Speculation: Trade, FA Rumours (mod warning OP)

[ps241]

The people I know say there is a lot of interest in him and the Jets are listening. I just think unless they don't trade him and he comes in and blows the doors off this season they move from him. I just don't think they believe he is worth 9+

Laine is probably the second asset where I feel like the player and team are 100% aligned on a fresh start if the return makes sense.

 

[Whileee]

The people I know say there is a lot of interest in him and the Jets are listening. I just think unless they don't trade him and he comes in and blows the doors off this season they move from him. I just don't think they believe he is worth 9+

When the Jets drafted Laine at #2 overall, Chevy and the Jets' brain-trust indicated that it was a major event in the franchise's history. The ability to draft a potentially generational goal-scorer was a big deal. And Laine delivered, in large measure, during his first 4 seasons. He was a top goal-scorer on his ELC, and continued round out his game. Still, his profile remains primarily as a goal-scorer, but that still has very high value in the NHL.

The fact is that the Jets now have two wingers in the top 30 in even-strength goal scoring rates (goals/6o); Connor at #26 and Ehlers at #28. Scheifele is another top scoring talent. The Jets have those three top-rate scorers signed long-term for just over $19M per year. Having that much scoring talent locked in for that cap hit should be an enormous competitive advantage for the Jets, especially in a flat-cap environment. Adding Laine to that mix for a high cap-hit might limit that advantage, particularly since it might actually detract from the offensive role that Ehlers can play, and instead of having a very efficient budget for scoring talent, the Jets would be in the situation of spending more than needed for goal-scoring. The addition of Perfetti in the draft, and the potential for a player like Vesalainen to develop into an NHL scoring winger, gives the Jets some further goal-scoring potential.

So, purely from the perspective of efficiency and competitive advantage, investing a large cap-hit in Laine might be inefficient in terms of optimizing the roster, especially since they have some important deficits. At this point, I think the Jets have the following priorities, if they want to take advantage of using Laine to acquire assets, while retaining some very good scoring talent:

1) Play-driving forwards: Obviously, the biggest deficit is at 2C, but I would argue that other than Ehlers the Jets don't really have any elite play-driving forwards in their top 6. So, even if they aren't able to fill the 2C position immediately, they might still be a better team overall if they can replace Laine with a strong play-driving winger, and perhaps Perfetti or an asset gained for trading Laine can become a 2C down the road.

2) Dominant D: The Jets have some very nice prospects emerging from the pipeline, but their D would be transformed if they could add a dominant D that could carry one of the top 2 pairs. I think it could be either LD or RD, but having a D that can anchor one pair, while Morrissey anchors the other would be important.

3) Forward depth: Other than the deficit in play-driving with the Jets' top lines, they have really struggled to put together a really good 4th line or depth that can fill into the middle 6, when necessary. A lot of this has been self-inflicted, with bad decisions around bottom-roster forwards. However, if the Jets could add another really good forward or two to the 3rd / 4th line, that would give them more balance all around.

Considering potential Laine trades, I would consider...

PHI: Konecny + Sanheim + 1st for Laine + Roslovic (or Pionk): Konecny is a play-driving winger who gets to tough scoring areas, and the Jets lack that in their top 6. Sanheim can anchor a 2nd pair. 1st helps to fill their pipeline.

Connor-Scheifele-Konecny
Ehlers-Stastny-Wheeler

Line drivers on each line.

Morrissey-DeMelo
Sanheim-Pionk
Heinola-Samberg

CBJ: Bjorkstrand + Texier + Marchenko + Savard for Laine + Pionk

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Bjorkstrand

I'm a fan of Bjorkstrand, and I think Texier is going to be a very good middle-six forward. Marchenko has the look of a really good scoring winger. Savard is a short-term fix at RD.

 

[10Ducky10]

When the Jets drafted Laine at #2 overall, Chevy and the Jets' brain-trust indicated that it was a major event in the franchise's history. The ability to draft a potentially generational goal-scorer was a big deal. And Laine delivered, in large measure, during his first 4 seasons. He was a top goal-scorer on his ELC, and continued round out his game. Still, his profile remains primarily as a goal-scorer, but that still has very high value in the NHL.

