Jets' winning ways might shelve Luke Schenn's reunion with the Maple Leafs, but injuries could complicate matters for both teams.
The Winnipeg Jets have started to catch fire with four straight wins and if they can continue to build on their recent winning streak, they may not offload some of the players recently involved in trade rumors.
Despite this, there are a couple players on expiring deals that the Jets could look to move off of and get something back before they enter free agency with veteran defenseman Luke Schenn at the very top of the list.
Many teams have expressed interest in the 36-year-old blueliner with the Toronto Maple Leafs leading the way according to multiple reports. TSN's Chris Johnston spoke on the Schenn situation saying the Leafs have some injuries on the backend, with Chris Tanev possibly out for the remainder of the season, and referenced back to when Schenn was on the Maple Leafs for two separate stints already and did quite well when paired up with Toronto's Morgan Reilly.
This is a partnership the Maple Leafs would love to reunite as Reilly has been heavily scrutinized for his play this season and getting back a familar face that could possibly give Reilly a boost would be a huge move for a Maple Leafs team battling for a playoff spot.
"There's already some rumblings around that they're even looking at a third trip through with Luke Schenn right now, which obviously at this stage of Luke's career, I think that the acquisition costs would be more modest and worked really well with him and Morgan Reilly," Johnston explained on his self-titled podcast.
"So we'll see if that's something that comes to fruition but certainly, you've heard some talk in that direction, and I think it makes some sense with the injuries the Leafs have on the blue line, and even familiarity with the player, the fact he's had success even not that long ago."
This could be a great move for a Jets team that has gotten fairly thin when it comes to draft capital as they have no second or fourth round picks this season or next. Adding a fourth-round pick for Schenn could be a great move but depends on how the Jets feel about their own direction as a franchise.
The team recently announced that defenseman Neal Pionk, Colin Miller and Haydn Fleury are all injured, meaning if they want to continue their recent hot streak and potentially contending for a playoff spot, its unlikely that they would offload at the position they are at their weakest right now.
One potential path for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff would be to move an expiring contract and an aging asset in Schenn, while simultaneously targeting a replacement via trade. A depth defenseman such as Chicago’s Louis Crevier could fit that role, as he ranks fourth among defensemen averaging 17 minutes or fewer per game, posting 14 points in 44 contests.
Additional low-cost options include Chicago’s Matt Grzelcyk or Utah’s Ian Cole, either of whom could likely be acquired for minimal assets while providing the Jets with short-term stability and potential term on the blue line.
We will find out sooner or later what the outcome will be as Toronto may become desperate enough to force the issue and offer something Cheveldayoff can't refuse or the Jets may lose steam and could start looking to offload assets again. Either way, we could get our answer soon as many teams have indicated they want to complete trades before the roster freeze for the Olympics on February 4th.
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