The contract has an average annual value of $825,000 and will begin next season.
Chisholm, a fifth-round pick of the Jets in 2018, ranked tied for second among OHL blue-liners with 56 assists and third with 69 points in 2019-20. The 20-year-old was third on the Peterborough Petes in points behind forwards Nick Robertson and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev.
The Jets have a need for defensemen at the NHL level, but their prospect pool is brimming with talent. Winnipeg's top three prospects - Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg, and Logan Stanley - all play defense.
Evander Kane is pleased with what he's seen so far from a growing number of prominent white figures in the NHL after he called upon them to speak out against racial injustice and anti-black racism in the wake of George Floyd's death.
"For me, it's been … it's been a good step. A small step in the right direction," the San Jose Sharks forward told The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark on Sunday. "It was great to see not only from white players in the league but our owner, Hasso Plattner, being the first on that front with his own words and not just issuing a general statement on behalf of the organization. That was awesome to see from him. It shows the type of character he has and the type of character we have in this organization.
"I am a believer in things starting at the top, and it does not get any higher at the top than with ownership. It was great he was taking the lead on these type of things."
Kane wasn't entirely satisfied with the responses - or, in some cases, the lack thereof - from the sports world as a whole. He pointed to the fact that the NBA's Toronto Raptors addressed racism as an organization Saturday night, but the Maple Leafs, who have the same ownership group, had not yet done so. The franchise released its own statement after Kane spoke to Clark on Sunday evening.
"People might say, 'You're nitpicking' and, 'You're looking for something that is not there,' that it's bullshit," the Sharks forward said. "It does not come off that way to me or to us. It speaks to the culture of hockey at the highest level and the people in positions who are at the highest level."
A multitude of sports leagues and teams - including the NHL and many of its clubs - have condemned racism over the last few days. Floyd, a black man, died Monday after a white police officer in Minneapolis kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The incident was captured on video and has led to protests across the United States.
Hockey is a team game, but often a head-to-head matchup can significantly impact the outcome of a contest. Below, we highlight five of the most important individual battles in the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Phillip Danault vs. Sidney Crosby
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Info
Danault
Crosby
Team
MTL
PIT
Pos.
C
C
Age
27
32
Height
6'1
5'11
Weight
198 lbs
200 lbs
This may seem like a completely one-sided mismatch, but Danault is one of the league's most underrated two-way centers. Among all pivots to play 500-plus minutes at five-on-five this season, he finished near or at the top of the league in several advanced possession stats. That includes ranking first in CF% (59.4), first in xGF% (59.9), first in SCF% (59.5), and fourth in HDCF% (60.3), according to Natural Stat Trick.
Obviously, Danault's hands will be full while battling Crosby. The Canadiens will also be dealing with a mismatch regardless of who tries to slow Evgeni Malkin. So if Danault can't contain Crosby - or if Carey Price can't stand on his head - this series will be over early.
Seth Jones vs. Auston Matthews
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Jones
Matthews
Team
CLB
TOR
Pos.
RD
C
Age
25
22
Height
6'4
6'3
Weight
209 lbs
223 lbs
The Maple Leafs-Blue Jackets series pits Toronto's juggernaut offense against one of the league's stingiest defensive clubs. For the Jackets to win, Matthews, the Leafs' offensive catalyst, needs to be contained, and Jones is bound to see heavy minutes against his fellow countryman.
Jones wasn't supposed to take part in this year's playoffs. He was given an 8-to-10 week timeline in February after suffering a fractured ankle, but now that the season has been on pause for nearly three months, the 25-year-old should be ready.
Jones is a huge X-factor in this series. Defending Matthews is extremely difficult because he needs just a sliver of space in the slot to unleash his lethal wrister. But with Jones' superb skating and long reach, he can take time and space away from Matthews. He's also a good shot-blocker, and Matthews finished fourth in the league this season with 290 shots.
The Blackhawks simply don't belong in the playoffs after placing last in their division and finishing 32-30-8. For them to stand a chance against a far superior Oilers team, Kane needs to go off. While Toews' defensive presence can be huge, no Chicago player can take over a game offensively like Kane.
As Edmonton's top left-handed defenseman, it'll likely be Klefbom contending with Kane for the majority of each game. The Swede was a workhorse for the Oilers this season, finishing fifth in the NHL in average time on ice (25:25). He's not very physical despite his size, so Klefbom will attempt to use strong positioning and an active stick to keep Kane in check.
