The Winnipeg Jets, first place in the Central Division and Western Conference at 39-14-3 entering a two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off, are likely going to be sniffing around for a centre at or ahead of next month’s trade deadline who can bolster their offensive attack.
The Jets’ “need for a second-line centre” — or, at least the media perception of that need — has been a storyline for most of their 2.0 history. It’s no different now, despite the Jets being the league’s highest-scoring team and Vladislav Namestnikov doing a workmanlike job between Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti in that role with 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in 52 games and 10 points in his 13 games since the calendar rolled over to 2025.
Related: Jets 2025 Trade Deadline Assets
Last February, Jets general manager (GM) Kevin Cheveldayoff traded for Sean Monahan and he fit very nicely up the middle on the second line but left as an unrestricted free agent (UFA.) If Cheveldayoff can find a centre with a similar offensive upside so head coach Scott Arniel can bump Namestnikov down, it would bolster the top and bottom six simultaneously.
Here, we’ll take a look at four centres playing for possible deadline sellers Cheveldayoff can target.
Scott Laughton
Laughton, currently centreing the Philadelphia Flyers’ second line, is known as an intelligent and versatile guy who can also play wing, net-front on the power play, and on the penalty kill.
The 30 year old has spent his entire 12-year NHL career in the City of Brotherly Love since being selected by the Flyers 20th overall in 2010. In 655-career games, has recorded 106 goals and 158 assists for 264 points and is also noted to have good defensive awareness.
Adding Laughton wouldn’t represent a huge splash for the Jets like some of the players we’ll get into later would and his point-per-game average is a little lower than Namestnikov’s. However players like he and Namestnikov — glue guys who do whatever it takes to win and are happy to be plugged in anywhere — seem to disproportionately become playoff heroes.
Laughton, who serves as one of the Flyers’ alternate captains, entered this season coming off a down campaign (39 points in 82 games) and has 26 in 54 games this season. It might not take huge assets to get Flyers GM Daniel Briere to part with him so he can amass future assets for his club that currently sits last place in the Metropolitan…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…