Evaluate Chevy

[arby18]

Good thing that after a three-year evaluation period, Chevy has now realized that his team isn't very good. I could have saved him a few years and told him this two years ago. He just never asked.

This is very disheartening to me. After treading water in a pool of mediocrity for three years, NOW is the time for changes?

Click to read more...

 

[YWGinYYZ]

So, should Chevy not make changes now? I'm confused.

 

[Grind]

Good thing that after a three-year evaluation period, Chevy has now realized that his team isn't very good. I could have saved him a few years and told him this two years ago. He just never asked.

This is very disheartening to me. After treading water in a pool of mediocrity for three years, NOW is the time for changes?

oooookay Arb, i'll bite.

At this juncture...what wouldn't be disheartening? It seems like it's disheartening because it took three years. Would chevy saying "i'm not trading anyone because our teams the BESTEST! JETTIES FOR LIFE!!!!!!" be not-disheartening?

deciding that it's time for changes after three years of mediocrity is better then deciding we needed 4. Obviously, not a high bar, but i don't see the other options at this point.

My point being, if deciding that we needed to make changes this summer is bad, what would have made the summer good?

 

[Huffer]

Good thing that after a three-year evaluation period, Chevy has now realized that his team isn't very good. I could have saved him a few years and told him this two years ago. He just never asked.

This is very disheartening to me. After treading water in a pool of mediocrity for three years, NOW is the time for changes?

Except if you would have traded guys like Little or Wheeler in year one, you would have been dealing them for pennies on the dollar compared to what they are worth now. Probably even Ladd as well after a few seasons showing he can be a #1LW.

Buff is really the only guy IMO that we can look back in hindsight and say he could have been moved. But the Jets also didn't know they would be picking Trouba two years later, and that he would be so good so quick.

 

[arby18]

oooookay Arb, i'll bite.

At this juncture...what wouldn't be disheartening? It seems like it's disheartening because it took three years. Would chevy saying "i'm not trading anyone because our teams the BESTEST! JETTIES FOR LIFE!!!!!!" be not-disheartening?

deciding that it's time for changes after three years of mediocrity is better then deciding we needed 4. Obviously, not a high bar, but i don't see the other options at this point.

My point being, if deciding that we needed to make changes this summer is bad, what would have made the summer good?

You're bang on in the first bolded part. It took three whole years to come to the conclusion that should've been arrived at years ago.

I'm not upset that changes are about to happen. I'm pissed because they're happening way too late in the game. And I'll be super-pissed if it's Kane that they decide is the expendable guy.

Sure, it's better that they've realized it now instead of after a 4th year of being stagnant, but the Jets have Ladd and Buff up as UFA's in two years and NOW we're making changes?

 

[jetkarma*]

Season two we had the lock out which obviously presented challenges , season three cap space was an issue that affected most of the league . During this time we acquired young prospects and have had a couple become core pieces.

That we now may be more actively open to altering the makeup of the team is an issue to some , it isn't to me though . C'est la vie . Rather make a move(s) when we are more in control than not .

 

[Guerzy]

Good thing that after a three-year evaluation period, Chevy has now realized that his team isn't very good. I could have saved him a few years and told him this two years ago. He just never asked.

This is very disheartening to me. After treading water in a pool of mediocrity for three years, NOW is the time for changes?

I think you're missing it all together. The fact is, you have your opinions, feelings and philosophies on Chevy and the process to date. But the other fact is, Chevy and TNSE have their opinions, feelings and philosophies as well. And within that "overall process", we're now at a point where some different, key organizational ducks are in a row, have improved, etc.. where Chevy will begin altering/adding to the team/core in areas of need. Of course, you're open to question and disagree with their perspectives in correlation to yours.

In looking at the big picture here since acquiring the team 3 years ago, I am personally content and see why we've waited until now to perhaps move a Kane, or Byfuglien, etc. Have things been perfect? no. Could we have been a playoff team the last 2 consecutive seasons if Chevy made some moves? quite possibly. Should Pavelec have been the clear cut #1 last season? not likely. Should Chevy have acquired and accumulated more draft picks the last couple years? Maybe so. It hasn't been perfect.

At the end of the day, I tend to think some dramatically overreact and nitpick what has taken place the last 3 years. Me personally, I am content where we are in terms of where we came from, and I am excited where this group is potentially headed. Do I have blind faith in Chevy and co? absolutely not. Show me what you can do, Chevy, because as far as I am concerned we're at a PERFECT time for this team/organization top to bottom to turn in to a competitive winner for years to come. It has taken time in the "process" over the last 3 years, but we're here and it's now time for Chevy to act.

