The 36-year-old forward, who was an unrestricted free agent, scored 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 70 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers last season, including one assist in seven games after he was traded to the Flyers on Feb. 24.
Thompson scored one goal in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I think for me, being 36, I still feel like I have a lot of hockey left in me," Thompson said. "And when Winnipeg came to the fold, I was excited. It's been a team that I know being on the other side of it, playing against Winnipeg, it was always one of those teams where you knew it was going to be a tough night, especially playing in Winnipeg. So I've heard nothing but great things about the organization and I wanted to be part of it."
Selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (No. 183) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Thompson has scored 156 points (62 goals, 94 assists) in 767 regular-season games with the Bruins, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Canadiens and Flyers. He has scored 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 78 playoff games.
"At this point in my career, I know what to expect of myself and what I need to bring to the team," Thompson said. "Overall, it seems like a very good fit for me. I think the team has some great talent and a good mixture of young and veteran guys. I just want to come in and help out and hopefully we can do well."
NHL.com staff writer Tim Campbell contributed to this report
