What it – After a sharp slide following a President’s Trophy season, the Winnipeg Jets hold the 8th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. David Pagnotta says the team could move it only if it lands a second-line centre or winger in the mid-20s—an upgrade made more urgent
The Winnipeg Jets didn’t just have a tough season — they fell off completely.
One year after winning the President’s Trophy, the team is now staring at a different reality, with major needs and a high draft slot to reshape the roster. Winnipeg has the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and there is a specific kind of player they would consider worth trading it for.
David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period wrote that Winnipeg could make that eighth-overall selection available if it means landing a second-line centre or winger in their mid-20s. The message is clear: this isn’t about adding depth for the future. It’s about getting better now, while keeping the group young enough to move forward.
That urgency has a face. With Jonathan Toews set to retire, Winnipeg is preparing for a void in that role.
On the current depth chart, Mark Scheifele is the top centre, while Adam Lowry occupies the second-line centre spot. But the Jets believe they could use an upgrade and get younger in the process — and Pagnotta’s framework helps explain why.
Mason McTavish is one name tied to that idea. He could become an option for Winnipeg, with the potential to provide an instant boost. Even with struggles last season, McTavish still recorded 52 points in the 2024-25 season, a production level Pagnotta contrasts with Lowry’s.
Winnipeg, though, isn’t limited to one path. The team has plenty of trade targets this offseason as it tries to bounce back from one of the biggest falls in modern history. The numbers from this past season show why the front office is under pressure to find fixes quickly.
Offensively, Winnipeg struggled mightily. The Jets ranked 25th in goals and 23rd on the power play. They also sat among the bottom five in shots per game, even after posting a fourth-place mark in shooting percentage.
That combination matters: they were efficient at times, but they didn’t generate enough volume, and their power play production didn’t help. With that picture, Winnipeg’s “top centre who can set up or put pucks on the net” becomes an ideal fit, not a luxury.
McTavish isn’t the only target that matches what the Jets reportedly want. Robert Thomas is also framed as an ideal option, especially given Winnipeg’s needs for a player who can support the top liners and lead the second line.
The trade math is part of the stakes. If the Jets trade their first-round pick. it will have to be for a player who can help — the kind of mid-20s second-line centre or winger Winnipeg is looking for. After going from President’s Trophy winners to a full-season collapse, the next move can’t be vague. It has to land immediately.
Winnipeg Jets NHL Draft 2026 eighth overall pick David Pagnotta Jonathan Toews Mark Scheifele Adam Lowry Mason McTavish Robert Thomas trade rumors