Trade Deadline Primer: Winnipeg Jets
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league at teams on the playoff bubble, next up: the Jets.
The Jets entered this season with the loftiest expectations after capturing the Presidents’ Trophy last year. Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistency have set the club back, and it is well below .500, struggling to climb the Western Conference standings. The playoffs look unlikely at this point, but with most of their stars signed long term, the Jets aren’t likely to push the button on a rebuild. A small retool in the offseason seems probable, and the Jets do have the personnel to turn around their fortunes in a hurry. The deadline feels like a good time to begin the retooling, and it seems likely they will move on from their pending UFAs.
Record
22-26-8, 7th in the Central (5.5% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$17.44MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: WPG 1st, WPG 3rd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th, WPG 7th
2027: WPG 1st, WPG 3rd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th, WPG 7th
Trade Chips
Winnipeg has yet to define itself as a seller, but it will need to pivot to that mindset, barring a miraculous short-term turnaround. The Jets want to win and were presumably built to win this season, but things haven’t panned out. If the team does begin a mini selloff, it has some desirable veteran pieces, particularly on the backend.
Big Logan Stanley is a pending UFA and would surely draw interest from any team looking to beef up their blueline. The 27-year-old couldn’t have picked a better time to have a career year, and he is sure to get paid when he hits the open market. He and the Jets haven’t engaged in contract talks, which is a strong sign he is done in Winnipeg after this year. If the Jets do indeed punt on the season, Stanley could net them some decent assets. At 6’7” and 230 lbs, Stanley will have multiple suitors, which could create a bidding war for Winnipeg to cash in on.
Another defenseman who could net some assets is Luke Schenn. The 18-year NHL veteran isn’t having a great year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have suitors. Schenn still blocks shots and hits a ton, both desirable traits in the eyes of most NHL GMs. A year ago, the Jets acquired Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second-round pick, but it’s hard to envision them getting the same return this time around. That being said, the Jets should be able to nab a similar pick if Schenn is made available, as right-shot defenseman almost always go for a premium.
Up front, Winnipeg has a couple of forwards who would be in demand despite their own poor seasons. Jonathan Toews was brought in to potentially serve as Winnipeg’s second-line center, but he hasn’t been close to the player he once was. He has just 19 points in 56 games this year, but could still serve as a fourth-line center on a solid playoff team. Toews remains elite in the faceoff circle, winning 61% of his draws, and he hasn’t been a drain on possession, even though he’s clearly not the skater he once was. He would need to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a deal, but if he wants one more shot at a Stanley Cup, it could be possible for him to do so.
Another forward who could fetch a draft pick for the Jets is veteran Gustav Nyquist. The 36-year-old has had a dreadful season with the Jets, tallying just nine assists in 35 games while averaging almost 13 minutes per game of ice time. It’s a sharp drop from two seasons ago, when Nyquist had 23 goals and 52 assists in 81 games and was a key contributor for the Nashville Predators. Nyquist has been fairly inconsistent offensively since crossing the 30-year-old mark, and it looks as though he is a 20-30-point player at this stage of his career. Given the teams that are looking for help offensively, there should be a small, lukewarm market for Nyquist, but if the Jets are selling, there is really no reason to hang onto Nyquist past the trade deadline.
The Jets also have veterans Tanner Pearson, Cole Koepke, and Colin Miller on their roster, but none of those three are likely to fetch much at the deadline other than a low-level prospect or a very late draft pick. Miller is currently dealing with a knee injury, but if he can return to health, he could command the highest return given the robust market for right-handed defensemen.
Team Needs
A Second Line Center: The Jets hoped Toews could recapture the magic from his early Chicago days and fill the void at second-line center. However, Toews’s limited playing time over the last few years has been a glaring issue, and he is no longer a top-six fixture, likely best suited to fourth-line duties. It was a worthy gamble for Winnipeg, given that the market for second-line centers wasn’t exactly a buyer’s market. The Jets need to fill that role going forward, and it likely won’t be easy. Top-six centers don’t grow on trees, and the cost in both the trade market and free agency will be high.
The Jets don’t need to address the issue before the deadline, but if they can trade pending UFAs and stack draft capital and prospects, they could use those assets to try to be buyers in the trade market this summer. There will be options available, likely for veteran players such as Nazem Kadri or Tyler Seguin. While these players have had great careers, the Jets would be better served by targeting a younger player, though it will certainly cost more.
