Jets sign JC Lipon to a one-year, two-way contract, NHL AAV of 650,000

The Winnipeg Jets have signed winger JC Lipon to a two-way contract for the 2016-2017 season, with a NHL salary of $650 thousand. Lipon was the only non-Nic Petan point producer to play over 20 games for the Manitoba Moose and put up more than a 0.6 point per game pace.

After having a bit of a down sophomore season, JC Lipon bounced back up with 13 goals and 17 assists in 45 games played. Lipon’s 0.667 point per game production was the fourth highest on the Moose, third for those with more than 5 games played and second for those with more than 20 games played.

Lipon dressed for nine games in the NHL, and was able to place on the scoresheet once with an assist. The fearless player spent most of his NHL time on the wing with Andrew Copp and Matt Halsichuk. The Jets’ outshot their opposition 50-to-46 with Lipon on the ice, when looking at all shots (goals, saves, misses, and blocks).

There’s a lot of competition for the Jets bottom line this season. It’s all but guaranteed that the Jets top-nine skaters include Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine, Bryan Little, Drew Stafford, and Matthieu Perreault. This leaves two top-nine spots, three fourth line spots, and a depth player or two being fought over between Alexander Burmistrov, Kyle Connor, Shawn Matthias, Andrew Copp, Marko Dano, Joel Armia, Adam Lowry, Chris Thorburn, Anthony Peluso, Brenden Lemieux, Quinton Howden, Nic Petan, Lipon and others.

Lipon is fitting of a fourth line role. He can skate and forecheck. He enjoys playing an aggressive and antagonizing pest role while fearing no one, but also has some skill to produce points. Is it enough to make the team? Maybe not, but Lipon should be one of the first call-ups looked at when needing the fourth line filled up.