Winnipeg Jets sign restricted free agent Ville Heinola

The Winnipeg Jets took care of another one of their restricted free agents on Monday.

The Jets signed defenceman Ville Heinola to a two-year contract extension. The new deal will pay Heinola an average of $800,000 per season.

The 23-year-old was all set to become a full-time NHLer last year before he broke his ankle in their final pre-season game. When he became healthy he was assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose where he spent the rest of the season.

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The Finland product scored 10 goals with 17 assists in 41 games with the Moose last season.

Heinola played in a handful of NHL games for the Jets in each of the previous four seasons after the Jets selected him in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.

In 35 career NHL games with Winnipeg, Heinola has one goal and 10 assists.

Heinola is now eligible for waivers so there’s a pretty good chance he finally sticks with the big club this fall after the off-season departures of Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon.

The Jets still have three restricted free agents remaining in forwards Cole Perfetti and Kristian Vesalainen, and defenceman Simon Lundmark.