Winnipeg Jets and Blake Wheeler Agree on a 6 Year Deal

The Winnipeg Jets and Blake Wheeler have avoided arbitration, agreeing on a 6 year, $33.6 million dollar contract.  The deal carries an AAV of $5.6 million per season.

Wheeler confirmed the deal when he posted on his Twitter, @BiggieFunke “Thrilled to be a Jet for 6 more years.”

Wheeler is coming off a lockout-shortened season where he had a team-leading 19 goals to go with 22 assists, for 41 points in 48 games.  In addition to leading the team in goals, he finished 2nd on the Jets in points. Wheeler spent most of the season playing on the Jets first line with captain Andrew Ladd, and centre Bryan Little.

Ladd joked on his own twitter @aladd16 “Happy to have our enforcer locked up for 6 more years! Congrats @BiggieFunke pic.twitter.com/WjtqLjagX3.”

Wheeler, 26, has scored 93 goals, 139 assists, for 232 points in in 372 career NHL games played between the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets.  He was originally drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, fifth overall, in the 2004 NHL Draft but did not sign with Phoenix, spurning them after spending one year in the USHL and 3 years at the University of Minnesota, making him a free agent.  He signed with the Boston Bruins.  He was traded to Atlanta in 2011.

The deal means that the Jets have dealt with yet another of their major restricted free agents after inking Little last week.  Defenceman Zach Bogosian remains the Jets last major restricted free agent.

Wheeler could have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

The Robbinsdale, Minnesota native will be attending the USA Hockey Olympic Team orientation camp in August, in the hopes of making the team for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

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