And I do not think it took "three whole years" for Chevy to come to this conclusion. I feel strongly in thinking he knew it was coming and on the horizon, but had other things within the organization that needed tended to first.

You won't agree, and that's ok.

 

[Koonta]

​

Good thing that after a three-year evaluation period, Chevy has now realized that his team isn't very good. I could have saved him a few years and told him this two years ago. He just never asked.

This is very disheartening to me. After treading water in a pool of mediocrity for three years, NOW is the time for changes?

Seriously what is your deal? Fiirst you complain because he hasn't made any moves, now you complain because it appears he will start. It's obvious you will complain no matter what.

 

[Grind]

You're bang on in the first bolded part. It took three whole years to come to the conclusion that should've been arrived at years ago.

I'm not upset that changes are about to happen. I'm pissed because they're happening way too late in the game. And I'll be super-pissed if it's Kane that they decide is the expendable guy.

Sure, it's better that they've realized it now instead of after a 4th year of being stagnant, but the Jets have Ladd and Buff up as UFA's in two years and NOW we're making changes?

I won't dwell on the past.

Hoping for time to fold in on itself and Chevy make the right decisions is even less likely then pavelec getting bought out.

So instead i hope/pray/sacrifice lambs in hopes of influencing/etc Chevies future moves to be the right ones. at this juncture, (regardless of how ****** it was to get here) this is the right decision.....unless of course it's Kane they trade.

I'll totally flip right with you if that's who gets moved- depending on the return).

 

[arby18]

​

Seriously what is your deal? Fiirst you complain because he hasn't made any moves, now you complain because it appears he will start. It's obvious you will complain no matter what.

Sigh. That's not the case at all.

I'm peeved because these changes were required years ago. I'm glad that changes are coming, but with all of the NTC/NMC's handed out over the past few years and the anointment of #PaveLOLec as the starter, who's going to move?

Toby - NMC
Ladd - Modified-NTC
Wheeler - Modified-NTC
Little - Limited-NTC
Bogosian - NMC
Stuart - Modified-NTC
Pavelec - Virtually Untradable

Those were all handed out by Chevy. Who's left to trade who has any value? Buff (and his modified-NTC that Chevy didn't hand out himself) or Kane.

If it's Buff, than so be it. If he's going to be a forward than I'd prefer him moved anyways. But with Kane's name coming up and one of the few valuable pieces without trade protection, that's worrisome, no? Trading a 23-year-old sniper seems like the opposite of a positive move.

It's the timing of it that bugs me. Oh well.

 

[pucka lucka]

I think you're missing it all together. The fact is, you have your opinions, feelings and philosophies on Chevy and the process to date. But the other fact is, Chevy and TNSE have their opinions, feelings and philosophies as well. And within that "overall process", we're now at a point where some different, key organizational ducks are in a row, have improved, etc.. where Chevy will begin altering/adding to the team/core in areas of need. Of course, you're open to question and disagree with their perspectives in correlation to yours.

In looking at the big picture here since acquiring the team 3 years ago, I am personally content and see why we've waited until now to perhaps move a Kane, or Byfuglien, etc. Have things been perfect? no. Could we have been a playoff team the last 2 consecutive seasons if Chevy made some moves? quite possibly. Should Pavelec have been the clear cut #1 last season? not likely. Should Chevy have acquired and accumulated more draft picks the last couple years? Maybe so. It hasn't been perfect.

At the end of the day, I tend to think some dramatically overreact and nitpick what has taken place the last 3 years. Me personally, I am content where we are in terms of where we came from, and I am excited where this group is potentially headed. Do I have blind faith in Chevy and co? absolutely not. Show me what you can do, Chevy, because as far as I am concerned we're at a PERFECT time for this team/organization top to bottom to turn in to a competitive winner for years to come. It has taken time in the "process" over the last 3 years, but we're here and it's now time for Chevy to act.

And I do not think it took "three whole years" for Chevy to come to this conclusion. I feel strongly in thinking he knew it was coming and on the horizon, but had other things within the organization that needed tended to first.

You won't agree, and that's ok.

What was the process? You are talking vaguely. What exactly was the plan up until now?

