NHL Rumors: Jets Defenseman Becoming Trade Candidate

According to Jacob Stoller of The Hockey News, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ville Heinola is "growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities" on the NHL roster. Given the Jets' depth of the left side of their defense, we could very well see Heinola traded to help resolve this issue.

Heinola was the Jets' 2019 first-round pick. Since then, he has appeared in 25 games with the team, where he has a goal and 10 points. Overall, at least from an offensive standpoint, he has done fairly well, but it has not been enough for him to cement himself a permanent spot on the NHL roster. With that, he was immediately sent down to the Manitoba Moose for this season and has yet to play a game for Winnipeg in 2022-23.

If the Jets cannot find a way to play Heinola, it may be best for both parties to move on. Due to the 21-year-old having top-four potential, there certainly would be a market for him if shopped. Maybe they could use him (along with other assets) to bring in a big-name player at the deadline.