On Thursday, March 2, Andy Strickland of the Bally Sports Midwest network reported that Winnipeg Jets defenceman Logan Stanley requested a trade. The 24-year-old left-handed defenceman has been rotating in and out of the lineup due to injury this season and has never been able to find his footing on the Jets’ blue line.
Stanley has appeared in 13 games for the organization this season and has played 108 career NHL games up until this point. As he nears the prime of his career, he is likely looking for a better opportunity elsewhere to showcase his talent. He was given an opportunity in 2021-22 to earn a full-time role, but the emergence of Dylan Samberg has pushed him out of the lineup.
Logan Stanley Still Has League-Wide Value
The 2016 first-round selection still has league-wide value, especially for teams looking to do a re-tool on the fly and get younger on the back end. In Winnipeg, his spot on the blue line no longer remains.
A trade request does not mean that the organization will grant his wish. Although, with the left side of the Jets’ defensive prospect pool being stacked with the likes of Ville Heinola, Declan Chisholm, and Samberg, the Jets would be smart to move Stanley in an attempt to bolster another aspect of the lineup.
Stanley is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) after this season and is looking for a change of scenery for the next chapter of his career. Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Brenden Dillon, and Dylan DeMelo are all under contract for another season after this one, further clouding Stanley’s chances of earning a full-time role. With under a day, until the Trade Deadline passes, it will be interesting to see if this request gets solved now, or rather is a move made in the offseason.
The Jets organization and development team took their time with the 6-foot-7 defender, as Stanley played with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL) for two seasons before being called up. He has experienced ups and downs at the NHL level but is now seven years removed from his draft year and has yet to win over the coaching staff.
What the Jets Should be Looking For In Return
Although they have already made a great move in acquiring Nino Niederreiter, the Jets’ work should not be finished just yet. The stars have aligned to go all-in this season, and the Deadline is looming. What else do the Jets need to finish off the 2022-23 season? It has been made clear that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff likes to acquire players with term, but this season in particular, acquiring a low-cost rental player could pay off big time.
Related: Jets Get Outstanding Value in Trade for Nino Niederreiter
The Jets should be looking to move Stanley to a team with veteran defenceman and bottom-six forwards, such as the Washington Capitals, who have a boatload of unrestricted free agents (UFA) this offseason. Craig Smith, who was just traded from the Boston Bruins to the Capitals, and forward Conor Sheary are both good options for the Jets to bolster their bottom six. Sheary has 30 points in 63 games and would provide a scoring boost to a forward group that desperately needs it.
If they choose to add a veteran defenceman, Trevor Van Riemsdyk is an option from the Capitals, while others, such as Carson Soucy from the Seattle Kraken, are still available on the market. A depth defenceman to rotate into the lineup in case of injury is always a good idea, and the Jets could upgrade on this spot with the departure of their former first-round pick.
The Stanley draft pick has not worked out, and with this trade request, the Jets should be looking to move him as soon as possible to receive the maximum amount of value possible. If they continue to be patient with this situation, teams will wait it out and pursue Stanley when he hits the open market, rather than spending assets for him. With the clock ticking on the 2022-23 trade deadline, the Jets need to act fast.
