Jets Nation mailbag: 2018 vs. 2024 Winnipeg Jets, Flyers trade rumors, Logan Stanley
By Goose
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Aidonismorydz’s on instagram asks- “Do you think the current Jets are as good or better than the 2017-18 Jets?”
When I first encountered this question, it was a slam dunk – no questions asked: the 2023-24 Jets are better. The team, as a whole, feels more consistent. All the players who were with that team are now older and wiser. The cohesion of the team is stronger, and the coaching is much better under Rick Bowness than it was under Paul Maurice.
But let’s, for argument’s sake, consider a seven-game playoff series between the 2017-18 Jets and the current Jets.
Looking at the raw talent between both clubs, the 2017-18 Jets had mean, gritty, and talented defencemen like Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers. Whereas today, I don’t know if the current Jets’ defence could hold a candle to them when it comes to toughness. It feels like even though the current Jets could out-defend the ’18 Jets, the 2018 defeders would just bully their way through Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon, and Neal Pionk.
Comparing the top six forwards, the current Jets are better. They play a full 200-foot game, something that didn’t happen a lot in 2018. The difference between 2018 Mark Scheifele and the current Scheifele is night and day. If given the choice between 2018 Patrik Laine and 2024 Kyle Connor, I’m taking Connor every day of the week, even when he is hurt because I know he’s not a one-trick pony.
This top six is better in so many ways, even if they aren’t scoring on the power play at the same rate or winning faceoffs. They play a more complete game, and even when they are down, they keep playing the right game.
Connor Hellebuyck is amazing currently and was equally amazing in 2018, so that’s on equal footing for me. However, the Jets’ backup situation was a mess back then. If Hellebuyck goes down in 2018, you have Steve Mason as your goalie. If he goes down in 2024, you have Laurent Brossoit. I’m taking Brossoit every day of the week.
The current bottom six is much better than the 2018 bottom six; I don’t even want to break it down. The current Adam Lowry line could be a second line for many teams in the NHL. Lowry is older and wiser, consistently playing with Mason Appleton and Nino Niederreiter. Right now, Bowness uses his fourth line in a larger capacity than Maurice did. The bottom six is in a far healthier place than it was.
In a seven-game series, I am giving it to the current Jets in six games. If they were to play in the 2018 playoffs, they probably beat the Vegas Golden Knights and go to the finals.
JETS NATION PRESENTED BY BETWAY
George on Facebook asks “We just beat Tampa. They only dressed 5 D. Stanley is our extra defence man. Should he be getting more game time in case one of our starting 6 get injured, or do we leave him in the press box and complain how bad he looks when he gets in a game?“
Oh, Logan Stanley, can I go a week without talking about the Jets’ seventh defenceman? It would have been fun to see the Jets loan Logan Stanley to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a night just to see what he could do for another team and even stretch his legs in a game.
When Stanley is only getting in one game every 15, folks should lay off the 6’7 defender. I still see an NHL-quality defenceman in the lumbering 16th pick of the 2016 NHL draft.
It’s been six years since the Jets drafted him. If he isn’t going to get proper ice time, add him to a trade package. Kevin Cheveldayoff might not get a whole lot for him since the NHL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. But he could be enough for the Jets to acquire that top-four right-shot defenceman they need.
Global Vision 2020 on Tik Tok asks- What do you think of the Philly trade talk?
Let’s go back to mid-December when the Philadelphia Flyers were open to trade discussions across all positions, with the exception of a few players, as reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger. The two players who were mentioned for potential trade talks were Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.
Shayna Goldman at The Athletic, talked about Walker trade talks, drawing interest from up to six teams, including the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Edmonton Oilers.
However, Cheveldayoff is unlikely to explore acquiring Walker, considering the probable high asking price for the 29-year-old defender. Moreover, Walker is in the final year of his contract, and there might be concerns about his salary demands in the offseason. The question arises: would Walker significantly enhance the Jets’ defence? Perhaps marginally, but there’s also the risk of disrupting the current chemistry among the current defenders.
Neither Seeler nor Walker seems to bring a substantial improvement to the team, and the potential disruption to the current defenders’ chemistry adds to the hesitancy. Overall, unless the Jets are pursuing a bona fide top-pairing defenceman, there appears to be little reason to pursue a “cheaper” defensive option.
If you ever have questions send them to DM boxes of the Jets Nation social media’s or shoot me an email angushout@gmail.com
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