Vladislav Namestnikov signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. It begins next season and has an average annual value of $3 million.
The 32-year-old forward has 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) and is plus-18 in 52 games for Winnipeg this season. Namestnikov, who was in the last of a two-year contract ($2 million AAV) he signed with the Jets on July 1, 2023, could have become an unrestricted free agent.
“It feels good,” Namestnikov said. “I love Winnipeg ever since I got here. I’ve loved every second of it. I wanted to get something done and it worked. Happy we could get something done.”
Selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round (No. 27) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Namestnikov has 327 points (136 goals, 191 assists) in 760 regular-season games with the Lightning, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Jets. He has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 57 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Winnipeg (39-14-3), which is atop the NHL standings, visits the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; KMOV-TV, Matrix-MW, SNW).
“I’m just so happy for him,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “He’s a guy that’s played a lot of different positions. When we got that second line rolling (with Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti), he ran with it. He had a chance to make the most of it, and he did. That line has been outstanding for us.
“I just love the guy. He’s a character player, a pest. He can play defensively, power play. Just an all-around quality player.”
NHL.com independent correspondent Lou Korac contributed to this report
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