The Winnipeg Jets were Stanley Cup contenders last season when the Stanley Cup Playoffs began. The Jets found a system of play that took loads of the reliance off star goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Winnipeg was among the finest defensive units within the NHL, and it seemed as in the event that they were destined for an extended playoff run in 2024.
Unfortunately, this didn’t come to pass. The Jets defeated the Colorado Avalanche in a chaotic Game 1 in round one. Nevertheless, they proceeded to lose the subsequent 4 games. The Avalanche eliminated Winnipeg in five games, sending the team home wondering, “What if?”
Few expected this team to contend for the Stanley Cup in 2024-25. Winnipeg actually may very well be a great team, undoubtedly. But Stanley Cup contenders felt a bit too far for this group. Especially with trade rumors around Nikolaj Ehlers stemming from questions on his long-term future in Manitoba.
And yet, the Jets have cemented themselves as a Stanley Cup contender. Winnipeg has a 10-point lead over the Dallas Stars atop the Central Division within the Western Conference. Moreover, their 79 points are good for first in your complete NHL. They’ve the within track toward becoming the primary team to achieve the 80-point mark within the NHL this season.
This might actually be the last time the Jets make a run on the Stanley Cup with their current core. Some star players are aging, and others could leave in NHL Free Agency this summer. Now’s the time to make a move, and there’s a glaring roster flaw Winnipeg can and must address on the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
Jets must discover a second-line center
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The Jets made a trade for Sean Monahan on the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Winnipeg gave up a first-round pick for the resurgent Monahan, who had turned things around with the Montreal Canadiens. The concept behind this deal was to have Monahan play because the team’s second-line center.
The move actually worked out as Monahan played well. However the veteran center left in NHL Free Agency to hitch the Columbus Blue Jackets. Consequently, the Jets were left and not using a second-line center. They usually didn’t sign or trade for somebody to fill the void.
As an alternative, the team relied on veteran center Vladislav Namestnikov entering this season. Namestnikov played incredibly well for Winnipeg in 2023-24. Actually, he scored nearly 40 points for the primary time since 2018-19 last season. The logic behind deploying Namestnikov because the second-line center actually made sense.
Namestinkov has actually played well enough this yr. Nevertheless, his skillset is best fitted to a task a bit lower within the lineup. The identical goes for captain Adam Lowry, who has filled in at second-line center as well this yr. Lowry is currently on injured reserve, though, increasing the necessity for a middle this yr.
The Jets could go for one in every of the massive fish centers on the trade market. While a trade for Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson is a little bit of a reach, a move for Latest York Islanders center Brock Nelson is throughout the realm of possibility. The Islanders have played well, though, having won eight of their last nine games.
The Jets can add a middle in any number of the way. Nelson is way from the one option. They’ve the cap space to make a giant move to bolster their roster, as well. A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup for the reason that Montreal Canadiens in 1993. What a story it might be if the Jets were the team to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back north of the border in 2025.
