Is Now the Time for the Winnipeg Jets to Trade a Defenseman?
Last week, the New York Rangers made an interesting trade with the Dallas Stars. The Rangers traded twenty-two-year-old Nils Lundkvist, who only has 25 games of NHL experience, for two conditional draft picks.
The two draft picks that Dallas sent to the Rangers are a first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick that could become a third-round pick depending on Lundqvist’s performance.
The reason why our site is focused on this trade is because it could have an effect on the Winnipeg Jets: This trade can give the Jets bargaining power if they want to move a defenseman.
Now could be a great time for the Winnipeg Jets to trade one of their defensemen
The Jets currently have a logjam of defensemen. The Jets have Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk who are considered their top-two defensemen. Then Winnipeg has veterans Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt along with Dylan DeMelo. Also, Winnipeg has the likes of Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola, and Dylan Samberg who are the Jets’ top defensive prospects and are on the cusp of being full-time NHLers. Finally, Winnipeg has Leon Gawanke and Declan Chisholm who have been outstanding in the AHL but have not gotten an NHL chance due to the Jets’ defensive depth.
After you consider all the defensemen the Jets have, then look at their contracts. Among the Jets’ defensive mainstays (Morrissey, Pionk, Dillon, Schmidt, DeMelo) the earliest some of their contracts expire is not until the end of the 2023-2024 season.
With all this being stated, now could be a great time for the Jets to consider trading one of their defensemen.
The Rangers got two high-round picks for a young defenseman who has yet to prove himself at the NHL level. Lundkvist has 25 career NHL games played (all games were during the 2021-2022 season) and has one goal, three assists, and a plus-four plus/minus. If this trade is any indication, the Jets could get some great draft picks and/or prospects for one of their defensemen.
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Winnipeg Jets Fans: Do you think the Jets should trade a defensemen now or wait till some point of the season or hold onto all of their players? Leave your comments below!
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