Planes looking for bargains look for depth during the vortex day

It is not necessary to introduce local fans. The others, well, that's another story.

Depth became the name of the game on Monday as the Winnipeg Jets prepared for a long playoff run this spring.

After hitting a big target in Kevin Hayes mid-morning center, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was looking for a good deal. The final result was to get veteran center Matt Hendricks, winger By Lindholm, defenseman Nathan Beaulieu, defender Bogden Kiselevich and center Alex Broadhurst, all before 2 pm. deadline.

The offers of the day

None of them is a jigsaw puzzle. And, to be honest, the less they are forced into duty, the better. They are simply an insurance for the main parts of the list in case something goes wrong with the injury virus.

Josh Morrissey's immediate status comes under pressure after being eliminated from Sunday's Arizona game with a third-period strike from Vinnie Hinostroza. The team leaving the desert on Monday, no immediate prognosis was available. Cheveldayoff will only say that he will not play Tuesday night against Minnesota at the Bell MTS Place and that other medical assessments are underway.

This meant that the Jets, already without Dustin Byfuglien and Joe Morrow due to injury, went out and added a pair of defenders who, like Morrissey, are both remaining shooters.

"I thought it was appropriate to add other elements for the depth to progress here.You can never have enough D in regards to the attrition rate because you hope to go further, "Chevelday said.

Beaulieu, 26, cost them a sixth-round pick in Buffalo in 2019, while Kiselevich, 29, was chosen by the Florida Panthers for a seventh-round pick in 2021. He's a player that the Jets had tried to sign before. North America last year after nearly a decade in the KHL.

Hendricks, 37, was purchased from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a seventh round pick in 2020. The Minnesota native played last season in Winnipeg and then signed an agent contract free with his club from his hometown during the summer. He saw limited action due to being a healthy scratch with injuries.

"Matt is a true professional, someone who provides a lot of leadership in our room." When I sat down with guys like Blake (Wheeler) and Mark (Scheifele) and even with Paul (Maurice), we discussed different things regarding our room, "said Cheveldayoff.

"We are the youngest team in the NHL, or at least we were getting on schedule today, so if you want to be the ultimate champion, it's a long job, and you have to be prepared for that." And you need people and it will help you get ready and Hendy is a real pro who competes, gets ready and ready to play every night. "

Hendricks recently told the Free Press that his season in Winnipeg, completed by a run in the Western Conference finals, had been one of the greatest moments of his career.

"One thing you can not underestimate is the value of a person in the room and what it brings to these things." Some of our young players who were part of our team l? last year benefited enormously from the experience they had with Matt, and as an organization, we are delighted to see him again, a topic we have been discussing for some time, if there is an opportunity, "said Chevelday.

The Jets also sent Toronto regulars Nic Petan in exchange for Lindholm, a central / left winger who was a regular on the Maple Leafs fourth row this year. The 27-year-old Lindholm is in his first professional season in North America after playing in his native Sweden for most of the decade, and Cheveldayoff said he's another player that's the only player in the country. team had previously studied and considered signing.

As for Petan, Cheveldayoff promised the 23-year-old to try to find a new start for him. The 2013 second-round pick had been a good scratch for 25 consecutive games with the Jets.

"Nic was an excellent player in our organization, a very popular player that we qualified, he did not have the opportunity here and I promised him and his representatives that I would try to find something that would give him the opportunity to make a fresh start in an organization as long as it's mutually beneficial, "said Cheveldayoff.

"He's a classy professional." He worked very hard in very difficult circumstances and he came to the rink every day and, whether he was in training or not, he was really a professional, so I wish him all the best benefits. "

Finally, Broadhurst was essentially a transaction involving minor leagues. The 25-year-old left-handed shooting center spent the entire season playing with the AHL Cleveland Monsters. The Jets have obtained from the Columbus Blue Jackets parent company in exchange for future considerations. However, he will stay with the monsters unless his services are required by the Jets,

In addition, the Jets on Monday sent striker Mason Appleton and defenseman Tucker Poolman to Moose, thanks to the new organizations that are now part of the organization. Appleton has three goals and seven assists in 36 games with Winnipeg this season, while Poolman has not yet started with the big club but has a good year with the Moose after returning from a concussion that took him cost nearly seven weeks. action.

[email protected]

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg