Speculation: Trade, FA & Rumours (Mod warning OP)

[Hunter368]

It wouldn't be Laine + unless you are aiming at an elite 1RD. I don't see needing to go that far. It would be Laine for the D +. But the problem is still finding the right trade partner. The deal has to do something for them as well as us. Win/win is tricky.

Yup, win win trades for high value players are difficult to find & arrange.

 

[Gil Fisher]

I couldn't care less if a #1 RD came back for Laine as long as the return was sufficient. Personally, I'd maximize a cost controlled return of 20-23 year old prospects. That would match our core nicely.

 

[Weezeric]

Agreed.....that’s why I say something will have to give with one of the young wingers.

Depends on some other factors IMO. If Perfetti can come in and be a 2C on an ELC for three years until Wheelers contract is up you might be ok. Not too many teams have their top 2 centers for ~7M.

 

[KingBogo]

Depends on some other factors IMO. If Perfetti can come in and be a 2C on an ELC for three years until Wheelers contract is up you might be ok. Not too many teams have their top 2 centers for ~7M.

You'd have to include Perfetti performance bonuses which I expect to be close to Rossi's $850,000 range. We will still never be able to upgrade at RHD beyond DeMelo unless Chevy pulls off a trade for a RHD prospect that turns out to be a homerun.

 

[Jets 31]

I see this day coming as well.

This is very unfortunate if they have to trade Laine or Connor or Ehlers over 34 year old Wheeler. To me that's a big mistake by Chevy giving Wheeler the contract he did.

 

[GaryPoppins]

Plus until Laine signs long term at a fair contract........it makes it nearly impossible to trade KC or Ehlers. I doubt the Jets want Wheeler, Ehlers, KC and Laine all signed long term at big cap hits when we have other needs. If Laine is willing to sign long term at a fair rate, then something will have to give with one of Ehlers/KC/Laine..........b/c Wheeler isn't being traded (IMO).

That’s too bad because he’s absolutely the one that should be traded if they’re trying to find a way to keep Laine.

 

[Hunter368]

That’s too bad because he’s absolutely the one that should be traded if they’re trying to find a way to keep Laine.

I'll say this, Wheeler in theory could be traded, but I don't think it happens in the next couple years......

 

[GaryPoppins]

This is very unfortunate if they have to trade Laine or Connor or Ehlers over 34 year old Wheeler. To me that's a big mistake by Chevy giving Wheeler the contract he did.

Fireable crime, IMO. I find the Blues do a great job of letting their good but soon to be “old and anchor-esque” players go so they avoid the long term contracts that ultimately kill your cap and window.

to name a few:

Stastny
Pietroangelo
Shattenkirk

 

[Jimmyjets]

This is very unfortunate if they have to trade Laine or Connor or Ehlers over 34 year old Wheeler. To me that's a big mistake by Chevy giving Wheeler the contract he did.

I've run the numbers on capfriendly a bunch of times and I don't see any cap related issues for the next 3-4 years at all. We can afford to give Laine a $9.5 - $10M contract if we want to and can keep Connor, Ehlers, Wheeler and Scheif. Perreault comes off the books and his cap covers his replacement and Laine's raise. Pionk needs a new contract but depending on what we do in a trade, he may be the player taken in the expansion draft.

The big question at this point is what do we do at 2C? We have Stastney this year but what happens next year? If Perfetti can step in as 2C we have it made but in some ways it would be better if we could slide his ELC one more year.

We likely lose Harkins or Appleton in the expansion draft so Suess moves onto the 4th line and Vesalainen moves to the 3rd line.

We'd have over $8M to sign 2 players, one of which is the pressbox guy and the other is a stop gap 2C until Perfetti is ready. If it works really well would Stastney come back on a 1-2 year deal if we needed him? The trick is we can only pay for a max of 2 years because then we'll need Perfetti's ELC to be there so we can pay Samberg and Heinola. In a worst case we could bridge them for 1 year and then Wheeler comes off the books.

There is no cap related reason to trade anyone. If we decide to trade someone it's a hockey trade where they are trying to reallocate talent from the Wing to either Center or D.

Even if Laine needs $12M and he puts up 120 points this season to earn it we can swing it. Roslovic needs to go for futures. Not ideal but we could absolutely make that work. Unlikey we'd need to, but we could.

 

[Whileee]

Fireable crime, IMO. I find the Blues do a great job of letting their good but soon to be “old and anchor-esque” players go so they avoid the long term contracts that ultimately kill your cap and window.

to name a few:

Stastny
Pietroangelo
Shattenkirk

Steen, Bozak.

