ITHACA, N.Y. — The Winnipeg Jets announced Monday the signing of forward Jeff Malott '20 to an NHL contract for the 2021-22 season.
 
Malott is just weeks removed from the completion of a very successful rookie season in the professional ranks. He led the Jets' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, with 14 goals and was third in overall scoring with 20 points over 34 games. His goal total was tied for second-most among all rookies in the AHL during the 2020-21 season.
 
The Jets announced that Malott's contract is a two-way deal – which means he is now eligible to join the Jets' roster or be reassigned back to the Moose – that carries an average annual value of $780,000 for any NHL service time.
 
In a Cornell uniform and donning a 'C' as one of the team's tri-captains the last time the Big Red was in action, Malott concluded his collegiate career with 24 goals to go with 29 assists for 53 points in 114 collegiate games. He was named one of three finalists for ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward for his senior season after racking up a plus-16 rating overall for the season and a plus-15 rating in ECAC Hockey play that ranked first in the league among forwards. That gave him the unique distinction of being the only regular player in the nation to not be on the ice for a single even-strength goal against in his respective league games.
 
Malott becomes the fifth Cornell men's hockey alumnus to sign an NHL contract that spans through at the least the 2021-22 season after five Big Red connections played at professional hockey's top level during the 2020-21 season. After Morgan Barron '21 debuted for the New York Rangers on May 1 (then scored his first NHL goal in just his third career game), Cornell has helped develop 34 players that have ascended to the NHL level.