- Jets signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year deal worth $7.5 million
- The $3.75M cap hit fuels talk Winnipeg is ready to move Connor Hellebuyck
- Read below for what Skinner brings and where the Hellebuyck rumors stand
The Winnipeg Jets grabbed a goalie on the opening day of free agency.
Winnipeg signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth $7.5 million, a $3.75 million cap hit, the team announced Wednesday. Darren Dreger had the terms first:
That number is the interesting part. You don’t hand $3.75 million a year to a pure backup, and Connor Hellebuyck has sat at the center of trade rumors all summer.
Skinner can step in as the No. 1 if the Jets deal their franchise goalie. He can also work as the No. 2 if Hellebuyck stays put. Eric Comrie, Hellebuyck’s backup the last two seasons, is a free agent, so there’s a spot open either way.
The three-time Vezina winner is very much available. The Carolina Hurricanes already pitched Winnipeg on a package built around Alexander Nikishin and a pick. Adding Skinner gives general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff a real net presence to fall back on before he pulls that trigger.
Skinner is coming off a strange year. He spent parts of six seasons in Edmonton before the Oilers shipped him to Pittsburgh in December in the Tristan Jarry swap. He went 23-17-9 with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage across 50 games with the two clubs.
He’s only a year removed from backstopping Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final, and on his night he can steal one. Take a look at what Winnipeg is getting:
Skinner takes questions on a Zoom call Wednesday afternoon. The bigger answer is whether Hellebuyck is still a Jet by the time camp opens.
