The Winnipeg Jets will keep around a depth defenseman for the next two years as the organization announced a two-year, $1.6M contract for defenseman Ville Heinola. The contract will keep Heinola around for his fifth and sixth seasons with the club while becoming arbitration-eligible at the end of the deal.
The future was bright for Heinola after being selected by the Jets with the 20th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft but the organization’s habit of slow-playing prospects to the NHL level has prohibited Heinola from showing the best of his abilities up to this point in his career. Heinola has factored into a handful of games for Winnipeg over the last five years but has failed to play more than 12 games in a season up to this point.
Because of his usage as one of the team’s depth defensemen, Heinola has played 35 games for the Jets since the start of the 2019-20 season and has registered one goal and 11 points. The Finnish blue-liner has averaged 15:15 of ice time in his games at the NHL level but recently recorded the lowest average of his career in 2022-23 with 13:16.
Heinola spent the entire 2023-24 season with the organization’s AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose where he recorded 10 goals and 27 points in 41 games. He demonstrated more of an ability to score goals after posing three goals and 37 points in 48 games the year prior.
Winnipeg’s defensive core has been thinned out this offseason which may lead to a regular role for Heinola this upcoming season. However, with defensemen Dylan Samberg and Logan Stanley also looking for a regular spot in the lineup, Heinola may have his work cut out for him during training camp in September.
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