Rasmus Kupari leaves Winnipeg Jets for Switzerland
Forward Axel Jonsson-Fjällby recently signed in Sweden, and now Rasmus Kupari is also headed back overseas.
HC Lugano of Switzerland's National League announced they've signed Kupari to a two-year contract.
The 25-year-old product of Finland spent parts of two seasons with the Jets after being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade.
'I think Lugano is the ideal place to take the next step in my career,' Kupari said in a translated statement. 'I want to be a leader on and off the ice and bring my game to the entire rink, both defensively and offensively. I think my most important skill is skating.'
Story continues below advertisement
Kupari started last season as the Jets fourth line centre, but he lost his place in the lineup after suffering a concussion and didn't play at all in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
In 59 games this past season, he scored five goals with three assists. He was held without a goal in 28 contests in his first season with Winnipeg.
'He is a first-round forward, a good skater with important qualities in every area of the rink,' said HC Lugano general manager Janick Steinmann in a translated statement. 'In North America he has often been assigned more defensive roles, but with us he will be able to assert his skills as a two-way player.
'I am convinced that his qualities adapt very well to the National League and he will also have a strong impact on the offensive phase. I am extremely happy to have him with us in Lugano and to be able to observe all his potential.'
Kupari was set to become a restricted free agent next month and the Jets can retain his NHL rights by making him a qualifying offer this summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets ink Nyquist, lose Appleton to Wings
HIS birthplace and residence may be in Arlington Heights, Ill. — but coming to Winnipeg this week represents a bit of a happy hockey homecoming for new Jets prospect Edison Engle. The 18-year-old defenceman, selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NHL draft Saturday, has hit the ice around here before. It was a summer tournament, nearly a decade ago. 'Some good memories. We won the tournament here so I was pretty happy about that,' Engle recalled with a chuckle Wednesday. Jay LaPrete / The Associated Press Files The Winnipeg Jets signed free agent Gustav Nyquist, pictured playing for the Detroit Red Wings in 2016, to a one-year deal that will pay him US$3.25 million next season. Engle also recalls meeting Jonathan Toews that year after a chance meeting on the street, where he was walking his dog. Toews was a hockey idol to Engle — a Blackhawks fan since birth. Now Engle and Toews are members of the same big-league organization. 'That (photo) has been up in the bedroom for a bit,' said Engle. 'Obviously growing up and watching him win three Cups, being Captain Serious, it was pretty cool to see that he's coming back here. I'm sure he's really excited.' Excitement also describes how Engle was feeling when the Jets called his name. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound left shot blue-liner had hopes of getting drafted at some point following a solid season in the USHL that began in Des Moines and ended in Dubuque. 'You never really know. Obviously there's mock drafts or whatever, but those people, at the end of the day, don't pick you,' said Engle. 'Just getting drafted was my main goal, not really worrying about where that happened. Just super grateful for that day and everything the Jets have done.' Known for his skating and puck-moving ability, Engle had 17 points (2G, 15A) in 54 regular-season games, then four assists in seven playoff contests. He's now committed to join the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League this fall and will attend Ohio State University starting in September 2026 to play in the NCAA. 'Since I've been young, I've wanted to go the college route. Both my parents are in education so it was super important for them,' he said. 'I think the OHL had the best development for me next year, getting ready for NCAA and things to come.' The Jets, of course, will be keeping close tabs on his development, which really starts this week with the camp. 'I pride myself in my skating,' said Engle. 'Just getting ready for the pro game. Brantford is going to help me a lot with that, and then preparing for college. Just rounding out everything and trying to grow into my frame is going to be pretty important for years to come.' SIGNING SEASON: The Jets made four more signings on Wednesday. Veteran winger Gustav Nyquist inked a one-year deal that will pay him US$3.25 million next season. The 35-year-old from Sweden has 531 points (209G, 322A) in 863 career NHL games. — including a career-high 75 points (23G, 52A) in 81 games with Nashville in 2023-24. He fell to 28 points (11G, 17A) in 79 games last year with the Predators and Minnesota Wild, who obtained him at the trade deadline. The move comes after the Jets added wingers Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke on one-year, US$1 million deals as free agency began Tuesday. Moving down the depth chart, goaltender Isaac Poulter and forwards Walker Duehr and Samuel Fagemo have signed one-year, two-way deals. Poulter, 23, is a Winnipegger who spent the past three seasons in the New Jersey Devils system, posting a record of 40-24-10 with five shutouts, a 2.88 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 77 career AHL games. He is expected to battle for time in the Manitoba Moose crease with Dom DiVincentiis and Thomas Milic. Duehr, 27, is a feisty forward from Sioux Falls who has 21 points (11G, 10A) in 92 NHL games with the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks, while also playing 143 AHL games over his career, producing 78 points (42G, 36A). Fagemo, 25, is a Swedish winger who has been an offensive beast in the AHL, including 43 goals in 50 games with the Ontario Reign in 2023-24. He was picked in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft by the Los Angeles Kings and has appeared in 21 NHL games, with three goals and an assist. The Jets signed defenceman Kale Clague and forward Phil Di Guiseppe to one-year pacts on Tuesday. Those five players should make the Moose a lot more competitive while also providing insurance for the big club. PICTURE PERFECT: It may be a short, familiar drive from Oakbank to the Hockey For All Centre, but local product Owen Martin said this week has been like nothing he's experienced so far in his life. The 18-year-old centre, selected in the third-round of the draft on the weekend, said attending his first NHL development camp with his hometown team has been 'unbelievable.' 