Jets mailbag: Trade deadline targets a hot topic

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This article was published 23/02/2025 (201 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The fantastic 4 Nations Face-Off is behind us, the sprint to the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs is underway and the Winnipeg Jets sit on top of the standings having just set a new franchise record winning streak.

Now trade winds are starting to blow, with the March 7 deadline for league-wide wheeling and dealing quickly coming up. Just how brisk they might be headed in the direction of True North remains to be seen, but it’s not a surprise the topic was a popular one in our monthly mailbag.

Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe have the answers to your burning questions.

1. Hypothetically, what’s a HUGE swing that you could see Chevy making this deadline? By HUGE, I mean the biggest he’s ever made. RYAN

MCINTYRE: There’s one player who might (shockingly!) find himself on the market (again!) that I’d say fits the bill: Mikko Rantanen.

I think we all assumed he was going to be a member of the Carolina Hurricanes for at least the rest of the year, but with no guarantee he signs a long-term extension, there are rumblings he could be on the move one more time prior to the deadline (and that the Jets would be one of the teams sniffing around).

Rantanen would check off so many boxes for the Jets and, in my opinion, make them a strong Cup favourite. What would it cost? I’d have to think that conversation begins with fellow pending UFA Nikolaj Ehlers. And I don’t know if Cheveldayoff would be comfortable making that kind of swing without assurance Rantanen would sign here long term.

An even bigger name would be Sidney Crosby, but everything we’re hearing out of Pittsburgh suggests he’s not going anywhere.

Elias Pettersson would also qualify as a massive acquisition, but there’s a lot — a LOT — of risk associated with that given the hefty price that would need to be paid, as well as his play over not just this season but big chunks of last year, which would be my concern over his mega-contract.

In conclusion: Rantanen.

2. Do you think Colton Parayko would look good with the Jets? CHARLES

WIEBE: Look good? The St. Louis Blues defenceman would be an outstanding fit for the Jets, especially when you consider how well he clicked with Josh Morrissey on Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

I’ve long been an advocate of the Jets pursuing Parayko in a trade and while not everyone shared my evaluation of the player, he’s having an excellent season and would provide many of the elements the Jets are looking for when trying to bolster the back end. Parayko has size, mobility, a booming shot and can be used on the penalty kill.

There are two big impediments to any potential deal, though. First, he’s on the Blues top pairing and is under team control for five more years after this one at $6.5 million (which takes him to the age of 37). The second is that he has a full no-trade clause through the 2027-28 season, at which point it moves to a modified no-trade clause.

Parayko also loves St. Louis, so while I think he’d enjoy potentially having Morrissey as a D partner, it seems unlikely the Blues have any interest in moving him right now — even if the Jets made a big offer.

3. If there’s such a thing as an ideal playoff opponent, who do you think would make for a good first round match-up for the Jets? BLAIR

MCINTYRE: At the risk of sounding like I’m avoiding the question, let me start by saying who I feel is NOT a good first-round match-up. The list basically starts with Colorado and ends with Dallas. Avoid! Avoid Avoid! Yes, at some point the Jets will likely have to face at least one if they are to get to the promised land, but kicking that down the road as long as possible would be optimal.

All of which is saying it would be imperative of Winnipeg to maintain their current perch on top of the Central AND on top of the Western Conference, which basically guarantees they don’t see either of those tough division rivals right off the hop.

I’d also add Vegas and Edmonton to that list, but I don’t see a scenario where they will fall out of the top three in the Pacific Division to even make that a possibility.

I think Winnipeg currently matches up well against Minnesota, maybe a bit less so against Los Angeles, and I think they would be heavy favourites against either of Vancouver, Calgary, and Utah (and, if we want to get really silly, Anaheim, St. Louis and Seattle, all of whom are still in the turtle derby for the second wildcard spot).

I believe the Jets will end up as the No. 1 seed and face WC2 in the opening round, which I’d bank on being one of Los Angeles, Calgary or Vancouver at this point. Of those, I’d say Calgary, then Vancouver, then Los Angeles would be the ideal opponent.

