Jets need to make a move

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This article was published 17/02/2023 (978 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — Trade winds have already blown down Broadway, with Bo Horvat and Vladimir Tarasenko joining the New York Islanders and New York Rangers, respectively, in Big Apple blockbusters that came well in advance of the NHL’s March 3 deadline.

Hopefully, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is working around the clock and catches a gust while he’s here in the City That Never Sleeps. His club, which will get an up-close look at both new additions in the coming days, could certainly use the boost.

Cheveldayoff can’t afford to stand pat or think small. A disheartening 3-1 loss to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night to begin this four-game road trip proves that.

The Jets need another scorer or two.

If the power play is neutralized and the top two lines are held in check, as they were against the NHL’s worst team, there’s not a whole lot left to scare the opposition. And that’s a potentially big problem for a Winnipeg team that needs to take advantage of a major window of opportunity and try to win now in a wide-open Western Conference.

The bottom-six skaters who dressed against the Blue Jackets — Adam Lowry, Morgan Barron, Mason Appleton, Kevin Stenlund, Sam Gagner and Saku Maenalanen — have combined for just 28 goals over 225 games this season. Karson Kuhlman, the lone healthy forward scratch, has two tallies in 24 games.

The work ethic and compete from that group is always there, no question. The finish is certainly not. For example, Lowry, the club’s third-line centre, hasn’t lit the lamp since Dec. 11, a frustrating stretch of 28 games.

Winnipeg is currently tied with the Calgary Flames for 16th in the 32-team league, averaging 3.15 goals per game. The Jets, however, are trending in the wrong direction, scoring just 26 times over an 11-game stretch in which they’ve gone a lacklustre 5-6-0.

It’s not going to get any easier these next three games, with the Jets facing the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, followed by the Rangers (Monday) and Islanders (Wednesday). They represent three of the eight stingiest teams in the NHL this year in terms of goals allowed.

Fortunately, there is plenty of help available on the open market. But it remains to be seen just how aggressive Cheveldayoff plans to be with 13 days left to make any moves.

Here’s a look at 9 forwards who should be on the radar:

1. LW Timo Meier: (56GP, 31G, 21A, 52PTS). The biggest fish available, and one the Jets should be doing everything possible to land. The 26-year-old Swiss superstar, who is a pending restricted free agent this summer, is a true game-breaker. The San Jose Sharks are in full rebuild mode and looking to gather as many young prospects and draft picks as possible. Winnipeg has plenty of those, such as recent first-rounders Ville Heinola, Chaz Lucius, Brad Lambert and Rutger McGroarty in the system, in addition to the necessary salary-cap space. There are several teams rumoured to be in the mix, including New Jersey which is no doubt feeling pressure to keep up with its New York rivals. Meier would sure be a terrific fallback plan should Pierre-Luc Dubois and/or Mark Scheifele not ink long-term extensions before they can become unrestricted free agents by the summer of 2024. Step up to the plate and take a big swing, Chevy.

2. LW/RW Ivan Barbashev: (54GP, 10G, 18A, 28PTS). Not nearly as accomplished as his teammate, O’Reilly, but also a pending UFA likely to be moved by the deadline by a St. Louis squad trying to re-tool on the fly. His numbers are down from last season when he had 60 points (26G, 34A), but the 27-year-old Russian is skilled and would certainly represent an upgrade for Winnipeg.

3. RW Brock Boeser: (47GP, 10G, 25A, 35PTS): Unlike many of the players on this list, Boeser actually has some term left, with two more years at US$6.5 million. Vancouver is trying to burn it down and start over, so the Canucks might be willing to eat some of that money to increase the return. Boeser is having a down year by his standards, but the 25-year-old Minnesotan, who played college hockey at the University of North Dakota, is a proven NHL scorer (131 goals, 160 assists in 371 career games). A change of scenery would likely serve him well.

4. C Jonathan Toews: (46GP, 14G, 14A, 28PTS). His stock is certainly falling, thanks to an undisclosed illness that has sidelined him for the past couple weeks. His no-trade clause also complicates matter, as does his massive salary cap hit (although the Chicago Blackhawks would likely retain some portion). The pending UFA checks off many of the same boxes as O’Reilly, but there’s a lot more risk involved. There’s no question bringing the 34-year-old Winnipeg product home would be a heck of a story.

5. LW James van Riemsdyk: (36GP, 9G, 13A, 22PTS): The 33-year-old pending UFA plays the style of hockey Jets coach Rick Bowness likes, going to the dirty areas of the ice and scoring many of his goals from in close. Frankly, Winnipeg could use a lot more of that. And Van Riemsdyk’s name has been linked to the Jets in recent trade rumours. Is there fire to go with the smoke?

6. LW Lawson Crouse: (50GP, 19G, 12A, 31PTS): His talents are being wasted in the desert, and there’s word the Arizona Coyotes are willing to move him for the right price. Like Boeser, he comes with term and cost control, which should be attractive to a team like Winnipeg. Four more years, at US$4.3 million, is more than reasonable for a big (6-4, 215 pounds), young scoring winger,

7. C Max Domi: (53GP, 14G, 22A, 36PTS). Born in Winnipeg, the 27-year-old son of former Jets forward Tie Domi has long been on the franchise radar, going back to his draft year in 2013. (Arizona took him 12th overall. Winnipeg grabbed Josh Morrissey with the very next pick, which has certainly turned out well). Domi, a pending UFA, is quietly having a nice year on a terrible Chicago club.

8. RW Conor Garland: (54GP, 11G, 18A, 29PTS). He’s signed for three more years in Vancouver, at US$4.95 million, which could be viewed as a negative for the 26-year-old Canucks forward whose career high is 52 points (set last year). Still, there’s a lot to like about Garland, who is short on playoff experience (just eight games) but has the type of two-way, high-energy game that should suit spring hockey

9. C Nick Bjugstad: (55GP, 13G, 10A, 23PTS). The cheapest of this bunch, with just a US$900,000 cap hit that would allow for Winnipeg to make other moves. The 30-year-old Minneapolis native is a big power forward (6-6, 209 pounds) who would add some additional steak to a Jets forward group with lots of sizzle. He would be a bottom-six upgrade.

There’s always the possibility Cheveldayoff has his eye on someone completely off the radar — he can be sneaky like that — which was the case with the Stastny deal five years ago.

Regardless, it’s time to get going. And for the trade winds to start blowing in Winnipeg’s direction.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg