Winnipeg Jets: Three Thoughts Post Trade Deadline
The Winnipeg Jets were busy at the 2022 trade deadline making deals that addressed some future goals as well as some that addressed some immediate needs.
At this year’s trade deadline, Winnipeg Jets General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff made some expected moves, such as trading pending UFA Andrew Copp, who was unlikely to re-sign with the Jets. He also added players that will be able to step into the current roster such as former Jet Mason Appleton from the Seattle Kraken and bottom six forward Zach Sanford from the Ottawa Senators.
Long time Jets fan favorite Bryan Little’s LTIR contract was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for salary cap relief along with Jets prospect Nathan Smith who advised the club that he would not be signing with them when he becomes a UFA this summer.
The Jets also made a variety of moves for the future and present. Kieran Hurley has a great analysis of all the Jets’ deadline moves here.
#NHLJets trade deadline:
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) March 21, 2022
5 separate transactions involving 7 players, 7 picks.
Added 3 players (Appleton, Sanford, Barron), 4 picks (2022 2nd, 2022 OR 2023 2nd, 2022 7th, 2023 5th)
Deleted 4 players (Copp, Little, Beaulieu, Smith), 3 picks (2022 5th, 2023 4th, 2023 6th)#wfp
Kevin Cheveldayoff spoke about his trade deadline moves here.
The Jets currently sit four points out of the final wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference with only 19 games remaining. It would take an incredible winning streak for the club to make the postseason.
Given that the chances of doing so are slim, here are three thoughts on the post-trade deadline Winnipeg Jets.
3. Kevin Cheveldayoff is giving the current roster support
When Kevin Cheveldayoff acquired veteran defensemen Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon this past summer it was a message to Jets core players like Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey, and Kyle Connor that he was committed to adding to a team that most thought would be able to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Last season the Jets defense was exposed as the team’s weak link, and the hope was that these acquisitions would be the remedy. Unfortunately, this season has not gone as well as the team and fans had hoped.
The Jets currently sit four points outside of a wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference. While many predicted Cheveldayoff would be a seller at the trade deadline, his moves today show that he has committed to supporting this roster during the final push to make the playoffs.
Cheveldayoff did what was required by getting back future assets for high demand pending UFA Andrew Copp. He also declined to move pending UFA Paul Stastny clearly indicating in his press conference that he is a key piece of the Jets’ current roster and needed in order to try for the final wild card playoff spot.
By game time Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Jets look to have two new bottom six forwards in the line up who Cheveldayoff hopes will offset the loss of Copp, and enhance the team’s chances to make the playoffs.
2. The Jets added some size to their forward group
Kevin Cheveldayoff’s three player additions at the deadline were 6’4″, 220-pound center prospect Morgan Barron, 6’3″, 210-pound forward Zach Sanford, and reacquiring 6’3″ 195-pound forward Mason Appleton.
If you guessed that one common denominator between all three players is size, you are correct. Cheveldayoff reinforced that point in his press conference indicating that all three players had size, were hard to play against, and would give the Jets’ third line a much harder look.
Jets fans are certainly familiar with the style of game Appleton plays, and Cheveldayoff indicated that he had attempted to acquire him several times this season. He also described prospect Barron as a big player who is close to being an NHL regular, but will initially start in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose.
Cheveldayoff mentioned that Zach Sanford’s size and heaviness was very noticeable to the Jets when he was a member of the St. Louis Blues. The Jets envision Appleton – Lowry – Sanford playing together on a third line which should have a more distinct identity than the various combinations we’ve seen this season.
Given the moves that Central division rivals Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche made at the trade deadline, a physical third line might be a better match against some of these Central division teams.
1. Big changes are coming this summer for the Jets
No matter how big of a fan you are, or how much of an optimist, the Jets’ chances of making the playoffs with 19 games remaining are slim to none (actually 9% according to this).
Hypothetically, even if the Jets do buck the mathematical odds, their reward in the first round would likely be to face the Colorado Avalanche, who at this point have a higher probability of making the Stanley Cup finals than the Jets do of making the playoffs. So assuming the Jets either miss the playoffs or make it and are swept in four games, changes will need to be made.
Starting with coaching, it’s unlikely that interim head coach Dave Lowry will be retained in his current role should either of these scenarios happen. I suspect that whoever is brought in as head coach would also choose their own assistants, meaning that it’s highly probable that the Jets will start with a clean slate from a coaching perspective.
Cheveldayoff’s number one priority in terms of UFA’s will be to re-sign Pierre Luc Dubois to a long-term deal. Dubois has rebounded from his disappointing last season to one where he is heading towards a career high in points and playing the type of two-way game that the team envisioned when he was acquired.
Fortunately, the team has a little more breathing room in terms of salary cap space thanks in part to Cheveldayoff’s trade of Bryan Little’s LTIR contract to the Arizona Coyotes.
Finally, Cheveldayoff will have to address the logjam on defense, as veterans Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon, and Nate Schmidt combine to eat up almost $11 million in cap space. Given that the organization has two or three defense prospects that could step into a middle or bottom pair role now, it may be time to consider moving one or more of these veterans for help upfront or cap space.
Underachieving teams like the Jets cannot afford to be too precious about keeping this group together and hope for different results. I suspect that Kevin Cheveldayoff knows this and that there will be some significant changes this coming summer.
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Winnipeg Jets Fans: What are your thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets trades and what will happen this season and this summer? Leave your comments below!
Next. Breaking Down Each Winnipeg Jets Trade from Trade Deadline 2022. dark