Tiny Heiny

sipowicz

The thrill is gone
Mar 16, 2011
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Couldn't find a Heinola thread so I made one.

Serioulsy what is the status of this guy, small size and lack of a burst of speed to close gaps hinders his abilty in the NHL.

Really surprised he wasn't moved, I'm sure he will be in the off season or even if the NHL is his best option. Heinola is already 24 and drafted six years ago!
 
I'm surprised he wasn't moved at the TDL, as well. Unfortunately, that might be a little more of an insight into where his value is at currently league wide.

That said, I think it's in the best interest of the player and team to part ways this off-season. Ville deserves a chance to have a shot to potentially crack a line-up and with the Jets blue-line being so crowded -- it's likely not happening here.

If I had to guess, I think Chevy tries to recoup some small pick(s) for him around the draft and that's how the Ville era ends in Winnipeg.
 
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Jets barely ever trade out of prospects, unless they want out, or in TDL deal, so not super surprised he was not moved.

maybe on draft day he does get dealt.... really can't see him garnering a 1st like Lundkvist that folks have brought up to me in recent HF discussions. maybe a rebuild-type team that has excess draft capital ie: multiple late 2nds or 3rds or something takes a chance on him.

i haven't been huge on heinola since 2021ish, but will say his play toward the end of his recent stretch was actually solid, and deserved more of an extended look. esp. comp. to what the Jets were putting out on the third pair. maybe he and schenn would've been a serviceable third pair for instance (Pionk injury non-withstanding).
 
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Let's see what grok has to say about this...

Ville Heinola, a defenseman for the Winnipeg Jets, wasn’t traded at the 2025 NHL trade deadline (March 7, 2025) likely due to a combination of team strategy, roster dynamics, and his specific situation within the organization. Here’s why:
The Winnipeg Jets entered the 2025 trade deadline with an exceptional 2024-25 season record, sitting atop the NHL standings with a 42-15-3 mark by late February, as noted by analysts. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff faced a pivotal decision: bolster the roster for a Stanley Cup push or maintain the team’s strong chemistry. Heinola, a 24-year-old former first-round pick (20th overall in 2019), has long been viewed as a high-potential prospect but has struggled to secure a consistent NHL role, partly due to injuries and a crowded defensive corps. Despite his impressive AHL performance—23 points in 28 games during the 2024-25 season—he remained on the periphery of the Jets’ lineup, often overshadowed by established players like Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, and Dylan DeMelo.
Cheveldayoff’s approach at the deadline leaned toward targeted additions rather than major shakeups. The Jets acquired forward Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins, moves aimed at adding depth and playoff experience without disrupting the team’s cohesion. Trading Heinola, their top defensive prospect, might have been considered, but several factors likely kept him in Winnipeg. First, his trade value could have been depressed by his injury history (e.g., a fractured ankle in the 2024 preseason sidelined him for 40 games) and limited NHL experience (just 35 games across five seasons). Teams may have hesitated to offer a significant return for a player yet to prove himself at the NHL level consistently.
Second, the Jets’ defensive logjam—nine players vying for six spots after injuries healed—didn’t force a trade. While Logan Stanley, another depth defenseman, was a logical trade candidate due to past trade requests and inconsistent play, Heinola’s youth and upside made him a less expendable asset. Coach Scott Arniel’s staff didn’t view Heinola (or others like Haydn Fleury or Colin Miller) as the immediate solution to push Stanley out, but they also didn’t see the need to offload him for a marginal return. The Jets’ strong culture and chemistry, built under Arniel and captain Adam Lowry, favored keeping a known quantity like Heinola over risking a trade that might not yield an impactful upgrade.
Finally, Cheveldayoff’s history suggests a reluctance to part with future assets unless the return aligns with long-term goals. Past deadline moves—like acquiring Paul Stastny or Sean Monahan—show he prefers adding proven pieces over trading unproven prospects unless the deal is overwhelmingly favorable. With no blockbuster offer for Heinola materializing, and the Jets focused on a Cup run, they opted to retain him, possibly as a future asset or insurance for their playoff roster. Thus, Heinola stayed put, a reflection of Winnipeg’s confidence in their current group and a cautious approach to their prospect pipeline.
 
Couldn't find a Heinola thread so I made one.

Serioulsy what is the status of this guy, small size and lack of a burst of speed to close gaps hinders his abilty in the NHL.

Really surprised he wasn't moved, I'm sure he will be in the off season or even if the NHL is his best option. Heinola is already 24 and drafted six years ago!

