The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of emotions for Winnipeg fans. Most of us were dreading a Patrik Laine trade. How many Jets supporters really expected him to still be in navy at the end of evening? And then, to completely flip the table over, the Jets somehow managed to pull off the heist of the draft with Cole Perfetti. Now, Winnipeg appears to have one more trick up its sleeve, re-signing Dylan DeMelo to a 4-year contract at an average annual value of $3M.
For a low-scoring D who brings a calm, steadying presence to the line-up and pushes play up the ice, this contract is great value. I thought Dylan would get somewhere around 3 years at $2.5M per, but the extra year and slightly higher AAV is fine with me. Winnipeg is extremely short on NHL-calibre D, and DeMelo’s track record of quality transition play makes him an important signing for the near future. There is some sort of limited no-trade clause in effect, but I’m not sure anyone can truly complain. The Jets got a quality skater and character in DeMelo locked up for a great deal, adding yet another win for a team that’s desperately needed them.
How are you feeling about the sudden change in fortunes this week?
