Logan Stanley To Be On The Move From Winnipeg

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley checks a player in front of the net

The Winnipeg Jets will be sellers as we approach the trade deadline. Sitting 10 points back of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, the team must start facing facts that this is just a lost year.

And while 36-year-old defenseman Luke Schenn is one of the more obvious trade candidates on an expiring contract, another, much younger (and larger) d-man has generated a lot of interest. Insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tells us that Logan Stanley will apparently be on the move.

Sources suggest to me that Logan Stanley is a very likely candidate to be traded this season. The Jets have not had formal contract negotiations with his agent and there's a strong belief out there that Stanley will be dealt.

The 'Stanimal' is having a breakout season, moving from being a depth defender to a full-time member of the Jets blueline. He's already set career highs offensively with eight goals and 17 points in 52 games. He had never scored more than a single goal in his previous five NHL seasons. He's even seen some power play time recently.

In addition, his 16:32 average ice time per game is a minute more than his previous high. He's handed out 83 hits and blocked 62 shots. He also has a career high 95 penalty minutes. The mammoth 6'7" d-man's willingness to get physical, and drop the gloves when necessary has made him a fan favorite for some in Winnipeg (while others lament his occasional troubles with the puck).

He's in the final year of a two-year, $1.25 million AAV, and is due for a big raise. Some suggest he could command close to the $4M or $5M range. "He's gonna cash in on a pretty solid ticket as a free agent."

"Everything that I've been told now is that it looks like this is gonna end in some type of trade," concludes Pagnotta. "There's gonna be a lot of interest in this player with how he's playing this season and with a sweetheart cap hit."