Jets Goaltending Logjam: What shall we do?

[Jets4Life]

The Logjam:

ONDREJ PAVELEC (1987)

-starting goalie since 2009-10
-0.908 SP
-signed for $3.9 million until 2017
-led Jets to playoffs by getting hot at right time
-inconsistent

MICHAEL HUTCHINSON (1990)

-rookie in 2014-15
-0.916 SP
-signed for $575,000 until 2016
-amazing run during Calder Cap and first half of season
-fizzled out after ASG

CONNOR HELLEBUYCK (1993)

-turned pro in 2014
-0.921 SP in AHL
-signed two way contract $667,000 until 2017
-insane stats and has excelled in every league he has played in
-no noticeable flaws

ERIC COMRIE (1995)

-turning pro in 2015
-played very well in WHL and International games
-signed two way contract $636,000 until 2018
-still unproven in pros

JAMIE PHILLIPS (1993)

-playing in NCAA
-had stand-out year in college (Hobey Baker runner-up)
-unproven in pro and international stage
-one more year at Michigan Tech



So what should we do? The Jets hand will be forced after this season, and depending what goes down, one or two of the keepers will be gone. Pavelec is still the official starter, but if he has a bad season, a buyout or trade in the final season is possible. Hutch is cheap and has one year remaining on his ELC. If he plays well, he can earn a permanent position in the crease. If he plays poorly, Helle will likely be called up.

Hellebuyck and Comrie may be fighting it out in the AHL, especially if Hutch and Pavs play well. Should we send Comrie down if this happens? So many questions and scenarios. Wait until Phillips comes up in 2016. Things may get a little cramped.

Click to read more...

 

[jetsforever]

Personally I would trade whoever has a worse season this year (Hutch or Pavs) at the end of the season (or TD if we are out of playoff race) and then bring Helle up as the backup - assuming he is still great for the Moose - then have Comrie and Phillips in AHL

That being said, we are talking about the Jets organisation here so I think we are stuck with Pavelec until 2017

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Can't see a logjam here. 1 Starter, below average, inconsistent, inadequate. 1 backup, shows potential, unproven. 1 prospect, shows high potential, unproven. 2 more prospects a long way from the NHL. That is not a logjam.

What shall we do? Hope that somebody takes the job from our inadequate starter.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Just a note Hutch is not on an ELC. He signed his ELC with Boston and spent 3 years in the minors there. He went unqualified by Boston and signed with the Jets. He is in fact just 2 years away from UFA status.

 

[ComplexChris]

Just a note Hutch is not on an ELC. He signed his ELC with Boston and spent 3 years in the minors there. He went unqualified by Boston and signed with the Jets. He is in fact just 2 years away from UFA status.

Wasn't it a 2 year deal only and he'll be an RFA after that (he only has 1 year left in his contract and he's an RFA next year)??

Source: hockeyscap

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Wasn't it a 2 year deal only and he'll be an RFA after that (he only has 1 year left in his contract and he's an RFA next year)??

Source: hockeyscap

Could be I wasn't sure his contract status (I really miss capgeek). But he is 2 years away from UFA status. So if he has one year left on contract then he has 1 year left on RFA then UFA after that.

 

[blues10]

It's not a logjam until we have 3+ NHL calibre goalies. Some would argue at this point we have zero.

Comrie is going to play as an overage junior? Philips in college. I don't see any current log jam. Pav is terrible and hopefully someone steps up and relegates him to the bench.

 

[Mathil8]

Could be I wasn't sure his contract status (I really miss capgeek). But he is 2 years away from UFA status. So if he has one year left on contract then he has 1 year left on RFA then UFA after that.

This is the case. Prior to last season he signed a two year contract, first year was 2 way, second year was 1 way. He's done that contract after this year, and becomes a RFA.

 

[Whileee]

I think it will start out like this....

Hutch / Pavs (Jets)
Hellebuyck (50-55 games) / Comrie (25-30 games) (Moose)
Phillips (NCAA)

If Hutch or Pavs is injured, Hellebuyck is the first injury call-up.

If Hutch or Pavs is having a stinker year, Hellebuyck comes up as the first replacement option.

 

[mcpw]

What I'll do:
Relax.

 

[KingBogo]

The Logjam:

ONDREJ PAVELEC (1987)

-starting goalie since 2009-10
-0.908 SP
-signed for $3.9 million until 2017
-led Jets to playoffs by getting hot at right time
-inconsistent

MICHAEL HUTCHINSON (1990)

-rookie in 2014-15
-0.916 SP
-signed for $575,000 until 2016
-amazing run during Calder Cap and first half of season
-fizzled out after ASG

CONNOR HELLEBUYCK (1993)

-turned pro in 2014
-0.921 SP in AHL
-signed two way contract $667,000 until 2017
-insane stats and has excelled in every league he has played in
-no noticeable flaws

ERIC COMRIE (1995)

-turning pro in 2015
-played very well in WHL and International games
-signed two way contract $636,000 until 2018
-still unproven in pros

JAMIE PHILLIPS (1993)

-playing in NCAA
-had stand-out year in college (Hobey Baker runner-up)
-unproven in pro and international stage
-one more year at Michigan Tech



So what should we do? The Jets hand will be forced after this season, and depending what goes down, one or two of the keepers will be gone. Pavelec is still the official starter, but if he has a bad season, a buyout or trade in the final season is possible. Hutch is cheap and has one year remaining on his ELC. If he plays well, he can earn a permanent position in the crease. If he plays poorly, Helle will likely be called up.

Hellebuyck and Comrie may be fighting it out in the AHL, especially if Hutch and Pavs play well. Should we send Comrie down if this happens? So many questions and scenarios. Wait until Phillips comes up in 2016. Things may get a little cramped.

