Jets Nation Round Table: Summer Time Edition!
7 years ago
Welcome to the Jets Nation Round Table. Summer is well underway and you know what that means: vacation time! It also means the draft has happened free agency is in full flight.
Take a read after the break and feel free to put your thoughts in!
Grade the Jets’ Free Agency performance. Anything else that needs to be addressed by the team roster wise before training camp?
Garret: I’m one that thinks the Jets really didn’t *need* anything significant, but they did have some things I would like. Matthias is nice goal scoring winger depth, although I’m not a huge fan of his impact on shot metrics. He works as a top-nine winger backup if Kyle Connor is not ready, and is a decent player for exposing to expansion draft. The one thing I did want the Jets to get was a quality top-four LHD to pass Ben Chiarot and Mark Stuart in the depth charts and serve as competition to Josh Morrissey… instead the Jets got arguably the worst defenseman in the NHL.
AWheeler: For me in free agency I wanted a bottom-6 capable center to help insulate youngsters in that half of the lineup. It sounds like Matthias is more likely to be a winger than center but he does have the experience there and is a good low minutes scorer so I’m happy with that.
Cammers: Honestly, I was hoping to see the Jets get rid of Mark Stuart and invest in a quality LHD. We’ve talked about how bad Stuart is, but one thing we haven’t talked about is Toby Enstrom isn’t getting any younger. Having someone to take the pressure off of Enstrom and to shelter/push Josh Morrissey would be extremely beneficial moving forward for the Jets. However, the Jets decided to sign Brian Strait, a defender worse than Mark Stuart, instead.
A lot can happen over the summer, but do you see any dark horses making the Jets’ opening day roster?
Garret: My darkhorse is Josh Morrissey, because the Jets need him to be ready and pass Stuart/Chiarot… although they also need Hellebuyck to supplant Pavelec. Having Petan ready for the 3C role over Alex Burmistrov and Adam Lowry would be nice.
AWheeler: I don’t see it right now, I’d like to believe they might trade out a vet if they’re outperformed in camp but at the moment I feel like they have one too many bodies at all three positions (F/D/G).
Cammers: Nic Petan. If he is ready, Petan will give the Jets some much needed forward depth and force someone like Chris Thorburn to sit in the press box. It will also give the Jets some rotation options with the Jets’ rookies, if they start to tire out as the season goes on. Last year, management wanted to embrace a youth movement and this year looks like there will be even more of a youth movement.
There was a rumour that Gabriel Landeskog might be available and we could see the Jets take part in a three-way trade to land him. Would trading for Landeskog at the price of Trouba be worth it?
Garret: Landeskog is a quality two-way winger who provides a lot of shot volume. I still rather have Trouba because the Jets have Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Blake Wheeler for long term top4 wingers.
AWheeler: I think Landeskog would slot in pretty nicely to the hole that trading Ladd has left behind, but really trading a defenseman for a winger is the last thing the Jets should be looking to do right now. The price would probably be good but in terms of organizational needs I think it would be a poor move.
Cammers: Whenever you hear a player like Landeskog is available, you have to call up Colorado and see what they want. If the asking price was Trouba, then the Jets have to say no. The Jets do not have the defensive depth to replace Trouba and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Jacob Trouba, yet. If Cheveldayoff trades Trouba for a forward, you’re looking at a sub-par replacement in Ben Chiarot, Paul Postma and Brian Strait.
What has surprised you so far with free agency?
Garret: Not as terrible signings as I expected. Some are not great, but there are no Clarkson or Bolland contracts being signed. Panthers are pleasantly surprising.
AWheeler: After last off-season’s super conservative free-agency period it’s interesting to me to see so many long term big money deals getting signed. I also though we may have seen more pre expansion draft maneuvering but that doesn’t seem to have started much yet.
Cammers: That the Jets were able to sign Perreault at a steal of a contract. Seriously, this guy is so under rated and deserves more recognition around the league. I was honestly surprised to see Stamkos stay in Tampa. Up until about a week and a half before he signed his extension, I was sure Stamkos was staying. However, the last little bit, it seemed like all signs were pointing to Stamkos leaving to sign elsewhere. I’m thankfully to see that he stayed and excited to see how the Lightning do.
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