While most Jets fans will focus on the players that are joining the Jets organization (and Moose) there are also a number of players who won’t be back next season wearing either a Winnipeg or Manitoba uniform.
NHL:
Paul Stastny – Acquired by the Jets at the trade deadline. Stastny was such a good fit that it looked like he was going to stick around for a few more years to compete for the Stanley Cup with this group but he signed on the dotted line with the Vegas Golden Knights. First time he faces Jets: January 15th in Winnipeg.
Steve Mason – Mason was signed last July 1st to a two-year deal by the team to mentor Connor Hellebuyck and potentially be the 1A but instead he saw the younger netminder seize the net and then injuries derailed his season. The Jets traded him on June 30th to Montreal to free up cap space and the Habs subsequently bought him out making him a UFA. As of this writing Mason has not caught on with another team.
Joel Armia – Armia came to Winnipeg as part of the Kane/Bogosian trade to Buffalo. Played all but one of his 180 NHL games with Winnipeg and seemed to find his spot on the team this past season finishing with career highs in games (79), goals (12) and assists (17). First time he faces Jets: February 7th @ Montreal. (plays in Winnipeg March 30th).
Matt Hendricks – Signed at the end of August by the Jets to a one-year deal. The veteran NHLer came over from the Oilers organization. The 4th liner also ended up providing some leadership in the room and created a program called Hendricks Heroes which was a charitable initiative to honour military members. First time he faces Jets: November 23rd @ Minnesota. (plays in Winnipeg December 29th).
Shawn Matthias – Signed two years ago on July 1st the NHL veteran was constantly dealing with injury issues which derailed his first season here in Winnipeg. He only played 27 games this past season and was passed on the depth chart by other forwards on the team. As of this writing he has not caught on with another team.
Michael Hutchinson – The Jets signed him as a free agent back in 2013 which turned into a remarkable season for the Barrie, Ontario native as he rose from the ECHL to the AHL to the NHL and finished that year with a Calder Cup Final appearance with the St. John’s IceCaps. He averaged about 30+ games the next three seasons for the Jets as he backed up Ondrej Pavelec and then Connor Hellebuyck. Last year he found himself back in the AHL splitting time with prospect Eric Comrie but that didn’t seem to hurt his on ice performance as he earned back to back goalie of the month honours (November & December) and time with the Jets during their playoff run. He was signed by the Florida Panthers organization and will be behind Roberto Luongo and James Reimer on the goalie depth chart.
AHL:
Patrice Cormier – Cormier was the final remaining piece of the Ilya Kovalchuk trade between the Devils and Thrashers back in 2010. He came over with the Atlanta franchise to Winnipeg playing 402 AHL games between the IceCaps/Moose and 52 NHL games with the Jets. He is off to the KHL for next year to play for Barys Astana in Kazakhstan.
Darren Kramer – The Senators draft pick (2011 6th round) played three seasons in the AHL with the Binghamton Senators before he was signed by the Moose to a professional tryout agreement at the start of the 2015-16 season. He played three more seasons here with Manitoba and announced his retirement from pro hockey at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season.
Buddy Robinson – After signing with the Jets last July 1st the NJ native put up career numbers this past season with the Moose. Robinson turned that into a two-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames organization.
Mike Sgarbossa – Another July 1st signing from last season who probably saw himself as the 13th forward for Winnipeg instead ended up playing the entire season with the Moose. He was signed to a one-year (two-way) contract by the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.
Jan Kostalek – The Jets 2013 4th round draft pick was an RFA after this past season but he wasn’t qualified by the Jets. This cleared the way for him to return to Europe and he signed with HC Sparta Praha.