They are keeping him around to f*** with you Sip.
 
Josh Morrissey-sized Heiny should have been traded at the TDL, or given away in the offseason. Clearly not going to give him a run, so move on.

Should be given a shot to see what works on the third pairing incase of injury but the Jets don't do that. Best to move on and sign Stanley for 8 years.
 
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Part of him not being moved may have been our not making a "big trade".
Perhaps if Chevy had completed a trade for a larger piece that required multiple things from the Jets then he would have been added in?
If we come back next year with the same D-core and bench then I don't see him getting a shot unless injuries pile up.
He basically missed his chance the last couple of years with injuries etc...
 
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My take on Heinola is that no other GM wanted him. IMO there is no or very little value left here. If next training camp he gets waived, maybe somebody picks him up, probably not. Best guess he is now #9 on our depth chart with the addition of Schenn and we probably don't see him back on the ice for more than a game or 2, to cover off rest and injuries.

To be honest Heinola has one of the worst optics of any player I can remember. IMO he looks like a scared bantam age player out on the ice. Physically is not smaller than some other players, but he just looks that way on the ice. Without anything exceptional in his game GMs and coaches just look at him and say no thanks.
 
My take on Heinola is that no other GM wanted him. IMO there is no or very little value left here. If next training camp he gets waived, maybe somebody picks him up, probably not. Best guess he is now #9 on our depth chart with the addition of Schenn and we probably don't see him back on the ice for more than a game or 2, to cover off rest and injuries.

To be honest Heinola has one of the worst optics of any player I can remember. IMO he looks like a scared bantam age player out on the ice. Physically is not smaller than some other players, but he just looks that way on the ice. Without anything exceptional in his game GMs and coaches just look at him and say no thanks.
Yeah I think his value has entirely evaporated.

To be fair about his eye test though, just whenever he seemed to get a few games in a row and start to look comfortable he got yanked out of the lineup or switched to his off side (and then yanked out of the lineup). If the Jets had spent half the effort and rope they did with Stanley, he might have made a career for himself.
 
His value has been completely shot with how he has been handled this season. I doubt he even gets a 4th round pick at the draft. He should have been atleast part of the rotation on the 3rd pairing. One wonders if Stanley hadn't broken his foot at the beginning of the season a couple of seasons ago which opened the door for Samberg, would Samberg be in the Heinola spot today. Seems like there is no way to break into the Jets d-corps on merit and you almost have to be "lucky" to have the right combination of injuries at the backend at the right time to get your shot.

I pray Salomonsson doesn't suffer the same fate.
 
My take on Heinola is that no other GM wanted him. IMO there is no or very little value left here. If next training camp he gets waived, maybe somebody picks him up, probably not. Best guess he is now #9 on our depth chart with the addition of Schenn and we probably don't see him back on the ice for more than a game or 2, to cover off rest and injuries.

To be honest Heinola has one of the worst optics of any player I can remember. IMO he looks like a scared bantam age player out on the ice. Physically is not smaller than some other players, but he just looks that way on the ice. Without anything exceptional in his game GMs and coaches just look at him and say no thanks.
The Marcel Comeau era 1st round picks:

Scheifele
Trouba
Morrissey
Ehlers
Connor Roslo

Ladies and Gentlemen I bring you the Mark Hillier era first round results:

After Laine lottery luck:

Stanley
KVes
Heinola
Lucius
Perfetti (yea)
McConman
Barlow
 
Not all that fair but comparison considering where the draft picks were.

With Comeau we drafted Schief at #7 then Trouba and Ehlers at #9, it’s not like those were top 4 OA level slots. How much different numerically are Morrissey and #13 Connor at #17 vs Stanley #18, Lucius #18, McGroarty #14, Barlow #18?? All guys taken in the 13 to 18 range. Perfetti is the one successful pick (to date) under Hillier’s leadership and he was taken in the Trouba, Ehlers 9-10 OA area. I am a fan of Cole’s but he has got a ways to go to catch up to Ehlers as far as results go.

I am not a fan of how we have drafted in the first round since Comeau stepped down. I get it, shit happens, its unpredictable, but we are running out of excuses to explain this away. we have not been good enough.
 
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Not wrong. Maybe delusional. :laugh:

He was pretty good in his last short chance. Arniel does not want to use him. He has no chance here.
He played very sheltered games seeing 10 minutes pg, the more he played the more overwhelmed he became, sorry but too small for the NHL and not quick enough. Another wasted Finnish draft pick

Bottom line though is that Miller, Fleury and even Stan are better!
 
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