Speculation: Facing cap issues after this year; who stays -- Buff or Wheeler?

Who stays: Buff or Wheels?

  • prefer to keep Buff

    Votes: 4 3.5%
  • perfer to keep Wheeler

    Votes: 83 73.5%
  • Lets keep both and make some real hard choices elsewhere

    Votes: 26 23.0%

  • Total voters
    113

CaptainChef

Registered User
Jan 5, 2014
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Some great discussions lately regarding how to stay under the cap with all the important signings due in the next two years. Really looking like we can't sign all our key core players, plus afford to pay Buff & Wheels at ~7.5 each. If it came down to that, who do we trade or let go?
 

surixon

Registered User
Jul 12, 2003
48,712
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Winnipeg
It depends what Wheeler wants imo. He's a great player but his next deal doesn't kick in until hes what 33? Will he be able to defy age to be productive throigh his late 30's.

In terms of systen depth we are more strongly positioned to be able to replace him internally than Buff.
 

libertarian

Registered User
Jul 27, 2017
3,389
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Middle Earth
Wheeler all the way. I love Buff but this team is still good without him as we recently proved. Wheeler on the other hand is the glue of the team and probably along with Scheif the best example our young guys have to become the best player they can.

There is a lot of talk about good Buff, bad Buff on most game nights. You never hear that about Wheeler.

Would love to see Wheels retire a Jet.
 

Maukkis

EZ4ENCE
Mar 16, 2016
10,538
7,217
Boy, this will be one enjoyable thread.

I'm leaning towards both. Buff will very likely finish his contract with us, and I doubt this management is itching to get rid of Wheeler either. We need to hope Wheeler does something similar to Koivu and takes a reasonably priced short-term deal. Now, I'm not expecting him to take a pay cut, but how about three years at 6 million AAV? 6.5? I'm on board.
 

Stej

Registered User
Jul 28, 2006
2,701
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The Kirk
The Wheeler contract will be complicated. Recent play suggests large dollars. Age and eventual decline suggest something less. Where is his head at? Who knows...

At the end of the day, Chevy will have to evaluate each player's value to the Jets compared to their value on the market and use that information to make his decision. And, yes, obvious statements are obvious.
 

antiqueslivers

Registered User
Apr 16, 2015
2,381
2,232
I'm guessing Wheeler settles on a mild home team discount. Reasoning for my guess would be my projected intangibles:

-He has seen the jets through the build process and wants to enjoys the fruits of his labour.
-Has legit serious bromance with schiefle
-He seems like a pretty conservative dude who seems to really fit the whole vibe of the jets.
-I don't think money is king in his world.
 

Adam da bomb

Registered User
May 1, 2016
12,611
9,479
I'd rather keep Wheeler all day and twice on Sunday. However, with Buff's NTC Wheeler is the one you are able to move. Which is such a shame.
 

Joe Hallenback

Moderator
Mar 4, 2005
15,357
21,337
I would buy out Morrisseys RFA years with a long term deal. Maybe you overpay in the first year or two but long term it will save us cap space plus we won't have a Trouba situation hanging over us.

The real problem is what Laine is going to demand. I have the feeling will give Matthews the moon and with what the Oilers signed McDavid/Drai too that has me worried.
 
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DRW204

Registered User
Dec 26, 2010
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That is just messing up the Jets future for the now.
That's fair. But not retaining Wheeler and Buff would also be messing with now too (if you consider the 2019 season the now).
I guess it's all dependent on Trouba
 

CaptainChef

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Jan 5, 2014
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It depends what Wheeler wants imo. He's a great player but his next deal doesn't kick in until hes what 33? Will he be able to defy age to be productive throigh his late 30's.

In terms of systen depth we are more strongly positioned to be able to replace him internally than Buff.
Good points. I've been on record in the past that Wheels will be likely be far too expensive & too old to resign. But his play of late & how admirably he has led as a captain has changed my tune on him. But your point about replaceability & for sure how old he will be, better make it an affordable 3-4 year extension. Then there's Buff. Overjoyed when they resigned him rather than Ladd, but we've seen far too much of the mediocre Buff lately to afford to pay him out at 7.6 per.
So for now, its Buff that has to go (keeping in mind that this could easily change going forward & especially once we see what Wheelers contract demands)
 

CaptainChef

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Jan 5, 2014
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After this year? What?
That's a decision for July 2019, if it's going to be a decision at all.
Buff's NMC becomes a Modified No Trade (10 teams I believe) after this season. So if needed or desired he could be traded this summer. Wheels has one more year left on his contract, so a decision won't likely be made for a year or more, but who knows.
 

Saidin

Registered User
Mar 18, 2015
1,250
1,043
Please no bridge deal for Morrise
Buff's NMC becomes a Modified No Trade (10 teams I believe) after this season. So if needed or desired he could be traded this summer. Wheels has one more year left on his contract, so a decision won't likely be made for a year or more, but who knows.

