Jets make deals with the Devils Land goalscorer Toffoli and veteran blue-liner Miller from New Jersey By: Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe Posted: 12:16 PM CST Friday, Mar. 8, 2024 Last Modified: 6:45 PM CST Friday, Mar. 8, 2024 Updates

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The Winnipeg Jets will be heading into playoff battle this spring with arguably their deepest and most talented roster to date, one that was significantly bolstered Friday after general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff stepped up to the plate and took a couple big swings.

Right-winger Tyler Toffoli and defenceman Colin Miller were acquired from the New Jersey Devils in a pair of separate deadline day deals.

Not only do the pending unrestricted free agents fill specific needs in Winnipeg’s lineup, no new ones were created to land them. Three draft picks — a 2025 second-rounder pick and 2024 third-rounder for Toffoli, and a 2026 fourth-rounder for Miller — were the combined price.

“We were pretty aggressive right from the start,” Cheveldayoff said of the mindset in trying to reward his team, which entered play on Friday night in Seattle with a 39-17-5 record that was No. 1 in the Central Division and No. 2 in the Western Conference in terms of point percentage.

Toffoli is a proven winner, having captured the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in his rookie season (2013-14) and getting to the Final with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. In addition to that championship pedigree, the 31-year-old from Scarborough, Ont. can score goals, provide a boost to the power play and fit in seamlessly to the group.

“There’s nothing better than playing in a Canadian market,” Toffoli said in a Zoom call with reporters. “Winnipeg, the fans are very passionate. I’m excited to go there and keep pushing for the playoffs and try and make a run with them.”

Toffoli has 26 goals and 44 points in 61 games with the Devils this season, along with 88 games of playoff experience on his resume. He has produced 253 goals and 510 points in 794 NHL games with the Kings, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Canadiens and Devils, who are a longshot to make the post-season.

Now, another shot at getting back to the promised land for Toffoli, and in a contract year, to boot.

“Winnipeg, the fans are very passionate. I’m excited to go there and keep pushing for the playoffs and try and make a run with them.”–Tyler Toffoli

“As each season kind of goes by, I’m starting to realize how hard it actually was,” he said of winning so quickly. “The fire, the motivation is there. It’s one of those things, talking with Chevy and talking with Bones, they want to win and I want to win. I feel like it’s going to be a great fit. I’m excited to meet up with the guys and practice with the guys and start playing.”

Although Toffoli’s versatility would allow him to fit in anywhere, the most likely spot he will start is alongside Sean Monahan and Nikolaj Ehlers.

“I’m excited. I feel like it’s going to be a pretty easy fit with the guys that I know,” said Toffoli. “I feel like they’re really good team guys and they’re well-liked by everyone, from what I would understand from the outside looking in. I’m excited to get in the locker room and get to work.”

Toffoli’s connection to Monahan goes back to junior hockey, where they were teammates and roommates with the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons. They also played together with the Flames. Toffoli also played alongside Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi with the Kings.

That history with some of his new teammates is a huge plus, he said.

“I’m excited. I feel like it’s going to be a pretty easy fit with the guys that I know.”–Tyler Toffoli

“The team is really good, playing really well. Feels like all the pieces are there. So it’s just a matter of getting there and trying to fit in as fast as possible and getting to work,” said Toffoli.

The Devils also retained 50 per cent of Toffoli’s salary (US$4.25 million), which left some additional wiggle room on the salary-cap side to add some additional depth on defence which came in the form of Miller just before the 2 p.m. trade deadline.

Miller, 31, has four goals and four assists in 41 games with New Jersey and is making US$1.85 million this year.

His most productive campaign came six years ago in Vegas when he collected 10 goals and 31 assists in 82 games as one of the “Original Misfits” with the expansion club. He also played important minutes during the 2018 Western Conference Final when the Golden Knights downed the Jets in five games, making it to the Cup Final where they lost to the Washington Capitals.

“He has a lot of playoff experience. He has a good shot, he moves really well, he’s got that experience, he’s got that pedigree. And even more importantly, both guys are great people. That’s a big check mark for us as well,” said Cheveldayoff.

“We’ve got a good group here. One thing that we’re very cognizant of, and even when I talked to the players, is they wanted to make sure we brought in good people. They wanted to make sure that this group stays tight and stays connected, because that was important to them as well.”

The Jets got an early start on trade deadline, acquiring Monahan from the Canadiens on Feb. 2 in exchange for a first-round draft pick. The pending UFA has been a perfect fit as the second-line centre. Along with the eight goals and nine points he’s recorded in 13 games, Monahan has been a beast in the faceoff circle, enhanced the power play, chipped in on the penalty kill and stabilized the second line.

The Western Conference arms race has been well documented, with many teams making a splash this week. With the addition of Toffoli and Miller, the Jets continue to stack up well.

“He (Colin Miller) has a lot of playoff experience. He has a good shot, he moves really well, he’s got that experience, he’s got that pedigree.”–GM Kevin Cheveldayoff

“You look at all the teams, it feels like everybody is trying to stack up and do whatever they can to win so it’s not going to be easy,” said Toffoli.

“It’s always tough and anything happens in the playoffs, so as long as you get there and do the work to put yourself in a position to succeed, then anything can happen. And right now it’s looking good, it’s just a matter of staying with it.”

Toffoli and Miller are expected to arrive in Winnipeg later this weekend and would likely make their debut on Monday when the Jets open a three-game homestand against Washington.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @wiebesworld