The Winnipeg Jets had two tough decisions to make. Both Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd had expiring contracts, and the Jets needed to make a move before the February 29 deadline to make the most of their star players.
Their decisions have been made well before the deadline. They kept one player and gave away the other. After extending Byfuglien earlier in the month, Ladd was sent to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago also received forward Matt Fraser and defenseman Jay Harrison, and neither of them has had playing time this season. In return, Winnipeg received Marko Dano, a first-round pick in 2016, and Chicago third-round pick in 2018 if the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.
Chicago’s strategy for the deadline was not surprising to anyone. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, they have found themselves near the top of the standings once again, and they are grabbing as many short-term producers as possible. Last season, they picked up Arizona forward Antoine Vermette and now retired defenseman Kimmo TImonen from Philadelphia. With Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann moving from Montreal to Chicago, the Blackhawks are being aggressive once again.
The Jets, meanwhile, have taken a step back this season. After finishing with the second wild card spot last season, they now find themselves in last place of the Central Division. Getting rid of their captain is not exactly a call for rebuilding, and it could result in a maximal output since the Jets are only responsible for 36% of Ladd’s salary this season.
The cause for concern will be if the Jets got enough in return to replace Ladd. Dano was part of a trade this summer that saw Brandon Saad become a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Artem Anisimov, one of the others players Chicago got in return, has been a pleasant surprise on the same line as Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, but Dano has floundered in the vaunted depth chart. He has just one goal and one assist in 13 games with the Blackhawks.
Winnipeg will likely need some luck with their first-round pick, since the Blackhawks will likely finish near the back of the draft order. Also, the third-round pick, which is only the Jets’ pick if Chicago wins another Stanley Cup, may not result in getting a game changer.
The Ladd pickup will be successful only if he can help Chicago to another Stanley Cup, but the load for Winnipeg is concerning. Of the two or three players the Jets got, it is possible that none of them will pan out. While they already have their fair share of young talent, with Mark Scheifele and Joel Armia benefitting from Ladd’s absence (seven combined points against Dallas on February 25, it could seriously stunt them if the Jets fail to pick up a reliable young playmaker to successfully offset the production Ladd has given to the franchise since moving to Canada.
It is too early to say the Jets are starting over from scratch, but that could happen if this trade is a bust. The runway is a little slippery in Manitoba right now.