Image credit: ClutchPoints

Jets looking to add a defenseman after historic start

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Colin Gallant | Last updated Nov 16, 2024 1:33 PM ET

No National Hockey League team in history has gotten off to a better start than the 2024-25 Winnipeg Jets — and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could be looking to make the team even better.

Although The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that the GM won’t make “any bold moves now that may ruin the flow of the team,” he could look to make a strategic acquisition ahead of the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline.

“They’re getting contributions up and down the line up, it’s not just Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the charge, they’ve got everybody else in the mix. Ehlers, Perfetti, Niederreiter and Namestnikov, and so on,” Pagnotta said on a recent episode of The Latest on TFP.

The hockey insider continued: “Is there an area of this team that could potentially improve or look to add down the road? I look at the blueline as really the only potential where they can make any type of addition. They don’t have to right now. That’s going to be something that they’re going to probably look at later on in the season.

“But if this team gets their hands, and they’ve got a little bit of cap space now, if they get their hands on a top four defenseman…(look out).”

The Jets have been getting contributions from all over the lineup, and that includes the blue line. Josh Morrissey is leading the way with 17 points in 17 games, although Neal Pionk has been fantastic offensively, managing 17 points of his own.

To have two defensemen playing at a point-per-game pace is a luxury that virtually no other team has right now, and it’s one of the various reasons why the Jets are 15-2 and first place in the NHL.

Jets have flexibility to make moves ahead of trade deadline

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) defends Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (55) during the second period at Amalie Arena. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

If Cheveldayoff does decide to add another piece — whether on the blue line or not — he has just over $3.2 million in cap space to work with. One player Pagnotta is keeping an eye on is defenseman Marcus Pettersson, whose Pittsburgh Penguins could be on the verge of a fire sale.

“Marcus Pettersson is probably going to be on a lot of teams radars out of Pittsburgh,” Pagnotta said. “I’ve got to imagine that Chevy and the crew in Winnipeg are going to look at him, but man, if they add somebody else to that top four D-core, they’re going to be that much more potent.”

The 28-year-old is in the final year of a five-year contract that pays him just over $4 million in 2024-25; he also owns an eight-team no-trade list, per Pagnotta. It’ll be interesting to see if Cheveldayoff trusts the roster to keep rolling, or whether he will look to add another piece or two before March.

On the ice, Winnipeg suffered just its second defeat of the season — and first since October 28 — on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Jets will look to return to the winning norm against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Puck drops between the 15-2 Jets and 11-5-1 Panthers just past 7:00 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: