Jets deal for defenceman DeMelo, sending 2020 3rd-round pick to Senators

The Winnipeg Jets added depth on defence ahead of the Feb. 24 NHL trade deadline by acquiring Dylan DeMelo from Ottawa on Tuesday.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion picked up a third-round pick in this summer's draft from Jets counterpart Kevin Cheveldayoff, whose team entered Tuesday's home game against Los Angeles three points back of Arizona for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference with two games in hand.

The 26-year-old DeMelo from London Ont., has 10 points and a plus-3 rating in 49 games this season, his second with Ottawa.

He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

"I'm not surprised, when you're a week out [from the deadline] you kind of see it progressing that way in regards to a trade possibly happening," DeMelo told Postmedia. "We played [the Jets] recently, it's a really good team and they've got some really good pieces up front with a good goaltender [in Connor Hellebuyck].

Jets' debut vs. Senators?

"To get to play in some meaningful games down the stretch with a team fighting for a playoff spot with an organization I think very highly of with [head coach] Paul Maurice, is a great opportunity."

It's expected DeMelo will meet his new teammates in Ottawa, where the Jets open a four-game road trip on Thursday.

DeMelo has seven goals and 64 points in 259 regular-season games over five seasons with the San Jose Sharks and Senators.

He was part of the Sept. 13, 2018 trade that sent all-star blue-liner Erik Karlsson from Ottawa to San Jose.

Winnipeg placed defenceman Luca Sbisa on injured reserve, which opened a roster spot for DeMelo.

Ottawa, which has seven picks in the first three rounds of the June 26-27 draft in Montreal, including a pair of first-rounders, is out of the playoff picture with a 20-28-11 record.