 

[surixon]

​

Seriously what is your deal? Fiirst you complain because he hasn't made any moves, now you complain because it appears he will start. It's obvious you will complain no matter what.

Agreed. IMO Chevy has waited to the correct time to make big deals. Do people not understand that when you don't have major pieces signed to deals as was the case last summer you don't get close to full value for them! Wheeler, Bogo and Little were completely devalued assets as none had contracts and all were heading to arbitration. Coupled with a lower cap and we would have got fleeced had we attempted to move any of the three.

The only three pieces that could have been moved were Ladd, Kane and Buff. Does anyone really want to move Ladd or Kane? It pretty much just left Buff to deal!

Chevy's foresight will prove invaluable by waiting until now if he chooses to move a Wheeler as teams have more cap space and Wheeler has a lot of term left on a fair deal which means he should get more back!

 

[YWGinYYZ]

What was the process? You are talking vaguely. What exactly was the plan up until now?

IMHO, build some organizational depth in order to trade from a position of strength. Much easier to do now as well, given the cap increases - many more potential trading partners when you don't have half the teams hard against the cap.

My take. Matt?

 

[pucka lucka]

IMHO, build some organizational depth in order to trade from a position of strength. Much easier to do now as well, given the cap increases - many more potential trading partners when you don't have half the teams hard against the cap.

My take. Matt?

But he did that in a very strange way. Like keeping UFA's, giving out oversized contracts to Stuart and Pavelec. Bringing in guys like Halischuk over giving O'Dell a chance. These things are contradictory.

 

[ps241]

Ok this thread is going to be active

 

[ps241]

Sigh. That's not the case at all.

I'm peeved because these changes were required years ago. I'm glad that changes are coming, but with all of the NTC/NMC's handed out over the past few years and the anointment of #PaveLOLec as the starter, who's going to move?

Toby - NMC
Ladd - Modified-NTC
Wheeler - Modified-NTC
Little - Limited-NTC
Bogosian - NMC
Stuart - Modified-NTC
Pavelec - Virtually Untradable

Those were all handed out by Chevy. Who's left to trade who has any value? Buff (and his modified-NTC that Chevy didn't hand out himself) or Kane.

If it's Buff, than so be it. If he's going to be a forward than I'd prefer him moved anyways. But with Kane's name coming up and one of the few valuable pieces without trade protection, that's worrisome, no? Trading a 23-year-old sniper seems like the opposite of a positive move.

It's the timing of it that bugs me. Oh well.

To the first bolded point who's going to move, you start by moving Buff this off season and maybe Kane. That gets the domino's falling. Ladd is the lynch pin, If you go to him during or after this season and tell him you want to move him and can get a deal done then I think the NTC or NMC for Toby, Little, and Wheeler become much less obtrusive. The boys will be happy to move on when the time is right. honestly arby the teams looking to get these players is probably a contender anyways and they would welcome the chance to take their run. Players negotiate NTC/NMC to give themselves options but it doesn't mean they won't want to move. Yes it will make the options more limited but that is the price you pay to get these type of contracts signed.

Personally NTC/NMC's don't worry me that much and they are part of the landscape of the new NHL.

Two the second bolded point moving Kane doesn't bother me at all if it is a good deal and we are getting back some youth in the bundle.

 

[surixon]

But he did that in a very strange way. Like keeping UFA's, giving out oversized contracts to Stuart and Pavelec. Bringing in guys like Halischuk over giving O'Dell a chance. These things are contradictory.

Well they likely didn't think O'Dell was ready at the start of the year so Halischuk was brought in to give O'Dell more seasoning. Given what we saw of him last year the extra seasoning was probably benificial as he was just OK. He probably will be ready to contribute next year though in a third line role.

 

[surixon]

To the first bolded point who's going to move, you start by moving Buff this off season and maybe Kane. That gets the domino's falling. Ladd is the lynch pin, If you go to him at the beginning of next season and tell him you want to move and can get a deal done then I think the NTC or NMC for Toby, Little, and Wheeler become much less obtrusive. The boys will be happy to move on when the time is right. honestly arby the teams looking to get these players is probably a contender anyways and they would welcome the chance to take their run. Players negotiate NTC/NMC to give themselves options but it doesn't mean they won't want to move. Yes it will make the options more limited but that is the price you pay to get these type of contracts signed.

Personally NTC/NMC's don't worry me that much and they are part of the landscape of the new NHL.

