JanErixon20
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2007
- 814
- 0
An alternate view is that when the franchise moved to Winnipeg in 2011 it basically had a couple of NHL-caliber players, nothing on the farm (top prospect was Patrice Cormier) and they didn't even own an AHL team. They had essentially nothing to trade to effect any meaningful change at the NHL-level and still ice a team that would at least be competitive at the same time. So they enacted a draft and development policy and have been drafting efficiently ever since. It takes time for drafted players to enter the system, and they are now at the point in the cycle where drafted players are coming on-stream and the team is now transitioning toward youth. That takes time, the GM has done an amazing job during that time, the ownership supports him fully, and they actually are developing a very solid future:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jets-window-opportunity-opening-sooner-later/
Cheers.
I recall an article written not to long ago saying how great the Islanders were going to be, but it was based on a bunch, if not all, of their prospects turning into legit pros.
Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I guess we'll see how it works out for the Jets.