Winnipeg Jets: Should They Be Players at the Trade Deadline?

As the NHL steams towards the holiday break the Winnipeg Jets find themselves knocking on the door of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Making the playoffs this season would be the icing on the cake for the hockey starved fans in Manitoba, and with such a young roster, a playoff run was scoffed at by many of the hockey pundits.  

However, with the hot streak the Jets have been on a possible playoff berth is a reality, and has turned them from trade deadline sellers to potential buyers. 

It’s easy to say, “go out and get someone.” But who would they go after and what do they need? With the young roster they have, is making a move even worth it? 

It should be noted that there are not any credible whispers or rumors out there that the Jets are in the mix for any trades. Not even Eklund has proposed any crazy rumors that he’s “heard” from his various “sources” 

Should the Jets make a move, and if so, what would it be? 

Coming into the season they looked like they would struggle scoring as they had very little punch from their top six forwards. They also really struggled last year on defense. 

This year they have improved in both areas but are still, at best, in the middle of the NHL pack in each category. 

Therefore picking up a veteran scoring forward to slide into the top six would be valuable. But who would that be?

Probably the most sought after player this trade season will be New Jersey’s Zach Parise. Any team that makes a move for him will have to give up something pretty hefty. And that team better be able to get Parise to sign with them long term, or the move could backfire. 

It seems unlikely that someone like Parise would sign long term with a team that is still building for the future. So giving up good young players for him would make no sense for the Jets. 

There's also Ales Hemsky, who would be a good pickup for the Jets and might not cost them too much. Hemsky can score and would give the Jets a much needed extra punch, but he has been inconsistent and injury prone during his career. 

Jarome Iginla is a name that is thrown out there as possibly being on the trade block and could help, but might be a long shot to land in Winnipeg. 

If Winnipeg was one Zach Parise, Ales Hemsky or even one Jarmoe Iginla away from making a big playoff run, then they should pull the trigger. 

As it is, the Jets have a roster full of young players with a great potential. So rather than break that up to bring in a rent-a-player, they should stand pat and make a run with what they have. 

Give guys like Evander Kane, Alex Burmistrov, Zach Bogosian and even Carl Klingberg a shot this year. Even if they come up short, these guys will start to form the core of a team that will be loaded with talent in the next year or two.

So as tempting as making a splash might seem, don’t look for the Jets to make one. If they make any trades, they will be for lower profile, depth type of players.

Will that be good enough to make the playoffs?