The fact is that the Jets now have two wingers in the top 30 in even-strength goal scoring rates (goals/6o); Connor at #26 and Ehlers at #28. Scheifele is another top scoring talent. The Jets have those three top-rate scorers signed long-term for just over $19M per year. Having that much scoring talent locked in for that cap hit should be an enormous competitive advantage for the Jets, especially in a flat-cap environment. Adding Laine to that mix for a high cap-hit might limit that advantage, particularly since it might actually detract from the offensive role that Ehlers can play, and instead of having a very efficient budget for scoring talent, the Jets would be in the situation of spending more than needed for goal-scoring. The addition of Perfetti in the draft, and the potential for a player like Vesalainen to develop into an NHL scoring winger, gives the Jets some further goal-scoring potential.

So, purely from the perspective of efficiency and competitive advantage, investing a large cap-hit in Laine might be inefficient in terms of optimizing the roster, especially since they have some important deficits. At this point, I think the Jets have the following priorities, if they want to take advantage of using Laine to acquire assets, while retaining some very good scoring talent:

1) Play-driving forwards: Obviously, the biggest deficit is at 2C, but I would argue that other than Ehlers the Jets don't really have any elite play-driving forwards in their top 6. So, even if they aren't able to fill the 2C position immediately, they might still be a better team overall if they can replace Laine with a strong play-driving winger, and perhaps Perfetti or an asset gained for trading Laine can become a 2C down the road.

2) Dominant D: The Jets have some very nice prospects emerging from the pipeline, but their D would be transformed if they could add a dominant D that could carry one of the top 2 pairs. I think it could be either LD or RD, but having a D that can anchor one pair, while Morrissey anchors the other would be important.

3) Forward depth: Other than the deficit in play-driving with the Jets' top lines, they have really struggled to put together a really good 4th line or depth that can fill into the middle 6, when necessary. A lot of this has been self-inflicted, with bad decisions around bottom-roster forwards. However, if the Jets could add another really good forward or two to the 3rd / 4th line, that would give them more balance all around.

Considering potential Laine trades, I would consider...

PHI: Konecny + Sanheim + 1st for Laine + Roslovic (or Pionk): Konecny is a play-driving winger who gets to tough scoring areas, and the Jets lack that in their top 6. Sanheim can anchor a 2nd pair. 1st helps to fill their pipeline.

Connor-Scheifele-Konecny
Ehlers-Stastny-Wheeler

Line drivers on each line.

Morrissey-DeMelo
Sanheim-Pionk
Heinola-Samberg

CBJ: Bjorkstrand + Texier + Marchenko + Savard for Laine + Pionk

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Bjorkstrand

I'm a fan of Bjorkstrand, and I think Texier is going to be a very good middle-six forward. Marchenko has the look of a really good scoring winger. Savard is a short-term fix at RD.

If you swap the 1st for Foerster, I like that deal.

 

[KingBogo]

The people I know say there is a lot of interest in him and the Jets are listening. I just think unless they don't trade him and he comes in and blows the doors off this season they move from him. I just don't think they believe he is worth 9+

I've long thought that Laine's contract expectations will be the final break between him and the organization. They already have 2 young scoring wingers signed long term on team friendly deals as well as Wheeler at $8.25 M. Another $9+ M on a winger in a flat cap world doesn't seem to me to be the best use of available cap space unless of course Laine makes a jump to the Kuch/Panarin tier.

 

[surixon]

When the Jets drafted Laine at #2 overall, Chevy and the Jets' brain-trust indicated that it was a major event in the franchise's history. The ability to draft a potentially generational goal-scorer was a big deal. And Laine delivered, in large measure, during his first 4 seasons. He was a top goal-scorer on his ELC, and continued round out his game. Still, his profile remains primarily as a goal-scorer, but that still has very high value in the NHL.

