Winnipeg Jets Sign More Ex-Moose Players

Home cooking is always a good thing.

For the Winnipeg Jets, it's a theme that has been central to the players they have signed and acquired over the course of the offseason.

After signing Manitoba-born player Derek Meech and trading for Winkler's Eric Fehr, the Jets went out and made sure they kept some ex-Manitoba Moose players in the fold.

Already under the Jets name are Rick Rypien and Mark Flood, who both spent time with the Moose last season.

According to CJOB 680's sports reporter Brian Munz, the Jets have signed more ex-Moose players to AHL contracts to play for the AHL affiliate in St. John's.

The Jets have signed ex-Moose players Marco Rosa, Shawn Weller, Kevin Clark and Travis Ramsey to AHL contracts.

Also signing with Winnipeg were three undrafted youngsters in North Sydney, Nova Scotia's Michael Kirkpatrick; Brandon, Manitoba's Shayne Wiebe; and Concord, Ohio's John Albert.

Kirkpatrick spent four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL league, collecting 251 points in 266 games. While perhaps an undersized centre at 5'10", 175 pounds, the 21-year-old shows promise; he helped the Sea Dogs to the 2011 Memorial Cup.

Wiebe spent two full seasons with the Kamloops Blazers before being dealt to his hometown Brandon Wheat Kings midway through the 2009-10 season. Wiebe finished third in scoring for the Wheaties this last season with 65 points in 72 games and played one game in the AHL with the Connecticut Whale. Another centre at 5'10", 185 pounds, he adds yet another home-grown talent to the Jets organization.

At 5'11", 180 pounds, 22-year-old John Albert completed his fourth and final year at Ohio State University, scoring 34 points in 37 games as the Buckeyes' captain. In his four seasons, Albert collected 124 points in 159 games, including a year best of 39 points in 2008-09. Albert was originally drafted 175th-overall by the Thrashers in 2007.