ANALYSIS: With trade deadline looming, what’s Jets GM’s move? – Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets will look to extend a franchise-record winning streak when they host San Jose on Monday night.

But will the Jets’ continued success have an effect on GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s strategy, with the trading deadline now just a week and a half away?

There are two colliding theories at play here for the Jets’ general manager and his trusted inner circle of advisors: If it ain’t broke, leave the repair kit in the garage, and if a deep playoff run is the goal, you can never have enough depth.

Even without Connor Hellebuyck and Josh Morrissey Saturday night in St. Louis, Winnipeg found a way, again, to pull what looked like a certain defeat out of the fire in that 4-3 come-from-behind shootout win over the Blues for the 2.0 franchise’s record ninth straight win.

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Both stars will be back in the lineup Monday night for a shot at a 10th consecutive victory against an opponent playing on back-to-back nights. And you might remember what happened earlier this season when the Sharks rolled into town after having played the night before. Does 8-3 sound familiar?

Cheveldayoff did conduct some business over the weekend that saw Vlad Namestnikov join a rather exclusive club of Winnipeg Jets who have signed a contract extension in-season. Last year it was Nino Niederreiter. You could argue those two are among Chevy’s best acquisitions near or at the trading deadline.

So when the clock strikes 2 p.m. central time on March 7, do the Jets need to take a run at one of the remaining names on the big board? Or would a “sneaky smart” move or two — along the lines of a Niederreiter and Namestnikov — to bolster an already deep team make more sense?

That brings us to yet another theory, that the players don’t decide when it comes to trades.

But if Winnipeg keeps winning, perhaps the guys in that Jets dressing room will impact how the process eventually plays out.

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