The Winnipeg Jets find themselves in a tough spot this season. The Jets were last season’s darlings, running away with the Presidents’ Trophy. But this year has been completely the opposite.
Heading into Tuesday’s action, the Jets hold a share of last place in the Central Division with the Chicago Blackhawks. Winnipeg is on pace to follow the New York Rangers’ path last season: Going from the Presidents’ Trophy to a playoff miss the following season.
But that situation hasn’t deterred Winnipeg from punting on the season. As notable insider David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period noted, the Jets aren’t calling it a season yet.
In a December 29 piece, Pagnotta wrote the following:
“The Winnipeg Jets are not punting on the season and still feel they can climb out of the hole they currently find themselves in, but the lack of secondary scoring has been a major concern. The Jets want to address that and bring in someone for the second line, but it doesn’t sound like they are prepared to dish out draft picks again for rental pieces.”
Based on Pagnotta’s assessment, the Jets aren’t looking for any short-term fixes or quick turnarounds. But then again, it might not be easy to solve their scoring woes. The Jets have over $7 million in cap space to play with. But landing a second-line piece would be easier said than done.
Jets May Have Valuable Trade Chip
According to The Athletic’s Trade Board, Jets’ prospect Brad Lambert could be a piece on the move. As the description under Lambert’s placement describes, the Jets don’t have to trade Lambert.
But if they did, Lambert could be an interesting trade chip to use. While the 21-year-old winger is still very much an unproven prospect at the NHL level, he could draw some interest. Perhaps a team like the Vancouver Canucks may give him a shot in exchange for a forward like Evander Kane.
That supposition is hearsay, of course. But the idea goes to illustrate that the Jets may have a potentially valuable trade chip in Lambert. Ideally, the Jets would like to bring in a top-six forward with some term left on his deal. So, Winnipeg may have to wait for the trade market to flesh out.
Deals Could Happen in Coming Weeks
The chatter surrounding the NHL trade market is that its animal spirits could be rekindling soon. That situation means that a flurry of deals could be heading down the pipe soon. If that’s the case, the Jets could ride the coattails of such frenzy.
Winnipeg isn’t likely to be a frontrunner for the biggest names potentially available. But then again, the Jets may be able to capitalize on players who slip through the cracks. These could be deals that fell through for some reason, allowing the Jets to swoop in at the last minute.
However, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will be under the gun as time is running out for the team to turn things around. The Western Conference remains somewhat open, even if the top spots are pretty much spoken for at this point.
Jets Plans for Season Revealed by Insider