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Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn. David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Luke Schenn reportedly open to trade

Originally posted on Pro Hockey Rumors | By Ethan Hetu | Last updated Jan 9, 2026 3:55 AM ET

The Winnipeg Jets have been arguably the NHL’s most disappointing team this season, as last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winners have fallen to last place in the league standings.

Owners of a 10-game losing streak, the Jets look increasingly unlikely to return to the postseason this spring, and as a result, increased focus is being paid to whether or not the Jets might look to trade away some veteran assets to help retool their roster.

While it appears highly unlikely that Winnipeg would pursue major roster surgery — much of the lineup that got 56 wins and 116 points last season remains intact — it could be that the club looks to replenish some of its lineup by trading away a few pending free agents that it may not have interest in re-signing. One name that looks poised to be a trade candidate is that of 1,100 game veteran Luke Schenn.

Schenn, 36, is playing out the final year of the $2.75M AAV free-agent contract he signed in 2023 with the Nashville Predators. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that while Schenn hasn’t requested a trade, “there is some word” that he “wouldn’t mind a change of scenery.”

Schenn is Winnipeg’s most sparingly used defenseman, averaging just 13:32 time on ice per game. While he’s still playing a role on the penalty kill (1:44 per game) his usage is well below where it was in Winnipeg (17:28 per game) last season. Schenn has also been a healthy scratch at times this season, including four times in the team’s last eight games.

The Athletic’s Chris Johnston listed Schenn No. 8 on his third trade board of the season today, writing that the veteran will “carry value as a right-shot defenseman ideally suited for third-pairing duty.”

The Jets surrendered two draft picks (second- and fourth-round choices) to acquire Schenn, and it’s unlikely, as Johnston noted that they’d be able to get that kind of value back in any Schenn deal.

But even if they won’t end up getting a huge amount back in a trade, a Schenn deal could accomplish two key, useful objectives for the club.

Firstly, if Schenn indeed would prefer a deal away from Winnipeg, trading him would be doing right by a well-respected veteran player. Clubs are always striving to build a reputation as a place that treats its players well, and the Jets would be able to enhance their reputation in that area by giving Schenn the chance to compete for another Stanley Cup ring elsewhere.

Secondly, trading Schenn would not only clear the pro-rated portion of his $2.75M cap hit off their books, it would also open up a roster spot, and some ice time, for some of the other Jets blueliners. 21-year-old Elias Salmonsson, for example, could benefit from the additional ice time.

In addition, the Jets have a few other defensemen playing at the AHL level that could stand an increased chance at getting an NHL look if Schenn is traded. 6-foot-4 right-shot blueliner Tyrel Bauer, for example, plays a similar style to Schenn on the Moose and plays a regular role on their penalty kill. The Jets have yet to test him at the NHL level, though he has nearly 200 games on record for the Moose.

He’s a pending restricted free agent, and trading Schenn could allow the Jets to give Bauer a look at the NHL level, which could go a long way in informing what kind of deal they’re prepared to offer him in his upcoming restricted free agency.

Ultimately, while the Jets certainly aren’t in the on-ice position they hoped, or expected, to be in 2025-26, there are still steps they can take to make the most of what has thus far been a miserable NHL season. Trading Schenn, who would be open to a deal per Pagnotta, could be the start of a set of moves in Winnipeg designed to reboot the roster.

This article first appeared on Pro Hockey Rumors and was syndicated with permission.

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