Winnipeg Sports Talk: Darren Dreger last week on the Sekeres and Price show when asked about potential buyout candidates. (Interview was before the buyout window opened on Friday). Dreger mentions Winnipeg Jets for Blake Wheeler.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Matt Sekeres: “Buyout window opens Friday. Are you hearing any names? Do you think we’re going to see buyouts as soon as Friday or early week?”
Dreger: “Ya, I think we probably will. Early week, ya.
The team I’m fixated on is Winnipeg, right? And there’s been lots of speculation around the trading possibilities with the big name guys – (Connor) Hellebuyck, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Mark Scheifele.
What are they going to end up doing with Blake Wheeler? And, you know, maybe it’s early, maybe it’s early, but, you know, Blake Wheeler’s a heck of a hockey player. He’s got a real solid career. Could he help a team? Yes, I think he can in a more limited capacity than what was needed in Winnipeg.
But to facilitate that trade doesn’t it feel like you’re going to have to retain a chunk or apply a sweetener, or both to find a trade fit? Or is a buyout just easier and cleaner?
And I’m leaning towards the buyout. You guys know in Vancouver, ownership doesn’t like having that dead money on the books, they don’t. They put it on management, find a way to keep the books clean, but there are times when you get into this situations where you don’t really have a choice. And that could be the case with Blake Wheeler and Winnipeg.”
Last week on @sekeresandprice when asked about buyout candidates to watch – @DarrenDreger mentioned #NHLJets Blake Wheeler pic.twitter.com/LWR1yLM6Tl
— Winnipeg Sports Talk (@SportsTalkWPG) June 21, 2023