Unsure who the Winnipeg Jets are losing in expansion, but I believe the Jets made a deal with VGK to not take veteran Toby Enstrom.
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Vegas Selects Chris Thorburn From Jets
Photo credit: © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 21, 2017, 21:11 EDTUpdated: Jun 21, 2017, 23:18 EDT
It’s official, forward Chris Thorburn is now property of the Vegas Golden Knights as it was announced that the club selected him off of the Winnipeg Jets available list as part of the Expansion Draft.
That sound you heard was the collective jaws of Jets fans across North America dropping.
The day of the draft started with a report by Darren Dreger over Twitter that was confirmed by Craig Custance an hour or so later, that the Jets had reached a deal with the Knights to not pick veteran defenseman Tobias Enstrom.
A few hours after that, we found out a few more details from the other big time TSN insider, Bob McKenzie with the prospect of a swap of some first round picks being involved.
Likely cost for WPG to protect Enstrom is moving some slots within first round of Friday's draft, and additional draft pick. Details tonite.
Then the announcement was made.. The Vegas Golden Knights were selecting the veteran right winger Thorburn who by the way is a pending unrestricted free agent. Twitter’s reaction was one of astonishment..
I can't believe they took Thorburn. I am scared/excited to see what is gonna come next!! #NHLJets
It turns out it took a swap of first round picks and an extra pick from the Jets in 2019 to “convince” the newest NHL club to spend their pick on a pending UFA.
WIN sends 13th overall on Friday and 3rd rder in 2019 for CBJ 24th pick overall. So WPG flip flops from 13 to 24 on Friday.
And with that, Toby Enstrom, Marko Dano, Matthiew Perreault and Adam Lowry – all names that have been tossed around for the last three months as possible future Vegas players – all remain Winnipeg Jets and under contract for the 2017-18 season.
There is still work for Kevin Cheveldayoff to do this coming weekend, but tonight has to be considered at least a small victory for the Jets GM to not actually lose a player under contract to the expansion Knights.