More Depth Scoring: The Jets have relied heavily on their stars this year, which has put a lot of pressure on the likes of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. If those players don’t score, the Jets generally don’t produce offense, since their bottom-six forwards haven’t been able to provide consistent point production. It’s not something Winnipeg is likely to address before the trade deadline. Still, it could be something they target if the right move presents itself, similar to how the Penguins brought in Thomas Novak at last year’s deadline, even though they weren’t a playoff team. Winnipeg needs another playmaker in its middle-six group, and given that playoff teams will be vying for exactly that kind of player, Winnipeg might find better prices in the summer.
If they can find someone to fill that void, particularly on the second forward unit, it could push everyone else down in the lineup, which might allow for better balance and team play five-on-five, something that is lagging well behind other playoff teams.
Photo by Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Jets Reassign Elias Salomonsson, Isaak Phillips
The Winnipeg Jets announced two reassignments as the team prepares for the Olympic Break: defensemen Elias Salomonsson and Isaak Phillips have been sent to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
Both Phillips and Salomonsson have been depth defensemen for the Jets this season, each splitting time between the NHL and AHL.
Salomonsson, 21, is a 2022 second-round pick and one of Winnipeg’s better defensive prospects. He’s played in 25 games at the AHL level this season, skating in a major role, and has gotten into 13 NHL games. In the NHL, Salomonsson is averaging 16:57 time on ice per game including sporadic usage on the penalty kill.
Phillips, 24, is in the middle of his first full season with Winnipeg after being acquired by the team in January of last year. He’s occupied a spot below Salomonsson on the depth chart, and has just two NHL games played this season. In the AHL, Phillips has scored 15 points across 35 games played in 2025-26, which ranks third on the Moose in terms of scoring by a defenseman.
With Manitoba sitting third place in the AHL’s Central Division, those reassignments will help reinforce their defense and give them greater odds of utilizing the Olympic break to make a push for the No. 2 spot in their division, which is currently being held by the Chicago Wolves.
Latest Rumors On Logan Stanley
New Jersey Devils star and Team USA selection Jack Hughes left tonight’s game after the first period and did not return, shared by Amanda Stein, Team Reporter. He went down the tunnel early against Nashville, was able to return for another shift, only to leave again. After the overtime win, Stein followed up that it was a lower body injury, not believed to be serious, according to Head Coach Sheldon Keefe, however it will require further evaluation.
The night ended after just 2:27 on the ice. Hughes returned in late December after missing a month with an off-ice accident, requiring finger surgery. Since coming back, the 24-year-old has recorded 16 points in 18 games, including six in his last five contests. As New Jersey’s top center, Hughes leads all forwards in ice time and still ranks third in team scoring, despite missing 18 games.
Considering that Hughes was able to return momentarily, there was reason for optimism, and thankfully it appears he has avoided a serious injury. New Jersey returns to action on Saturday in Ottawa, with the Olympics two weeks away.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Boston Bruins forward and former Hughes teammate Pavel Zacha’s night ended early due to an upper-body injury, as confirmed by the team. The 28-year-old center has continued to be an effective producer, with 36 points in 53 games, ranking fourth on the team in that category. Zacha has missed just one contest so far in 2025-26. The Bruins’ depth down the middle is being tested, as Elias Lindholm is day-to-day, so the hope is that Zacha will be good to go by Sunday, as they travel to Tampa Bay.
- In an article published by Kyle Morton of The Fourth Period, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley was mentioned as a likely trade candidate as a “rental”, as was discussed on Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live, featuring Tyler Yaremchuk, Carter Hutton, and David Pagnotta. Winnipeg has started to get back into the win column, but their early 2026 struggles may have sunk their season for good. Stanley, a former first round pick who is now a pending unrestricted free agent holds a friendly cap hit of just $1.25MM. The 6’7″ lefty has become more noticeable this season, with eight goals in 51 games after a career high of just one in each of his first five NHL seasons. Besides the sudden offense, Stanley has leaned fully into an enforcing role, with 95 penalty minutes, a career-most with many games to spare. As is the case with comparable defenders, Stanley has his weaknesses, currently holding a 46.5% Corsi For at even strength, but still holds traits always favored by contenders. No teams have necessarily been listed as suitors at this point, but the Red Wings stand out as one option in need of a bottom pairing upgrade, in which Stanley could play in a lighter role built for his strengths.
Jets Recall Isaak Phillips
The Jets announced they’ve recalled defenseman Isaak Phillips from AHL Manitoba. He was up with them for nine days earlier this month, but since he played twice for Manitoba over the weekend after being sent down Friday, he’s eligible to be recalled again today.
