With the NHL trade deadline approaching, one of the North Division teams poised to buy is the Winnipeg Jets, who could address their blue line.
“I think this team still is going to add a defenceman,” said Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston during the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “The cost, really, is the question.”
With teams up against the salary cap – including the Jets who currently don’t have any projected space, per CapFriendly – teams will have to get creative, but don’t expect Winnipeg to part with any of their prized young players to shore up its defence corps.
“I don’t see them giving up any of their top prospects here,” Johnston added. “Teams of course ask about guys like [Cole] Perfetti or [Ville] Heinola, who has done very well in the AHL, but we got to see where the Jets are able to enter the market because I don’t think they want to pay too high of a price.”
The Jets entered Saturday night in third place in the North Division, one point adrift of the Edmonton Oilers and six behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for top spot.
The trade deadline is on Monday, and you can watch Sportsnet’s coverage starting at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.
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