Michael Milne, the 23‑year‑old winger who broke into the NHL during the 2024‑25 season, has agreed to a one‑year contract with the Winnipeg Jets, bringing him back to the Manitoba capital where he first made a name for himself in major‑junior hockey.
A Homecoming With Purpose
Selected in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild, Milne spent four years within the Wild’s development system, earning a call‑up that culminated in his NHL debut last season. After a mid‑season trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning and a subsequent move to the Detroit Red Wings, he concluded the campaign with the Grand Rapids Griffins and the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.
The Jets’ decision to bring Milne aboard is as much a sporting move as a sentimental one. The winger starred for the Winnipeg Ice, leading the team to a Memorial Cup championship and etching his name into the city’s hockey lore before his professional breakthrough.
Coaching staff say they expect Milne to start the 2026‑27 campaign in the American Hockey League, where he can continue to refine his game before potentially earning another NHL recall. Should he rise to the big club, his first matchup could pit him against the very franchise that drafted him, the Minnesota Wild.