 

[tbcwpg]

Fireable crime, IMO. I find the Blues do a great job of letting their good but soon to be “old and anchor-esque” players go so they avoid the long term contracts that ultimately kill your cap and window.

to name a few:

Stastny
Pietroangelo
Shattenkirk

Fireable crime to sign the team's leading scorer over a 3 year period and top 15 in league scoring over that period of time?

Yes, it's a year or two too long but Wheeler isn't ineffective and that's sometimes something you just have to do in professional sports.

 

[KingBogo]

I've run the numbers on capfriendly a bunch of times and I don't see any cap related issues for the next 3-4 years at all. We can afford to give Laine a $9.5 - $10M contract if we want to and can keep Connor, Ehlers, Wheeler and Scheif. Perreault comes off the books and his cap covers his replacement and Laine's raise. Pionk needs a new contract but depending on what we do in a trade, he may be the player taken in the expansion draft.

The big question at this point is what do we do at 2C? We have Stastney this year but what happens next year? If Perfetti can step in as 2C we have it made but in some ways it would be better if we could slide his ELC one more year.

View attachment 374459

We likely lose Harkins or Appleton in the expansion draft so Suess moves onto the 4th line and Vesalainen moves to the 3rd line.

We'd have over $8M to sign 2 players, one of which is the pressbox guy and the other is a stop gap 2C until Perfetti is ready. If it works really well would Stastney come back on a 1-2 year deal if we needed him? The trick is we can only pay for a max of 2 years because then we'll need Perfetti's ELC to be there so we can pay Samberg and Heinola. In a worst case we could bridge them for 1 year and then Wheeler comes off the books.

There is no cap related reason to trade anyone. If we decide to trade someone it's a hockey trade where they are trying to reallocate talent from the Wing to either Center or D.

Even if Laine needs $12M and he puts up 120 points this season to earn it we can swing it. Roslovic needs to go for futures. Not ideal but we could absolutely make that work. Unlikey we'd need to, but we could.

I really appreciate the optimism but your plan rests on one assumption, and that is we have everything we need in house to become a contender and can do it by investing close to 40% of our cap space in top 6 wingers. And our starting point is a bubble team with a middle of the road prospect pool.

For it to work Perfetti needs to become a 1B center who can push Scheifele while on his ELC and 1 of Samberg or Heilola has to become a legitimate top 4 defenseman. We would probably also need Morrissey to move into the next tier of defenseman and become a true#1 rather than just a good top pairing guy. And of course Helly needs to be in the Vezina discussion each and every season.

I do like the idea of Laine being 120 point player because by extrapolation Perfetti would have quickly developed into 120+ point play making #1 center among the elite in the game on his ELC. Better save up some cap space because that ought cost us about $14-15 M a season in 3 or 4 years.

 

[Jimmyjets]

I really appreciate the optimism but your plan rests on one assumption, and that is we have everything we need in house to become a contender and can do it by investing close to 40% of our cap space in top 6 wingers. And our starting point is a bubble team with a middle of the road prospect pool.

For it to work Perfetti needs to become a 1B center who can push Scheifele while on his ELC and 1 of Samberg or Heilola has to become a legitimate top 4 defenseman. We would probably also need Morrissey to move into the next tier of defenseman and become a true#1 rather than just a good top pairing guy. And of course Helly needs to be in the Vezina discussion each and every season.

I do like the idea of Laine being 120 point player because by extrapolation Perfetti would have quickly developed into 120+ point play making #1 center among the elite in the game on his ELC. Better save up some cap space because that ought cost us about $14-15 M a season in 3 or 4 years.

I think that we potentially do have everything we need in house and the young D are key in that. We start as a bubble playoff team that played the year with arguably the worst d core in the NHL. Then we upgraded with DeMelo which gave us a legitimate top pair and strengthened the bottom pair by pushing Poolman down. Now we turn the keys over to the kids (hopefully) but we have stop gap vets signed to 1 year deals as depth in case they aren't. I personally think that Roslovic and Niku do end up getting dealt for a Dman but we potentially lose the acquired player or Pionk in the expansion draft so it's really a step forward this year and then maybe a step back next year.

We do need a top 4 D on an ELC or we need a 2C on an ELC next year to make it all fit easily but that also assumes that Laine beasts out this year and goes more than a point per game.

I did say I didn't see any cap issues for the next 3-4 years. I didn't say anything about what might happen if Perfetti becomes a 100 point player on his ELC.

I just wanted to show, for people that hadn't actually looked at the numbers for themselves, that it isn't doom and gloom. We can keep everyone as long as one of Samberg or Heinola or Perfetti hit. If they all bust then we may need to trade someone but I like our odds here.

