Jets refuse to speculate about potential deals as trade deadline nears

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This article was published 05/03/2024 (579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Given the time of year, perhaps it’s no surprise a shroud of secrecy surrounds the status of Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi.

The 24-year-old missed a third straight game on Tuesday night with an upper-body injury.

“He will travel with us, and we’ll deal with it again on Friday,” is all Jets coach Rick Bowness would offer when pressed for further details about the nature and severity of the ailment, a reference to when his club plays their next game in Seattle.

Does that mean he could be available that night in the rematch against the Kraken?

“We’ll deal with it on Friday,” Bowness repeated. He later clarified that Vilardi, who has missed a total of 23 games this year with three different injuries, is not currently skating.

Friday just so happens to be the NHL’s trade deadline, and you have to think Vilardi’s health may factor in to what general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff might have up his sleeve.

The Jets were already thought to be in the market for another scoring winger, and being without Vilardi for an extended period of time would likely punctuate that given he’s been an effective top-line forward with 16 goals and 14 assists through 38 games.

One potential target, Anthony Mantha of the Washington Capitals, is now off the board after going to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday evening in exchange for a pair of draft picks.

Bowness was asked if he had a “wish list” for his club, and responded by saying “I wish we win the game (Tuesday) night, how’s that?”

“That’s just noise. A lot of it, 99.9 per cent of it, never, ever happens, regardless,” Bowness said of not getting caught up in trade speculation. “Our guys have been pretty dialed-in right now. This is a good group. And we talk all the time, block out the noise. Your job is to come in here and play hockey.”

Bowness said part of his job is having conversations with Cheveldayoff about potential needs, but he’s not in his ear 24/7.

“I love the team we have,” he said.

“It’s up to Chevy. He’s been great to keep me abreast. I don’t need to know every conversation that goes on. I don’t want to know every conversation that goes on. When he feels there’s something there that can help our team, then include me, but until then I don’t get wrapped up.”

One thing Bowness doesn’t have to worry about is losing players due to a fire sale, the way non-contending teams often do this time of year. Winnipeg is a lock to make the playoffs, so addition, rather than subtraction, would be the way to go.

“When you’re in a position where you’re fighting for your life every day at this time of year to make the playoffs, yeah, there’s a big difference. Because you know you need some help to get over that hump,” said Bowness.

“Right now, we like our team and love the way we’re playing.”

That also brings some comfort to a player such as Dylan DeMelo, who is a pending unrestricted free agent this summer but certainly isn’t going anywhere before then given he is part of Winnipeg’s top blue-line pairing with Josh Morrissey.

“It’s a tough time for a lot of guys out of the playoff picture, on expiring deals or that get traded. It gets even harder when you have a family, kids and if kids are in school, that wrinkle gets added to it. We know we signed up for that and it’s tough,” said DeMelo.

“But at the other end of that spectrum, to be a UFA on a team that’s battling at the top in the playoff picture here, it’s easier knowing you’re going to be here for a long playoff run. I’ve always enjoyed my time here and the fit has been great, on and off of the ice. It’s been a lot of fun getting to be with these guys for the last four-ish years. Hopefully, we can continue that in the future. But the focus now is the big push and put ourselves in a good spot for a playoff run.”

Like the coach, DeMelo said players aren’t spending much time worrying about what could be added by Friday.

“Control what we can control. Go out and play,” he said.

“If we make a move, we make a move. If not, great. This is our group. Great. It’s up to Chevy and the front office to decide what they want to do. We feel we have a great group in here and guys have done a great job all year, playing well and using our depth. We feel when we’re playing our game, doing what we do, we feel confident against anybody in this league.”

Now if they could just return to full health, which includes more than just Vilardi. Bowness said a pesky flu bug continues to make its way through his locker room.

“This is bad. It just seems they come in and it just won’t go away. Some of the wives have it now,” he said.

Defenceman Nate Schmidt, for example, was held out of Tuesday’s game because he’s been “really battling it.”

“I give them full marks. They’ve been playing through it. You’re on the ice and you’re not feeling well or you’re getting sick between periods, yeah, it’s tough,” said Bowness.

“So give the guys full marks. You talk about all-in, that’s a big part of it, playing through injury, playing through sickness.”

DeMelo said he’s been lucky enough to avoid it — a development he attributed to having a young son in daycare.

“He gets sick every week. I guess I’m just used to it now. You pop a few DayQuils in as you go, I guess,” he said.

“I don’t know what it is. Every team deals with it every year. We got a lot of games coming up here, so it’s important guys get their rest, get hydrated and take care of what they need to do. And if guys need to come out of the lineup, we feel confident with the depth that we have that guys can fill the void.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg