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Winnipeg Jets: Three Moves Our Management Needs To Make

By Dylan Paré

WINNIPEG, MB December 07: Coach Paul Maurice talks to his players during the regular season game between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues on December 07, 2018, at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, MB. (Photo by Terrence Lee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB December 07: Coach Paul Maurice talks to his players during the regular season game between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues on December 07, 2018, at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, MB. (Photo by Terrence Lee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 16: Nic Petan #19 of the Winnipeg Jets keeps an eye on the play during third period action against the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell MTS Place on February 16, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Avs 6-1. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 16: Nic Petan #19 of the Winnipeg Jets keeps an eye on the play during third period action against the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell MTS Place on February 16, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Avs 6-1. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The Winnipeg Jets are cruising up the standings, now at third place in the Central Division, but there still are some issues the management should attend to.

So, the Winnipeg Jets are cruising, right? Well, it’s not necessarily all smooth sailing. We have some key pieces to our puzzle that are missing, and well, some extra pieces that don’t really fit. Maybe we could work a swap to give our excess pieces that aren’t working for better fitted one, maybe not. All I know is there should be some moves made by GM  Kevin Cheveldayoff.

1. Nic Petan just needs a fresh start…

I can’t be, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed it. Nic Petan hasn’t found any success playing for the Winnipeg Jets. Petan was a highly touted second round pick who we grabbed in the 2013 NHL Draft. Nic lit up the WHL on the Portland Winterhawks in his draft year, as well as the year prior. Nic’s problem is that he never really could transfer that success into the NHL.

106 career NHL games, and just a mere five goals to show for Nic Petan. The small forward was able to find himself producing in the WHL with seasons seeing him score up to 120 points. Not only the ‘dub, but Petan found some points down on the Manitoba Moose. Playing on the Winnipeg Jets, well that’s another story.

Petan’s first problem is that he has nothing going for him. There can’t be much confidence being carried by a guy playing like him, so it must be tough. He hasn’t been successful in the NHL, well, ever. He’s struggling to manage more than a single point and Winnipeg just hasn’t been a good spot for him.

Secondly, Petan gets next to nothing in terms of ice time. Now I’m not saying he’s played well enough to get first line minutes, but the kid has zero chance of improvement on our fourth line. I can tell you from experience that when you barely see eight minutes or less of ice time, it’s hard to get into the game.

Nic’s tenure in Winnpeg hasn’t been what was expected or hoped for by Jets fans and the management. I honestly can’t see him getting any better while being stuck on Winnipeg’s fourth line or even being scratched half of the time. Swinging a trade to send Nic Petan would be good for us, but even better for him.

To be honest, I have absolutely no clue what the market value of a guy like him is. The one thing I know for sure is that it cannot be high, or near anything of what it was when he was first drafted to the ‘chel. Maybe we could deal him as a part of a trade for a defenseman, due to the battered back end we have at the moment.

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