It’s one down, two more to go on the restricted free agent front for Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff after signing forward Jansen Harkins to a two-year contract with an average annual value of US$850,000.
The new deal represents a raise of US$125,000 from the US$725,000 Harkins was paid during each of the two previous seasons. This latest contract will take the 25-year-old, Cleveland-born and Vancouver-raised forward into unrestricted free agency two summers from now.
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Harkins reached career highs in NHL single-season games played, goals, assists, and points in 2021-22 with 7-6-13 in 77 games while averaging 9:29 TOI — primarily on the Jets’ third and fourth lines.
Winnipeg’s second-round pick in 2015 will be going into his sixth full professional season and has career NHL totals of 10-12-32 in 132 games.
Harkins signing leaves the Jets with 17 players under contract for the coming season, as well as forward Cole Perfetti who remains on long-term injured reserve. Including Perfetti’s salary, according to CapFriendly, Winnipeg has just under US$14.5 million of cap space remaining.
Two of those remaining roster spots will presumably be filled by restricted free agent forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Mason Appleton, who have arbitration rights and remain unsigned by Winnipeg.
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