The Washington Capitals traded left wing Bob Joyce, center Tyler Larter and defenseman Kent Paynter to the Winnipeg Jets yesterday for center Simon Wheeldon and left wings Craig Duncanson and Brent Hughes.

Wheeldon, 24, Duncanson, 24, and Hughes, 25, finished first, third and fourth, respectively, in scoring last season for Winnipeg's American Hockey League affiliate, the Moncton Hawks.

Joyce, 24, Larter, 23, and Paynter, 26, spent most of the 1990-91 season with the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Baltimore Skipjacks.

Wheeldon led Moncton in goals (30) and points (68) and appeared in four games with Winnipeg. During the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons, he played in a total of 11 games for the New York Rangers and had two assists.

Duncanson has played in 35 National Hockey League games, with the Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg, during the past six seasons.

Hughes, 25, had two stints for a total of 39 games with Winnipeg in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, scoring four goals and adding four assists.