Wheeler to have final season of contract bought out by Jets

Blake Wheeler was placed on unconditional waivers by the Winnipeg Jets on Friday for the purpose of buying out the final season of his contract.

The 36-year-old forward will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. He signed a five-year, $41.25 million contract with the Jets on Sept. 4, 2018, an average annual value of $8.25 million.

"I want to thank everyone in Winnipeg for all the love and support over these past 12 years," Wheeler said. "It has been my absolute honor and privilege to be a Winnipeg Jet and to represent this city and organization. My family and I can't thank everyone in the city and province enough for everything you've done for us. Winnipeg is always going to be a home to myself, my wife Sam, and our children: Louie, Leni, and Mase. Thank you so much for the support, love and friendship that you've shown us these past 12 years and we look forward to rooting on the Jets in the future."

Wheeler was Jets captain from 2016-22 before he had his captaincy stripped prior to this season. He had 55 points (16 goals, 39 assists) in 72 regular-season games and six points (two goals, four assists) in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round (No. 5) of the 2004 NHL Draft, Wheeler has 922 points (312 goals, 610 assists) in 1,118 regular-season games for the Jets, Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins and 45 points (10 goals, 35 assists) in 65 playoff games. He's first in games (897), assists (550) and points (812) in Jets/Thrashers history and third in goals (262).

"We would like to thank Blake for his dedication and service to the Jets, the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "We are incredibly grateful for the contributions that he has made during his 12 seasons with the franchise. Most notably, the seven years when he served as the captain of the Jets and helped lead the team to the 2018 Western Conference Final (five-game loss to Vegas Golden Knights).

"From the first conversations Blake and I had when I became general manager, I saw his determination to make our club a success. In our time together, I always saw his drive to make himself and his teammates the best they could be through his work on and off the ice. Away from the rink, Blake and his wife Sam strove to embed themselves in the Winnipeg community and they went to great lengths to exercise their celebrity to benefit numerous charitable and humanitarian efforts throughout the city and the province."