Jets Sell, But Not Aggressively, on Trade Deadline Day

“It wasn’t really crystal clear to me that we would be moving on from Logan until the aggressiveness of Buffalo,” Cheveldayoff said in his post-deadline media scrum. “It addresses an immediate concern, adding to the prospect pipeline but someone (Rosen) that is kind of closer to playing and trying to be a player that can grow in the National Hockey League.”

…But Didn’t Do Much Else Amid Boring Deadline Day League-Wide

Along with Schenn and Stanley, Eric Comrie, Colin Miller, Vladislav Namestnikov, Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, and Jonathan Toews were among the players who were logical to move for whatever Winnipeg could get for them as all (other than Namestnikov) are pending unrestricted free agents.

These were not players Cheveldayoff was going to get a lot for for given most have underperformed, but they all could have garnered something in the way of future assets for a Jets club that has less than a 10 per cent chance of making the playoffs at sixth in the Central Division and seven points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot.

There were also rumours Nino Niederreiter and Cole Perfetti could be dealt, potentially for greater returns.

Cheveldayoff moved only one further player Friday: Pearson, also to the Sabres, for a 2026 seventh-rounder.

In fairness, Miller, Namestnikov, and Niederreiter being out week-to-week with injuries (Niederreiter recently had lower-body surgery) prevented Cheveldayoff from shopping them to buyers who wanted immediate help. Cheveldayoff also said he didn’t suggest a trade to Toews (who has a no-movement clause) and that Toews didn’t come to him to suggest one either.

Also in fairness, the Jets were far from the only team that wasn’t particularly active. There were an overall lack of moves throughout the league and Friday’s proceedings, other than a post-deadline flurry of transactions, were fairly boring.

“It was an interesting deadline, I think. I think a lot more bluster than results… if there’s anything that brings some levity sometimes in difficult times is seeing and reading who I have an interest in on some other team that I’ve never really talked to their general manager about,” Cheveldayoff laughed of the rumours that often circulate on social media in the days and weeks leading up to the deadline.

However, if the reason Cheveldayoff didn’t trade many players is because there was simply no interest in them, it’s a pretty big indictment of his personnel outside his stars and of the additions he made in the offseason to try and keep his team competitive after their Presidents’ Trophy-winning 2024-25.

Jets Weren’t Aggressive, But Retool Underway Anyway

As we at The Hockey Writers covered earlier this week, a quick and aggressive retool to increase cap flexibility, accumulate draft capital, and open lineup spots for youth would have been the best route for the organization to go and given them the best chance of being competitive again in the short term.

The Jets didn’t sell aggressively and as such, they’ll see at least a few players walk away for nothing this summer.

While whether the team can rebound as soon as next season is a question mark, a retool is underway and will bolstered by the trio of additional draft picks, Bryson, and Rosen. A youth movement seems imminent as well.

“We’re at a point here right now where we need to embrace some of these younger players to come in and see what they have,” Cheveldayoff said. “And like I said, take advantage of their opportunity. This is going to be an opportunity for a lot of guys.”