Connor Hellebuyck vs. Matthew Tkachuk
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Hellebuyck
Tkachuk
Team
WPG
CGY
Pos.
G
LW
Age
27
22
Height
6'4
6'2
Weight
207 lbs
202 lbs
Over just four NHL seasons, Tkachuk has made a long list of enemies with his in-your-face style of play. While his disputes with Drew Doughty and Zack Kassian come to mind first, Tkachuk's willingness to go hard to the net - sometimes too hard - has led to many run-ins with goalies.
There's no big, tough defenseman like Dustin Byfuglien or Jacob Trouba on the Jets anymore to make Tkachuk think twice about crashing the net. He's going to live right in front of the blue paint all series, and Hellebuyck can't let Tkachuk get to him. The netminder is a Vezina Trophy favorite and the Jets' most important player. If he's off his game because Tkachuk is wreaking havoc, that's a huge advantage for the Flames.
Jonas Brodin vs. Elias Pettersson
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Brodin
Pettersson
Team
MIN
VAN
Pos.
LD
C
Age
26
21
Height
6'1
6'2
Weight
198 lbs
176 lbs
There's a bevy of options available among the Wild's blue-liners to match up against the highly skilled Pettersson, but perhaps nobody is better suited than Brodin. He doesn't get the same attention that Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, or even Matt Dumba receive, but Brodin is one of the league's better shutdown defensemen.
As The Point Hockey's Mike Kelly highlighted in his breakdown of Brodin's game, the Wild's rearguard led all defenders in five-on-five zone-entry denials, and he finished second in defensive zone blocked passes.
Pettersson is difficult to defend because he can burn opponents off the rush with his vision or shot, and he can also beat defenders in tight with his slick hands. But Brodin is a skilled defender at all areas of the ice.
Minnesota's goaltending is a question mark, so the Wild's defense needs to keep shots to the outside. The Canucks, meanwhile, don't get much production beyond their top-six forwards, so if Pettersson's line struggles to create offense, more pressure will fall on Bo Horvat's trio. This all Swede matchup will be integral.
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph hopes the protests that have followed the death of George Floyd will lead to real positive changes in society.
"Watching the events unfold across America is extremely sad. I wish I could say what happened to George Floyd was an isolated event, but I know it's not," Joseph said Sunday on Twitter. "The problem is that everyone has known that for a long time, and yet very little was done about it. And now people have had enough.
"That said, once it all boils over, what concrete actions will be taken? It is not enough to be non-racist and events unfolding today have proven that. But violent protests are not the answers or a good way to be anti-racist ... we need to focus on the solution. On making a change in the way we educate children."
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died Monday in Minneapolis after now-former police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes while Floyd was handcuffed. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
"George Floyd's death was unacceptable, my heart bleeds for him and his family, and I assume he would want us to fight for a better world," Joseph wrote. "Let's lead with love and demand change all together as a human race. The only way out is through."
Several other teams and players around the league have shared similar thoughts to Joseph's regarding racism and injustice.
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who, with Joseph, is among a small minority of black players in the NHL, called on high-profile athletes to speak up during this time. Sharks captain Logan Couture backed his teammate on Friday.
Minnesota native and Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler also released a message expressing his anger and frustration not only in his own city but across the country.
The Los Angeles Kings and team captain Anze Kopitar spoke out Sunday against racism and injustice amid protests throughout North America following the death of George Floyd.
"The L.A. Kings are united against racism and acts of hatred toward others," the team said in a statement. "Our voice is here to support the black community and condemn those injustices. Now is the time to raise the volume peacefully.
Kopitar shared a similar sentiment through his own personal Twitter account, denouncing racism and inequality while calling for action toward a better future.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died Monday in Minneapolis after now-former police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.
Minnesota native and Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler took to social media on Saturday to share his feelings.
"America is not OK ... I'm heartbroken that we still treat people this way," he wrote. "We need to stand with the black community and fundamentally change how the leadership in this country has dealt with racism."
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, one of only a few black players in the NHL, also called for more globally recognized athletes to use their platform to speak out against racism. Sharks captain Logan Couture supported his teammate Friday, saying athletes can't continue to turn a blind eye to racism.
Day, who was granted "exceptional status" into the OHL as a 15-year-old, was selected by the Rangers in the third round of the 2016 draft. He's just one of seven players - including John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, and Connor McDavid - in CHL history to earn the honor.
