I just feel bad for Jets fans. They had everything in their hands, such a deep group and now they are shallow. Only center depth and goaltender is elite.
You realize the Jets are currently 5th OA in the NHL standings, 4 of the top 11 scorers in the NHL are Jets and three of those four players are wingers right? Plus the Jets as a team have scored the 3rd most goals in the NHL...........and they've achieved all that without a single game from PLD and only one game from Laine. Jets are doing just fine, no need to feel sorry for the Jets fans.
Jets have had a great start to the season, shaking off the rust from the offseason and are steadily playing better which they will need to do to be a playoff team and win tough games coming up. If anyone wants to criticize the Jets, it's certainly not about their offensive power at wing or centre.........its valid to criticize them defensively. 17th GA, 20th shots against and 28th in PK. PMO before the season started stated the Jets weren't going to be a defensive juggernaut with our D core. The publically stated plan was to minimize high risk scoring chances and out score teams using a highly potent offence......which is exactly what they have done to-date quite well.
Jets traded from a position of strength to fill a position of weakness.........while some fans always are sad trading away a player they draft......this trade is exactly what the Jets wanted & needed and are a better team now bc of it. PLD will help them defensively better then Laine could ever do and greatly improve their weakness at centre, while being a pretty offensive producer himself. Chevy stated he wasn't going to trade Laine unless he got 1C or 1D back and he got himself one of the best young 1C in the NHL. Jets nation wishes Laine (& CBJ) nothing but the best, but are very happy to welcome PLD to the Jets.
PS: Before anyone says but Hunter it's a small sample size of the season and the Jets will face tougher games moving forward......yes I stated that above when I said "currently", "tougher games to come", "it's a good start".......I've fully acknowledged in my post above its a small sample size, no I don't expect the Jets to finish the year 5th OA in the NHL, I picked them to finish 3rd to 4th OA in the North Division.....I just replied to one poster suggesting the Jets would be hurting without Laine when I fact to date the Jets have done very well without him, time will tell how they do switching Laine for PLD but nothing suggests they will struggle especially offensively.