The fact is that the Jets now have two wingers in the top 30 in even-strength goal scoring rates (goals/6o); Connor at #26 and Ehlers at #28. Scheifele is another top scoring talent. The Jets have those three top-rate scorers signed long-term for just over $19M per year. Having that much scoring talent locked in for that cap hit should be an enormous competitive advantage for the Jets, especially in a flat-cap environment. Adding Laine to that mix for a high cap-hit might limit that advantage, particularly since it might actually detract from the offensive role that Ehlers can play, and instead of having a very efficient budget for scoring talent, the Jets would be in the situation of spending more than needed for goal-scoring. The addition of Perfetti in the draft, and the potential for a player like Vesalainen to develop into an NHL scoring winger, gives the Jets some further goal-scoring potential.

So, purely from the perspective of efficiency and competitive advantage, investing a large cap-hit in Laine might be inefficient in terms of optimizing the roster, especially since they have some important deficits. At this point, I think the Jets have the following priorities, if they want to take advantage of using Laine to acquire assets, while retaining some very good scoring talent:

1) Play-driving forwards: Obviously, the biggest deficit is at 2C, but I would argue that other than Ehlers the Jets don't really have any elite play-driving forwards in their top 6. So, even if they aren't able to fill the 2C position immediately, they might still be a better team overall if they can replace Laine with a strong play-driving winger, and perhaps Perfetti or an asset gained for trading Laine can become a 2C down the road.

2) Dominant D: The Jets have some very nice prospects emerging from the pipeline, but their D would be transformed if they could add a dominant D that could carry one of the top 2 pairs. I think it could be either LD or RD, but having a D that can anchor one pair, while Morrissey anchors the other would be important.

3) Forward depth: Other than the deficit in play-driving with the Jets' top lines, they have really struggled to put together a really good 4th line or depth that can fill into the middle 6, when necessary. A lot of this has been self-inflicted, with bad decisions around bottom-roster forwards. However, if the Jets could add another really good forward or two to the 3rd / 4th line, that would give them more balance all around.

Considering potential Laine trades, I would consider...

PHI: Konecny + Sanheim + 1st for Laine + Roslovic (or Pionk): Konecny is a play-driving winger who gets to tough scoring areas, and the Jets lack that in their top 6. Sanheim can anchor a 2nd pair. 1st helps to fill their pipeline.

Connor-Scheifele-Konecny
Ehlers-Stastny-Wheeler

Line drivers on each line.

Morrissey-DeMelo
Sanheim-Pionk
Heinola-Samberg

CBJ: Bjorkstrand + Texier + Marchenko + Savard for Laine + Pionk

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Bjorkstrand

I'm a fan of Bjorkstrand, and I think Texier is going to be a very good middle-six forward. Marchenko has the look of a really good scoring winger. Savard is a short-term fix at RD.

I would do that deal fairly easily but I suspect Philly would bulk at including Sanheim. I suspect they would rather move Myers.

 

[Adam da bomb]

I would do that deal fairly easily but I suspect Philly would bulk at including Sanheim. I suspect they would rather move Myers.

And the Jets would bulk at Myers it depends on how badly Philly wants Laine I guess.

 

[ps241]

When the Jets drafted Laine at #2 overall, Chevy and the Jets' brain-trust indicated that it was a major event in the franchise's history. The ability to draft a potentially generational goal-scorer was a big deal. And Laine delivered, in large measure, during his first 4 seasons. He was a top goal-scorer on his ELC, and continued round out his game. Still, his profile remains primarily as a goal-scorer, but that still has very high value in the NHL.

The fact is that the Jets now have two wingers in the top 30 in even-strength goal scoring rates (goals/6o); Connor at #26 and Ehlers at #28. Scheifele is another top scoring talent. The Jets have those three top-rate scorers signed long-term for just over $19M per year. Having that much scoring talent locked in for that cap hit should be an enormous competitive advantage for the Jets, especially in a flat-cap environment. Adding Laine to that mix for a high cap-hit might limit that advantage, particularly since it might actually detract from the offensive role that Ehlers can play, and instead of having a very efficient budget for scoring talent, the Jets would be in the situation of spending more than needed for goal-scoring. The addition of Perfetti in the draft, and the potential for a player like Vesalainen to develop into an NHL scoring winger, gives the Jets some further goal-scoring potential.

