Illegal Curve Hockey

Wiebe Report: Winnipeg Jets will extend qualifying offer to Kristian Vesalainen who signed overseas for next season

Photo Credit: Alexander James (Illegal Curve)

At the end of May we learned that Jets 2017 1st rounder Kristian Vesalainen would be heading back overseas signing with Malmö for the 2022-23 season to play in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

Photo Credit: Alexander James (Illegal Curve)

Vesalainen is an RFA and if the Jets want to retain control they would be required to tender him a qualifying offer even though he won’t be playing in North America next season.

According to Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet following the GM meetings in Montreal at the Draft this afternoon GM Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed that the team would qualify Vesalainen. Here was his quote from Wieber:

“said he understands the decision Kristian Vesalainen made to sign overseas. Cheveldayoff said the Jets will be extending a qualifying offer to Vesalainen to retain the rights to the 2017 first-rounder.”

If he ever returns to North America one would suspect it comes by way of a trade from the Jets organization.

David Minuk

Working hard on a daily basis to provide the latest Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose news for our readers and listeners. I also appear on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show every Saturday on our YouTube channel as well as the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show after every single Jets game. And I occasionally jump in the play-by-play booth at Canada Life to provide colour analysis during Manitoba Moose games.