A weekly lap around the NHL by Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe
The calls and text messages were coming in fast and furious for Logan Stanley.
As he sat in the press box on Thursday night watching the Winnipeg Jets take on and eventually defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1, the towering defenceman was dealing with the rumour mill in real time and had a feeling his life was about to change — even if reality hadn’t quite kicked in yet.
Once a pending unrestricted free agent is held out for roster related reasons, as Stanley was at the last minute on Thursday, a trade is often just a formality.
Fred Greenslade / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Logan Stanley (right) played his last game with the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. The defenceman was traded to the Buffalo Sabres Thursday along with fellow defenceman Luke Schenn.
“I guess it got a little more real when I was told I wasn’t playing when I got to the rink,” Stanley said in a telephone interview before boarding a plane to upstate New York to meet his new teammates. “Obviously, I knew there was that possibility, but until you’re told, you don’t really believe it fully. At the rink, I had lots on my mind and the rumour mill was swirling. It was definitely unique and something that I’d never really dealt with before.”
Once the move became official, Stanley was traded to the Buffalo Sabres along with Luke Schenn for a package that included forward prospect Isak Rosen, defenceman Jacob Bryson and draft picks.
“I spent a lot of time in Winnipeg and really enjoyed my time here.”
“It was definitely emotional, being told I was moved and then coming down and seeing the boys come in after a big win, it got to me a little bit and I realized that I was no longer a part of that group of guys,” said Stanley. “I spent a lot of time in Winnipeg and really enjoyed my time here.”
Stanley, chosen 18th overall by the Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft, spent the past decade in the organization and worked his way through a number of ups and downs that included injuries and healthy scratches, a trade request a few years ago that wasn’t granted and a pair of playoff goals on Hall of Fame goalie Carey Price.
Eventually, Stanley found his footing and worked his way through the most productive season of his career, contributing career-highs in goals (nine) and points (19) in 59 games before the trade.
“Definitely some good times, definitely some rough patches through it all but that’s professional sports,” said Stanley, who reiterated how well he and his family were treated during his time here. “I’m extremely happy that I got to spend a decade in the organization.”
If Stanley had his way, he would have been sticking around with the Jets. He expressed his desire to do so in a recent interview with the Free Press and he didn’t rule out a return at some point in his career, even though contract negotiations didn’t lead to an extension this week.
“It’s a great young team, they’re playing really well right now and hopefully I can help them go on a deep run.”
“I’ll never close the door on returning to Winnipeg. I’ve loved my time here. (The Jets) had to make a business decision. Things pan out the way they do sometimes,” said Stanley
“Definitely no hard feelings. I have nothing but great things about everyone in the organization.”
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff thanked Stanley for his contributions and wished him well in his next stop, though also not ruling out a reunion.
“Kudos to him for what he’s been able to accomplish as a player this year,” said Cheveldayoff. “When we talked, I told him I certainly haven’t closed any doors and hope that he hadn’t (either).”
Stanley, 27, is going to a Sabres team that had a rough start to the campaign and was languishing near the bottom of the NHL standings before a remarkable run has them challenging for top spot in the Atlantic Division.
“It’s a great young team, they’re playing really well right now and hopefully I can help them go on a deep run,” said Stanley.
AROUND THE GLASS:
The final buzzer has sounded and 32 general managers across the NHL can now safely step away from their phones. Another trade deadline has come and gone and plenty of household names find themselves with new hockey homes.
There’s typically a rush to declare winners and losers before the dust has barely settled, and we here at Dump & Chase are guilty as charged. It’s a risk we’re willing to take. While patience may truly be a virtue, what fun is that? Let’s get right to it as Mike gives his hot takes:
WINNERS:
— The Colorado Avalanche have proven themselves to be the top team in the NHL so far this season, and they showed no signs of slowing down with their work at the deadline. Adding centres Nazem Kadri and Nic Roy to go with the existing one-two punch of Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson is quite something. That is incredible depth down the middle.
— The Minnesota Wild landed the biggest fish — but it happened way back in December. The blockbuster trade to acquire Quinn Hughes changed their DNA, and GM Bill Guerin added some nice complementary pieces this week in Nick Foligno, Michael McCarron and Bobby Brink. They are going to be a handful come playoff time.
Jessie Alcheh / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Arguably the biggest trade of the season has been the Minnesota Wild picking up defenceman Quinn Hughes.
— It says here the Winnipeg Jets did well to turn a trio of expiring contracts in Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn and Tanner Pearson into five assets (Isak Rosen, Jacob Bryson, a second, a fourth and a seventh round pick) from the Buffalo Sabres.
— The Tampa Bay Lightning only made one trade, but adding “The Rat” Corey Perry to an already potent lineup looks like a shrewd move. He’ll make sure there are no passengers once the playoffs get underway.
— The Anaheim Ducks are one of the most exciting young teams in the league, and bringing in a force like John Carlson — easily the most stunning trade this week — on what is already a rock-solid blue line will only help their cause.
— The New York Islanders landed Brayden Schenn, the St. Louis Blues captain, and you know he’ll drag that club into the playoff fight.
LOSERS:
— The Dallas Stars didn’t exactly load up in the arm’s race that is the Central Division. Tyler Myers is a decent add on the blue line, which Michael Bunting is a depth move up front. Frankly, we expected more.
— The Carolina Hurricanes were also strangely silent, only adding tough guy Nic Deslauriers. No question they are one of the favourites in the East, but it sure feels like they fell short.
— The Buffalo Sabres clearly had to pivot once Colton Parayko utilized his no-trade clause, but Stanley and Schenn are a significant step-down, especially for the price they ultimately paid.
— There was a lot of talk that the Detroit Red Wings were going to take a home run swing, but only adding Justin Faulk amounts to a single or, at best, a double.
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On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
— It sure feels like the Edmonton Oilers missed the boat by not upgrading their goaltending, especially since the likes of Jordan Binnington and Sergei Bobrovsky were potentially on the market. Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson might help improve their ugly defensive play, but another crease crisis come the spring wouldn’t surprise us.
— Sure, the Vancouver Canucks sold off some assets, but the league’s worst team is headed for a long re-build. Was there really no market for Elias Pettersson or was the ask simply too high?
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Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.
Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer.
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