4. When it comes to making decisions around Nik Ehlers and re-signing him, how much does the Kyle Connor pending UFA status affect this, and do GMs reach out that far in advance to get a read on what to do? Basically, I don’t think these decisions are made in isolation, there are so many variables and moving parts. Your thoughts? BRAD

WIEBE: There’s no doubt that the decisions are not made in isolation, but that’s not to suggest the Jets couldn’t find the salary-cap space to sign both players either — especially when you consider the cap projections for the next three seasons.

Connor isn’t eligible for an extension until July 1, while Ehlers can become an unrestricted free agent on the same day. Ehlers is into his 10th season with the Jets and has been very productive, including 18 goals and 49 points in 48 games. Connor is firmly established as a mainstay on the top line alongside Mark Scheifele, so he’s going to be due a raise from the $7.143 million AAV he currently is earning. Ehlers will also be looking for a raise from his $6 million AAV.

Pending restricted free agent Gabe Vilardi is also a consideration here, as he’s likely heading toward a contract that could be north of $6 million. On defence, the Jets have a decision coming on pending UFA Neal Pionk, whose next deal could also be north of $6 million, while pending RFA Dylan Samberg is also due a significant raise from the $1.4 million he’s making.

The salary cap is a complex puzzle and every contract, big or small, is a consideration. But if you’re wondering if it’s a foregone conclusion that the Jets will have to choose between Connor and Ehlers, I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.

5. With a significantly increasing 2025-26 salary cap balanced with continued attendance issues, do you expect the Jets to be a cap team in the next two seasons?

MCINTYRE: Based on everything general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and co-owner Mark Chipman have said — a resounding “Yes.”

This comes down to promises made to core players such as Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele when they opted to sign long term in Winnipeg and the desire to avoid any kind of tear down or re-build and instead opt for a re-load.

They say the goal is to win a Stanley Cup, and I truly do take them at their word. In order to achieve that, some significant spending is required especially with players such as Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk pending UFAs, Kyle Connor joining them in a year, and Gabe Vilardi and Dylan Samberg in need of new deals as RFAs.

That’s going to get increasingly pricey, of course, and it’s one of the big reasons True North has been pushing hard when it comes to getting attendance back up. The early returns on an aggressive season ticket campaign are encouraging, and obviously the strong play of the team this season has helped matters as well.

6. Thinking about Nikolaj Ehlers, do you think that a deep Stanley Cup playoff run would help to change his mind about re-signing here? Is he chasing better weather in your opinion? KIM

WIEBE: It’s tough to get a gauge on what Ehlers is going to be looking for in his next deal, since he made it clear during training camp that he doesn’t really want to talk about his contract situation.

Ehlers has always spoken highly of his time with the Jets, but that doesn’t mean he’s not at least curious about what he might be able to earn on the open market. He’s earned that right and this is his best chance to cash in.

I suspect a big consideration for his next deal will come down to opportunity and while he’s encouraged by being added to the Jets’ top power play unit, there isn’t really a pathway for him to become a first-line player unless one of Kyle Connor or Gabe Vilardi moves on – and neither one of those things seems likely, given how well the top line has played this season.

Ehlers is someone that is motivated to win, so I don’t think better weather is a top priority. A deep playoff run could bolster the chances of Ehlers being interested in sticking around, but opportunity and money will also be massive factors.

7. Rapid fire, yes/no. Which players will be on the Jets roster for opening night 2025-26? Nik Ehlers. Neal Pionk. Alex Iafallo. Vlad Namestnikov. Mason Appleton. Cole Perfetti. Ville Heinola. Logan Stanley. Brad Lambert. CHARLES

MCINTYRE: Ehlers – Yes. I think the two sides ultimately find a way.

Pionk – Yes. In a perfect world he’d slide into a third-pairing at some point in his next contract. The Jets love him. Pionk loves Winnipeg. I see this relationship continuing.

Iafallo – No. A very good, versatile player, but one I think who will probably move on as the Jets look to fill his spot from within.

Namestnikov – Yes (I’m cheating on this one since he re-signed on Saturday for two more years).

