With the Colorado Avalanche hoisting the Stanley Cup last night, it officially marks the end of the 2021-2022 season. Teams can now officially look forward to the off-season as free agency opens on July 13th. In the meantime, teams will look at the trade market as many big names are being floated around this year, especially in Winnipeg. It has already been reported that Mark Scheifele has asked for a trade, and youngster Pierre Luc-Dubois informed the Jets management that he will test free agency in 2024. At this stage, many expect the Winnipeg Jets to look very different when the 2022-2023 season kicks off.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff has now revealed that the team is looking to deal their captain Blake Wheeler as well.
As per Seravalli:
‘’Wheeler could be the missing piece for a contending team as a point-per-game, play-driving winger with size and heart.”
In his career, the 35-year-old right-winger has scored 296 goals and tallied 571 assists for 867 points across 1,046 games. While it’s unclear what the asking price is or what team’s have shown interest, one thing is for sure the Jets will receive a lot of calls on the veteran. One possible scenario is could there be a reunion in Boston for Wheeler?
Wheeler debuted with Boston in the 2008-2009 season and went on to play three seasons for the black and gold before being traded. In those three seasons with the Bruins, he recorded 50 goals and 60 assists in 221 games.
Wheeler was traded on February 18, 2011, to the Atlanta Thrashers for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik. Peverley would go on to help the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship as he had four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 25 playoff games.
While Wheeler returning to Boston after all these years would make for a great story, bringing on a 35-year-old player who has two years left on his contract and carries an $8.25 million annual cap hit is not in the cards for the Bruins. The Bruins have plenty of other holes on that roster that need to be filled first and do not have the cap space even to entertain bringing him back to Boston.
