Winnipeg Jets officially sign Jonathan Toews' former Chicago Blackhawks teammate

On January 15th, the Chicago Blackhawks sent prospect Isaak Philips up north, as he headed to Winnipeg. The Hawks would receive defenseman Dmitri Kuzmin in return, in a one-for-one swap.

Now, it appears Philips, a once-promising defenseman in the Blackhawks system, is staying put in Winnipeg as part of the team's future.

The Jets and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff have signed him to a one-year, two-way contract worth $812K at the NHL level.

Following the trade, Philips would join the Manitoba Moose in the AHL and play 39 games for the minor-league affiliate of the Jets. He'd score 16 points (4-12) and end the season with a 2024-25 split between the Rockford Icehogs.

Philips has plenty of upside that the Jets could tap into as he continues to develop in the AHL. He's already had plenty of experience in the NHL with the Blackhawks due to injuries plaguing the lineup in 2023-24.

He's played a total of 56 NHL games during his career in the Windy City, scoring 12 points (2-10) with 31 PIMs and 89 hits.

Philips last played 3 games in the NHL with the Hawks, before GM Kyle Davidson would execute the trade in January that sealed his fate with the team.

The Jets may yet find a spot for Philips, who could earn a spot in the lineup if he continues to develop nicely in the AHL. He has already proven himself a capable blueliner in the NHL. Now he'll have to re-establish that fact in Winnipeg.