Winnipeg Jets Agree to Three-Year Deal with Mason Appleton, Avoiding Arbitration

The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to a three-year, $7 million ($2.33M AAV) contract extension, avoiding salary arbitration, per Elliotte Friedman:

Appleton was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets and played his first 138 games with the Jets, totaling 43 points in his first stint in Winnipeg. Drafted by Seattle in the Expansion Draft, the 26-year old managed 17 points in 49 games for the Kraken before the Jets reacquired him for a 2023 fourth-round pick.

For a sixth-rounder, Appleton sports a strong game, driving play at a middling rate with a very attractive penalty differential. He is a respectable middle-six forward for the Jets, which is probably why they traded a draft pick to reacquire him. If he can manage an uptick in offensive production, Appleton could be a great value player for Winnipeg, but his relatively low cap-hit also doesn't carry a ton of risk.

The Jets will be left with with ~$6 million in salary cap space after the deal in finalized with no contracts left to sign. Rumor has it that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been shopping one or both of his big-time forwards in Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, but as of now there hasn't been much smoke there.

Since their return to the NHL, Winnipeg has generally had a strong team, making the Western Conference Finals in 2018 and the second-round in 2021. Although, they missed the playoffs this past season. Many think a change is needed on top of the coaching change they made this summer, so don't be surprised if Cheveldayoff makes a big splash in front-half of the 2022-23 season.

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