One of the Winnipeg Jets’ biggest threats in the Central Division is the Dallas Stars, and on Wednesday evening, the Stars made their move, acquiring Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames in exchange for draft picks and prospects.
The Jets made their move when they acquired Sean Monahan in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick. With uncertainty surrounding the sixth defence spot, currently occupied by Nate Schmidt and Logan Stanley, the Jets may turn their attention to the blue line with only eight days remaining until the trade deadline. With the top right-handed option off the board, to a division rival nonetheless, there is still a handful of quality options available for the Jets to target.
Sean Walker – Philadelphia Flyers
Now that Tanev has been dealt, Sean Walker of the Philadelphia Flyers is now the top right-handed option on the market. If the Jets are looking to upgrade their top four, Walker fits the mould of a puck-moving defender who has posted strong defensive analytics this season. He’s a 29-year-old pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and it sounds like he and the Flyers are far off on a possible extension.
Walker has posted 22 points in 60 games so far this season for the Flyers. Rick Bowness told me recently that they “track the scoring chances for and against very closely” for players on the Jets, and you’d have to think they would maintain that mentality when looking at a potential acquisition. According to Natural Stat Trick, he is currently holding a 55.19% expected goals percentage (xG%) and controls 50.87 percent of the scoring chances (SCF%) at even-strength.
With Walker being the top option on the board, teams will be willing to bet the price up on him as we get closer to the deadline. The Edmonton Oilers are a team that comes to mind, and a team that has been linked to Walker since the beginning.
Related: Flyers Should Not Extend Sean Walker
The Jets could absolutely use Walker in their top-four, and if he were to head to another Western Conference contender in the Oilers, it could put them a step behind come playoff time.
Alexandre Carrier – Nashville Predators
Alexandre Carrier of the Nashville Predators is another name to watch for as we approach the deadline. He is a 27-year-old right-shot defenceman who is a pending UFA at season’s end, and with a $2.5 million cap hit, he would fill that role on the Jets blue line without costing as many assets as Walker.
Much like Walker, acquiring Carrier would give the Jets a boost to their middle-pairing, and would push one of Schmidt and Stanley out of the lineup. Having him push Pionk down to the third-pairing along with Dylan Samberg would be a huge boost as well, as in 107 five-on-five minutes together this season, Pionk and Samberg have posted a 64.2 percent xG%.
The caveat to Carrier as a potential trade target is the fact that the Predators are currently holding onto the second wild-card spot in the West and are in the middle of a long winning-streak. As we saw last season with the Nino Niederreiter trade to Winnipeg, they aren’t afraid to sell off their assets despite their spot in the standings, and this year could be no different.
An acquisition of Carrier would likely be much cheaper than Walker, which would be another plus, as the Jets have already shipped out their first-rounder for 2024. Out of the three names presented in this article, I’d label Carrier the most likely to be acquired, given how much he would cost compared to the other two, along with his pending UFA status and the fact he’s a right-handed shot.
Jakob Chychrun – Ottawa Senators
Jakob Chychrun of the Ottawa Senators was acquired by the Senators at this time last season, but despite there being multiple years left on his contract, his name continues to pop up on trade boards. While he’s not a right-handed shot, he can play both sides of the blue-line, and would fill the role of a puck-mover within Winnipeg’s top-four.
Last year at the Trade Deadline, he was moved for a first-round pick and two second-round picks. With his cap hit being $4.6 million for this season and next, he will be a coveted asset among many contenders, and the Jets missing their 2024 first-round pick may put them out of the race.
While he’s the least likely option of the three, a trade for Chychrun would give the Jets a skilled and elite puck-mover, yet another power-play option, and an offensive defenceman that can jump up in the rush and create a numbers advantage at even-strength.
Jets Will Be Looking to Add Before March 8 Trade Deadline
Many Jets fans are wondering whether or not the club will look to add at all before the March 8th Trade Deadline. I have maintained, even after the Monahan trade, that I believe they are going to make an add to their blue line. Walker, Carrier, and Chychrun are three great options for them to look at for a potential deal. One of their biggest assets in a potential deal would be the Montreal Canadiens’ 2024 second-round pick, which they acquired through the Gabriel Vilardi – Pierre-Luc Dubois trade with the Los Angeles Kings.
In the meantime, the Jets will be playing a ton of hockey. In March, they will be playing 16 games in 30 days, with a five-game road-trip near the end of the month. They will need their depth to step up in a big way, as it has all year. Their roster could be even deeper after the Trade Deadline, where they may look to add another defender into the mix.