November 14, 2024 | 2:54pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

COULD WINNIPEG ADD TO ROSTER THIS SEASON?

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff

The Winnipeg Jets are off to a historic 15-1-0 start to the NHL season and everyone on the roster has been pulling their weight, propelling the club up the standings.

Currently ranked No.1 in the TFP Power Rankings, the Jets do not appear to be slowing down and have their sights set on more than simply making a deep playoff run – they have the Stanley Cup in their sights.

With just over $3.2 million in current salary cap space, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has some flexibility to add to his roster this season if he so chooses.

Given how well the Jets are performing, making any bold moves now may ruin the flow of the team, but making a strategic acquisition ahead of the trade deadline could be in the cards.

During the Thursday edition of “The Latest” on TFP, David Pagnotta reported the Jets could try to add a defenceman to their lineup at some point this season.

“They’re getting contributions up and down the line up, it’s not just Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the charge, they’ve got everybody else in the mix. Ehlers, Perfetti, Niederreiter and Namestnikov, and so on,” Pagnotta said.

“Is there an area of this team that could potentially improve or look to add down the road? I look at the blueline as really the only potential where they can make any type of addition. They don’t have to right now. That’s going to be something that they’re going to probably look at later on in the season. But if this team gets their hands, and they’ve got a little bit of cap space now, if they get their hands on a top four defenseman... (look out.)”

Pagnotta identified one defenceman playing on an expiring contract that will attract plenty of interest this season from several clubs, including the Jets.

“Marcus Pettersson is probably going to be on a lot of teams radars out of Pittsburgh,” Pagnotta stated. “I’ve got to imagine that Chevy and the crew in Winnipeg are going to look at him, but man, if they add somebody else to that top four D-core, they’re going to be that much more potent.”

Pettersson, 28, is in the final year of a five-year contract that comes with a $4,025,175 salary cap hit and includes an eight-team no-trade list, giving him some say in where he may potentially end up.

The Penguins have made it known that Pettersson is available and Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas is willing to listen to calls and take offers on the veteran blueliner. Winnipeg would be a prime destination for Pettersson, as the Jets could slot him on the left side of their second pair to stabilize their top-two defensive units.