As much as I'd like to see Helly get his shot I'm pretty sure the organization doesn't see a log jam. They will go another season at status quo. Pavs and Hutch in the NHL, Helly starting in the A. The also signed Olkinuora to a minor league contract so maybe he backs up Helly. I've seen the possibility floated that Comrie goes back to junior for an overage season or maybe the ECHL. I think they wait and see if circumstances shake things open, but in the meantime they aren't at risk of losing any of their prospects. I wouldn't doubt they keep things crowded for a couple years so as to have goalies available to lose in the expansion draft.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

It's not a logjam until we have 3+ NHL calibre goalies. Some would argue at this point we have zero.

Comrie is going to play as an overage junior? Philips in college. I don't see any current log jam. Pav is terrible and hopefully someone steps up and relegates him to the bench.

I would put the chance of the bolded happening at less than 1%, it would burn a year of his ELC and really wouldn't be useful for his development. He should start the year with the Moose, maybe seeing some time in the ECHL.

 

[blues10]

I would put the chance of the bolded happening at less than 1%, it would burn a year of his ELC and really wouldn't be useful for his development. He should start the year with the Moose, maybe seeing some time in the ECHL.

I agree. I brought it up because my Dad says he heard him interviewed and Comrie himself said that may be a plan for the upcoming season.

 

[KingBogo]

I agree. I brought it up because my Dad says he heard him interviewed and Comrie himself said that may be a plan for the upcoming season.

I heard it as well that is why I also mentioned it in my post. But I don't see much downfall to burning a year of his ELC contract. Chances are pretty good Comrie will have yet to play an NHL game 3 years from now. His first RFA contract is likely to be for an amount not much different then his ELC. Impact on development is a bigger issue IMO, but something the Jets maybe willing to live with to find a home and a full workload for all their goalies.

 

[garret9]

I think it was more Comrie was being humble and saying don't count your chickens before they hatch.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I heard it as well that is why I also mentioned it in my post. But I don't see much downfall to burning a year of his ELC contract. Chances are pretty good Comrie will have yet to play an NHL game 3 years from now. His first RFA contract is likely to be for an amount not much different then his ELC. Impact on development is a bigger issue IMO, but something the Jets maybe willing to live with to find a home and a full workload for all their goalies.

Comrie is "burning" a year of ELC whether he plays in NHL, AHL, ECHL, or WHL next year (or even if he is loaned to Europe). No matter what a year comes off his contract.

 

[KingBogo]

Comrie is "burning" a year of ELC whether he plays in NHL, AHL, ECHL, or WHL next year (or even if he is loaned to Europe). No matter what a year comes off his contract.

I realize that, I took the post as it was a waste of his first year of his ELC, sorry I wasn't more clear. But for goalie prospects it really doesn't matter much anyways as most aren't really in a position to demand much as RFA's after their ELC's.

 

[surixon]

I think it would be a waste for Comrie tonplay another year in the dub. You either play him as the backup in the AHL (He had a .920 ish at the end of last year). Or you put him in the ECHL as a starter. Nothing good comes from playing him in a league where be isn't challenged.

 

[allan5oh]

It's not a logjam yet. Pavelecs contract will expire or he will be bought out. Hellebuyck will get some time in the NHL next season. The problem only occurs when all three of Hutchinson, Hellebuyck, and Comrie need waivers. That's 4 years down the road. And it's only a problem if all three are doing well.

 

[cbcwpg]

My biggest fear is that if Pavs has an NHL average year he will get extended, count on it. So really the question is what we do with the others.... Who becomes the backup..

Sign the mediocre let the good ones walk... Isn't that how we roll?

 

[KingBogo]

My biggest fear is that if Pavs has an NHL average year he will get extended, count on it. So really the question is what we do with the others.... Who becomes the backup..

Sign the mediocre let the good ones walk... Isn't that how we roll?

Don't see Pavs being extended, unless it is just long enough to be the goalie exposed to the expansion draft.

 

[White Out 403*]

If Pavelec gets extended I would probably start cheering for the Flames again in anguish.

Chevy has shown misguided loyalty but that's just not going to happen.

 

[mcpw]

I fear that we sign Jim Slater to a 4x4M contract.

 

[Scheifele55]

The log jam ends when Hellebuyck is even better, forces the Jets to call him up, which means Hutchinson will get relegated or Pavelec is dealt for whatever Cheveldayoff can get. It would be better if a team takes a chance on him because their starter is gone for the rest of the year or something and they need him as emergency or he plays well and teams become interested. The future is Hellebuyck and Comrie, the present/future is Hutchinson if he returns to pre-all star form which I have no problem with. The end result is that Pavelec won't be around when his contract expires.

 

[jamiebez]

My biggest fear is that if Pavs has an NHL average year he will get extended, count on it. So really the question is what we do with the others.... Who becomes the backup..

Sign the mediocre let the good ones walk... Isn't that how we roll?

Posted something similar on some other thread:

I think we are all hoping Pavs is bought out/traded next summer - if not sooner, but that's very unlikely. Then we roll with Hutch/Helle in 2016/17.

However, it might actually be an option to trade Hutch next summer and get some assets back in return, roll with Pav/Helle in 2016/17, and go obtain a cheap backup (or #1A if Helle doesn't look capable) in the summer of 2017.

Taking it a step further, that #1A/backup we sign in 2017 could be.... Pavelec

The more I think about it, the more I think it's a likely possibility. Jets management have been loathe to buy out a player until now - although this is the first real candidate we'd have for one. I'm similarly skeptical they'd retain salary in a trade.

If there's not a trade to be made next summer, we could have another year of Pavelec as the #1 to start a season. Maybe even more that one!