News Article: Jets exploring trade market for Wheeler

[jefferoni]

I wonder how much salary we'd have to retain?

Report: Jets exploring trade market for Wheeler

The Winnipeg Jets have begun to explore the trade market for captain Blake Wheeler, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Wheeler's five-year, $41.25-million contract signed in 2018 carried a full no-movement clause until this offseason. Now, the veteran winger can submit a list of five...

www.thescore.com

The Winnipeg Jets have begun to explore the trade market for captain Blake Wheeler, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

Wheeler's five-year, $41.25-million contract signed in 2018 carried a full no-movement clause until this offseason. Now, the veteran winger can submit a list of five teams he'd accept a trade to.

Two seasons remain on Wheeler's contract at a cap hit of $8.25 million.

Wheeler has been with the Jets since the 2010-11 season when the club was the Atlanta Thrashers. He's the franchise's all-time leader in assists (511) and points (757) and ranks second in games played (825).

The 35-year-old was limited to 65 games this past season but still posted 60 points while averaging over 19 minutes per night. Wheeler's been one of the league's most consistently productive wingers since inking his current contract, totaling 262 points in 268 games over the past four campaigns.

The Jets missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017 this past season and recently hired Rick Bowness as head coach to get the club back on track.

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[bustamente]

If he wants to be moved and the Jets want to move him the time is now, don't drag this out into camp and the season

 

[buggs]

If he wants to be moved and the Jets want to move him the time is now, don't drag this out into camp and the season

Would think the draft would be the optimal time to move him. Better than waiting for free agency to start.

He's still a very serviceable winger, I'd wager his performance would be excellent in reduced minutes on the second line. Absolutely his salary is high but I can't see him moved without the Jets retaining salary so I'd consider that as a given in any scenario. Prospect/young player + 2nd?

 

[Hunter368]

At least 1-2 million.......but that should get us something back "ok", not great but ok. If retained at 50% then I would expect a decent pick/prospect, aka maybe 2nd rd pick

Blake holds good value at 5-6 million cap hit, PPG player, good vet, hard worker.

 

[Jets 31]

I really think he's going to Florida to be with Maurice so we will take Weegar off their hands for them.

 

[tbcwpg]

Would think the draft would be the optimal time to move him. Better than waiting for free agency to start.

He's still a very serviceable winger, I'd wager his performance would be excellent in reduced minutes on the second line. Absolutely his salary is high but I can't see him moved without the Jets retaining salary so I'd consider that as a given in any scenario. Prospect/young player + 2nd?

I think Wheeler and Dillon will be closer to free agency. Some teams might miss out in a couple of their targets and Wheeler could be a consolation prize.

 

[Jetabre]

I really think he's going to Florida to be with Maurice so we will take Weegar off their hands for them.

Sounds like a done deal to me!

 

[Pongs21]

With the nix'd Ott and Buf trade, wonder if Wheeler, 14th and Vesalainen for Murray and the 7th be of any interest to OTT. Could probably flip Murray in a trade elsewhere considering the goalie market, or have a really expensive backup for 2 years.

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

Over 2/3 of his starts have been OZone starts in the last three years and ~half of his points from favorable ice time situations (pplay, EN for example). It would be one thing if he still offered a unique skill to earn those favorable minutes, but being someone's best bud shouldn't be the criteria. It's going to require salary retention, or the Jets taking a bad contract back. But we need to move on from Maurice's favorite pet, since Maurice is down here on the beach now. Good luck finding a buyer - other teams know that he is an expensive middle sixer now that happened to benefit points wise from lots of time on the powerplay.

 

[Yukon Joe]

With the nix'd Ott and Buf trade, wonder if Wheeler, 14th and Vesalainen for Murray and the 7th be of any interest to OTT. Could probably flip Murray in a trade elsewhere considering the goalie market, or have a really expensive backup for 2 years.

Either Wheeler wants to go to a contender, or he wants to go to a nice quiet media market where he's not in front of the cameras every day. Neither of which describe Ottawa.

He has a 5-team trade list, and he might expand it from there, but no way I see him agreeing to go to Ottawa.

 

[ERYX]

With the nix'd Ott and Buf trade, wonder if Wheeler, 14th and Vesalainen for Murray and the 7th be of any interest to OTT. Could probably flip Murray in a trade elsewhere considering the goalie market, or have a really expensive backup for 2 years.

