Winnipeg Jets Trade Rumors: Could Ondrej Pavelec Land on the Trade Block Upon Return From Injury? Dustin Byfuglien Rumors Won’t Go Away

Dec 23, 2013; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Smyth (94) screens Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (31) while Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (33) defends during the first period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Many of the latest Winnipeg Jets trade rumors have swirled around Dustin Byfuglien and Travis Hamonic. It doesn’t sound like GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is willing to part ways with Jacob Trouba or Tyler Myers in an attempt to acquire him. As for Byfuglien, it’s starting to sound as if Winnipeg is unwilling to offer the length of term he’s seeking.

Nov 18, 2015; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec (31) celebrates the victory with defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (33) against the Vancouver Canucks at MTS Centre. Winnipeg wins 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Winnipeg shouldn’t have a problem finding trade partners interested in Dustin Byfuglien, but most suitors will want to make sure he can be secured long-term before making any deal. Byfuglien is 30-years-old, carrying a $5.2 million dollar cap hit for 2015-16. He owns a modified no-trade clause, in which he can submit a 5-team no trade list at the beginning of each season. Winnipeg currently (Dec.4) holds more cap space than any other team with $11,504,170, putting them in an advantageous position for any potential trade.

Recently, the Jets lost their starting goaltender Ondrej Pavelec to injury, forcing Michael Hutchinson into the starter’s role. Winnipeg called up top goaltending prospect Connor Hellebuyck to backup Hutchinson. Michael Hutchinson had a few rough outings proceeding the Pavelec injury, prompting coach Paul Maurice to give young Connor Hellebuyck his first taste of NHL action. In two short games, Hellebuyck has provided a pair of excellent performances. This should come as little surprise given the performance he displayed at this past spring’s World Championships leading Team USA. It’s a small sample size at two games, but it may be time to start considering life without Ondrej Pavelec.

Pavelec carries a $3.9 million dollar cap hit, and is signed through 2016-17. He’s been with this organization since its losing days in Atlanta, showing improvement over time. He delivered a career-best performance in 2014-15, helping Winnipeg secure a playoff spot. But if there’s one thing we learnt from that playoff performance, it’s that Ondrej Pavelec isn’t the type of guy who can lead a team, and steal a playoff round. Pavelec is more of a 1A type of goalie, rather than a starter. The combination of Pavelec and Hutchinson makes for a quality tandem that can win you a lot of games. But, if you can’t get it done come postseason, it’s all for nothing.

Nov 12, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec (31) faces the Dallas Stars attack during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The evaluation window for Michael Hutchinson is still ongoing, with the jury still out on whether or not he projects to be a starter or 1A type goalie. Scouts have projected Connor Hellebuyck to be a quality starter, with the possibility of a 1A type netminder at worst. If you’re already featuring a pair of 1A goalies, and the worst case scenario with Hutchinson and Hellebuyck projects to be the same, why not move forward with the young duo?

People tend to forget that Winnipeg has another young man named Eric Comrie in the goaltending prospect mix, who also projects to be a decent netminder. You won’t win Stanley Cup’s in the NHL by playing it safe, sometimes as a GM, you need to roll the dice in certain scenarios.

Since Winnipeg has a wealth of cap space, accompanied with a fairly deep and talented team, the best case scenario in any trade would be upgrades. The Jets could potentially explore defensive upgrades, although prospect Josh Morrissey projects be a top four defenseman, and could be a full-time NHL’er in 2016-17. If Winnipeg is forced to replace Dustin Byfuglien, the Jets will need more than Josh Morrissey to fill that void. Up front, Winnipeg has some very skilled pieces, although they lack true elite talent. Instead, it’s a team full of border-line elite talent (Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Bryan Little, etc.), but Winnipeg lacks a true sniper or goal-scorer.

*any stats were obtained from NHL.com, while any contract/salary numbers were obtained from generalfanager