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Winnipeg Jets Defense Wins at Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft

By Kieran Hurley

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: The Seattle Kracken draft picks (L-R) Jordan Eberle, Chris Driedger, Chris Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Haydn Fleury and Mark Giordano following the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft at Gas Works Park on July 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Kraken is the National Hockey League's newest franchise and will begin play in October 2021. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: The Seattle Kracken draft picks (L-R) Jordan Eberle, Chris Driedger, Chris Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Haydn Fleury and Mark Giordano following the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft at Gas Works Park on July 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Kraken is the National Hockey League's newest franchise and will begin play in October 2021. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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The Winnipeg Jets went into last night’s expansion draft knowing they would lose one of their unprotected players to the Seattle Kraken as part of the draft.

There was a common understanding among Winnipeg supporters that the player that would be taken from the Jets would be either, forward, Mason Appleton or, defenseman, Dylan DeMelo.

Ultimately, Seattle decided to go with Appleton as they start to build their roster for their first season in the league and this could be seen as a win for the Winnipeg Jets.

The Winnipeg Jets hold on to Dylan DeMelo

DeMelo was a consistent key figure on the Jets’ defensive corps last season and losing him would have been an extremely heavy blow for the Jets.

The twenty-eight-year-old can play anywhere on Winnipeg’s depth chart and his game in his own defensive zone has improved substantially over his career as he will begin his seventh season in the NHL in 2021-2022.

DeMelo was one of the Jets’ top penalty killers last season and finished with a plus-10 plus/minus and that total was good to put him as second-best among Jets defensemen.

This now leaves Winnipeg with a current blueline of Josh Morrissey, Nathan Beaulieu, and DeMelo. The Jets still need to resign pending restricted free agents Neal Pionk and Logan Stanley.

With that being stated, Winnipeg now has options to promote the likes of Ville Heinola to a potential full-time role and/or sign a free agent defenseman.

Now the Jets front office can consider going after one free agent defenseman rather than most likely having to go after two if DeMelo was the one that departed to Seattle.

As the old saying goes, “defense wins championships” and by the Jets holding on to DeMelo, they benefitted on defense.

Now that the expansion draft is done, the attention turns to the entry draft. The first round is scheduled for tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. central time and Winnipeg will be selecting 18th overall. Stay tuned to our site for draft coverage!

Winnipeg Jets Fans: How do you think the Winnipeg Jets will replace Mason Appleton? Will they look to free agency or promote a prospect? Leave your comments below!

Next. Seattle Kraken Select Mason Appleton from the Winnipeg Jets. dark

*All Stats Provided by the NHL*

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