NMCs Choke Small Markets Like Jets

No-movement clauses lock down stars like Jonathan Toews, Kyle Connor, Connor Hellebuyck, and Mark Scheifele in Winnipeg, leaving GM Kevin Cheveldayoff handcuffed at the deadline. Toews, the hometown hero on his $2-million deal, flat-out refuses to waive his clause despite the Jets' seven-place Central Division scrape and slim playoff odds. These protections hit small-market teams hardest, stalling retools and forcing half-hearted sells that barely stock the prospect shelf.