The Winnipeg Jets have acquired winger Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick in the 2024 draft.

In his first season with the Predators, Niederreiter has 18 goals and 10 assists (28 points) in 56 games, including four goals in his last three games. He has one more season after this one with a $4 million cap hit.

With Cole Perfetti possibly out for the rest of the regular season, there is an opening for Niederreiter in the top 6 in Winnipeg. He likely fits in on the second line and on the second-unit power play, providing a much-needed boost to a team that has been struggling lately. Over the last five games, the Jets have scored just nine total goals, including just one goal in each of their last two games. A possible reshuffling would bump Mason Appleton out of the top 6 and one of Appleton or Adam Lowry out of the power play entirely. Overall, Niederreiter should benefit from having at least slightly better scoring options to play beside than he did in Nashville.

With both Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen injured and with the team currently outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Predators have decided to become sellers with this trade. It's possible that more veterans could be on their way out of Nashville over the coming days. As a result, a youth movement should begin to take surface, with players such as Tommy Novak, Cody Glass, and Philip Tomasino playing more prominent roles going forward. Novak in particular has been hot with eight points in his last four games to go with first-unit power-play time in the Predators' last game. Over the season, Novak has very quietly accrued 19 points in 25 games, even if he does not possess the upside or pedigree of Tomasino or Glass. Former first-round pick Tomasino has four points in his last four games.

Players this helps, in order:

Tomasino

Novak

Niederreiter

Glass

Players this hurts, in order:

Appleton

Lowry

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