We are only a few days away from the NHL’s trade deadline, one of the most anticipated annual dates in the world of hockey. It’s an exciting time for any team involved, especially those that add to their roster — be it a high-prized key piece or even a depth acquisition.
Leading up to Friday at 2 p.m., when the horse-trading ceases, the Winnipeg Jets are expected to be a suitor.
We know this because GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has delivered in this scenario plenty of times in the past, taking big swings to help his team. Some have worked out exceptionally well, like Paul Stastny. Others have not, like Kevin Hayes.
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Of course, in the cyclical game of hockey, when you have a first-place team and there are only 20 games to go before the playoffs start, it’s expected that moves will be made to shore up areas of perceived deficiency.
Now, the Jets are not your average team when it comes to easily facilitating said moves, even with their standing atop the league, as nearly everyone available has Winnipeg on their no-trade list — a huge hurdle in consummating a deal.
Moreover, from what we can gather, the hard cost of this year’s available stock is ambitiously priced, further complicating matters.
But also understand this: with no second-round draft pick available this coming summer, the Jets have little interest in dealing their current first-round pick. And they’re also not keen on parting with an asset like Brad Lambert either.
Sure, the argument for that is it could be the cost of doing business, but the counter is that giving up too much might end up being bad for your business long-term.
The NHL trade deadline is just days away – an exciting time, no doubt, with the Jets likely to be involved in something, but when the horse trading concludes on Friday, it just might not be the thoroughbred everyone is expecting to gallop into Winnipeg.
