’s experience near the league minimum is good value as the Jets try to replace forwards Mathieu Perreault, Trevor Lewis and Nate Thompson, who formed the fourth line last year and all signed with new teams in free agency this week.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @mikemcintyrewpg