Jets put Schmidt on waivers for buyout purposes
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The Winnipeg Jets have placed defenceman Nate Schmidt on waivers for the purposes of a buyout, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
Schmidt, 32, recorded two goals and 14 points in 63 games with the Jet last season. He added a goal in three playoff games before his team was eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
The 6-foot left-shot defenceman is on the final season of a six-year, $35.7 million deal with an annual cap hit of $5.95 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
Schmidt was acquired by the Jets from the Vancouver Canucks in July of 2021 for a draft pick.
Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Washington Capitals in 2013, Schmidt has 47 goals and 220 points in 661 career games split between the Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Canucks, and Jets.
The St. Cloud, Minn., native represented the United States at the 2022 World Championship in Finland, recording two goals and six point in a fourth-place finish.