On June 25, 2024, the Winnipeg Jets announced that they had agreed to terms with defenceman Dylan DeMelo on a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.9 million. This deal locked up Josh Morrissey’s defensive partner for another four years in Winnipeg. But for DeMelo, it has been quite the journey to get to where he is now.

The London, Ontario, native played four seasons (2009-2013) of major junior hockey in the OHL with the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors and Mississauga Steelheads, recording 25 goals and 100 assists for 125 points in 218 games.

DeMelo was Mississauga’s nominee for both the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award and the Bobby Smith Trophy for the 2010-11 season. The Ivan Tennant Memorial Award is presented annually to the top academic high school player in the OHL, while the Bobby Smith Trophy is awarded to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year, recognizing the best combination of hockey performance and academic excellence.

DeMelo was drafted 179th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks and signed his entry-level contract with the organization on Apr. 20, 2012. He made his NHL debut with San Jose on Oct. 17, 2015, in a game against the New York Islanders. However, he didn’t score his first NHL goal until Jan. 26, 2016, in a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

After completing his second full season with the Sharks in 2017-18, DeMelo became a restricted free agent. Initially, San Jose did not tender him a qualifying offer, limiting his options in free agency. Nevertheless, DeMelo re-signed with the Sharks for two more years on July 7, 2018.

DeMelo was involved in a blockbuster trade on Sept. 13, 2018, when he was sent from San Jose to the Ottawa Senators as part of a package that included Rudolfs Balcers, Chris Tierney, Josh Norris, a conditional 2019 second-round pick, and a conditional 2020 first-round pick. In return, the Sharks acquired Ottawa’s captain, two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.

In his first season with the Senators, DeMelo posted 22 points in 77 games, often paired with Ottawa’s top defensive prospect, Thomas Chabot.

On Feb. 18, 2020, DeMelo was traded again, this time to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2020 third-round pick. At the time of the trade, DeMelo had recorded 10 points in 49 games. He appeared in 10 regular-season games with the Jets before the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When play resumed in the post-season, DeMelo led the team in short-handed ice time through four games in a qualifying series defeat to the Calgary Flames.

On Oct. 7, 2020, DeMelo opted to forgo free agency and signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Jets. Following the signing, DeMelo stated that Winnipeg was his “first choice” and that he had unfinished business in the city.

Since then, DeMelo has firmly established himself as a first-pairing defenceman alongside Josh Morrissey, contributing significantly to the Jets’ defensive core.