Winnipeg Jets Sign Tyrel Bauer to Two-Year Contract

The final restricted free agent is off the board for the Winnipeg Jets as they’ve signed Tyrel Bauer to a two-year contract extension.

The deal with carry an average annual value of $875,000 a season.

Bauer’s new contract will be two-way in 2026-27 with a $250,000 guarantee, and one-way in 2027-28.

The rugged defenseman has proven to be one of the American Hockey League’s toughest, but he’s brought more than just physicality to the Manitoba Moose’s blueline.

“The one thing that Tyrel’s brought to his game now is he’s a good hockey player,” was Mark Morrison’s description of Bauer back in the 2026 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs.

Bauer’s coming off a season where he posted five points (1G, 5A) and 110 PIMs in 52 games with Manitoba. He was held without a point and had six PIMs in seven playoff games.

“We used to not care so much if Tyrel missed five minutes for a fight. Now we do. We need him on the ice. He’s brought a whole different element to his game,” Morrison added back in April.

Bauer, a 2020 sixth-round NHL Draft selection, took home the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award as the AHL’s Man of the Year for his charity work and community contributions. Bauer also took home the Moose’s Richard Bue Ultimate Teammate Award for the second consecutive season, alongside adding the GoodLife Fitness Fan Favourite and the EPRA Julian Klymkiw Community Service Award.

The 2025-26 season was big for Bauer’s contributions both on and off the ice.

As a candidate for the Moose’s captain vacancy, Bauer will look toward earning himself an NHL roster spot to start the 2026-27 season.

The AHL veteran has 214 games under his belt and 21 points (5G, 16A) and 401 PIMs to show for it. He has yet to make his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets.

Bauer is set to become a Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agent when his contract expires at the end of the 2027-2 season.