The Blackhawks took Phillips, now 24, in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. He immediately jumped to the pros thanks to the pandemic and remained in the organization until last season, at one point ranking among the team’s top 15 prospects according to the Chicago Sun-Times in 2022. His NHL debut had arrived the season prior, and after he put up five points in 16 games with a 0.4 relative CF% at even strength across multiple call-ups in 2022-23, there were plenty of reasons for optimism.
Unfortunately, Phillips faltered when given a longer leash the following season. He made 36 appearances for Chicago from 2023-25 but managed only seven points with a -26 rating and porous possession metrics, getting outscored 39-13 when he was on the ice at 5-on-5. For a player whose profile was built around his defensive game, his negative net possession impacts during that time sank his momentum. After spending the vast majority of the first half of the 2024-25 campaign in the minors, the Jets acquired him in a prospect-for-prospect swap in January.
Things didn’t go well for Phillips in Manitoba down the stretch, limited to eight points and a -11 rating in 39 games. This season, though, he’s flipped the script. The 6’3″ lefty is amid a resurgent campaign with 15 points in 35 games for the Moose, among the best offensive production of his professional career, along with a +5 rating that ranks near the team lead. That performance got him his first call-up as a Jet earlier this month when Colin Miller hit injured reserve. He played in two of the six games he was rostered for, deployed as a bottom-pairing defensive specialist while averaging just 8:12 of ice time per game.
With Miller, Haydn Fleury, and Neal Pionk still on IR, Phillips will again get the chance to serve as Winnipeg’s extra defenseman and maybe get some playing time as the Jets head out on a four-game road trip that will nearly take them to the Olympic break. He signed a two-year, two-way, $1.625MM deal with a $812.5K AAV as a restricted free agent last summer, so he’s not in a contract year.
Jets And Stanley Not Close On Extension Talks
Logan Stanley’s first several years with Winnipeg were full of starts and stops with injuries and healthy scratches along the way. But this season has been a breakout one for the 27-year-old who has already set career highs in goals (eight) and points (17) while averaging 16:34 per night, also a personal best. The timing is ideal, too, as he’s slated to test the open market this summer. To that end, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period noted on a recent DFO Rundown (video link) that the Jets have held discussions with Stanley’s camp about an extension. However, it’s believed his current asking price is one that the team isn’t willing to meet. With Winnipeg falling out of the playoff race, Stanley could find himself in trade talks before too long if the sides aren’t able to bridge the gap in the coming weeks.
Winnipeg Jets Reassign Isaak Phillips, Danil Zhilkin
According to a team announcement, the Winnipeg Jets have reassigned defenseman Isaak Phillips and forward Danil Zhilkin to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Each player was recalled relatively recently as injury insurance.
Unfortunately, it seems the transaction will not align with any positive updates regarding the injury situation. The Moose play tonight at home, allowing each player to play before being recalled for tomorrow’s contest against the Detroit Red Wings. Winnipeg remains without Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, and Neal Pionk.
Phillips, 24, is in his second year with the Jets organization. Winnipeg acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks last season as he was passed over on the team’s depth chart. Unfortunately, he hasn’t found more playing time with the Jets.
Still, he’s having a much better year in the AHL. Split between Manitoba and the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, Phillips finished with four goals and 16 points in 67 games with a -3 rating. He’s nearly matched that output already this year, registering three goals and 13 points in 33 games with a +3 rating.
Meanwhile, Zhilkin, 22, is in his third professional season. He hasn’t had much success so far, but got off to a moderately good start this season, scoring seven goals and 14 points in 30 games. He has not scored in four NHL appearances, averaging 8:14 of ice time.
Miller Undergoes Knee Surgery
1/17: Jets defenseman Colin Miller recently underwent knee surgery, head coach Scott Arniel told reporters including Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). The bench boss noted that the procedure was similar to the one that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had, one that kept him out four weeks earlier this season. Officially, Miller remains listed as out week-to-week. The 33-year-old has had a limited role in 2025-26, playing in just 13 games. He’d have had an opportunity to play more regularly with Neal Pionk and Haydn Fleury also out week-to-week but now after having surgery, that doesn’t appear to be in the cards.
