Confirmed with Link: Wheeler's extension: 5 years, $8.25M AAV

[Guffman]

Wheeler’s contract is fine and decent value. Many of you also ignore that he’s also the Captain, which Maurice has praised him in that role for driving the team.

When several players are ready to jump ship when they turn UFA, Wheeler is willing to stay and take the pressure of being the player mouthpiece to the media.

Some of you are pretty quick in wanting to jettison our assets for dubious reasons.

Frankly, some of the personnel decisions many of you have suggested over the years end up being laughable as proven by hindsight. So sit down, folks, and let Cap’n Blake do his thing.

 

[Gm0ney]

Wheeler’s contract is fine and decent value. Many of you also ignore that he’s also the Captain, which Maurice has praised him in that role for driving the team.

When several players are ready to jump ship when they turn UFA, Wheeler is willing to stay and take the pressure of being the player mouthpiece to the media.

Some of you are pretty quick in wanting to jettison our assets for dubious reasons.

Frankly, some of the personnel decisions many of you have suggested over the years end up being laughable as proven by hindsight. So sit down, folks, and let Cap’n Blake do his thing.

I'll admit I was a bit hasty in suggesting that the Jets dump Ron Hainsey, but to be fair, I didn't think they were going to replace him with Grant Clitsome.

Anyway, I don't know how laughable it was for me (and many others) to suggest the team avoid the likes of Pavelec, Stuart, Jokinen, Stafford, Thorburn and Strait and hang on to players like Buff, Enstrom, Frolik, Perreault, Stempniak, Morrissey and Hellebuyck. In hindsight, I think that stands up pretty well. Of course I also advocated for players like Postma and Dano and Petan to more of a shot, and never thought much of Tanev, so it's not a spotless record.

Funnily enough, I actually made the same argument as you about Ladd being the captain and earning a deal with the Jets in the summer of 2015. Glad that one didn't happen!

 

[Trinity]

He'd have got 9m+ x 7 years as a free agent this summer.

Who cares. Just because another GM is stupid, doesn't mean Chevy has to be.

 

[Trinity]

In my humble opinion...
Blake Wheeler...
is one of the hardest working Jets.
takes too long of shifts.
is a solid 1st line complementary player.
has a contract that pays him the right amount the next 2 years.
has a contract that will cripple the Jets in years 3,4,5.
would score 60 points max if he didn't have his PP position.
kills the Jets in OT by taking ridiculously long shifts.
has tunnel vision on the PP which other teams exploited in the second half and in the playoffs.
is deserving of a 3 year, 8.25 million contract.
or is deserving of a 5 year, 6 million contract.

Well said. I would just add that he needs to get his ego in check, and work on his leadership skills. Being a dictator doesn't work in today's NHL. I actually hope Laine's contract exceeds Wheeler's AAV; it'll hopefully humble Wheeler a bit.

 

[Trinity]

Wheeler’s contract is fine and decent value. Many of you also ignore that he’s also the Captain, which Maurice has praised him in that role for driving the team.

When several players are ready to jump ship when they turn UFA, Wheeler is willing to stay and take the pressure of being the player mouthpiece to the media.

Some of you are pretty quick in wanting to jettison our assets for dubious reasons.

Frankly, some of the personnel decisions many of you have suggested over the years end up being laughable as proven by hindsight. So sit down, folks, and let Cap’n Blake do his thing.

Being captain usualy implies one is a good captain. Wheeler is not.

 

[Muikea Bulju]

Being captain usualy implies one is a good captain. Wheeler is not.

 

[Gm0ney]

Here's Wheeler's Career 5v5 xGF%

His career average is 53.04% - and he's been below that for 2 seasons.

I think he should bounce back a bit next season, but who knows...age is undefeated.

 

[Trinity]

Here's Wheeler's Career 5v5 xGF%
View attachment 243759

His career average is 53.04% - and he's been below that for 2 seasons.

I think he should bounce back a bit next season, but who knows...age is undefeated.

As Milt Stegall says: "Father Time never loses."

 

[Eyeseeing]

Wheeler takes some extra long shifts, but I think Scheifele does it considerably more often. They both seem to feel that they just need one more rush to turn things around, and often get caught.

But Buff is the king of shift-length stealing. He always stole an extra 5-6 seconds every shift (on average), leaving Trouba with about 1.5-2 minutes less ice-time every game. But he was sneaky at it, and didn't so often take those super long shifts.

Agree all 3 mentioned are shift disturbers.
Mo has to reign them in.

 

[Guffman]

Being captain usualy implies one is a good captain. Wheeler is not.

