Prior to this year’s trade deadlines, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff boosted the team’s defensive depth by acquiring veteran defender Dylan DeMelo in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft.
The relatively low price made DeMelo a low-risk acquisition.
The London, Ontario native was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft by the San Jose Sharks, where he was originally drafted as an offensive defenseman. At the time, it was said that DeMelo defended aggressively while displaying solid offensive skills—but he was on the small side and needed develop greater patience while on the attack.
Fast-forward nine years and DeMelo has registered only seven goals and 57 assists in 265 games. He has changed his game, however, and morphed into a stay-at-home defender who prides himself on making smart breakout passes from the defensive zone.
And although he still only weighs 191 pounds, he brings a wealth of experience to the Jets’ inexperienced defensive group.
Like most players, DeMelo wants to be a guy the Jets rely on during their playoff run, if a playoff run materializes, and he appears to be earning the trust of Jets head coach Paul Maurice. This is evidenced by the fact that DeMelo is so far playing an average of 21 minutes and 33 seconds per game, four and a half minutes longer than his career average.
He appears to be embracing his role as a strong defender and has been very effective at helping the team control play. Since being acquired by the Jets he ranks second on the team and twenty-ninth in the league among defenders at shot attempts percentage (SAT%). When he’s on the ice, the Jets account for 56 percent of shot attempts.
Given these impressive short-term results, combined with the team’s overall lack of depth on defense and the uncertainty around pending unrestricted free agent Dmitry Kulikov, there are plenty of reasons why the Jets should view DeMelo as more than just a short-term rental option.