 

[KingBogo]

I think that we potentially do have everything we need in house and the young D are key in that. We start as a bubble playoff team that played the year with arguably the worst d core in the NHL. Then we upgraded with DeMelo which gave us a legitimate top pair and strengthened the bottom pair by pushing Poolman down. Now we turn the keys over to the kids (hopefully) but we have stop gap vets signed to 1 year deals as depth in case they aren't. I personally think that Roslovic and Niku do end up getting dealt for a Dman but we potentially lose the acquired player or Pionk in the expansion draft so it's really a step forward this year and then maybe a step back next year.

We do need a top 4 D on an ELC or we need a 2C on an ELC next year to make it all fit easily but that also assumes that Laine beasts out this year and goes more than a point per game.

I did say I didn't see any cap issues for the next 3-4 years. I didn't say anything about what might happen if Perfetti becomes a 100 point player on his ELC.

I just wanted to show, for people that hadn't actually looked at the numbers for themselves, that it isn't doom and gloom. We can keep everyone as long as one of Samberg or Heinola or Perfetti hit. If they all bust then we may need to trade someone but I like our odds here.

We can keep everyone if that is our goal. I'm just very skeptical that we have the right mix of players to contend. This is just my opinion but I want Chevy to be less worried about keeping everyone and more aggressive in balancing our lineup. I think our team as presently constructed is an exciting team with a ton of offense that is below average defending both by its forwards and defense and keeps its head above water thanks to a Vezina goaltender. I'm assuming you watched the playoffs and the one thing all the top teams have is a true#1 defenseman that they can play 25 min a night to hold it altogether. Personally I believe this a hole so large no amount of scoring can make up for it.

 

[Jimmyjets]

We can keep everyone if that is our goal. I'm just very skeptical that we have the right mix of players to contend. This is just my opinion but I want Chevy to be less worried about keeping everyone and more aggressive in balancing our lineup. I think our team as presently constructed is an exciting team with a ton of offense that is below average defending both by its forwards and defense and keeps its head above water thanks to a Vezina goaltender. I'm assuming you watched the playoffs and the one thing all the top teams have is a true#1 defenseman that they can play 25 min a night to hold it altogether. Personally I believe this a hole so large no amount of scoring can make up for it.

Having that no question #1 D absolutely helps and Tampa for sure has that. If I look at Vegas, Dallas and the Islanders. Vegas had Theodore, who has offence and garnered some Norris votes. Dallas has Heiskanen and Lindell. Islanders didn't have a single player receive a Norris vote but Pulock is their best dman.

If a hockey trade is made, I'm all for it but true #1 dmen don't get moved very often. I was just saying that we don't need to clear cap for any reason unless we make a trade or 2. If we find a trade that makes us better, great! However, when you see offers of 4 pieces for a player like Laine it would just never happen. Ekblad, Pulock, etc. maybe.

 

[KingBogo]

Having that no question #1 D absolutely helps and Tampa for sure has that. If I look at Vegas, Dallas and the Islanders. Vegas had Theodore, who has offence and garnered some Norris votes. Dallas has Heiskanen and Lindell. Islanders didn't have a single player receive a Norris vote but Pulock is their best dman.

If a hockey trade is made, I'm all for it but true #1 dmen don't get moved very often. I was just saying that we don't need to clear cap for any reason unless we make a trade or 2. If we find a trade that makes us better, great! However, when you see offers of 4 pieces for a player like Laine it would just never happen. Ekblad, Pulock, etc. maybe.

I agree with most of what you have said. And I also don't think it will be easy to get that #1 defenseman.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

When we had Buff he could make up for a lot of other problems just by being on the ice. It hurt when he retired and I believe it disrupted any real plans the team had and they started to look at other options

I think that is likely why they are looking at moving Laine. They don't have cost certainty with him and they value that. Now they begin the process of what they might get for him and looking for a potential #1-2 D if that is out there.

We do have some Legit D prospects with Heinola and Samberg coming. But I guess they wanted to see what was available out there. We haven't seen a trade yet likely because some teams like Tampa have to figure out what they are going to do yet. I also think the Jets are asking for a lot and won't move on that.

Why are we thinking about moving Laine? He is the only top 6 forward not signed long term. Its that simple. If he was signed long term to a similar deal that Ehlers/Connor signed we are not having this discussion. But he isn't and that is why you will hear his name out there

 

[Whileee]

I like this signing... came in about 100k below what Evolving Hockey projected.