14 Team no Trade (As per capfriendly)
 
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Peggy

Registered User
Aug 6, 2016
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All things equal not even close Wheeler but all things aren't equal.

Other factors we can't control like Wheeler contract demands, Buff NTC, Trouba contract demands, etc.


"we" as in the guys in the suits?

they do have control over things
buff can be moved after this season
he's almost put in a spot he has to be moved. so whether we as fans like it or not we may have to lose a bit in a trade return for buff
But he costs too much
It's simple as that

if you can't afford wheeler after getting rid of buff there's some odd management going on

trouba is an rfa. unless trouba puts up better numbers he wont be getting that fat pay cheque. he won't be able to demand for a high pay. he's almost forced to resign here
There's a bright future in the jets

trouba resigns for less than 7
buff gets traded(whether we get equal value in return or not)
wheeler gets resigned

not to sound ignorant, but does it really need to be more difficult than that.
 
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CaptainChef

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Jan 5, 2014
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"we" as in the guys in the suits?
trouba resigns for less than 7
buff gets traded(whether we get equal value in return or not)
wheeler gets resigned

not to sound ignorant, but does it really need to be more difficult than that.
That's exactly how I'd like it to go as well, but what makes sense to us usually isn't how it turns out.
 
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Aggie204

Expect the worst, you’ll never be disappointed.
Sep 11, 2015
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With the cap rising, I think we can accommodate both. Somehow the i think we are positioned to pay our players well and convince them this is a winning franchise.

The Blackhawks have done it when they were a perennial contender. I’m sure Chevy has learned something in that organization before he took the reigns here.
 
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LucianoBorsato

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Mar 3, 2015
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With the cap rising, I think we can accommodate both. Somehow the i think we are positioned to pay our players well and convince them this is a winning franchise.

The Blackhawks have done it when they were a perennial contender. I’m sure Chevy has learned something in that organization before he took the reigns here.

Isn't the cap projected to go up as high as $82 million in 2019? I agree, I see no reason why this will even be an issue and why both won't still be here. I also suspect Wheeler will be taking a bit of a discount if he feels this team is his best shot at winning a cup.
 

Aggie204

Expect the worst, you’ll never be disappointed.
Sep 11, 2015
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Isn't the cap projected to go up as high as $82 million in 2019? I agree, I see no reason why this will even be an issue and why both won't still be here. I also suspect Wheeler will be taking a bit of a discount if he feels this team is his best shot at winning a cup.

With Enstroms contract coming up it frees up even more cap space. Myers is also around the corner. Trouba is the wild card. I don’t reall care of #8 stays or goes. If it’s the latter, I know Chevy will get a Kings ransom for him.
 

LucianoBorsato

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I think people will have a tendency to fret about cap spending a bit due to the false narrative put out by media types (mostly Gary Lawless), that the Jets had/have an "internal cap" that Chevy could not cross. Have yet to see any evidence that exists, and most points to the Jets spending right to the cap if need be. Makes me glad Lawless high tailed it to Vegas. Another bug that was planted in the heads of Jets fans by Winnipeg radio media was "the 5 year plan".
 

DRW204

Registered User
Dec 26, 2010
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I would buy out Morrisseys RFA years with a long term deal. Maybe you overpay in the first year or two but long term it will save us cap space plus we won't have a Trouba situation hanging over us.

The real problem is what Laine is going to demand. I have the feeling will give Matthews the moon and with what the Oilers signed McDavid/Drai too that has me worried.
Does Laine really warrant a Matthews/Mcdavid deal (10 Mill+?) I see him more inline with Tarasenko and Draisaitl
 

CaptainChef

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Jan 5, 2014
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I think they have room if you get very creative but I wouldn't say lots of room. According to Cap Friendly the Jets have $54.4M committed to 14 contracts next season. Still unsigned for next season Lowry, Armia, Trouba, Poolman, Morrissey, Helly and 3 more to = 23. You also need to account for $2.65 M performance bonuses for Laine and probably $850,000 for Connor and to be careful $212,500 for Roslovic.

So figuring our salaries is all subjective until signed but let's be conservative and say:

Lowry = $3M
Armia= $2M
Trouba = $6M
Poolman = $1.5M
Morrissey = $5M
Helly = $4M

14 contacts = $54.4M
6 signings = $21.5M
3 other players = $2.5M (very conservative)
Performance bonus allowance = $3.7125
Remaining hit on Stu's buyout = $583,333

Total = $82.695833

Something has to give.

I tend to agree with Bogo from this earlier post, something has to give. If we sign Trouba, Morrissey, Helly, Lowry, Armia & Poolman for 21.5 as listed above, plus 3 more bodies @ 2.5 (to fill our roster of 23 -- positions currently filled by Enstrom, Matthias & Hendricks ), we'll have spent 82.5.

Current cap is I believe 75 and projected to perhaps increase to 80 next season.

The following summer, we need to resign or replace Wheeler, Laine, Connor, Copp, Myers, Chiarot & Mason. Some tough decisions will need to be made.
 

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