WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - The Winnipeg Jets have signed captain Blake Wheeler to a $41.25 million, five-year contract extension.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff announced the signing Tuesday.
The 32-year-old Wheeler led the Jets with a career-high 91 points last season. He had 23 goals, and his 68 assists were tied for the NHL lead.
The 6-foot-5 winger from Plymouth, Minnesota, finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting as league MVP and was a second-team All-Star selection. In the playoffs, Wheeler had three goals and 18 assists during Winnipeg’s run to the Western Conference final.
The deal kicks in a year from now and runs through the 2023-24 season at a salary-cap hit of $8.25 million. That’s a significant raise from his current contract that counts $5.6 million against the cap each year.
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