Jets’ Colin Miller Out Week-To-Week, Placed On IR
1/14/26: While Miller’s IR placement telegraphed to a certain extent that Miller’s absence would be an extended one, we now have a bit more clarity on his recovery timeline. Jets head coach Scott Arniel indicated today that Miller is week-to-week with his injury. As a result, the Jets are likely to need to increasingly rely on depth blueliners with a trio of established NHLers now sidelined on a week-to-week basis.
1/12/26: Back in action tomorrow, the Winnipeg Jets announced this afternoon that Isaak Phillips has been recalled from AHL Manitoba, while Colin Miller has landed on injured reserve.
Winnipeg, finally finding their game after an 11-game winless streak which possibly has sunk their season, has to reach deep into the organization’s defense stock for Phillips, especially with Haydn Fleury out, and Miller now banged up. If able to suit up this week, it would be Phillips’ first action as a Jet.
Miller, who has struggled considerably in what will likely be his third and final season with the team, left mid-game against New Jersey with a lower-body injury. At this point it is unclear when he will return, but with the 33-year-old a healthy scratch often, playing in just 15 games so far, it is not the biggest impact for the Jets as they desperately look to turn things around.
Phillips, 24, was acquired from Chicago just three days shy of exactly one year ago, as the team gave up prospect Dmitri Kuzmin last January to in exchange for a respectable NHL-capable depth defender. The Ontario native was a fifth round choice of Chicago in 2020, making 56 appearances for the team from 2021-2025, recording 12 points. After solid contributions for the rebuilders despite being a former fringe prospect, Phillips became expendable as he was passed up in favor of prospects with higher upside.
Since then, Phillips has yet to appear with the Jets, playing in 72 games for Manitoba over the last two seasons. A physical lefty standing at 6’3″, he earned a two year extension with Winnipeg last summer, which will keep him around through next year, followed by restricted free agent status. Interestingly, he gets the nod over other notable defenders in Manitoba. Prospect Elias Salomonsson, who last got a look in early December, will remain in the AHL, along with former standout prospects Ville Heinola and Kale Clague.
For now, Winnipeg will move forward with Phillips as a seventh defender, as Luke Schenn has re-entered the lineup, who is eager to prove himself to suitors as last week it was noted that the 36-year-old pending free agent would be open to a trade.
Naturally, Phillips figures to be the best option to come up as depth, without rocking the boat in Manitoba. The Jets will host the Islanders tomorrow, looking for their third straight win.
Winnipeg Jets Place Neal Pionk On IR, Recall Elias Salomonsson
The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have placed defenseman Neal Pionk on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, they recalled defenseman Elias Salomonsson from their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. Pionk’s IR placement is retroactive to Jan. 13.
Pionk was labelled as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury today. Pionk missed the Jets’ game last Friday with a foot injury, but there is no word at this time if Pionk’s injury news today is related to that ailment.
Losing Pionk on a week-to-week basis is a significant blow to the Jets’ hopes of climbing out of the lower rungs of the NHL standings. He’s Winnipeg’s No. 2 defenseman in terms of ice time, averaging 22:47 per game. That includes 2:48 time on ice per game on the penalty kill, the highest among Jets blueliners. He also skates 1:35 per game on the power play, quarterbacking their second unit.
As the Jets as a whole have experienced a significant year-over-year downturn, Pionk’s production has suffered. He scored 10 goals, 39 points in 2024-25 but has just eight points in 40 games this season. But even as Pionk’s offense has declined to uncharacteristically low levels this season, the Jets are still likely to find it difficult to replace what he brings to the table.
The Jets’ recall of Salomonsson from Manitoba doesn’t signal the club’s intention to utilize the young blueliner as an exact one-to-one replacement for Pionk. Instead, he’s likely to see some of Pionk’s vacated minutes, while other Jets defensemen are also likely to see a bump in ice time.
Salomonsson , 21, was a second-round pick of the Jets at the 2022 draft, and made his North American pro debut in 2024-25 in Manitoba. He became a steady top-four force for the Moose, scoring 35 points in 78 career AHL games. Salomonsson earned his first NHL recall earlier this season, skating in a total of four games. He averaged 14:43 time-on-ice, including a little over a minute per game short-handed.
Miller Injured Against Devils
- Jets defenseman Colin Miller left today’s game against New Jersey due to a lower-body injury, notes Gordon Anderson of The Winnipeg Sun. The injury occurred in the first period, limiting him to just 4:14 of playing time. It has been a tough year for the 33-year-old who has been a frequent healthy scratch and has played in just 14 games so far, notching just one assist. That’s not a great showing in the final year of his contract, one that carries a $1.5MM cap charge.