Two the second bolded point moving Kane doesn't bother me at all if it is a good deal and we are getting back some youth in the bundle.

I'm also pretty sure that only Ladd's and Enstrom's NTC are currently in effect. None of the others take effect yet so they can be freely moved!

 

[Guerzy]

What was the process? You are talking vaguely. What exactly was the plan up until now?

To me, over the last 3 years... wait for it... wait for it... wait for it... "the process",

- Receiving an organization with a bunch of unknowns, so it took time to see what we had.

- There was very little to no quality NHL depth on the roster, guys such as Antropov, Stapleton, Oduya, Hainsey, etc. Not much to choose from. Could Chevy have acquired/added more reliable depth? I think so. Could Chevy have traded those depth pieces to improve the roster elsewhere? I doubt it. Not much there to choose from.

- When your top prospects are Paul Postma and Carl Klingberg, Spencer Mahachek, Patrice Cormier, Ivan Telegin, etc, uh oh. There's not much there to step in to the NHL and help, nor is there much there to trade in order to improve the NHL roster.

- We were not about to trade trade, or trade many, of our draft picks. We needed to keep them in order to replenish the system, which we're in the midst of doing and hopefully successfully with some of those later picks. Could Chevy have accumulated/acquired more draft picks to help the odds? Sure. As for some of his moves along the way, I personally liked the Jokinen signing as he was coming off a 60 point season in Calgary and looked to be a good, solid option to put in place as the no. 2 centre until Scheifele could hopefully take over. Jokinen failed miserably his first year and improved statistically in his second. Setoguchi? I was fine with it, even though it had some risk given we dealt a 2nd round pick. The potential and makings were there for a top 6-9 winger, mid-twenties, could hopefully score 20 goals, etc. I won't fault Chevy for trying with those moves, myself. Ponikarovsky was a flop here, Wellwood had a good year 1 but couldn't duplicate his production, etc. Could the Burmistrov situation have been handled better? possibly so. Chevy's bottom 6 acquisitions for depth have been quite piss poor, Wright, Halischuk, Peluso, Tangradi, etc. For the love of god, he must improve in that area, this summer.

- Chevy and co. ended up locking 7 notable players to 190+ million. Ladd (summer 2011), Enstrom, Kane, Pavelec (summer 2012), Wheeler, Little, Bogosian (summer 2014). That had to play itself out, in my opinion. We had to see what we had in these players, so there was a process to that. Some won't agree to that, and that's ok with me. For whoever may care, this was my take on our core last summer and the process it had been to date.

- Improving the team via UFA can be difficult, and improving your team via trade has stood to be a difficult task right across the league the last couple of years save for a couple/few notable moves. These aren't excuses, they're facts. The lockout, the cap going down, GM's demanding too much for their players ,etc. The trade front "appears" to be an area that will open up this summer as the landscape has changed in the NHL from "build your team through UFA" to "draft, develop and trade". We'll see.

- Who to trade to improve the team from the offseason of 2011 to now, the offseason of 2014? I'm honestly not sure. Byfuglien? maybe. I really thought it was possible to see Byfuglien traded last offseason, but it wasn't the right time. Who was going to replace him on the top pairing and in the top 4? Trouba? we didn't know if Trouba would be in the NHL or AHL. Could Chevy have signed a top 4 defenseman or traded for one, thus allowing him to deal Byfuglien? Maybe, maybe not. Now however, these questions have answered themselves. Byfuglien has been pushed out of the top 4 defence (By Bogosian, Trouba) and made his home on the top 9, mainly 3rd line forward. He has stated he wants to be a defenseman. A move here appears logical at this point in time and near inevitable.

- "We want to compete for the playoffs now, but build for the future and sustain competitiveness". Hey, I'm not saying Chevy's model here is perfect, a great one, or he has crossed his t's and dotted his i's to perfection to date.

Those are bits and parts of the process as I see it over the last 3 years. It's taken a while, it hasn't all been perfect, mistakes likely made along the way. I'm not denying that, nor am I giving Chevy/TNSE my blind faith.

All just my opinion, of course. We're not all going to agree on this or see it in the same light.

 

[Koonta]

Sigh

​

. That's not the case at all.

I'm peeved because these changes were required years ago. I'm glad that changes are coming, but with all of the NTC/NMC's handed out over the past few years and the anointment of #PaveLOLec as the starter, who's going to move?

