Pittsburgh Penguins Veteran Defenseman Linked to the Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are looking to make a deep playoff run, and the Penguins are looking to rebuild, which is a perfect match for the two teams to make a trade.
Some players are easy to sell, and a Penguins defenseman is one of them. At 28, he's in his prime, a pending UFA, and carries a fair $4.025 million cap hit.
A shutdown middle-pairing defender, he'd generate a lot of interest if GM Kyle Dubas decides to sell him off. His sole contractual impediment is an eight-team no-trade list.
With Pittsburgh's 1.7% playoff odds per moneypuck.com, now's a good time to sell it off. If the Penguins sell, who's the best fit?
Marcus Pettersson and the Winnipeg Jets are a match made in heaven
Step in the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg surprisingly finds themselves in an all-in season. Having lost key rentals in free agency, they're nevertheless a Western Conference titan.
With its core in its youth and Nikolaj Ehlers entering free agency, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff stands to gain a lot by avoiding a sell-off and little in a rebuild. He possesses all of his first-rounders and a strong pool of prospects.
A middle-pairing, left-shot blue liner like Marcus Pettersson would make a perfect addition, especially with their penalty kill in disarray. And they have room in the cap, a projected amount of over $11 million at the deadline, to make a big impact.
The challenge is that Winnipeg is not a one-dimensional team. Several needs present themselves. A second-unit center could be an even larger priority than Pettersson, and if a player such as Brock Nelson is pursued, a high price tag could follow.
Attempting to make high-end upgrades at both ends could strain their pool of draft assets and prospects.
