Ottawa Senators, Winnipeg Jets GMs huddle; is a trade in works?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/02/2019 (2397 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire?

There was plenty of intrigue on display Sunday afternoon at Bell MTS Place as trade rumours between the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators appear to be heating up.

Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion, assistant GM Peter MacTavish and director of pro scouting Jim Clark were all in attendance as the Manitoba Moose took on the Milwaukee Admirals.

It’s the fourth straight day the Ottawa braintrust has been at the downtown rink. They also took in Thursday’s Jets game against Colorado, Friday’s Moose game against Chicago and Saturday’s game in which their Senators beat the Jets 4-3 in overtime.

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and chairman/co-owner Mark Chipman were on hand Sunday to watch the AHL club play.

The Free Press spotted Dorion and Cheveldayoff meeting behind closed doors in Cheveldayoff’s suite during the second intermission. Dorion then left and was on the phone for several minutes before returning to his press box seat, while Cheveldayoff and Chipman sat down together in the GM’s office as the third period began.

It’s no secret Ottawa is considering moving Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel by next Monday’s trade deadline, as all three are pending unrestricted free agents. All three players scored against the Jets Saturday, just as they did last weekend in Ottawa in a 5-2 victory.

The Jets have been linked in talks to Stone, a Winnipeg product, and Duchene, a centre, as they try to bolster their club down the stretch.

Among the players Dorion and his crew are likely keeping a close eye on are Moose goalie Eric Comrie, who was sensational in making 38 saves in Friday’s 3-2 win over Chicago. But he struggled Sunday, giving up five goals on 19 shots and getting pulled late in the second period against the Admirals.

Defenceman Sami Niku is also a likely target in trade talks, and Dorion got to see him in NHL action Saturday night as he was called up to replace the injured Dustin Byfuglien.

It’s also worth noting Nashville has been linked in talks with Ottawa, and Milwaukee is the AHL farm club of the Predators. One likely target would be prospect Eeli Tolvanen, who scored a beautiful goal Sunday against Comrie, his 9th of the season in 36 games.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg