The Winnipeg Jets have placed forward Blake Wheeler on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the final year of the former captain’s contract, the team announced Friday.
The winger will become an unrestricted free agent and will test the market on July 1.
Wheeler, 36, is coming off a season with the Jets in which he had 16 goals and 39 assists for 55 points in 72 games. Since being drafted fifth overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2004, the Plymouth, Minn., native has 312 goals and 610 assists for 922 points in 1,118 games.
“I want to thank everyone in Winnipeg for all the love and support over these past 12 years,” said Wheeler. “It has been my absolute honour and privilege to be a Winnipeg Jet and to represent this city and organization. My family and I can’t thank everyone in the city and province enough for everything you’ve done for us. Winnipeg is always going to be a home to myself, my wife Sam, and our children: Louie, Leni, and Mase. Thank you so much for the support, love and friendship that you’ve shown us these past 12 years and we look forward to rooting on the Jets in the future.”
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff thanked Wheeler for his impact on the organization, city and province.
“We would like to thank Blake for his dedication and service to the Jets, the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba,” said Cheveldayoff in a Friday statement. “We are incredibly grateful for the contributions that he has made during his 12 seasons with the franchise. Most notably, the seven years when he served as the captain of the Jets and helped lead the team to the 2018 Western Conference Final.”
Wheeler is entering the final season of a five-year, $41.3-million contract signed with the Jets in 2018. His AAV for 2023-24 was going to be $8.25 million, but the Jets will now be on the hook for $2.75 million over two years.
Named captain of the Jets in September 2016, Wheeler had the “C” removed by new coach Rick Bowness in September 2022.