'There's kind of no words to describe it. When I was younger, I would come to these development camps and watch all these guys. And now being here, it's just kind of a like a full circle moment for me,' said Martin, who has spent the past two seasons with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. 'My parents, actually after I got drafted, they pulled up some pictures. There is a picture of little me holding up a shirt signed by a bunch of guys, and a couple pictures, one of me with Adam Lowry, and then one of me with Nikolaj Ehlers as well. So those are pretty cool memories to look back on.' MOVING ON: A longtime member of the Jets organization found a new home on Wednesday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Mason Appleton signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings that will pay him an average salary of US$2.9 million. The 29-year-old from Wisconsin spent parts of seven seasons with the Jets after being picked in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL draft. He had 22 points (10G, 12A) in 71 regular season games last year. Appleton joins Brandon Tanev (Utah), Dylan Coghlan (Vegas), Dominic Toninato (Chicago), Simon Lundmark (Tampa), Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (Sweden) and Rasmus Kupari (Switzerland) in changing addresses so far this off-season. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
NHL free agency continues as Nikolaj Ehlers ponders landing spot
NHL general managers continued to round out rosters as free agency ticked through its second day. One decent-sized catch and a solid defenceman remain up for grabs. Slick winger Nikolaj Ehlers still sat unsigned and on the market as of late Wednesday afternoon, while blueliner Dmitry Orlov is also still without a home for the 2025-26 season. Ehlers spent a decade with the Winnipeg Jets, but appears set to move on. Orlov just completed his 13th NHL campaign, and second with the Carolina Hurricanes. Deals made on Day 2 of free agency included centre Mason Appleton — a now-former teammate of Ehlers in the Manitoba capital — signing with the Detroit Red Wings on a two-year deal worth US$5.8 million. The New Jersey Devils re-upped with centre Cody Glass on a two-year, $5-million contract after acquiring him from Pittsburgh in March. The Penguins inked winger Anthony Mantha for one season at $2.5 million. The New York Islanders signed restricted free agent forward Emil Heineman, who was acquired in a recent trade with the Montreal Canadiens for defenceman Noah Dobson, to a two-year contract with a reported value of $2.2 million. Detroit and hulking six-foot-eight RFA winger Elmer Soderblom agreed on a two-year, $2.5-million contract. GMs for Canadian teams added plenty of depth Tuesday. The Vancouver Canucks signed defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract for next season's league minimum of $775,000. The Edmonton Oilers added journeyman forward Curtis Lazar for the same dollar amount and term. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who said goodbye to star winger Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, also agreed to a one-year contract worth $775,000 with forward Vinni Lettieri. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The Jets signed five players to identical one-year, two-way contracts worth $775,000 in the NHL, including former Canucks winger Phil Di Giuseppe. The Ottawa Senators inked six players, including forward Arthur Kaliyev, on a one-year, two-way contract. The last remaining big name is Ehlers. The 29-year-old selected ninth overall at the 2014 draft put up 225 goals and 295 assists for 520 points in 674 regular-season games with the Jets. He added 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 45 playoff contests. The six-foot, 172-pound Dane has topped 60 points four times in his career despite averaging just 16 minutes 26 seconds of ice time and often only seeing time on Winnipeg's second power-play unit. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wilyer Abreu's RBI single helps Red Sox to 5-3 win over Reds in completion of suspended game
BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning Wednesday afternoon and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 in the completion of a game suspended by rain a night earlier. Trevor Story added an RBI double after Abreu's hit, sending Boston to its third win in four games after a six-game losing skid, its longest since September 2022. Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer for the Reds, who have dropped three of four. Brayan Bello (4-3) worked five innings of relief and Aroldis Chapman got the final three outs for his 15th save. With just a few thousand fans of the 32,355 paid attendance in Fenway Park, play resumed at 2:32 p.m. before Steer, the National League's reigning player of the week, hit an 0-1 cutter from Bello into the Green Monster seats to make it 3-2 in the fourth. The Red Sox won the opener of the three-game series Monday when Abreu became just the sixth player in major league history to hit an inside-the-park homer and grand slam in the same game. The previous was Roger Maris on August 3, 1958. Tuesday's game was halted after three innings, delayed 1 hour, 20 minutes before it was suspended. It was the Reds' second suspended game this season. The second part of this game lasted 2 hours, 9 minutes. Key moment With a pinch runner Nate Eaton on third and two outs, Abreu blooped a single to right against Lyon Richardson (0-3). Story then doubled off the center field wall. Key stat Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Red Sox are a win away from getting back to .500 (43-44) this season. Up next Reds RHP Nick Martinez (5-8, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the regularly scheduled nightcap. Red Sox manager Alex Cora hadn't announced a starter yet. ___ AP MLB:
