Winnipeg Jets Trade Options: Max Pacioretty on the Move
The Winnipeg Jets are in the market for improvements. The Montreal Canadiens are toiling in purgatory, tallying 71 points and seeing their franchise goaltender falter. Their captain also wants out.
I am currently aware the Winnipeg Jets are looking for a center. They wanted Paul Stastny, and it stands to reason that they’d take another top six pivot. Max Pacioretty is not a center. He’s firmly on the wing.
But! What Pacioretty would allow the Jets to do, is to bump Kyle Connor down to the third line and plug the ex-captain in with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele.
Now, looking at Pacioretty’s previous season is a bit misleading. His 8% shooting percentage is bad — and far below his 11% career mark, which has hovered above 12% his last four seasons. Thirty goals in each of those four, as well. Just 17 last season, in a tough year period for Montreal.
Max Pacioretty is firmly a 30 goal, 60+ point guy. I don’t believe he’s inexplicably declined. He won’t be 30 until November. The knee injury is unfortunate, but he’s been pretty healthy recently. You put him on that Jets top line, and he’s doing things.
This also makes the third line much better, adding a 30 goal scorer in Connor. Look, I don’t have to stretch to make you believe Pacioretty improves the Winnipeg Jets.
What would the cost be? Well, he’s a rental without a huge cap hit ($4.5MM). But everyone knows Montreal is going to move him. He says he would want a contract extension to stay in Montreal, but why? That team is going nowhere fast. I’m not buying it.
Will he be cheap? No. Will he be reasonably affordable? Sure, probably. Contract extension or not, he helps the Jets next year. They traded for Stastny without assurance he would be on the team this coming season. He will not be, in case you’re wondering.
Look, what Pacioretty will get and what the Jets should be/are willing to give him as another contract is worth a post in and of itself. The 17 goals in 64 games last season don’t scare me. That team was a mess and he missed some time. He was also the only offensive threat.
On the Jets, he doesn’t even have to be in the top three. It wouldn’t be crazy to acquire him for one run, and if things work out, they work out. If you win a Cup and he walks in Free Agency, it’s a deal you take every time. If both teams like the fit, maybe he hangs around a while, wins a couple. Could be fun.