The NHL is considering moving Winnipeg to the Western Conference’s Central Division and Columbus to the Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division in the event of a shortened 2013 season, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

A four or five month season in the Southeast Division would magnify Winnipeg’s travel requirements, but a shift to the Central Division would all the Jets to play road games in their own time zone.

Columbus would also benefit from an easier travel schedule playing a shorter season in the Southeast Division.

The NHL approved a realignment plan that addressed Winnipeg’s move from Atlanta in December of 2011 only to have the NHLPA nullify it in early 2012.

Neither team made the playoffs last season, so neither team is expected to gain a competitive advantage if such a move is made.

Talk within NHL of flipping Winnipeg and Columbus for this year only pending future realignment…—
Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) December 28, 2012

Flip would allow Jets to play road games in own time zone @MotherofaSon—
Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) December 29, 2012

Evander Kane has signed with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. (Travis Golby, Getty Images)

Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane has become the latest NHL player – and the first Canadian – to sign with an overseas team.

According to a TSN Report, Kane has signed a contract with Dinamo Minsk in Belarus. The team plays in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), considered to be the strongest in Europe. Founded in 2003, Dinamo Minsk has made the KHL playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Kane is coming off a career year with the Jets – he scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists last season, and signed a six-year, $31.5 million extension to his contract just before the start of the lockout.

The Winnipeg Jets snuck in a deal just before the lockout began at midnight on Saturday, agreeing to a six-year, $31.5 million contract with restricted free agent Evander Kane.

Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press was the first to report the signing:

Kane deal is for six years and under 32 million #nhljets both sides won—
gary lawless (@garylawless) September 16, 2012

Darren Dreger of TSN had the exact terms:

6 years, $31.5 for Evander Kane in Winnipeg.—
Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 16, 2012

Kane, a 21-year-old left wing, was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft by the then Atlanta Thrashers. He made the team as an 18-year-old and has improved his goal and assist totals in each of his three seasons, to 30 goals and 27 assists in 2011-12.

Olli Jokinen, perhaps the best free-agent center that remained on the unrestricted market, has signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on Twitter Monday night.

2 year deal, $9mil for Jokinen in Wpg. $4.5 aav

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 3, 2012

Jokinen’s new contract is a bit of a raise. His last deal with the Calgary Flames was a two-year, $6 million deal he signed in 2010.

The 33-year-old Jokinen scored 23 goals and had 38 assists last season, playing with the Calgary Flames in his 14th year in the NHL. He added 24 points on the power play. Jokinen has 292 career goals and 391 assists in stints with the Flames, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers.

If you were excited for the realignment the NHL had planned for next season, you’d better hold your horses — that plan is now on hold, according to the Canadian Press.

The plan, which would have shuffled the league’s six divisions into four conferences and revamped the playoff structure, has been shot down by the NHL Players’ Association. The league will instead maintain its current alignment in 2012-13.

“It is unfortunate that the NHLPA has unreasonably refused to approve a plan that an overwhelming majority of our clubs voted to support, and that has received such widespread support from our fans and other members of the hockey community, including players,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

The plan had originally been approved 26-4 by the NHL Board of Governors a month ago, as the Atlanta Thrashers’ move to Winnipeg had necessitated a new geographical breakdown. The Winnipeg Jets currently compete in the Southeast Division, thousands of miles separated from their “closest” rivals.

Daly said the league would now look at its legal options as its quest for realignment next season.