Winnipeg Jets Sign Goalie Laurent Brossoit

With the Jets having traded away Steve Mason on Saturday and ready to bid adieu to Michael Hutchinson who has already joined the Florida Panthers, they were in the market for a backup goalie and it looks like they have made their choice by signing Laurent Brossoit to a one year deal.

The 25 year old Brossoit was a sixth round draft pick of the Calgary Flames back in 2011. He was traded to Edmonton in 2013 (yes, the Flames and Oilers did actually make a trade one time) and has been in their system since. He has seen very little work with the Edmonton Oilers over the last four seasons.

His AHL numbers last season with Backersfield saw him post a 15-10-1 record with a 2.68 GAA and a .912 save % in 29 games played.

The deal is a one way contract and likely sets up a training camp battle between himself Eric Comrie for a spot as the Jets back up goalie behind Connor Hellebuck. The Jets couldn’t afford to spend much of the cap room they do have on a backup goaltender and it looks like for now they are going to try and go for a cost-effective approach in that role.

There had been some hope that with Mason being sent away on Saturday, that the Jets would entertain the idea of bringing Michael Hutchinson back in, but in a conference call earlier in the day, Hutchinson said there had been no contact from the Jets even after that trade was done. (No word on if Hutch would have taken that call, but he did refer to Winnipeg as “his hometown” in that same call.)

So it’s two very unproven goalies fighting for a spot on the bench as the Jets backup going into the 2018-19 season. Here’s hoping Hellebuyck is ready for another 65-70 games played in the 2018-19 season or at the very least, a future waiver claim that can be made if neither Comrie or Brossoit work out.