So, purely from the perspective of efficiency and competitive advantage, investing a large cap-hit in Laine might be inefficient in terms of optimizing the roster, especially since they have some important deficits. At this point, I think the Jets have the following priorities, if they want to take advantage of using Laine to acquire assets, while retaining some very good scoring talent:

1) Play-driving forwards: Obviously, the biggest deficit is at 2C, but I would argue that other than Ehlers the Jets don't really have any elite play-driving forwards in their top 6. So, even if they aren't able to fill the 2C position immediately, they might still be a better team overall if they can replace Laine with a strong play-driving winger, and perhaps Perfetti or an asset gained for trading Laine can become a 2C down the road.

2) Dominant D: The Jets have some very nice prospects emerging from the pipeline, but their D would be transformed if they could add a dominant D that could carry one of the top 2 pairs. I think it could be either LD or RD, but having a D that can anchor one pair, while Morrissey anchors the other would be important.

3) Forward depth: Other than the deficit in play-driving with the Jets' top lines, they have really struggled to put together a really good 4th line or depth that can fill into the middle 6, when necessary. A lot of this has been self-inflicted, with bad decisions around bottom-roster forwards. However, if the Jets could add another really good forward or two to the 3rd / 4th line, that would give them more balance all around.

Considering potential Laine trades, I would consider...

PHI: Konecny + Sanheim + 1st for Laine + Roslovic (or Pionk): Konecny is a play-driving winger who gets to tough scoring areas, and the Jets lack that in their top 6. Sanheim can anchor a 2nd pair. 1st helps to fill their pipeline.

Connor-Scheifele-Konecny
Ehlers-Stastny-Wheeler

Line drivers on each line.

Morrissey-DeMelo
Sanheim-Pionk
Heinola-Samberg

CBJ: Bjorkstrand + Texier + Marchenko + Savard for Laine + Pionk

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Bjorkstrand

I'm a fan of Bjorkstrand, and I think Texier is going to be a very good middle-six forward. Marchenko has the look of a really good scoring winger. Savard is a short-term fix at RD.

I think you captured the essence of the challenge. Is doesn’t make sense to over allocate resources to scoring wingers at the expense of other gaping holes.

 

[surixon]

I think you captured the essence of the challenge. Is doesn’t make sense to over allocate resources to scoring wingers at the expense of other gaping holes.

Unfortunately we hooked a big chunk of that cap to an aging winger who can no longer drive play and is on the way down. Its a choice the team had to make but I would much rather have Laine at 9.5 over the next 4 to 5 years then a mid 30's Wheeler at $8 plus million.

I get the contract and loyalty thing but teams just can't keep shooting themselves in the foot with incredibly lucrative long term deals to players in their mid to late 30's especially when you have drafted an inhouse star replacement.

 

[ps241]

Unfortunately we hooked a big chunk of that cap to an aging winger who can no longer drive play and is on the way down. Its a choice the team had to make but I would much rather have Laine at 9.5 over the next 4 to 5 years then a mid 30's Wheeler at $8 plus million.

I get the contract and loyalty thing but teams just can't keep shooting themselves in the foot with incredibly lucrative long term deals to players in their mid to late 30's especially when you have drafted an inhouse star replacement.

Yea point taken. Perhaps none of the above would be optimal as long as the trade return was net neutral.

 

[KingBogo]

Unfortunately we hooked a big chunk of that cap to an aging winger who can no longer drive play and is on the way down. Its a choice the team had to make but I would much rather have Laine at 9.5 over the next 4 to 5 years then a mid 30's Wheeler at $8 plus million.

I get the contract and loyalty thing but teams just can't keep shooting themselves in the foot with incredibly lucrative long term deals to players in their mid to late 30's especially when you have drafted an inhouse star replacement.

