In this edition of the Jets News & Rumors, we look at some speculation about the Winnipeg Jets trading Rutger McGroarty, the Los Angeles Kings moving Pierre-Luc Dubois, adding more evidence to how good of a trade the Jets made, and the possibility of a Cole Perfetti offer sheet.
Jets Could Move McGroarty
McGroarty, one of the top Jets prospects, had a great year in the NCAA. In his sophomore season with the University of Michigan, he posted 16 goals and 52 points in 36 games, falling just one point shy of leading the team. He was selected by the Jets 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, but now he could be on his way out of town.
On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman carefully talks about McGroarty, but he has heard that his name has come up in trade discussions. The high-end prospect announced he would be returning to Michigan for his junior year, and with only two years left to retain his rights, the Jets could look to move the coveted player.
Friedman adds that both parties (McGroarty and the Jets) have been quiet on all fronts, but he has heard that the conversations are out there.
The Jets traded their 2024 first-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Sean Monahan, so they could look to move the prospect to re-enter the first round of this draft. Another option could be packaging McGroarty with Nikolaj Ehlers to maximize the return to make an impact for the 2024-25 season.
Dubois Dealt Yet Again
It seems like the Jets have dodged a bullet as Dubois has been traded yet again. While the trade between the Kings and Washington Capitals isn’t technically Jets news, the fact that they were able to pull the deal off that they did last year has aged very well.
Related: Analyzing the Capitals & Kings Dubois-for-Kuemper Trade
Bringing in Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a draft pick is looking very good as Dubois being traded for Darcy Kuemper is a significant amount lower than the value Winnipeg got. Less than a full year after signing a massive eight-year deal, the contract is amongst the worst in the league, and Winnipeg came out of that trade far better than the Kings did.
Potential of a Cole Perfetti Offer Sheet
In an exercise done by Shayna Goldman of The Athletic, Perfetti is listed as a potential offer sheet target for other teams. The Jets are fairly comfortable with their cap situation but don’t have a ton of wiggle room. Goldman suggests that a team willing to give up the picks could offer Perfetti up to $5 million, which would result in a first- and third-round draft pick being transferred to the Jets. (from The Athletic, The top 10 players NHL teams should target with an offer sheet this offseason, June 21, 2024)
Perfetti had an interesting development path so far. There are plenty of signs that he could be a true top-six impact player, but he has also been given reduced roles. Under a new coaching staff, this could be the chance for him to shine and have a breakout season. He is coming off a 19-goal, 38-point season, which is a step in the right direction, but he has shown he can be much more than that.
The later the season went, the less responsibility Perfetti was trusted with. At times he was even a healthy scratch and watched from the press box. With holes to fill left behind by Monahan, Tyler Toffoli, and potentially Ehlers, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to grab one of those spots. An offer sheet is certainly possible, though they are very rare. A team willing to give the pair of picks at that price could be food for thought for Kevin Cheveldayoff.
