Z vs Jonesy

[Doggy]

Pretty simple guys, both players have two years left on their deal and both will be probably be $8+ Million players. I question whether the team can and should sign both guys to long term deals. So the question is...

Pick one. Which one you keeping and why? I want to hear the arguments why...I am easily influenced.

Click to read more...

 

[CBJWerenski8]

It's Jones and it's not that close.

The only superiority Werenski has over him is his shot. But only his wrist shot.

However, this isn't meant to sell Werenski short. He's an amazing player in his own right, and potentially a top 10 defenseman someday soon in his own right. He's improved immensely in his defensive play, has a great first pass, and seems to be very coachable. You don't read anything negative about him (or Jones), and him being under Jones shouldn't be seen as a slight.

The CBJ should do whatever they can to make both players career Blue Jackets. Both are #1 defenseman, and potential Norris winners down the line.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

Let's trade Werenski to Nashville for Johansen.

 

[stevo61]

Werenski has better offensive instincts but puts more of a strain on his partner. Jones overall has a much bigger impact on the game and makes teammates better, I take him quite easily. I also think you have to do whatever is needed to keep both, at the end of the day they are both studs

 

[EspenK]

I voted to keep both but obviously you can't wreck the salary structure for 5 years. The good news is that with a lot of young guys I don't think it will be impossible to keep both.

 

[Doggy]

I actually think voting to keep both is a bit of a cop out to the poll and I’m sorry I added it as an option. I also don’t think it’s realistic or sustainable to ink both.

I love what Z brings to the team but I agree with CBJWennberg. Given the choice between the two I am keeping Jones over Z because his game is complete and he simply makes everyone around him better.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Or it’s a cop out to but include s forth option that’s ‘keep both but don’t wreck the team’s salary structure’?

I mean it’s your poll, so I guess the question is are you trying to diss out people’s opinions or just have people choose from options you present them?

 

[Doggy]

Or it’s a cop out to but include s forth option that’s ‘keep both but don’t wreck the team’s salary structure’?

I mean it’s your poll, so I guess the question is are you trying to diss out people’s opinions or just have people choose from options you present them?

No I didn’t mean to diss anyone (my apologies if I did). I think I did not clearly explain the options. I just feel like I gave everyone an easy out. What I meant was that I think people are responding “keep both but I don’t think it will really ruin the cap”.

The poll was meant to make people make the hard choice. Keep Z, keep Jones or find a way to keep both but knowing it means blowing out the cap making it impossible to build a deep and balanced team.

I love both players but no way I keep both if it means having to play too many Harringtons, Robinsons and Nashs higher in the lineup because we can’t afford legit middle six and 2nd pairing players. Like what happened to the Wild when they signed Parise and Suter.

 

[EspenK]

Perhaps an option should have been Jarmo should have signed Z last year for more than 3 years.

I did a quick & dirty cap projection for 2022-23 and came up with this:

Jenner 4

Bottom 3 4.5

Foligno

Texier 3

Atkinson 5.9

Bemstrom 3

Nyqvist

Wennberg

Anderson

Bjorkstrand 6

Nash

PLD 7,5

Total Forwards 34.1

Defensemen

Murray 5

Jones 9

Savard

Kukan 2

Werenski 8

Nutivaara 4

Harrington 2

Gavrikov 4

Defense Subtotal 34

Goalie 7

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Total is 75mm. Cap should be around 85 or so in my guesstimation.

Leaves 10mm or so to add 4 F's.

I'm assuming either Savard or Murray are here so don't flip over Murray @5 and Savard at 0.

If a guy doesn't have a number he is gone in this exercise.

Bottom line it won't be easy but I think it is doable to keep both. Obviously easier if cap is higher.

 

[Halfboard]

Let's trade Werenski to Nashville for Johansen.

 

[rotsbu]

Well, Z is a Michigan man so...

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

The poll was meant to make people make the hard choice. Keep Z, keep Jones or find a way to keep both but knowing it means blowing out the cap making it impossible to build a deep and balanced team.

Didn't necessarily diss anyone. I was just looking for clarity.

Probably should have framed it as "while you might think there are other options, for the purposes of this poll, these are the ones I'm interested in prioritizing based on having to make the hard decisions."

That way, even if I personally believe it's possible to keep both and not wreck the team's salary structure, I understand that the poll is asking a narrower question and I can respond accordingly.

