Winnipeg bolsters its checking depth, landing a high-energy agitator with Stanley Cup pedigree to disrupt opponents and drive momentum through relentless forechecking and specialized penalty killing.
On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets bolstered their bottom six, signing forward Noah Gregor to a one-year, $850,000 deal.
The former San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers forward brings exactly the kind of energy and checking presence that a depth line needs to be effective night in and night out at the NHL level.
Gregor, originally selected by San Jose in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, has spent the better part of eight seasons carving out a professional career built on forechecking, physicality and an agitating style that opponents consistently find difficult to play against.
Over 330 NHL games, the forward has put up 40 goals and 39 assists for 79 points, numbers that reflect a player whose value extends well beyond the scoresheet. At the AHL level, Gregor was an even more pronounced difference maker, posting 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points in just 69 games across five seasons.
His most recent chapter in Florida may have been what caught Winnipeg's attention most. In 37 games with the Panthers this past season, Gregor filled his checking role to perfection, becoming a noticeable and disruptive presence on a Stanley Cup contending roster.
He agitated opposing teams, won puck battles along the wall and brought an infectious energy that resonated within one of the league's top organizations. That ability to fit seamlessly into a winning culture while excelling in a specific role is a quality Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has consistently sought out when rounding out the bottom of his roster.
For Winnipeg, Gregor slots naturally into a checking line role alongside similarly detailed forwards, giving head coach Scott Arniel another reliable option for penalty killing situations and the kind of grinding, forecheck-heavy shifts that can swing momentum in a close game.
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