Winnipeg, Manitoba – Last night in Dallas the Winnipeg Jets pulled the trigger on a block buster trade by Winnipeg standards and send Captain Andrew Ladd, Jay Harrison and Matt Fraser to the Chicago Blackhawks, in return the Blackhawks send Rockford Icehogs Marko Dano to Winnipeg along with the Blackhawks first round draft pick in the upcoming 2016 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional 3rd round draft pick in 2018 and Winnipeg will retain 36% of Andrew Ladd’s contract.
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So what is the condition and how much is 36% of Andrew Ladd’s deal, the condition is very simple if the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup this year the Winnipeg Jets will receive the third round draft pick from Chicago in 2018. If the Blackhawks fail to win the Stanley Cup the third round pick stays in Chicago, giving Winnipeg Marko Dano and a first round pick this year.
Winnipeg has also agreed to retain 36% of Ladd’s $4.5 million dollar salary which sounds like a lot however when all the math is done only leaves $1.62 million dollars on the Winnipeg books for the remainder of the season. The trade also gives the Chicago Blackhawks exclusive negotiation rights to Ladd from now until July 1, when free agency opens up and Ladd would then become a free agent it is looking like Ladd would just be a rental player.
Did Winnipeg make the right move by moving Ladd for an AHL player, well lets take a look at Marko Dano from a statistical stand point. Dano was draft in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets before being traded to Chicago in the Brendon Sadd deal last summer. Dano has played a total of 48 games in the NHL and is sitting at 9 goals, 14 assists and 23 points. This year in Chicago Dano has only played 13 games with 1 goal 1 assist for 2 points sounds concerning right.
In those 13 games with the Hawks Dano isn’t playing on the number one line or getting significant ice time Dano has only averaged 9:41 of ice time per game which is not a lot of ice time Dano was also only getting 41 seconds per shift which is not a lot of time to prove yourself to a powerhouse like Chicago. The important thing to remember is Dano is only 21 years old and was on a powerhouse team it is hard to judge a player on those stats with that little of ice time.
Blue Line Station
Dano could see his ice time go up in Winnipeg if he sticks with the big club and see significant time as the third and fourth line centre now that Bryan Little is out for the remainder of this season. If Dano comes into Winnipeg and they keep Dano on the big club roster you could see possibly Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp get send down to the Manitoba Moose to let Dano get his feet wet in the Winnipeg system. They could also rotate the three centres between the Moose and Jets or between the press box and the dressing room, but this move at least gives Paul Maurice some options.
What about the draft this summer for Winnipeg they have a chance to get very good in a very short amount of time and this is why Maurice and Kevin Cheveldayoff are both still in Winnipeg and not fired after a horrible season they are smart and great with young players, if the season ended today the Jets would be picking third overall which would be their highest pick since coming back to Winnipeg.
The third overall pick varies depending on what draft ranking you follow but the Jets would be very smart to pick Jesse Puljijarvi from Finland, we all seen Puljijarvi at the world juniors in Helsinki is was an absolute whiz kid with the puck and is a huge junior star as well. Puljijarvi would make a very nice addition to the Jets line up with so many young stars on the team and a speedy Nikolai Elhers the Jets could get scary real fast.
The other option on the table for the Winnipeg Jets is the return of the Tkachuk name to the back of a Jets jersey with Keith Tkachuk’s son Matthew draft eligible this year as well it would be bitter sweet for Jets fans for the Tkachuk’s to come full circle. Matthew Tkachuk has had a great junior career and another great season with the London Knights of the OHL. Tkachuk was 6 points behind Puljijarvi at the world juniors and represented USA in Helsinki.
The Chicago Blackhawks also sent their first round pick to the Jets for Ladd and the same scenario as before if the season ended today the Jets would be picking 28th overall as well and this is good for the Winnipeg Jets because late picks in the draft the last couple years have done well in the NHL as of late look to Los Angeles with Tanner Pearson who went 30th overall or Lindin Vey who is in Vancouver and went 27th overall.
Winnipeg would be smart to pick Libor Hajek in the 28th spot, Hajek is a big 6’2 defensive powerhouse, hailing from the Czech Republic Hajek is playing for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League and has played in 57 games this season and racked up 23 points for the Blades. If you follow the draft rankings as closely as most of us hockey nuts do both the International Scouting Service and Future Considerations have Hajek ranked at 30th overall while McKeens was a little over zealous and ranked him at 19th overall. Winnipeg should grab Hajek at 28th, Hajek may start the season or spent a full season in the AHL but wold make the Jets roster by at least year two.
All and all this trade was a win-win for both teams, Andrew Ladd gets to go back to Chicago and possibly win a third Stanley Cup and second with Chicago Harrison and Fraser get to hit reset in Rockford. The Winnipeg Jets get a great prospect in Marco Dano who may see ice time in Winnipeg immediately and the Jets also get great draft picks and better chance to build for tomorrow then they had yesterday.
Mark your calendar Jets fans Andrew Ladd will be at the MTS Centre on March the 18th and April the 1st, Ladd will be donning the Red of the Blackhawks but he will be shown much love either way.