And in turn the Jets will likely overpay Scheifele Morrissey and Ehlers in their next contracts in respect for their loyalty and what they have meant to the team. All organizations need to take care of their top players or none of them will have any loyalty to the organization.

 

[surixon]

And in turn the Jets will likely overpay Scheifele Morrissey and Ehlers in their next contracts in respect for their loyalty and what they have meant to the team. All organizations need to take care of their top players or none of them will have any loyalty to the organization.

There is a fine line you need to take with this. At the end of the day you need to get as much bang for your buck as you can in a cap league.

You cut just give loyalty retirement contracts to everyone.

Jets already have given roughly $50 million to Scheifele and JoMo so I am feeling no real need to pay them just because. If both are still high impact players after their contracts you make a call on whether to extend them or not. At 33 JoMo likely gets at max a 2 to 3 year deal. Scheiele is a bit trickier at 31 and as a C I would be ok with 5 year deal.

 

[LowLefty]

And in turn the Jets will likely overpay Scheifele Morrissey and Ehlers in their next contracts in respect for their loyalty and what they have meant to the team. All organizations need to take care of their top players or none of them will have any loyalty to the organization.

Exactly - it's a two way street.
Especially with small market teams that will rely on that loyalty to encourage more of the same.
For those players that don't buy into this concept, they will likely end up on a team like the Rangers

 

[KingBogo]

There is a fine line you need to take with this. At the end of the day you need to get as much bang for your buck as you can in a cap league.

You cut just give loyalty retirement contracts to everyone.

Jets already have given roughly $50 million to Scheifele and JoMo so I am feeling no real need to pay them just because. If both are still high impact players after their contracts you make a call on whether to extend them or not. At 33 JoMo likely gets at max a 2 to 3 year deal. Scheiele is a bit trickier at 31 and as a C I would be ok with 5 year deal.

I think you will be surprised at what they get. I expect Scheifele to sign a long term extension a day or 2 after he is eligible to re-sign at age 30 with a year to go on his current deal. I’d expect a big number on more than 5 years.

 

[surixon]

I think you will be surprised at what they get. I expect Scheifele to sign a long term extension a day or 2 after he is eligible to re-sign at age 30 with a year to go on his current deal. I’d expect a big number on more than 5 years.

Very possible but it may or may not be a wise decision.

I dont want to be Vegas where it seems like there is no loyalty and players are shipped out a year or two after committing to the team but I also don't want to have a bunch of old ineffective players making big dollars either.

You need to be pretty selective on who you keep through their twilight years. Balance is always a key in these things and to be fair the Jets haven't been that bad with their 30 year old contracts.

Can this org afford to have a number of lean years due to an old/overpaid core taking up too much cap space ala LA/Chicago.

 

[KingBogo]

Very possible but it may or may not be a wise decision.

I dont want to be Vegas where it seems like there is no loyalty and players are shipped out a year or two after committing to the team but I also don't want to have a bunch of old ineffective players making big dollars either.

You need to be pretty selective on who you keep through their twilight years. Balance is always a key in these things and to be fair the Jets haven't been that bad with their 30 year old contracts.

Just my opinion but I think the Jets ace in the hole is how they treat their vets. Players saw Wheeler get paid after he gave up his best years being underpaid. Players will notice that. If we want players like Perfetti to sign on long term after their ELC they will look at how the organization treats its players later in their careers. I don’t think it is by accident that Chevy has got so many of his young core to sign very fair long term deals.

 

[surixon]

Just my opinion but I think the Jets ace in the hole is how they treat their vets. Players saw Wheeler get paid after he gave up his best years being underpaid. Players will notice that. If we want players like Perfetti to sign on long term after their ELC they will look at how the organization treats its players later in their careers. I don’t think it is by accident that Chevy has got so many of his young core to sign very fair long term deals.

I think you need to treat your players well but the Jets really have never had issues locking their young players up long term and a lot of those deals predated the Wheeler deal for instance. I dont think it has as big a factor as you think it does. I think moat players understand that its a business first and foremost and I think it's more the day to day culture that has driven that buy in.

