A month ago, the NHL trade market looked like a ghost town. With the standings so tightly packed, it was tough to tell who’d be buying, who’d be selling, and who’d just be standing pat.
But as the calendar flipped into the new year, the picture started to sharpen. A few teams have hit the skids hard, and now the sellers are starting to emerge from the shadows.
One of those teams? The Winnipeg Jets. And one name that's quietly starting to buzz in league circles: Jonathan Toews.
Yes, that Jonathan Toews.
On a recent episode of Oilersnation Everyday, Jeff Marek floated the possibility of Toews being on the move - and even suggested Edmonton as a potential landing spot. “There will be teams that come to Winnipeg asking about Jonathan Toews, and he’ll cost you basically nothing,” Marek said.
“He’d have to waive to go, but nonetheless... I really wondered as Winnipeg fell, that’s one of those names I wondered about and where he could fit.
Edmonton in the middle, third line?”
It’s a fascinating thought. Toews has played 49 games this season for Winnipeg, notching seven goals and 11 assists. But zoom in on his last 10 games, and there’s a noticeable uptick: four goals, two assists, and a clear sign that he’s starting to find his legs again after a long layoff.
That’s an important point. Toews hadn’t played an NHL game in two years before this season.
A slow start was almost inevitable. But lately, he’s looked more like the player who built a career on smart, responsible hockey and clutch playoff performances.
“He’s getting better,” Marek added. “Do you want someone in the playoffs who is going to win 70 percent of the faceoffs?”
That’s the kind of detail that matters in the postseason. Playoff hockey is a game of inches, and a veteran who can dominate the dot and bring a calming presence to the bottom six can tilt a series.
There’s also the obvious connection between Toews and Oilers GM Stan Bowman. The two won multiple Stanley Cups together in Chicago. If there’s anyone who knows what Toews brings to the table - both on and off the ice - it’s Bowman.
Connor Hrabchak of Winnipeg Sports Talk offered some insight into how Toews’ game has evolved this season. “He’s starting to produce a lot more and even scored in four straight games recently,” Hrabchak noted.
“His possession numbers are solid since then too. Earlier in the season, he was trailing the play a lot and I feel like he’s picked up his pace quite a bit and isn’t glaringly out of position as much.”
Still not perfect, but trending in the right direction.
So what’s the market for a player like Toews? If the Jets are simply looking to do right by the veteran - giving him a shot at another playoff run - the asking price might be as low as a late-round pick. In that case, the Oilers would be wise to at least pick up the phone.
But if Winnipeg is looking for something more substantial, say a third-rounder, that’s probably where Edmonton should draw the line.
Then there’s the cap situation. Toews carries a modest $2 million cap hit, which the Jets could retain.
But his contract includes performance bonuses that complicate things. He earns $500,000 if his team makes the playoffs, then another $250,000 for every round they win - as long as he plays in at least half the games.
If he hits all those marks and wins the Cup, there’s another $1 million bonus waiting.
For a cap-conscious team like the Oilers, that’s not nothing. Bonus overages would roll into next year’s cap, which could create a headache. But there’s a potential workaround: if the Jets are willing to take back Andrew Mangiapane’s $3.6 million cap hit for next season, the Oilers could actually come out ahead financially - both in the short term and down the road.
Of course, Toews shouldn’t be viewed as the solution to Edmonton’s forward depth issues. He’s a piece, not the whole puzzle.
A solid fourth-line center who can handle tough matchups and win key draws? Absolutely.
But if the Oilers want to make a real push, they’ll need more than that. Toews could be a complementary addition - not the headline move.
There’s been plenty of debate around whether Edmonton should prioritize a third-line center or a top-six winger to ride shotgun with Connor McDavid. The answer might be: why not both?
If the price is right, Toews could slot into the third line and give the Oilers a reliable veteran presence for the stretch run. And with some cap creativity, they’d still have the flexibility to chase a scoring winger to round out the top six.
Bottom line: if Winnipeg’s selling, and the cost is low, Jonathan Toews might just be a smart buy for a team with Stanley Cup dreams.