Winnipeg Jets acquire Matt Hendricks from Minnesota Wild

The Winnipeg Jets acquired Matt Hendricks from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round draft pick.

One of the six trades the Winnipeg Jets made at the deadline included reacquiring Matt Hendricks from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round draft pick. The trade may not have been the sexiest trade made at the NHL Trade Deadline, but it was a trade that will be very crucial moving forward for the Jets.

Hendricks is a grizzled veteran that has played for six teams in his 11 year NHL career. The 37-year-old center is not known for his offensive skill, but rather his ability to check and fight. The 6’0” and 211 pound forward is returning to the Jets after playing for them in the 2017-18 season before getting signed by the Wild in the offseason.

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In his entire career, Hendricks has played in 603 NHL games, tallying 54 goals, 61 assists and 722 penalty minutes. As for the 2018-19 season, he has played in 22 games, registering two assists and 19 penalty minutes. With the Jets, it is unlikely that Hendricks will be an everyday player, but he will definitely play the games where they need grit in the lineup.

This trade is replicable to the trade the Nashville Predators pulled off on February 6th when they traded a 2020 seventh-round draft pick to the New York Rangers for Cody McLeod.  Much like Hendricks, McLeod is a veteran fourth-line forward that is known for his toughness and experience.  It is very likely that these two warriors will face off in the playoffs if both teams advance and place as they are expected to do.

For Jets fans, they will see Hendricks replicate the role Chris Thorburn played a couple of seasons ago.  This role includes providing physicality, experience and igniting a spark in the lineup. Although this was a smaller scale trade, it is definitely one that could have a big impact on the Jets’ lineup and playoff push.