Jets trade top D Prospect Leon Gawanke, and Beaulieu along with Defensive line pairing Stanley and DeMelo in a big Defensemen Trade exchange.
Gawanke, who also wouldn’t be waivers exempt anymore after the year, is the leading defensive player on the Moose with 23 points in 37 games. With 6 goals and 17 assists with an 8+/-. Gawanke could become very good teammates on and off the ice with fellow young German star Stützle. STANLEY is a very valuable big guy that is costly, more likely not tradable, so take a shot. Stanley is still only 23yrs old, is 6’6 and 216 pounds, has 9 assists on 38 games with over 15 mins. If Zub costs only 1.25M for another year, that would be totally worth it…
DeMelo is a solid defensive D-man, and makes a very good pairing with Stanley for the past 2 years. DeMelo would take Zub’s spot and Gawanke would succeed Joshua Brown on the Right side. Gawanke is an NHL ready Right Handed playing in the Right side the past couple years, who could also play the left side. With Brown a UFA who could walk, Gawanke would be reassurance. Tyler Kleven is a 20 yr(Jan.15) unsigned player finishing his 2nd NCAA year. Kleven is from Fargo, North Dakota, which is 221 Miles or 356km away, or a 3hr and 42 min drive according Google directions. It would be fortunate for Kleven to not have to travel far from home to Winnipeg.
If someone is left as the odd man out in Winnipeg… Why not Trade the good line pairing partners Stanley and DeMelo together? It will open up needed space for future NHL ready Jets prospects. Both Stanley and DeMelo are from London, Ontario, a 6hr and 13 minute drive, or 2hr 51Min+. They could train together in the off season and continue to grow together, get more extended roles along with more ice time.
The picks could be rearranged(however negotiations could possibly go), maybe some would think Jets are paying too much and some would think Zub and his $1.25M retained is costly. Along with with the 2nd(getting a 3rd back in this case) and getting Big 6’5, 217 Physical Veteran Joshua Brown… Oh well, I’m done until the big off-season. Dedicated too much exhausted time to hundreds of solutions(mostly hard choices, thanks to cap space, it’s a very very tricky situation), and I don’t get payed for this, so you guys can debate.✌️
“Both Stanley and DeMelo are from London, Ontario, a 6hr and 13 minute drive, or 2hr 51Min+. They could train together in the off season and continue to grow together, get more extended roles along with more ice time.“
I hear they also get coffee from the same barista. I love the reasons you give for the trade, good for a laugh.
I'm not opposed to bringing DeMelo back at all, but trading Zub for him is just bad business. Zub is miles better, and the rest of the deal isn't close to enough to swing it back to fair.
I think Gawanke will be an NHL player, but I'd put him behind Thomson and Bernard-Docker, who are both gonna be fighting for the same spot next year.
Josh Brown is basically a throw in, probably not worth more than like a 4th tops.
Wrapping up the rest of it, Stanley is an NHL player, but Ottawa's left side next year is set with Chabot, Sanderson, Holden and Brannstrom. Not sure it makes sense to essentially move Kleven and a 2nd for him.