Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff locked up one of his three remaining restricted free agents Wednesday, getting right-winger JC Lipon’s name on a new contract.
Lipon, 25, inked a one-year, two-way deal that will pay him $650,000 at the NHL level, which is unlikely since the 6’0, 183-pound Regina product has spent the majority of his pro career in the minors. Terms of his AHL salary weren’t released by the club.
Winnipeg selected Lipon in the third round, 91st overall, in the 2013 NHL draft after a surprisingly strong junior season in which he made Canada’s World Junior team along with Mark Scheifele and several big-name first-round draft picks. The proverbial “late bloomer” had previously been passed over in two NHL drafts.
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And then there were two.
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff locked up one of his three remaining restricted free agents Wednesday, getting right-winger JC Lipon’s name on a new contract.
JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
The Winnipeg Jets signed JC Lipon to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $650,000 at the NHL level.
Lipon, 25, inked a one-year, two-way deal that will pay him $650,000 at the NHL level, which is unlikely since the 6’0, 183-pound Regina product has spent the majority of his pro career in the minors. Terms of his AHL salary weren’t released by the club.
Winnipeg selected Lipon in the third round, 91st overall, in the 2013 NHL draft after a surprisingly strong junior season in which he made Canada’s World Junior team along with Mark Scheifele and several big-name first-round draft picks. The proverbial “late bloomer” had previously been passed over in two NHL drafts.
The former Kamloops Blazer has since played nine games with the Jets, all during the 2015-16 season, registering one assist.
He’s spent five seasons in AHL, scoring 56 goals and 110 assists in 331 regular-season games, along with 617 penalty minutes. He was an assistant captain with the Moose the past two seasons and had a career-best 17 goals last year.
Lipon would be a candidate to take over as captain of the Moose following the departure of Patrice Cormier, who has signed to play this coming season in the KHL. He plays a rugged, two-way game while also providing some depth for the Jets should they run into injury troubles and need fourth-line help.
Cheveldayoff began the summer needing to re-sign 11 restricted free agents. Lipon is the ninth to get a deal done, on the heels of Connor Hellebuyck, Jacob Trouba, Adam Lowry, Brandon Tanev, Marko Dano, Tucker Poolman, Nic Petan and Nic Kerdiles.
That leaves Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey and Moose goalie Eric Comrie as the two players still without contracts with training camp set to begin in two weeks.
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre Reporter
Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.
