Jets sign Marko Dano to one-year contract, could be a Vegas Golden Knight soon

According to the team’s official Twitter account, the Winnipeg Jets and Marko Dano have agreed on a one-year contract worth $850k.

Dano was originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 27th overall pick in 2013 draft. He spent two years in the Blue Jackets system before being involved in the trade that sent Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks to Columbus. Then, after just a few months with the Hawks organization, Dano was sent along with a first round pick to the Jets for Andrew Ladd, who returned to Chicago as a rental for a second stint with the team.

So that’s three organizations in just four years since being drafted, and there’s a very good chance Dano could be heading to his fourth team in little over a week. We aren’t sure yet who the Jets will be protecting in the expansion draft, but based on Paul Maurice having him lower than names like Chris Thorburn on the depth chart last season, it seems likely Dano will be exposed rather than Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp.

You obviously don’t want to lose a player like Dano who’s young and effective, having posted a 52.3 (+2.8 rel) Corsi For percentage and 42 points over his 102 game NHL career, but that’s life in the NHL. The Jets have a wealth of talent up front, and Vegas taking Dano would mean the team would get to keep Tyler Myers, a more established player.