BREAKING: Ottawa Senators Make A Post-Deadline Trade With The Winnipeg Jets

The Ottawa Senators have acquired center Wyatt Bongiovanni from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for future considerations, as announced by the team.

Bongiovanni has been promptly reassigned to the Senators AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. Typically, Belleville will send a player signed to an AHL contract to the Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg's affiliate, to finalize the trade.

Since the trade occurred after the March 8 deadline, Bongiovanni will not be eligible for recall to the Ottawa Senators for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

Bongiovanni, aged 24, joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has played for the Moose since then, tallying 21 goals and 33 points in 93 games. However, he has struggled defensively, holding the team's worst +/- rating in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Despite his defensive challenges, Bongiovanni was a significant contributor during his time at Quinnipiac University, where he scored 50 goals, 90 points, and held a +43 rating across 123 appearances between 2018 and 2022. While he has showcased his shooting skills with the Moose, other aspects of his game have yet to reach the level required for an NHL call-up.

Bongiovanni remains exempt from waivers for two more seasons or until he plays 60 NHL games. His entry-level contract worth $1.605 million expires this summer, and if the Senators issue a qualifying offer, he will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.