Players also want to win and having a bunch of older players that prevents them icing a competitive team can lead to issues as well. See Toews comment on a Chicago rebuild this offseason for instance.

Players want loyalty and to be treated well but they also want to win as well.

 

[lanky]

Just my opinion but I think the Jets ace in the hole is how they treat their vets. Players saw Wheeler get paid after he gave up his best years being underpaid. Players will notice that. If we want players like Perfetti to sign on long term after their ELC they will look at how the organization treats its players later in their careers. I don’t think it is by accident that Chevy has got so many of his young core to sign very fair long term deals.

Locking up youth long term on cheap deals is definitely Chevy's strategy. That is clear. Treating players well is also part of his strategy. I'm not sure that I buy into over-paying Wheeler as part of that.

 

[ps241]

Very possible but it may or may not be a wise decision.

I dont want to be Vegas where it seems like there is no loyalty and players are shipped out a year or two after committing to the team but I also don't want to have a bunch of old ineffective players making big dollars either.

You need to be pretty selective on who you keep through their twilight years. Balance is always a key in these things and to be fair the Jets haven't been that bad with their 30 year old contracts.

Can this org afford to have a number of lean years due to an old/overpaid core taking up too much cap space ala LA/Chicago.

The Vegas thing is getting unique.

Gallant felt knee jerk.

Then Fluery (huge leader) big contact followed by the Lehner gig?

Nate Schmidt was maybe the biggest leader on the team......out.

Recently Max Pax and Marchessault both rumoured in moves.

Stastny is a leader and is gone (ok getting older)

Not sure about Vegas right now they seem a bit jumpy and one has to ask are they gutting the leadership group too much. Pietrangelo is a leader coming in and he’s an upgrade positionally but he is 30. We’ll see I guess but they have no problem cutting leaders loose.

 

[KingBogo]

I think you need to treat your players well but the Jets really have never had issues locking their young players up long term and a lot of those deals predated the Wheeler deal for instance. I dont think it has as big a factor as you think it does. I think moat players understand that its a business first and foremost and I think it's more the day to day culture that has driven that buy in.

Players also want to win and having a bunch of older players that prevents them icing a competitive team can lead to issues as well. See Toews comment on a Chicago rebuild this offseason for instance.

Players want loyalty and to be treated well but they also want to win as well.

Wheeler wasn’t the first player they treated well. It is the culture from day 1. The organization will always battle being an undesirable location but they can counter that by how they treat their players. LV and NYR can get away with obtaining and shedding players seemingly on a whim, the Jets on the other hand needs to have its best players believe the organization will treat them well and have loyalty to them.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Wheeler wasn’t the first player they treated well. It is the culture from day 1. The organization will always battle being an undesirable location but they can counter that by how they treat their players. LV and NYR can get away with obtaining and shedding players seemingly on a whim, the Jets on the other hand needs to have its best players believe the organization will treat them well and have loyalty to them.

Minnesota which I think should be equally undesirable as a city doesn’t fall into this trap.

 

[KingBogo]

Minnesota which I think should be equally undesirable as a city doesn’t fall into this trap.

Minny just may be the most veteran ladden team in the league.

 

[surixon]

Minnesota which I think should be equally undesirable as a city doesn’t fall into this trap.

Cough Parise, Cough Suter. They are pretty much the poster team as to what happens when you allocate too much cash into older players past their primes.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Cough Parise, Cough Suter. They are pretty much the poster team as to what happens when you allocate too much cash into older players past their primes.

I guess @KingBogo is right.

 

[KingBogo]

I think there is a balance the Jets need to walk. They need to be loyal to their best but be willing to move on from others. So far Chevy has done a pretty good job at this IMO.

 

[surixon]

I think there is a balance the Jets need to walk. They need to be loyal to their best but be willing to move on from others. So far Chevy has done a pretty good job at this IMO.

A couple of bad calls on some older depth players like Stuart but otherwise ok.

I generally have liked Chevy's strategy with FA as well, he may overpay in cap hit but he never gives out unmanageable term.

Good discussion BTW.