Murray makes more than Helle! That's way too much IMO to pay a backup, even if we didn't retain anything on Wheeler in such a deal (making it basically cap dump for cap dump). Not sure Murray would be cool with being backup but maybe it beats playing on Belleville ...

Seems like Murray's career has been derailed by injuries after an amazing start. Too high of a risk as a reclamation project, and overall just can't see it happening. I'd rather keep Wheeler, as this would basically be trading Wheels for nothing.

 

[Imcanadianeh]

Over 2/3 of his starts have been OZone starts in the last three years and ~half of his points from favorable ice time situations (pplay, EN for example). It would be one thing if he still offered a unique skill to earn those favorable minutes, but being someone's best bud shouldn't be the criteria. It's going to require salary retention, or the Jets taking a bad contract back. But we need to move on from Maurice's favorite pet, since Maurice is down here on the beach now. Good luck finding a buyer - other teams know that he is an expensive middle sixer now that happened to benefit points wise from lots of time on the powerplay.

At 5v5 Wheeler has not started over 2/3 of his starts in the offensive zone.

Over the last three years these are some notable Jets that have a higher % of offensive zone starts than Wheeler.

Laine
PLD
Scheifele
Ehlers
Connor

 

[tbcwpg]

With the nix'd Ott and Buf trade, wonder if Wheeler, 14th and Vesalainen for Murray and the 7th be of any interest to OTT. Could probably flip Murray in a trade elsewhere considering the goalie market, or have a really expensive backup for 2 years.

Aside from I really doubt Murray waives to come to Winnipeg, there's no way Ottawa does that deal - an expensive old winger, a player under contract in Europe who's shown nothing at the NHL level, and they trade down 7 spots, all to get rid of Murray? No way.

 

[Pongs21]

Aside from I really doubt Murray waives to come to Winnipeg, there's no way Ottawa does that deal - an expensive old winger, a player under contract in Europe who's shown nothing at the NHL level, and they trade down 7 spots, all to get rid of Murray? No way.

A man can dream cant he lol

 

[Gm0ney]

At 5v5 Wheeler has not started over 2/3 of his starts in the offensive zone.

Over the last three years these are some notable Jets that have a higher % of offensive zone starts than Wheeler.

Laine
PLD
Scheifele
Ehlers
Connor

For some reason, Maurice trusted Wheeler more than those guys in the d-zone I guess? But all those guys are kind of in the same leaky boat in terms of defensive play.

 

[Scheifele55]

With the nix'd Ott and Buf trade, wonder if Wheeler, 14th and Vesalainen for Murray and the 7th be of any interest to OTT. Could probably flip Murray in a trade elsewhere considering the goalie market, or have a really expensive backup for 2 years.

I don't see the point of Ottawa wanting to flip picks just to ADD salary. They were willing to pay 50% of Murray's salary along with their 7th pick just to dump the other 50% and get a 16th overall selection. Wheeler most likely would not want to play for Ottawa either.

I would however engage with Ottawa to trade our 14th pick for 7th overall and Murray with 55% retained.

 

[ps241]

Good luck to Blake, and good luck to the Jets. May they find a mutually beneficial deal for Blake and the Jets.

 

[JetsFan815]

I am hoping he goes to Florida. Would love to see the big man win a cup before he retires.

 

[sting13]

He lives in Florida, would make sense to want to play for the Panthers.

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

If he wants to be moved and the Jets want to move him the time is now, don't drag this out into camp and the season

It's the Jets they'll Drag and Lie until we have to buy our own bag of pucks.

 

[razorsedge]

If he wants to go somewhere else he better give some additional teams he's willing to go to beyond just 5. If he stays at 5 teams and can't make a trade, strip his captaincy and bury him on the third line with Lowry.

 

[WaveRaven]

So I guess Wheels is staying if he's not moved in the next few days ?

 

[hockeyarena]

gotta think it happens tuesday at the latest since teams will want to know how much money they have on jul 13th for free agents.

 

[TommyKillian]

So I guess Wheels is staying if he's not moved in the next few days ?

I think trade talks will heat up with him after free agency passes. Teams will want to know how much cap space they have after free agency, and assets they have after the draft, before trading for a high-paid asset like Wheeler.

gotta think it happens tuesday at the latest since teams will want to know how much money they have on jul 13th for free agents.

I think if he was a primary target of a team this might be the case, but I think he will be more of a secondary target for teams that missed out on primary targets during free agency.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

It is a cap issue and I don't think he gets moved until UFA is mostly done