Sioux Falls Native Walker Duehr is aware of Jets Training Camp after signing a year Deal

SIOUX FALLS – For the first time in his professional career, Walker Duehr received the life of a travel man in the NHL last season.

After playing in 16 games for the Calgary Flames, the 27-year-old resident of Sioux Falls was abandoned in January by the organization before being picked up by the San Jose Sharks. In March, however, Deehr finished remotely and ended the 2024-25 season with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, but without a two-way contract.

When the summer arrived, Deehr was on unknown territory as an unlimited free agent, but on July 2 a new deal was reached with the Winnipeg jets.

Contract in hand, Duehr is now at zero on his regime outside the season while he wants to leave his mark in Jets Training Camp this fall.

“I think everything was a bit new to me, and many things happened quickly,” said Dahr, who signed a one -year -old, two -way contract with Winnipeg worth $ 775,000. “I had been a limited free agent with Calgary a few times and was eventually signed with them, so it was only to try to find the best fit for me and my family.

“It eventually became Winnipeg.”

Duehr bounces around between the AHL and NHL ranks and enters his sixth season as Pro in 2025-26. The former striking Minnesota State was published in 92 NHL matches during its five seasons, with 21 points on 11 goals and 10 assists.

However, this new chance is that there is a Duehr. He will become a member of a jet organization that has just won the trophy of the first presidents in the franchise history after ending with a competition-best 116 points in the regular season, in which they went 56-22-4.

However, that also means that there will be enough competition to make the team when Duehr goes to the camp on 4 September. For him, one of the added benefits of signing with Winnipeg is how close it brings him to home.

“It’s only six and a half hours drive,” said Duehr, who remains the first and only player born in South Dakota to reach the NHL. “That will be nice for the family, but I come to a team that has had a lot of success in recent years.

“They have a good core, and they play a style that really embraces the style that I also play. It is one of the reasons why I signed there. I am excited to get started with them.”

The Duehr two-way deal is no different than its earlier pro-deals, giving Winnipeg the option to call him to the roster of the jets or to send him to the AHL for more refinement.

If Duehr cannot make the team out of the camp, he starts the season with the AHL branch of Jets, the Manitoba Moose.

Duehr has been back in Sioux Falls for the summer since mid -May. He took about a month off and trained light to give his body some time to recover. In June, however, he started exercising full -time in the Sanford Fieldhouse and last month he performed his ice age.

“I skate three or four times a week and train three or four times a week,” said Dahr, “so training is in full force again when I get ready for training camp.”

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live

Working with his old coach and mentor, Noëlle Needham, has skated Duehr this summer with Legend Hockey Elite players in the IcePlex. He also received a lot of ice age in Midco Arena, where the majority of the Augustana hockey team has also skated.

In the Veldhuis, Dehr has worked closely with the lead strength and conditioning coach Brad Rilling.

“I was able to use the peat and weight space they have here,” said Dahr. “It is a great combination for me to be able to work on speed -stuff. It is clear that the weights and being able to use some of the recovery things they have here have helped me make my body feel good throughout the summer.”

Duehr saw action last season in a total of 24 NHL matches (16 with the flames and eight with the sharks), on average a little less than nine minutes on the ice per game. With San Jose he scored two goals, including a telephony from the first period in his debut on January 23 with the team at home against Nashville.

After spending more than three years at Calgary, Deehr got his first taste of life with another organization when he landed in San Jose. It was a bit of a chaotic experience that turned out to be an eye opening in more than one way.

“Between my agent and I thought there was a good chance that I would be picked up somewhere. It was San Jose, so it was a whirlwind,” Duehr said. “I was picked up at noon Calgary -time and I was on a flight at 7 p.m. Calgary time. I had to pack my life and go out and come in at 1 o’clock to play the next day.

“However, I scored, so it’s funny how that stuff works.”

Trent Singer is a sports reporter for Sioux Falls Live. He focuses his reporting on Augustana Men’s Hockey and Sioux Falls Area Sports. The previous stops of the singer include Just women’s sportsthe Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New era.