 

[Guffman]

Funnily enough, I actually made the same argument as you about Ladd being the captain and earning a deal with the Jets in the summer of 2015. Glad that one didn't happen!

I do think taking on that role warrants a small premium. Of course, Ladd was kinda broken when it came up for a new contract... PHEW!

 

[rymr66]

Imagine hating the two season in a row 91 point captain of your favourite team so much that he's the least favourite player in the league.

well.i dont hate anyone. i just very strongly dislike wheeler and his contract being on this team when the jets have done very well at drafting top 6 wingers even before we lucked out and got laine. i think if laine was in his place playing next to scheifele he would have better numbers. i think we have cheaper and better options for top 6 wingers and i think my favourite team would be much better off if blake wheeler was not a part of it.

 

[Jets 31]

To me Wheeler can earn that contract if he drops to the 2nd line with Little and gives us 2 1st lines instead of 1 . He can collect his bonus points playing with Scheif on the PP .

 

[DJBiffWPG]

The contrAct was trouble the day it was signed.

 

[tbcwpg]

well.i dont hate anyone. i just very strongly dislike wheeler and his contract being on this team when the jets have done very well at drafting top 6 wingers even before we lucked out and got laine. i think if laine was in his place playing next to scheifele he would have better numbers. i think we have cheaper and better options for top 6 wingers and i think my favourite team would be much better off if blake wheeler was not a part of it.

You might be right that Laine would have more points in his spot if Wheeler was scoring goals, but his point production is from setting up Laine and Connor. I think you could make the argument that Wheeler on a line with Connor and Little might work, and Scheifele with Ehlers and Laine.

But to say the Jets would be better off without him is wrong, to me, whatever his contract is. We can argue about if it should have been 5 years or not, but some big parts of this core are leaving in 2 more seasons and I don't think the cap hit will be an issue then.

 

[Howard Chuck]

To me Wheeler can earn that contract if he drops to the 2nd line with Little and gives us 2 1st lines instead of 1 . He can collect his bonus points playing with Scheif on the PP .

I think every player is best off where the team gets better, not the player. I really think that a Captain should insist that this happen as well. It shows that he puts the team first and not his own ice time and individual points.

I think the whole world sees what should be tried on the Jets, except Maurice and Wheeler. It is the biggest issue on the team imo. Not only does it stop the team from progressing, but it's stopping young talented players from progressing and finally, it's not good leadership to put yourself ahead of the team.

Again, I love Wheeler, but he has to take an honest look at how he helps the team starting next year.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

You got it, "Park Pontiac"!

Sigh. Memories of Lisa, and that wonderful 80's hair.

 

[Derfel]

Horrifying.

Why?

(Didn't think you'd back up your words. Coward.)

 

[Whileee]

Just thought I'd remind everyone... Wheeler was #4 among RW in the NHL in even-strength points last season. Rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated...

 

[DRW204]

Just thought I'd remind everyone... Wheeler was #4 among RW in the NHL in even-strength points last season. Rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated...

View attachment 243953

lol the drop off from 3-4 is as large as the drop off from 4th-20th( or lower)

 

[Gm0ney]

Just thought I'd remind everyone... Wheeler was #4 among RW in the NHL in even-strength points last season. Rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated...

View attachment 243953

40th in ES p/60...getting prime minutes (plus 4v4, 3v3) with a very good center and out there with the top pairing. That's top end 2nd line production though...and I'm sure it's only going up now that he's past his prime.

 

[Whileee]

40th in ES p/60...getting prime minutes (plus 4v4, 3v3) with a very good center and out there with the top pairing. That's top end 2nd line production though...and I'm sure it's only going up now that he's past his prime.

Ummm... his C was only slightly better in ES point production, and ranked around 30 among Cs in the NHL, so I guess Wheeler was able to put up top-end 2nd line production playing with a bottom end 1st line C?

 

[Gm0ney]

Ummm... his C was only slightly better in ES point production, and ranked around 30 among Cs in the NHL, so I guess Wheeler was able to put up top-end 2nd line production playing with a bottom end 1st line C?

Scheifele was the 26th C in ES p/60 last year. Scheifele's also 26 years old, so I don't expect him to fall off a cliff (unless his RW does maybe). Wait a minute...Wheeler's number is also...26! WTF is going on here!?

 

[Jack722]

40th in ES p/60...getting prime minutes (plus 4v4, 3v3) with a very good center and out there with the top pairing. That's top end 2nd line production though...and I'm sure it's only going up now that he's past his prime.

While cheating for offense too, imo.

 

[LowLefty]

While cheating for offense too, imo.

Yup - we had a few guys that were making that a habit LY -
If that continues, especially with our "New" D, we are pooched.