Did Chevy Get the Upper Hand Again?

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has made more than one sneaky move and I'm beginning to wonder if he's done it again.

When it was revealed that all Winnipeg would be receiving for Jacob Trouba was their own 20th overall pick (given up in the Kevin Hayes trade) and Neal Pionk, nobody would have suggested that Chevy had come away with the better deal.  And yet here we are, just past a quarter of the season in, and the early returns are looking better than expected.

I don't think anyone will argue that Pionk, despite his 3 goals and 13 points, is a better NHL defenseman than Trouba with his 3 goals and 11 points.  But when considering a few other factors the trade may eventually become a big win for Winnipeg.  Ville Heinola, selected with the Jets 20th overall draft pick, suited up for 8 games as an 18 year old and looked far from out of place in the big league.  While playing an average of 18 minutes a night, the young Finn managed a goal and 4 assists, and skated to a +3.  Any defender able to step into the league at that age, with those results, has a good chance of becoming an NHL regular for a very long time.

Couple these performances with the fact that the 2 of them will be making just shy of 4 million combined for the next 2 years, while Trouba will be making double at 8 million, and you have to wonder if Chevy knew something all along.  Especially when considering the savings were doled out to maintain the likes of Kyle Connor, Patrick Laine and Trouba's old partner, Josh Morrissey.  All of whom are making less than 7 million a piece.

Makes you not only wonder if Chevy may have gotten the upper hand again, but if Jacob Trouba is, dare I say it, overrated.