Toby - NMC
Ladd - Modified-NTC
Wheeler - Modified-NTC
Little - Limited-NTC
Bogosian - NMC
Stuart - Modified-NTC
Pavelec - Virtually Untradable

Those were all handed out by Chevy. Who's left to trade who has any value? Buff (and his modified-NTC that Chevy didn't hand out himself) or Kane.

If it's Buff, than so be it. If he's going to be a forward than I'd prefer him moved anyways. But with Kane's name coming up and one of the few valuable pieces without trade protection, that's worrisome, no? Trading a 23-year-old sniper seems like the opposite of a positive move.

It's the timing of it that bugs me. Oh well.

Ok, but you must realize when a majority of your posts bring up how Chevy hasn't made any moves and the hashtag #whatdidchevydotoday is on your profile and then your first post after it is suggested that Chevy will begin to deal is about how you are disheartened with the news that it kinda seems like you don't really know what you want and nothing will satisfy you.

I don't want them to trade Kane either but if it's a really good return that helps us then I would feel better about it (it is a risk though I agree) although I also understand that it has been less than a perfect marriage between the Jets and Kane (and I'm in no way buying into all the crap rumours that have been floated about the twitterverse)

Also once again Chevy did state that "going into next season Pavelec wil be the starter" when asked by the media but he never said that couldn't change. If you go to the Frolik going to team selected arbitration thread there is theories that the Jets went that route because it could be a sign afterall that Pavelec may just be bought out. I have no idea, have to wait and see.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

But he did that in a very strange way. Like keeping UFA's, giving out oversized contracts to Stuart and Pavelec. Bringing in guys like Halischuk over giving O'Dell a chance. These things are contradictory.

Pavs, I won't argue with.

Stuart: contract seems to be the going rate (or a slight overpay) for a 3rd pairing D. He's an asset that could be moved.

I'm assuming they didn't feel that O'Dell was ready, and Halischuk was a 'free' additional asset that can be moved. Different positions, unless you're thinking that O'Dell should have been shifted to the wing.

I don't think it's contradictory - these are pieces that can be used in trades (minus Pavs) and give the Jets some additional depth.

 

[pucka lucka]

To me, over the last 3 years... wait for it... wait for it... wait for it... "the process",

- Receiving an organization with a bunch of unknowns, so it took time to see what we had.

- There was very little to no quality NHL depth on the roster, guys such as Antropov, Stapleton, Oduya, Hainsey, etc. Not much to choose from. Could Chevy have acquired/added more reliable depth? I think so. Could Chevy have traded those depth pieces to improve the roster elsewhere? I doubt it. Not much there to choose from.

- When your top prospects are Paul Postma and Carl Klingberg, Spencer Mahachek, Patrice Cormier, Ivan Telegin, etc, uh oh. There's not much there to step in to the NHL and help, nor is there much there to trade in order to improve the NHL roster.

- We were not about to trade trade, or trade many, of our draft picks. We needed to keep them in order to replenish the system, which we're in the midst of doing and hopefully successfully with some of those later picks. Could Chevy have accumulated/acquired more draft picks to help the odds? Sure. As for some of his moves along the way, I personally liked the Jokinen signing as he was coming off a 60 point season in Calgary and looked to be a good, solid option to put in place as the no. 2 centre until Scheifele could hopefully take over. Jokinen failed miserably his first year and improved statistically in his second. Setoguchi? I was fine with it, even though it had some risk given we dealt a 2nd round pick. The potential and makings were there for a top 6-9 winger, mid-twenties, could hopefully score 20 goals, etc. I won't fault Chevy for trying with those moves, myself. Ponikarovsky was a flop here, Wellwood had a good year 1 but couldn't duplicate his production, etc. Could the Burmistrov situation have been handled better? possibly so. Chevy's bottom 6 acquisitions for depth have been quite piss poor, Wright, Halischuk, Peluso, Tangradi, etc. For the love of god, he must improve in that area, this summer.

- Chevy and co. ended up locking 7 notable players to 190+ million. Ladd (summer 2011), Enstrom, Kane, Pavelec (summer 2012), Wheeler, Little, Bogosian (summer 2014). That had to play itself out, in my opinion. We had to see what we had in these players, so there was a process to that. Some won't agree to that, and that's ok with me. For whoever may care, this was my take on our core last summer and the process it had been to date.

