Jets Still Have Time to Maximize Logan Stanley’s Value

Stanley is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) after this season and is looking for a change of scenery for the next chapter of his career. Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Brenden Dillon, and Dylan DeMelo are all under contract for another season after this one, further clouding Stanley’s chances of earning a full-time role. With under a day, until the Trade Deadline passes, it will be interesting to see if this request gets solved now, or rather is a move made in the offseason.

The Jets organization and development team took their time with the 6-foot-7 defender, as Stanley played with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL) for two seasons before being called up. He has experienced ups and downs at the NHL level but is now seven years removed from his draft year and has yet to win over the coaching staff.

What the Jets Should be Looking For In Return

Although they have already made a great move in acquiring Nino Niederreiter, the Jets’ work should not be finished just yet. The stars have aligned to go all-in this season, and the Deadline is looming. What else do the Jets need to finish off the 2022-23 season? It has been made clear that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff likes to acquire players with term, but this season in particular, acquiring a low-cost rental player could pay off big time.

The Jets should be looking to move Stanley to a team with veteran defenceman and bottom-six forwards, such as the Washington Capitals, who have a boatload of unrestricted free agents (UFA) this offseason. Craig Smith, who was just traded from the Boston Bruins to the Capitals, and forward Conor Sheary are both good options for the Jets to bolster their bottom six. Sheary has 30 points in 63 games and would provide a scoring boost to a forward group that desperately needs it.

If they choose to add a veteran defenceman, Trevor Van Riemsdyk is an option from the Capitals, while others, such as Carson Soucy from the Seattle Kraken, are still available on the market. A depth defenceman to rotate into the lineup in case of injury is always a good idea, and the Jets could upgrade on this spot with the departure of their former first-round pick.

The Stanley draft pick has not worked out, and with this trade request, the Jets should be looking to move him as soon as possible to receive the maximum amount of value possible. If they continue to be patient with this situation, teams will wait it out and pursue Stanley when he hits the open market, rather than spending assets for him. With the clock ticking on the 2022-23 trade deadline, the Jets need to act fast.