Winnipeg Jets Finalize Roster
It wasn’t as interesting a day for the Winnipeg Jets as some others around the league as the team finalized its 23 man roster for Thursday’s season opener against Boston.
Yesterday’s speculation post seems useless now as the Jets didn’t pull the trigger on anybody, instead reaching an agreement with Thomas Raffl on a one-year contract before sending him to the American Hockey League where he will start the year with Manitoba Moose.
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That means Anthony Peluso survived another call with the waiver reaper and, at least to start the season, will continue stamping his meal card in press boxes across the National Hockey League. Peluso certainly has appeal to fans with his fighting ability but at 26 years old, he’s likely the player he is, which is one that really doesn’t belong on an NHL roster. We will see how much longer he sticks around although in all honesty, it wouldn’t surprise many if he’s still here come the end of the season.
The Jets will also somewhat unsurprisingly start the year with eight defenceman as Adam Pardy and Paul Postma will stick around as extra guys to start. Jay Harrison also cleared waivers today and was assigned to the Moose, so don’t drop his name off the organization’s depth chart yet. By all accounts a well-respected player, Harrison will be a nice guy to have on the Moose for some of the younger defenceman like Josh Morrissey while still serving as insurance for the big club. As fans found out last season, there is no such thing as too many defenceman.
Meanwhile, the three rookies to make the team have switched to more NHL-like numbers. Andrew Copp, who wore #51 in his one appearance last year, will now don #9. Nic Petan and Nikolaj Ehlers also drop their 40-some numbers, with Petan switching to 19 and Ehlers to 27.
We’re 48 hours from the drop of the puck in Boston. The roster is squared away and the exhausting off-season is complete – it’s now time for real hockey.
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- Winnipeg Jets name Adam Lowry team captain