The Winnipeg Jets made a difficult decision to finalize their opening night roster on Thursday, placing forward David Gustafsson on waivers.

The move comes as the Jets trimmed their roster to the league-mandated 23 players ahead of their season opener against the Dallas Stars.

Gustafsson, 25, a second-round draft pick by the Jets in 2018, has been a reliable, defensive presence in the team’s bottom six. In 108 career NHL games, he has registered 16 points.

The team opted to keep younger, waiver-exempt prospects like Brad Lambert and Parker Ford with the NHL club.

If Gustafsson goes unclaimed by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, he will be assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. This would provide the Jets with organizational depth and allow Gustafsson to take on a larger role in the AHL, where he las

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