 

[robertocarlos]

I've run the numbers on capfriendly a bunch of times and I don't see any cap related issues for the next 3-4 years at all. We can afford to give Laine a $9.5 - $10M contract if we want to and can keep Connor, Ehlers, Wheeler and Scheif. Perreault comes off the books and his cap covers his replacement and Laine's raise. Pionk needs a new contract but depending on what we do in a trade, he may be the player taken in the expansion draft.

The big question at this point is what do we do at 2C? We have Stastney this year but what happens next year? If Perfetti can step in as 2C we have it made but in some ways it would be better if we could slide his ELC one more year.

View attachment 374459

We likely lose Harkins or Appleton in the expansion draft so Suess moves onto the 4th line and Vesalainen moves to the 3rd line.

We'd have over $8M to sign 2 players, one of which is the pressbox guy and the other is a stop gap 2C until Perfetti is ready. If it works really well would Stastney come back on a 1-2 year deal if we needed him? The trick is we can only pay for a max of 2 years because then we'll need Perfetti's ELC to be there so we can pay Samberg and Heinola. In a worst case we could bridge them for 1 year and then Wheeler comes off the books.

There is no cap related reason to trade anyone. If we decide to trade someone it's a hockey trade where they are trying to reallocate talent from the Wing to either Center or D.

Even if Laine needs $12M and he puts up 120 points this season to earn it we can swing it. Roslovic needs to go for futures. Not ideal but we could absolutely make that work. Unlikey we'd need to, but we could.

That's a top ten D in the AHL.

 

[AWSAA]

I doubt the Jets want Wheeler, Ehlers, KC and Laine all signed long term at big cap hits when we have other needs.

Our GM should've known that when he decided to extend Blake for 5 years. Somehow he thought could sign Bryan Little for 6 too and make it all work somehow. How can anyone here still defend that decision?

 

[10Ducky10]

That's a top ten D in the AHL.

We really don't know what that D would be like.
We know what we have in JMo but Poink has been here for only one season. Slamberg has zero games and Heinola has under 10.
My concern is the 4th line.
They'd get eaten alive out there.

I'd offer Laine 5 x 9m or 4 x 8.375m...
Either way, his deal after that one would be HUGE if he lives up to his own expectations.

Chevy doesn't HAVE to do anything right now and he is a patient mofo. We have a lineup right now that should make the playoffs.

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

Just reminding the Hockey gods that the Jets could use Weegar from Florida.
Will down a beer tonight as a sacrifice. Regardians of the Galaxy coffee beer by White Sails. I'm bringing out the good stuff.

 

[voyageur]

Our GM should've known that when he decided to extend Blake for 5 years. Somehow he thought could sign Bryan Little for 6 too and make it all work somehow. How can anyone here still defend that decision?

I'd look at it another way. If Wheeler isn't here Stastny probably doesn't waive his NTC twice to come here, since that's the guy who probably convinced him, as he was the only player Stastny knew on our team, prior to being traded. Any GM that would have let his captain walk after going to the WCF, with a 21 point playoff performance, probably would have been torn apart by its fanbase. Instant rebuild.

If we don't re-sign Little, we lose one of our best players, and leaders. I think the Jets would have been more comfortable moving on from Lowry, with Little in the 3c spot, which was something to look at down the road, and the idea that the Cap was going to grow substantially over the years, so that Bryan Little's contract would have looked decent down the road.

Going in with a roster of Ehlers-Scheif-Laine, and just Connor probably isn't enough horses to carry you across the line. And free agency isn't where the Jets have won. Nobody drafted since Laine has had an impact yet.

I don't really have any arguments about the way Chevy established or paid the leadership group. The Jets planned to have Buff's salary expire when Laine's was up for renewal. They've invested in several players to try a replace a fraction of what he did. The dearth of ELC d-men was a way to mitigate Laine's growth, Cap wise. We just never found a 2c, who could stick, until this year, and it might be too late. If Stastny sticks around, we can at least manage our star power up front for 2 more season.

However it was the Buff-Trouba-Myers trio in their prime years that was our best window to win, and that's where Chevy has to rely on drafting to make the difference, and some patience with our fanbase, or make a trade that changes the strengths of our team.

 

[RabidOne]

Just reminding the Hockey gods that the Jets could use Weegar from Florida.
Will down a beer tonight as a sacrifice. Regardians of the Galaxy coffee beer by White Sails. I'm bringing out the good stuff.

Not a fan of wheat beers, but White Sails makes good beer.

 

[tbcwpg]

This is not the Blake Wheeler thread, nor is it the thread to debate whether a past signing was a good idea or not.

Please read the Updated Forum rules which is stickied, particularly the one about thread derailment.