With no first-round pick, Winnipeg Jets are spectators as NHL draft begins

Minus a first-round pick in this year's NHL draft, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is focusing his attention on the team's free agents.

The Jets dealt their top selection in 2018 which turned out to be No. 29 overall to the St. Louis Blues prior to the trade deadline as part of the package to acquire veteran centre Paul Stastny ahead of the Jets' playoff run.

The trade worked out for both sides as Stastny excelled in Winnipeg, helping the club make it all the way to this season's Western Conference final.

But the Jets are now trying to sign Stastny, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Cheveldayoff also has a host of restricted free agents on the docket, including defencemen Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey, as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who finished second in Vezina Trophy voting.

Cheveldayoff told reporters ahead of Friday's draft that while getting back into the first round would be nice, the Jets understood they could be sidelined when they made the Stastny trade.

He added that the priority now is getting as many of his players signed as possible.

St. Louis ended up trading the 29th pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who used the selection to take Swedish defenceman Rasmus Sandin from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.