Scott Campbell was talking about this on Twitter last night and someone pointed out this from around that time:
But I think Stone's contract demands were too high for the Jets. 8 years x $9.5M was probably too rich for the Jets, considering they'd just signed Wheeler to that $8.25M extension a few months earlier.
Stone at $9.5M just wouldn’t work under the cap with Buff, Little, and Wheeler signed to large multi-year deals and Laine, Connor and Morrissey needing new deals in that off-season, as well.
They would have had to add Wheeler, Laine or Buff to the Sens deal to make the money work.
Therefore, Stone was always going to be a rental, and do you give up Roslovic (or Vesalainen, as also rumoured at the time) for a rental? Chevy said, nope.
I still believe Wheeler’s deal will prevent this team from filling out the roster with the right mix, especially if a declining Wheeler is kept while younger winger(s) are sent packing.