Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet is reporting the Winnipeg Jets are going to require an upgrade in order to move forward — especially as they return to the Central Division in 2021-22.
NHL Trade rumors had the Jets interested in Mattias Ekholm at the NHL trade deadline but with the Nashville Predators playing so well at that time, he was taken off the NHL rumor mill.
Wiebe went on to state, “the Jets have high-end defence prospects in Ville Heinola and Dylan Samberg ready for full-time duty in the fall but they’re also likely to be shopping for an experienced blue-liner in either free agency or via trade.“
The Jets could circle back to the Predators to see if Ekholm is available this off-season? If they go the free agent route, they could target Carolina Hurricanes Dougie Hamilton. The Hurricanes will be tight to the salary cap and they will likely not be able to afford Hamilton’s next contract.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will have to hit a home run with a defenceman this off-season if he wants to keep his job. He gave up Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic for Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dubois had a very sub-par season since the trade. Dubois, the third overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft finished the campaign on a 24-game goalless drought.
