Veteran centre Bryan Little to sign one-day contract, retire as Winnipeg Jet

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets announced Friday they are signing Bryan Little to a one-day contract, allowing the centre to retire with the franchise he spent his entire NHL career with.

The Jets said in a release that they will celebrate Little's career on Oct. 20 when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"It's a great honour that I can retire as a member of the Winnipeg Jets and end my playing career with the organization where I was drafted and played my entire NHL career," Little said in the release.

"I had the privilege to play in Winnipeg and in front of the amazing fans for nine seasons, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to thank the Jets, their fans and the city of Winnipeg. It will truly be a full-circle moment for my family and I to celebrate my retirement in the building where I have so many special memories."

Little was selected 12th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers at the 2006 NHL draft.

He played 843 games with the Thrashers/Jets franchise — the second-most in club history — and recorded 521 points (217 goals, 204 assists) and 293 penalty minutes over his career.

He added four goals and eight assists in 27 playoff games, all coming after the team moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg before the 2011-12 season.

The 36-year-old, who was born in Edmonton and raised in Cambridge, Ont., last played on Nov. 5. 2019, when he sustained a perforated eardrum after being hit by a slapshot from Jets teammate Nikolaj Ehlers in a game against New Jersey.

The team said at the time he needed 25-30 stitches to close a cut around his left ear. He had missed the first nine games of the 2019-20 season with a concussion before that injury.

The Jets traded Little's contract and the rights to Nathan Smith to the Arizona Coyotes on March 21, 2022, for a fourth-round draft pick.

His rights were transferred to a new club based in Salt Lake City, Utah, along with the rest of the Coyotes' assets, on April 18.

"Bryan Little is a crucial part of the history of this franchise and was a key contributor to the Winnipeg Jets throughout his time in the NHL," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "He was a humble, hardworking player that cared about his teammates and was a quiet, but important leader in the dressing room.

"Bryan demonstrated tremendous professionalism throughout his time here and it is a true shame that his career was cut short due to injury."

Internationally, Little was part of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2007 world junior championship.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press