Via NHL.com
Whether a formal trade request has been made or not. It’s clear young defenseman Ville Heinola isn’t about to become a mainstay in the Winnipeg Jets current lineup.
With Heinola’s agent voicing his opinion, maybe a trade out of Winnipeg would benefit both parties involved.
“Ville doesn’t deserve a guaranteed spot in the lineup. He deserves a shot to play a run of games to show he can do it.” – Allain Roy, Ville Heinola’s agent
“At some point, that decision’s going to have to be made because the asset (Heinola) is going to stagnate and start to go backwards,” Roy said. “That’s going to be the issue. I don’t think it’s going backwards yet, but definitely, the frustration’s setting in, and that’s never a good sign.”
Via HockeyNews.com
There are two teams that stand out for Heinola, these two will give him a chance to develop and earn ice time in the NHL.
Comparing Ville Heinola to Nils Lundkvist and what the New York Rangers received earlier this season for Lundkvist.
Chicago Blackhawks
With Chicago rebuilding and Seth Jones locked in long term. Heinola could make the Blackhawks lineup immediately and not carry the expectations of being a top-2 defenseman and let him find his spot in the lineup without being pushed to perform.
To Winnipeg
- Tampa Bay 2023 1st (top 10 protected) *
- Calgary 2024 5th
- * Tampa Bay 2023 is top 10 protected to Chicago, if Tampa Bay were to pick in the top 10 in 2023, the pick becomes a 2025 unprotected 1st
To Chicago
- Ville Heinola
Seattle Kraken
Seattle is in a position to be a playoff team but with Justin Schultz on their roster on a two year contract he would be the perfect mentor for Heinola.
Cale Fleury and William Borgen currently sit as the Kraken sixth and seventh defenseman. Heinola could start on the third pairing and gain valuable experience from Seattle’s top-five veteran defenseman.
To Winnipeg
- Seattle 2023 1st (top 15 protected) *
- Colorado 2023 4th
- * If Seattle’s pick falls in the top 15 in 2023, it becomes an unprotected 2024 1st
To Seattle
- Ville Heinola
With Winnipeg in a position to make the playoffs this season, Heinola just doesn’t seem to be a trusted option for the Jets. His skills far exceed the AHL level, so sometimes change is needed. Staying in the NHL, with another team that will help showcase his talents and make him a player to keep your eyes on.
The Scoring Touch 