Walker Duehr is one of several new additions the Winnipeg Jets brought in this summer who will be competing for a roster spot when training camp opens in September.

“I think everything was kind of new to me, and there was a lot of stuff happening quickly,” said Duehr, who signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. “I’d been a restricted free agent (RFA) with Calgary a couple times and ended up getting signed back with them, so it was just about trying to figure out the best fit for me and my family as well.

“It ended up being Winnipeg.”

The former Calgary Flame and San Jose Shark is entering his sixth professional season. Across 92 NHL games, Duehr has recorded 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists).

For the 26-year-old, training camp will bring plenty of competition, but he also sees another bonus to signing in Winnipeg: proximity to home.

“It’s only a six-and-a-half-hour drive,” said Duehr, the first and only South Dakota-born player to reach the NHL. “That’ll be nice for the family, but I’m joining a team that’s had a lot of success in recent years. They’ve got a good core, and they play a style that really embraces the style I play as well. It’s kind of one of the reasons I signed there. I’m excited to get going with them.”

If Duehr doesn’t crack the opening-night roster, he’ll begin the season with the Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

Last season, he appeared in 24 NHL games—16 with Calgary and 8 with San Jose. With the Sharks, he scored twice, including a first-period tally in his Jan. 23 debut against Nashville.

Even if he doesn’t start the year on the Jets’ fourth line, Duehr is expected to be among the first call-ups when injuries arise.