Winnipeg Jets agree to terms with goaltender Steve Mason on two-year deal
WINNIPEG — Steve Mason is ready to be the Winnipeg Jets’ starting goaltender and a mentor to young netminder Connor Hellebuyck.
The nine-year veteran signed a two-year deal with the Jets that pays the former Philadelphia Flyers’ starter an average annual salary of US$4.1 million.
“I’ll be in a Canadian market now, which is something that ever since I started playing is something I always dreamed about,” Mason said in a conference call from his hometown of Oakville, Ont.
Winnipeg also addressed a need on defence, signing left-handed shooter Dmitry Kulikov to a three-year contract worth $4.3 million per season. The native of Lipsetsk, Russia, has played 507 NHL games, spending his first seven seasons with Florida and last year with Buffalo.