It’s early in the 2023-24 NHL season, but the Winnipeg Jets have shown that they have the potential to be a contender in the Western Conference with a few key additions. The Athletic recently released their first “trade board” of the season, (“NHL trade board 2023-24: The latest on all the top targets from Chris Johnston“) and with all three of these players near the top of the list, it becomes a higher possibility for the Jets if they were to make a move.
We don’t usually see any trade action until the Trade Deadline rolls around, but now is a good time to start keeping tabs on some players who may become available. Here are three trade targets the Jets should be keeping an eye on.
Elias Lindholm – Centre, Calgary Flames
Elias Lindholm is one of three Calgary Flames at the top of the trade board list, coming in at #2. The top four were Flames before Nikita Zadorov was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, Nov 30. He is one of the top options on the market and fits a clear need for Winnipeg.
Lindholm is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and if the Flames decide to sell later this season, he would likely warrant the best return. The 28-year-old centre has 15 points in 23 games to start the season but is more known for his ability to dominate on the defensive side of the puck. This move would bolster an already deep forward core and would give Rick Bowness and his coaching staff plenty of options when it comes to line combinations and in-game matchups.
One of the biggest questions this offseason surrounding the Jets was their second-line centre position. Fast forward 22 games into the season, and Cole Perfetti has been moved to the wing, Gabe Vilardi has missed over six weeks with an MCL sprain, and Vladislav Namestnikov is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Jets have gotten unlucky with injuries in that spot, but it’s safe to say that none of those three players have outright won the job.
A Lindholm acquisition would replicate the Jets’ centre depth when they had Pierre-Luc Dubois last season. Acquiring Alex Iafallo, Vilardi, and Rasmus Kupari has already given the Jets a deep forward group, but this move would fix a glaring need, and that is second-line centre. There is plenty of time for one of those three players to win that job, but for the time being, it remains a need that Lindholm could fill.
Chris Tanev – Defenceman, Calgary Flames
Sticking with the Flames, who are projected to be major sellers at the Trade Deadline, #3 on the Trade Board is defenceman Chris Tanev. He is also a pending UFA, and could be a hot commodity among contenders come Trade Deadline time given his style of play.
Tanev is a right-shot defenceman whose defensive analytics are some of the best across the NHL. As you can see by the Jfresh card below, a Tanev addition would bolster the blue line and add to already impressive defensive analytics. He is 33 years old and handling tough minutes with blocked shots, hits, and protecting the front of the net, all of which contribute to his league-best even-strength analytics.
An addition of Tanev would fit another clear need for Winnipeg. Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, and Nate Schmidt have been the teams’ right-shot defenders through the first 22 games of the season. DeMelo has been his usual consistent self and Pionk is having a bounce-back season, but the Jets are still lacking a bonafide right-shot top-four defender on their blue line.
Related: Winnipeg Jets’ Positional Logjams Benefit Them Long-Term
This would fail to solve the logjam on defence, as it has been well-documented over the past three years that prospect Ville Heinola has failed to get a shot in the lineup due to veterans being in his way. In a trade, a defenceman may have to go back the other way to Calgary to avoid blocking Heinola’s chances of cracking the lineup even further.
Sean Walker – Defenceman, Philadelphia Flyers
Coming in at #4 on the list is defenceman Sean Walker of the Philadelphia Flyers. His contract status is identical to the other two players on this list, as he is playing on an expiring contract. The 29-year-old defenceman has had a fantastic start to his 2023-24 season, posting 11 points in 23 games and playing big minutes for the Flyers.
Schmidt has been in and out of the lineup for Logan Stanley this season, and adding Walker could give the Jets some stability on that third-pairing. Acquiring Tanev would be to slot him into the top four, but adding Walker would come at a much lower price tag. Schmidt, and the Jets’ defence core as a whole, have struggled mightily with defensive-zone turnovers this season. Adding a solid puck-mover in Walker would limit those game-breaking mistakes.
If the Jets are unable to trust Schmidt later in the season, or a younger option such as Declan Chisholm, keep an eye out for them to acquire a reliable veteran to add to the depth of their defence core. Walker fits that description, is a pending UFA, and wouldn’t cost too much to acquire.
Keep an eye on these three players throughout the season, as all three of them are projected to be on the market, and fit a clear need for the Winnipeg Jets. This article took a longer-term outlook on the 2023-24 season, but for the short-term, the Jets will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, Dec 2, when Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks come to town. The Jets will look to get their first win of the four-game home stand, as they are currently riding a three-game losing streak coming into this one.