Appleton – No. Similar to Iafallo. And Namestnikov re-signing makes it more likely one, or both, of he and Iafallo might not be brought back.

Perfetti – Yes. Now, I’ll concede that if Cheveldayoff were to take a big swing, he could be all or part of what’s going the other way.

Heinola – No. It’s time for everyone to move on. The fact he wasn’t even used on Saturday night in three-on-three overtime despite Josh Morrissey being out of the lineup tells you how much his stock has fallen.

Stanley – Yes. They can’t quit each other.

Lambert – Yes. His entry-level contract will be a big asset, especially if some job openings are created by a couple forwards not being re-signed.

8. Do you see potential for Seth Jones to be a top 4 D-man in the league (five years left on $9-M contract) if playing alongside Josh Morrissey or Dylan Samberg? Is there a salary retention or salary dump that would make him worth considering for the Jets? CRAIG

WIEBE: Jones is an interesting study, especially since it’s been quite some time since he played on a good team — which obviously can impact both the traditional statistics and underlying numbers.

Do I think a mobile blue-liner that is 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds can be an impact player and Top-40 D-man again? Absolutely, provided he’s put in a position to play with a steady D partner.

I would have to do a deeper dive on his play, but at first blush, trying to unlock his offensive skill with a partner like Samberg would make a lot of sense. Jones has eclipsed 50 points on two occasions (including his career-high 57 points in 78 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017-18) and has been a double-digit goal scorer three times, so the offensive talent is there.

Jones is 30, so the five-year term wouldn’t scare contending teams away, but the $9 million AAV would require at least some retention for most clubs at this stage. What the Blackhawks are willing to eat is likely going to play a role in where Jones is moved if he gets his wish.

Does the fact that his father, former NBA centre Popeye Jones played for the Toronto Raptors, mean he’d be open to a move to Winnipeg? That’s tough to say right now. I would say it’s more likely he’d prefer to go to the Dallas Stars, but the Jets’ situation would probably have plenty of appeal if he wants to go to a team that’s competing for a Stanley Cup.

9. Why does Connor Hellebuyck not sit on the bench when he’s the backup? Does he watch from the dressing room? In full equipment? Is this just a superstition thing? RANDY

MCINTYRE: If I had a nickel for every time I’m on the road covering the Jets and a writer for the home team has asked me “Where’s Hellbuyck? Is something up with him” I’d have…a lot of nickels! But that’s one of the little quirks the two-time (soon to be three-time) Vezina Trophy winner has.

I’m told it has nothing to do with bench space, but rather a preference to sit in the room with goaltender coach Wade Flaherty and break down what he’s seeing off a TV monitor. He’s also in there with video coach Matt Prefontaine — the “Connor McDavid of video coaches” as Eric Comrie recently dubbed him — and playing a vocal role at times in deciding whether to challenge certain things such as goaltender interference. You know Hellebuyck has a lot of opinions on that, as he’s made various pitches to the NHL over the years about the subject.

I’ve jokingly suggested to the Jets they could make some good money having a live pay-per-view feed of that room, but I’m guessing Hellebuyck would swat down that idea as quickly as he does a routine wrist shot.

And yes, Hellebuyck is in his full gear while doing all this, at the ready in case Comrie got hurt or pulled and his presence was quickly required.

10. How do you see the Jets handling their goaltenders down the stretch? What’s your prediction in terms of the number of games Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie end up with? STEVE

WIEBE: After Saturday’s start that ended with a 4-3 shootout victory, there are 25 games remaining in the regular season for the Jets and those games will be played in a 52-day span.

Hellebuyck has started 43 games so far and will be between the pipes on Monday against the San Jose Sharks, and in all likelihood, on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators. Comrie is up to 14 and will likely hit 15 on Thursday against the Nashville Predators as the Jets play on consecutive days.

I see Comrie finishing with 20 starts (maybe 21), which would leave Hellebuyck around 62, plus his three at the 4 Nations Face-Off. That’s a manageable number for a guy who thrives on being in a rhythm.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.

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Ken Wiebe
Reporter

Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer.

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