Expansion Draft Thoughts and Disappointments

[Mortimer Snerd]

Some of you acting like Demelo is some sort of all star. He is fairly paid for what he does and yes I would be disappointed to lose any of the Jets little depth on defense but wow is he over rated. The difference between him and Stanley isn't that much.

You seem to have missed the point. Wanting to protect DeMelo is not about him being some fantastic hockey player or having a great future. It is simply about him being the only one we have who can keep his head above water playing 1RD with Morrissey. And it doesn't matter what Stanley is or isn't. He can't do what DeMelo can.

If Seattle passes on DeMelo, it doesn't matter that he was exposed, except that he might take it personally.

If he is taken and Chevy has as good or better lined up, it doesn't matter that he was exposed.

Otherwise, it is a mistake.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The Jets are not allowed to talk to any pending UFA's so I doubt Chevy knows who would be interested in signing here. It's why I think he has a trade lined up. I doubt Chevy has hitched his wagon to solving the dcore in FA.

My guess is he has a trade for a good RD lined up and that he hopes to snag one of the available LD In FA.

Hope you're right.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It wouldn't be the end of the world if the Jets were a lottery team for the next couple of years, there are some real good blue chip prospects that will be drafted and if the Jets are in the mix so be it, our window with the current group is closed

If that is correct then we should be tearing down and rebuilding.

 

[SUX2BU]

I know, but there really isn’t anyone else from Montreal that is appealing to me, so it’s either Danault or if you want to walk on the wild side, maybe Price

Speaking of walking, Price after the draft .....

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

We should have left Stan and Apples unprotected. They likely take Apples who we can replace a lot easier.

I think Seattle would see the potential in Stan and take him. This way, there is still the chance they take Apples. JMO but I think that would be a mistake on their part.

But if they take DeMelo, it still means that protecting Stanley has cost us DeMelo. Otherwise he has cost us Appleton. But the equation has to include the fact that we are required to lose somebody. Just like he didn't originally cost us 2 firsts. He cost us 22 plus the difference between 36 and 79. And now he might cost us the difference between DeMelo and Appleton.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It would not surprise me if some around here are WANTING Stanley to disappoint this year, just so they can say I told you so

I don't think so. The point of this debate is not which player is better, or which player will be better in the long run. It is about our absolute need at 1RD.

Even if Stanley does somehow turn into the next Chara, he can't fill that hole.

I hope Stanley takes a great leap forward and plays 2LD with Pionk and that pair finds chemistry and is the best 2nd pairing in the league. Has nothing to do with wanting to keep DeMelo to play with Morrissey.

 

[Hunter368]

DeMelo being exposed in the XD is no big issue if Chevy has or can find a upgrade. We know our top 4 RHD with DeMelo isnt good enough, so if he gets taken ok we have 3 million more in cap space to replace him with an upgrade. If he isn’t taken then Chevy still needs to find a better RHD top 4 option then DeMelo and if he does DeMelo becomes a luxury bottom pairing RHD.

- Take DeMelo, cool we have 3 million more in cap to find an upgrade that we needed to our top 4 RHD and we keep Apples.

- Take Apples, ok. We still need a upgrade over DeMelo on RHD and now DeMelo becomes a elite bottom pairing RHD or trade bait.

 

[snowkiddin]

You seem to have missed the point. Wanting to protect DeMelo is not about him being some fantastic hockey player or having a great future. It is simply about him being the only one we have who can keep his head above water playing 1RD with Morrissey. And it doesn't matter what Stanley is or isn't. He can't do what DeMelo can.

If Seattle passes on DeMelo, it doesn't matter that he was exposed, except that he might take it personally.

If he is taken and Chevy has as good or better lined up, it doesn't matter that he was exposed.

Otherwise, it is a mistake.

There’s a third caveat to this decision that would mean it’s not a mistake, but I better not mention it around for fear of burning the board down.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

But that is just your opinion. My opinion is that Seattle would very much would have liked to get their hands on Stanley as they could find a trade partner wanting to bet on his potential.

I think they are the ideal team to bet on his potential. They would have kept him.

