In their January 27 mailbag, Winnipeg Free Press writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe tackled questions about the Winnipeg Jets struggling this season, trade possibilities, and whether changes behind the bench or in the front office are needed.

McIntyre strongly suggested the Jets should consider selling pending free agents rather than trying to buy at the deadline. He highlighted players like Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn, Jonathan Toews, Tanner Pearson, Cole Koepke, and Eric Comrie as potential trade assets. Even draft capital in return would be valuable for replenishing Winnipeg’s depleted pool and giving younger prospects from the Manitoba Moose an NHL opportunity.

On coaching, Wiebe defended head coach Scott Arniel, noting the drop in performance is largely tied to personnel changes and not a failure of the system. He emphasized that the team’s struggles this season do not warrant a bench change.

The writers also discussed the Jets’ draft outlook, predicting a Top-10 pick in 2026 unless the team goes on a significant losing streak. Trade discussions for Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Gustav Nyquist were also considered, with the caveat that the price must be right given their current performance and salaries.

Finally, McIntyre and Wiebe provided “fantasy lineups” for the current roster, weighing how players like Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti, and Logan Stanley could be best deployed, while noting that upcoming trades and expiring contracts may dramatically alter the roster by the trade deadline.