Blake Wheeler is no longer a member of the Winnipeg Jets, with the team announcing Friday they placed their former captain on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the final year of his contract.
Wheeler's future with the Jets had been in question for some time. Prior to the season, he was stripped of his captaincy. And while the Jets reached the playoffs, they were knocked out in the first round by the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
The fact the Jets were eliminated in the first and/or qualifying round for the third time in five seasons created more questions about what appeared to be a stagnant core.