They are not flipping most of the players they draft.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

There’s a third caveat to this decision that would mean it’s not a mistake, but I better not mention it around for fear of burning the board down.

Go ahead, the board can take it.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

I find it bizarre people want to call Demelo a bottom pairing d man.

He and Morrissey were easily top 4 calibre together. Morrissey without him was hot garbage. Demelo is a top 4 dman and having him on the bottom pairing would be a luxury. At worst he was our 3rd best defensemen last year and there is a real argument he was better than Morrissey.

 

[Roughneck1]

Demelo was our 3 rhd last season until the playoffs pretty much just the 1st round so the idea we need him is odd. We need size and youth and cheap contracts... Stanley provides the Jets with something they don't have. Size and grit on D.

Yep and for half the season I was pissed off we signed him to a four year deal. He just wasn’t good for a good portion of the year. He’s replaceable.

 

[snowkiddin]

Go ahead, the board can take it.

Stanley *hasn’t* peaked as a 3LDH and develops into a solid top 4 defender and Chevy brings in a better RHD to play with Morrissey.

Morrissey Guy
Stanley Pionk
Samberg/Heinola Poolman

@Hunter368 laid it out pretty handy above IMO — DeMelo is taken, okay, we keep Appleton and the value he brings and we have an extra $3 million to play with in free agency.

Appleton is taken, and we keep DeMelo, which is great, but IMO we still need an upgrade on him. We won’t win the Cup with DeMelo on the top pair IMO, he’s better suited on the third pair on a contender. We need to upgrade at RHD either way.

I’m not ready to rake Chevy over the coals like many others, I wanna see how this plays out first. There’s RHDs out there, we have to see if Chevy can bring them in.

If Seattle takes DeMelo and we fail to bring in anyone good on the right side, and our RHD next year looks like this: Pionk/Poolman/Kovacevic/UFA scrub, then I’ll agree with everyone who is thumping their chests because the Jets decided to protect Stanley.

 

[hockeyarena]

Yep and for half the season I was pissed off we signed him to a four year deal. He just wasn’t good for a good portion of the year. He’s replaceable.

agreed. there were many games where he was easily the worst defenceman on the ice. I really liked him the season before so hopefully it was just a new contract jinx year.

 

[WolfHouse]

DeMelo being exposed in the XD is no big issue if Chevy has or can find a upgrade. We know our top 4 RHD with DeMelo isnt good enough, so if he gets taken ok we have 3 million more in cap space to replace him with an upgrade. If he isn’t taken then Chevy still needs to find a better RHD top 4 option then DeMelo and if he does DeMelo becomes a luxury bottom pairing RHD.

- Take DeMelo, cool we have 3 million more in cap to find an upgrade that we needed to our top 4 RHD and we keep Apples.

- Take Apples, ok. We still need a upgrade over DeMelo on RHD and now DeMelo becomes a elite bottom pairing RHD or trade bait.

-Upgrade over Forbort to 1LHD and DeMelo/Morrissey become elite second pairing

 

[DannyGallivan]

I don't think so. The point of this debate is not which player is better, or which player will be better in the long run. It is about our absolute need at 1RD.

Even if Stanley does somehow turn into the next Chara, he can't fill that hole.

I hope Stanley takes a great leap forward and plays 2LD with Pionk and that pair finds chemistry and is the best 2nd pairing in the league. Has nothing to do with wanting to keep DeMelo to play with Morrissey.

Although I consider myself very knowledgable when it comes to hockey and particularly to hockey history, one thing I've never examined is defensemen who play the "opposite side". What long-term NHLers thrived while playing on their opposite side,and why does it seem so difficult for so many to adjust when asked to do so?

 

[bustamente]

If that is correct then we should be tearing down and rebuilding.

Sadly I think we are closer to tearing down and rebuilding than being Stanley Cup contenders with the current crew we have

 

[Jetsfan79]

I find it bizarre people want to call Demelo a bottom pairing d man.

He and Morrissey were easily top 4 calibre together. Morrissey without him was hot garbage. Demelo is a top 4 dman and having him on the bottom pairing would be a luxury. At worst he was our 3rd best defensemen last year and there is a real argument he was better than Morrissey.

