The first time Mason Appleton left Winnipeg was via expansion when Seattle plucked him off the roster back in 2021-22. The 2015 6th rounder of the Jets would return to Manitoba that season as Winnipeg traded for him at the deadline and he subsequently signed a three-year deal as an RFA back in 2022. He was a staple of the third line alongside captain Adam Lowry and winger Nino Niederreiter.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
When the Jets season concluded in May he expressed a willingness to stick around these parts but clearly that didn’t come to be. Instead he will be heading to Detroit for the next few years with a 2.9 million dollar cap hit.
Getting to the NHL as a sixth rounder is no easy feat but you have to credit Appleton for putting in the work. Following his time in Michigan State he went down to the Moose of the AHL and worked hard on his way to being named the AHL’s outstanding rookie for 2017-18 winning the Dudley (Red) Garrett Award. After half a season with Manitoba he jumped to the NHL and for the most part never looked back. In total he’s played 400 NHL games and is easily the top 6th rounder ever selected by Winnipeg in 15 Drafts.
