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Jensen would like to stay, but is prepared to move

February 21, 2019, 7:00 PM ET [6 Comments]
Bob Duff
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Nick Jensen has to admit that the thought of skating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring is just more than a bit intriguing to him.

“Playing in the playoffs is obviously the main goal for everybody,” Jensen, the Detroit Red Wings defenseman, told Mlive.com. “That’s something everyone wants to do, whether it’s the team you’re on or not.”

Jensen knows that barring a near-miracle that won’t be happening with the Red Wings this spring. Detroit currently sit 13th overall in the NHL’s Eastern Conference with 55 points.

“It’s tough not being in the playoffs,” Jensen said. A move elsewhere prior to Monday’s 3 p.m. EST NHL trade deadline could rectify that situation.

“The potential to play in the playoffs, yeah, that’s exciting but it’s not the only factor that goes into this,” Jensen said of the potential that he could be traded.

Jensen’s name is prominently mentioned in trade speculation and of those along the Detroit defense, he’s the one who is positioned to move the easiest. He will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and could be easily acquired by a playoff-bound club as a rental player.

“It’s always nice to be wanted for sure,” Jensen said. “It’s a good feeling for sure.”

That doesn’t mean Jensen is looking to leave, or anxious to get out of town. In fact, his camp is working with the Wings at the present time to see if they can’t come to a contractual agreement to keep him in Detroit.

“Yeah, there’s definitely talks, nothing set in stone right now,” Jensen said. “I know we’re in contact. I haven’t talked to my agents much or I haven’t talked to them recently. I talked to them a couple days ago, two or three days ago. There’s nothing set in stone right now. There’s definitely negotiations up in the air.”

He opts to focus on playing the game and is leaving the negotiating side of things in the hands of his agents.

“I just tell them come to me when you think it’s appropriate,” Jensen said. “That’s why I pay my agents, so they can do this work. They’ve done this before and I’ve never done this before. I don’t know how much insight I can put into the matter.”

This season has been Jensen’s best as a Wing. He’s provided a steady defensive presence while logging 20:48 per game, third-highest among the Detroit rearguard.

“I wouldn’t trade anything for what I’ve been through to get to this point right now,” Jensen said. “It’s been great the trust they’ve put in me and the experience that they’ve allowed me to gain this year. I’m really happy with it.”

That’s why he’d like to stay in Detroit, but it’s also why other NHL teams will covet adding his services to their blueline before the deadline.

“This is the organization that drafted me and the team’s amazing, the staff’s amazing, the fans are amazing, so I obviously love it here,” Jensen said. “But at the same time, it’s a business and they’re going to do what they need to do.

“At the same time, I have to do what I need to do too.”

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