 

[Viqsi]

No I didn’t mean to diss anyone (my apologies if I did). I think I did not clearly explain the options. I just feel like I gave everyone an easy out. What I meant was that I think people are responding “keep both but I don’t think it will really ruin the cap”.

The poll was meant to make people make the hard choice. Keep Z, keep Jones or find a way to keep both but knowing it means blowing out the cap making it impossible to build a deep and balanced team.

I love both players but no way I keep both if it means having to play too many Harringtons, Robinsons and Nashs higher in the lineup because we can’t afford legit middle six and 2nd pairing players. Like what happened to the Wild when they signed Parise and Suter.

I think it's a valid choice because I suspect "you have to pick one" is potentially a manifestation of the XY problem. But that's just me.

 

[majormajor]

Did we somehow acquire some elite forwards and no one told me? I'm pretty sure we'll have enough $$ to throw at least $18-$19m at Werenski and Jones. We don't have better players to spend it on. If we had a couple forwards on that level we would have a tough choice. But there's no way we're letting one of them go to squeeze in more middling players.

I've been critical about Werenski from time to time but it's clear he's grown immensely within the last year. And he's only 22! That's around the age where your average D-man is just starting their NHL careers.

 

[The Jones Zone]

It's Jones given the options from the OP

I believe they can keep both and not ruin the team's salary structure

 

[koteka]

You sign both. That is a no brainer.

It doesn’t mean that both finish their careers here. If we end up in cap hell at some point, which I don’t think is a given, then you can deal one for youth/picks.

 

[ViD]

I would trade Zach for Eichel (obviously more involved In the trade ).

Otherwise, keep both

 

[JacketsDavid]

My #1 priority is Jones. My fear is being an UFA we may not be able to offer what he wants.

 

[Doggy]

I would trade Zach for Eichel (obviously more involved In the trade ).

Otherwise, keep both

Now we are going off topic but between Dahlin and Ristolainen I am not sure a top pairing d-man is a priority for Buffalo. I think the Sabres would start with Luc + for Eichel.

 

[Doggy]

My #1 priority is Jones. My fear is being an UFA we may not be able to offer what he wants.

If you are talking about term, we can offer as much as anyone else can...and an extra year.

 

[majormajor]

Now we are going off topic but between Dahlin and Ristolainen I am not sure a top pairing d-man is a priority for Buffalo. I think the Sabres would start with Luc + for Eichel.

It would take Luc+++. As it should, that's a massive upgrade.

 

[JacketsDavid]

If you are talking about term, we can offer as much as anyone else can...and an extra year.

Nope just talking about life in Columbus.
Again no info on this but seems like many guys when they have a choice would prefer to be somewhere else.

 

[Monk]

Nope just talking about life in Columbus.
Again no info on this but seems like many guys when they have a choice would prefer to be somewhere else.

I wish this talking point would go away. Some guys don't want to play for Columbus. Some guys don't want to play for Toronto. Some guys don't want to play for Florida. Some guys do want to play for Columbus and they were traded anyway.

I'd like to see a side by side list of the players who obviously want(ed) to be in Columbus and the players that obviously wanted to be somewhere else. I bet they're about the same length.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

Nope just talking about life in Columbus.
Again no info on this but seems like many guys when they have a choice would prefer to be somewhere else.

I definitely am nervous for similar reasons and I don’t think Jones’s answers in the Athletic interview jumped off the page with excitement at the possibility of re-signing, but as I also mentioned in the other thread, Seth is naturally a quiet/reserved person, plus he’s more than a year away from even being able to sign an extension and still more than two years away from having to make the decision so he probably hasn’t really thought about it much.

If we take emotions out of it and look rationally, how many players that we really wanted chose to leave/force themselves out for city reasons? Basically Panarin and Carter are the only ones I can think of in 20 years. There was a lot of front office tension with Bobrovsky. I don’t really count Duchene, he was here for two months and was always heading to Nashville (and I also think the front office was okay with not giving him the deal Nashville gave). If he maybe was in Panarin’s shoes of settled here a couple of years I think there would have been a good chance he re-signed. Guys like Foote and Nash were because the team was trash.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Nope just talking about life in Columbus.
Again no info on this but seems like many guys when they have a choice would prefer to be somewhere else.

I don't think this is an issue at all with Jones or Werenski. Both have connections to the midwest, both have said to like it here, both are relatively quiet keep to themselves personalities, and both have grown their games here.

I'm not saying its a lock by any means that they stay here, but I think its very probable they do. It all depends on if they believe in the teams future outlook.