Winnipeg Jets acquire Vladislav Namestnikov from San Jose Sharks

For the second time in three days, veteran forward Vladislav Namestnikov has been traded. First, he was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Michael Eyssimont. Just two days later, Namestnikov has been moved again, this time to the Winnipeg Jets.

The return for Namestnikov is a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 30-year-old veteran has six goals and 15 points in 57 games this year with the Lightning. He was a member of the Sharks for a grand total of about 48 hours, but didn’t play any games for them.

Namestnikov is a journeyman NHL veteran who is effective in a bottom-six role. He has played some of the best hockey of his career in two separate stints in Tampa. He was originally a first round selection of the Lightning in the 2011 NHL Draft. He earned a full-time role in Tampa in the years after and reached his peak during the 2017-17 season, when he scored 44 points in 62 games before being traded for the first time in his career that February.

He went on to play stints for the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning over the last five years.

Namestnikov was signed to a one-year $2.5 million contract by the Lightning prior to this season. He didn’t quite perform as they wanted him to so he was dealt to the Sharks in a lateral, cost-cutting move. The Lightning had previously retained 50% of his remaining cap hit when he was sent to San Jose.

The Jets are looking to move up in the standings and solidify their playoff position in the coming weeks. For the price of a fourth round pick, Winnipeg is hoping Namestnikov can be a valuable contributor in the team’s bottom-six and at a $1.25 million cap hit, it’s a low-risk bet.

Namestnikov has 113 goals and 251 points in 610 games in his NHL career.

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