If that is so then why did Maurice say "we need to find someone who can play with Josh"? durring the exit interview.

 

[surixon]

If that is so then why did Maurice say "we need to find someone who can play with Josh"? durring the exit interview.

Because Maurice wants a top pairing with JoMo and not a second caliber pairing.

I think they believe they can build a quality second pairing with Pionk and one of our young LD hence focusing on getting a real good RD to play with JoMo.

 

[DannyGallivan]

-Upgrade over Forbort to 1LHD and DeMelo/Morrissey become elite second pairing

I've actually seen one mock expansion draft scenario where the writer predicts that the Kraken will take Forbort!

 

[Buffdog]

DeMelo being exposed in the XD is no big issue if Chevy has or can find a upgrade. We know our top 4 RHD with DeMelo isnt good enough, so if he gets taken ok we have 3 million more in cap space to replace him with an upgrade. If he isn’t taken then Chevy still needs to find a better RHD top 4 option then DeMelo and if he does DeMelo becomes a luxury bottom pairing RHD.

- Take DeMelo, cool we have 3 million more in cap to find an upgrade that we needed to our top 4 RHD and we keep Apples.

- Take Apples, ok. We still need a upgrade over DeMelo on RHD and now DeMelo becomes a elite bottom pairing RHD or trade bait.

There has to be a plan, and it has to involve a trade for a top 4 RHD with copp as part of it. That's the only reason to protect him (unless vhevy knows he's about to extend him on a favorable contract, but there'd be no reason for it not to be done already if that were the case).

Worst case scenario is we walk into next season with Pionk as our only NHL caliber RHD and copp on a one year contract awarded in arbitration. At this time next year both copp and demelo are gone, but hey... at least we have Appleton.

I can't see chevy playing it that way. He doesn't seem like the type of GM to paint himself into a corner trying to desperately find a defenseman through FA or trade

 

[Hunter368]

-Upgrade over Forbort to 1LHD and DeMelo/Morrissey become elite second pairing

Our organizational depth is much stronger on LHD then it is at RHD. Stanley, Heinola & Samberg. Looks to me by the Jets move to protect Stanley is that they believe he still has room to grow into a top 4 role, based on what I seen this year from Stanley I wouldn’t bet against the kid.

We know our top 4 RHD isn’t good enough to contend with DeMelo, so that means expose him at the XD or trade him or he becomes an elite bottom RHD……b/c we need to upgrade in the top 4 RHD anyways with or without him.

Based on PMO/Chevy comments after the season was over they said they need to extend Pionk and upgrade the top 4 D and find guys who can play with Josh/Pionk……IMO they hinted there they want to add size to our top 4 D……DeMelo isn’t big, doesn’t play big……..to me that means DeMelo becomes expendable via trade, XD or demoted to the bottom pairing (where he would be elite).

If they really want to add size to the top 4 that helps explain why they protect Stanley and expose DeMelo. Also helps explain why they are likely so high on Samberg. Does make me wonder if that means Heinola becomes prime blue chip prospect trade bait for a big add to the Jets roster in the form of Jones or Klingberg etc. I doubt Hamilton signs here, but he’s also an option. Another FA option is Oleksiak, but I think Chevy is aiming higher, but he might be a plan B or plan C option.

 

[Hunter368]

There has to be a plan, and it has to involve a trade for a top 4 RHD with copp as part of it. That's the only reason to protect him (unless vhevy knows he's about to extend him on a favorable contract, but there'd be no reason for it not to be done already if that were the case).

Worst case scenario is we walk into next season with Pionk as our only NHL caliber RHD and copp on a one year contract awarded in arbitration. At this time next year both copp and demelo are gone, but hey... at least we have Appleton.

I can't see chevy playing it that way. He doesn't seem like the type of GM to paint himself into a corner trying to desperately find a defenseman through FA or trade

I agree with most of your post, but I will say another option is adding a top 4 RHD upgrade over DeMelo and sign Copp to a reasonable long term deal……I wouldn’t hate that option.