- Improving the team via UFA can be difficult, and improving your team via trade has stood to be a difficult task right across the league the last couple of years save for a couple/few notable moves. These aren't excuses, they're facts. The lockout, the cap going down, GM's demanding too much for their players ,etc. The trade front "appears" to be an area that will open up this summer as the landscape has changed in the NHL from "build your team through UFA" to "draft, develop and trade". We'll see.

- Who to trade to improve the team from the offseason of 2011 to now, the offseason of 2014? I'm honestly not sure. Byfuglien? maybe. I really thought it was possible to see Byfuglien traded last offseason, but it wasn't the right time. Who was going to replace him on the top pairing and in the top 4? Trouba? we didn't know if Trouba would be in the NHL or AHL. Could Chevy have signed a top 4 defenseman or traded for one, thus allowing him to deal Byfuglien? Maybe, maybe not. Now however, these questions have answered themselves. Byfuglien has been pushed out of the top 4 defence (By Bogosian, Trouba) and made his home on the top 9, mainly 3rd line forward. He has stated he wants to be a defenseman. A move here appears logical at this point in time and near inevitable.

- "We want to compete for the playoffs now, but build for the future and sustain competitiveness". Hey, I'm not saying Chevy's model here is perfect, a great one, or he has crossed his t's and dotted his i's to perfection to date. But, at the end of the day the last two seasons we were in the playoff mix.

Those are bits and parts of the process as I see it over the last 3 years. It's taken a while, it hasn't all been perfect, mistakes likely made along the way. I'm not denying that, nor am I giving Chevy/TNSE my blind faith.

All just my opinion, of course. We're not all going to agree on this or see it in the same light.

We had the entire scouting staff of the Thrashers. NHL games are on TV. I bet Chevy could have watched them on VHS.

My point is it's hard to find the logic if you look at how this org has been handled since they arrived. Why sign all the core if you don't know what you have? Why sign Pavelec after year one, when he wasn't even good? From the outside this team has not behaved in a logically consistent manner.

 

[sipowicz]

It's only taken Chevy 3 years to figure out that you can't build exclusively through the draft! Wow!

2014-2015 will likely see the Jets out of the play-offs, 2015-2016 out of the play-offs and it's good bye (good riddance) Chevy!

 

[arby18]

We had the entire scouting staff of the Thrashers. NHL games are on TV. I bet Chevy could have watched them on VHS.

My point is it's hard to find the logic if you look at how this org has been handled since they arrived. Why sign all the core if you don't know what you have? Why sign Pavelec after year one, when he wasn't even good? From the outside this team has not behaved in a logically consistent manner.

THIS. There's a reason why I've been questioning the "evaluation period" all along. I mean, Marcel Comeau is still here. For a few hundred bucks they could've delved into the archives and watched some games. It shouldn't have been a big mystery.

Or, they could have kept Dudley and/or Ramsay for some continuity. Instead, here we are, three years later and it's only now that changes are needed while everyone has no-trade-clauses.

I'm fine with a Buff move. The problem with that is that I've advocated for it for the past three years. But if we're going to go to Ladd in a year and suggest the he waive his NTC to commence another rebuild, why wait? What have we been doing for the past 3 years plus this coming season?

 

[Guerzy]

We had the entire scouting staff of the Thrashers. NHL games are on TV. I bet Chevy could have watched them on VHS.

Sure, but Chevy and co. wanted to see them first hand for themselves in a new environment (Winnipeg/Atlanta), and form their own conclusions from a first-hand viewing. I can't fault them for that.

My point is it's hard to find the logic if you look at how this org has been handled since they arrived. Why sign all the core if you don't know what you have? Why sign Pavelec after year one, when he wasn't even good? From the outside this team has not behaved in a logically consistent manner.

I personally don't find the logic hard to find. They signed all of the core as they began to see what they had in those players and as each of them hit a point in their contracts as RFA where it was deemed important to sign them, be it to keep them or potentially deal them (Kane?). Ladd was a good signing, Kane was good, Enstrom good (I think anyway in correlation to players of is ilk across the league), Little was good, Wheeler was good, Bogosian good but he best stay healthy. Pavelec, not so good. That one has proven to be a blooper so far.

Again though, I am also not advocating things have been done to perfection here over the last 3 years in what I view as the process. I think Chevy could have improved the bottom six depth in much better fashion. I think Noel should have been let go earlier. I think Pavelec has been something that could have been addressed with perhaps a signing of Anton Khudobin last summer if a deal could have been made, etc.