The 22-year-old failed to crack the Rangers' NHL roster. He's spent the last two seasons in both the AHL and ECHL, amassing 18 points in 62 AHL games during his career.
Pittsburgh Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse rescued Ian Smith, a cameraman for local station KDKA, after the journalist was attacked during police brutality protests in the city, the club confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey on Saturday night.
Morehouse departed PPG Paints Arena, found Smith, and helped him inside before the cameraman was taken to the hospital, according to Mackey.
Smith detailed his ordeal while sitting in the ambulance.
I’m was attacked by protestors downtown by the arena. They stomped and kicked me. I’m bruised and bloody but alive. My camera was destroyed. Another group of protesters pulled me out and saved my life. Thank you! @KDKApic.twitter.com/clyANKodth
After seeing Smith's tweet, KDKA anchor and reporter Larry Richert called him and inquired about the incident. Smith told him he didn't know who saved him, so Richert contacted Paul Martino, a reporter for the network who'd been with Smith reporting on the protests. Martino confirmed it was Morehouse who saved Smith, and the Penguins later confirmed it to Mackey.
Protests began across the United States this week and continued through Saturday following the death of George Floyd on Monday. Floyd, a black Minneapolis man, died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while holding him in handcuffs.
The statue of Mario Lemieux outside PPG Paints Arena was spray-painted during the protests in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Morehouse joined the Penguins as a consultant on the then-arena project in 2004. He was named team president in 2007 and was given CEO responsibilities in 2010.
Athletes everywhere continue to get creative as they deal with their respective leagues being on hiatus. Some are better at it than others. Every Sunday throughout May, we'll look back on the week that was before crowning a quarantine king or queen. Here are the top isolation moments from the sports world over the last seven days.
10. 'What up, 'Bron!'
There's just something pure - and surprisingly soothing - about watching LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and JR Smith casually enjoy a bike ride in the Los Angeles sunshine. The excitement of this Lakers fan when he catches a glimpse of James only adds to the feel-good nature of it all.
He drove by and saw LeBron, AD and JR Smith out for a bike ride in LA today 🚲
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen took part in TikTok's "Couples Challenge," which asks couples to close their eyes and answer a series of rapid-fire questions about their relationship, often with wildly entertaining results. All the family secrets, like which of the two is "more annoying when hungry," are revealed.
Let's start off by saying that New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban is in ridiculous shape. Based on the wildly challenging workout below, he'll be ready if the NHL does make its return this season. Far more importantly, though, are we just supposed to ignore the toilet in the squat rack? When you gotta go ...
P.K. Subban's #HockeyAtHome fitness routine is something else. 💪
Any NBA teams out there looking for a spot-up 3-point shooter in anticipation of the league's return this summer? Call this FedEx employee. He delivers from downtown.
.@FedEx out here delivering the purple promise with essential buckets! 🔥
— SI Extra Mustard (@SI_ExtraMustard) May 26, 2020
6. Cutch is getting good at this
From imaginative home videos to sleepy workout regimes, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen has become something of a social media star over these past couple months. So has his alter ego, Uncle Larry.
With fans unable to attend matches amid the pandemic, Danish soccer club AGF Aarhus came up with a unique solution, inviting 10,000 supporters to a Zoom party and placing giant screens in the stands so they could watch their season opener "in person." Better yet, they got to see a last-minute equalizer.
If the fans can’t be brought to the football, football has to be brought to the fans.
Danish Superliga club @AGFFodbold set up screens around the pitch to form a ‘virtual grandstand’ as 10,000 fans tuned in together to watch the game. pic.twitter.com/Xl32ILe915
Staying in peak physical condition has required professional athletes everywhere to devise creative workouts, but Marlon Humphrey's latest effort takes the cake. Just watching the Baltimore Ravens cornerback and his brother sprint up this gravel hill is enough to make your quads burn.
This looks... insane 😳@ravens Cornerback Marlon Humphrey getting creative with the workouts.
With the French soccer season canceled, Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar is keeping himself busy and entertained by pranking his 8-year-old son, Davi Lucca. Take a miniature header challenge, start with some ping pong balls, then throw an egg into the mix and see what happens. Parenting 101.
In an ode to a classic scene from "The Mighty Ducks" film franchise, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn rounded up his teammates - rescuing them from their respective oddball tasks - to create this spectacular video, which culminates in a Sea-Doo "Flying V" formation.
