My own thoughts...
Can Burmistrov help the Jets if he was a player?
Yes.
Burmistrov's accomplishments offensively are right where they should be in terms of public opinion; NHL level but below average. Burmistrov was only the Jets 8th best point per minute player for 2011-13.
Burmistrov's accomplishments overall are ridiculously underrated.
This team has never had
major issues with offense:
* 12th, 16th and 13th in NHL for goals per game
*10th, 16th and 13th in NHL for shots per game
However, the team has always had
major issues with defense:
* 26th, 25th and 21st in NHL for goals against per game
* 15th, 18th and 19th in NHL for shots against
* 22nd, 18th and 24th in NHL for Sv%
Now, some of that goals against is a problem with sub-par goaltending (which I show here with Sv%), but the SA show that the team isn't above average either. So, bringing back Burmistrov (Jets overall best player for reducing shots against over 5v5 + PK).
Part of that is because the Jets had the puck more often than not with Burmistrov; the Jets had their second best puck possession difference with Burmistrov and their 3rd best scoring chance difference with Burmistrov.
The whole "but Nigel Dawes / Tim Stapleton" thing is a joke of a comparison.
1) Burmistrov is younger, RFA and not yet in prime
2) Burmistrov is good enough defensively to be a plus in the NHL
Something those guys do not have
PS.
Average young player with Burmistrov's p/gp in KHL and at his age that moved to the NHL had a 0.56 NHL pts/gp... 46 points in 82 games.
But he left us and said mean things!
1) If Burmistrov signs after the KHL to us it will be the EXACT SAME THING that Kulda did last season. Get contract offer from Jets -> take contract from KHL as within rights to do as free agent -> sign back in NHL when term is done (and with out clause that *could* be this summer if willing)
2) Minor detail: Burmistrov did not say he disliked Noel because
"he got sent down to the AHL and didn't get TOI". Burmistrov said
(note: and he could be lying) that it was because he was to
not communicated WHY he was being sent down or WHAT was needed for him to prove he could pass Jokinen in the depth charts. Also,
this is the exact same complaint with communication that Kane had for the "healthy scratch" situation and when Kane was talking about lines.