The Winnipeg Jets made two trades in rapid succession a couple of hours before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
In the first, the Jets acquired defenseman Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, league sources told
In the second, the Jets acquired forward Brandon Tanev, whom they signed out of college in 2016, from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.
The 33-year-old Tanev has nine goals and eight assists in 60 games played this season. He was No. 6 on the Athletic’s latest trade board.
The Kraken selected Tanev in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
Tanev originally signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent after his senior season at Providence College. He played four seasons in Winnipeg and two in Pittsburgh before landing in Seattle. In 533 career games, he’s amassed 83 goals and 92 assists.
Schenn was No. 10 on the Athletic’s latest trade board.
The 35-year-old defender was shipped to the Penguins on Wednesday, along with forward Tommy Novak, in exchange for Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round draft pick.
Schenn is under contract through next season at a $2.75 million salary cap hit.
The Penguins are in an aggressive rebuild and are on track to miss the postseason for the third consecutive season.
The additions of Schenn and Tanev are underwhelming, particularly against the backdrop of Colorado and Dallas acquiring Brock Nelson and Mikko Rantanen. They are also expensive, costing the Jets two second-round picks and a fourth-round pick. Neither Schenn nor Tanev is an automatic roster player on the top-seeded Jets.
Winnipeg’s value proposition depends on how Schenn and Tanev are used. There’s a clear theme to these acquisitions: They’re blood and guts players, shot blockers and — in Schenn’s case — a heavy hitter.
Tanev isn’t automatically an upgrade to the Jets’ fourth line at five-on-five. He’s played big penalty-killing minutes his whole career but tends to be associated with a large shot volume when he’s on the ice. Schenn kills penalties, too, averaging 1:10 per game for Nashville.
They’re the kind of players teammates and coaches will appreciate for their grit but not major drivers. In a world where the West is making big additions, the Jets got players they liked but it’s clear they’ve made the smallest gains. So far.
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