Mark Stuart to Miss 4-6 Weeks

The Winnipeg Jets announced Monday that defenseman Mark Stuart will miss four-to-six weeks with a broken hand.

Stuart’s absence could effect the Jets’ trade deadline plans some, though with the team sitting last in the Central Division, they were never likely to be buyers.

Stuart has struggled this year, posting some of the worst numbers of his career. At 31, that’s not a good sign for the Jets, who have Stuart on the books for another two years at an AAV of $2.625 million.

Stuart’s -5.8% CF%Rel is the worst mark among Jets defenders. It’s also the worst mark of his career.

Through 55 games his .09 points per 60 minutes of even strength play is only better than Adam Pardy among team defensemen. Not coincidentally, it’s Pardy who will draw into the lineup to replace Stuart.

Pardy has played just 11 games this season.

However, Stuart has regularly used by coach Paul Maurice on the penalty kill and will be sorely missed there as the Jets try to salvage some positives through the last stretch of the season.