Opinion: Jets making moves
It has been a week like no other for the Winnipeg Jets.
One of the biggest trades in franchise history. The NHL draft. An emotional farewell to the former captain. Qualifying offers to some restricted free agents. Walking away from others. A flurry of free-agent signings.
Add it all up and a dozen players have been cut loose, while 12 fresh faces have joined the organization.
Connor Hellebuyck has made it clear he just wants to win a Stanley Cup. Multiple reports have suggested he’s lukewarm on that happening anytime soon in Winnipeg. (David Becker / The Associated Press files)
“I think that’s the word right there. Evolves. That’s really what it’s all about,” general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Saturday as he came up for air and met with the media. “If you look at our organization, we have to evolve. We have to make some changes.”
They certainly have, with more potentially to come.
As the dust begins to settle and summer truly kicks in, here’s our take on the current state-of-the Jets. What they’ve lost. What they’ve added. What they have. And, perhaps most importantly, what they need to do.
GOALTENDING:
OUT WITH THE OLD: David Rittich (signed with Los Angeles), Arvid Holm (UFA), Evan Cormier (UFA).
IN WITH THE NEW: Laurent Brossoit (signed as free agent), Collin Delia (signed as free agent), Thomas Milic (drafted).
KEY QUESTION: Will Connor Hellebuyck be traded?
Without a doubt, the most important decision still to be made is whether the three-time Vezina Trophy finalist (and one-time winner) is on the opening-night roster when the Jets travel to Calgary to face the Flames on Oct. 11.
What once seemed like a far-fetched idea is starting to look like it might actually happen. Cheveldayoff said as much when he met the media on Saturday afternoon.
He’s “definitely comfortable” with holding on to Hellebuyck, who can become a UFA next summer, even if no long-term extension is signed. On that front, might there be a glimmer of hope?
“I don’t think the door is closed for an extension. I still think there’s opportunities for extension,” said Cheveldayoff.
The plot thickens.
Hellebuyck has made it clear he just wants to win a Stanley Cup. Multiple reports have suggested he’s lukewarm on that happening anytime soon in Winnipeg. Is it possible his mind has changed? Time will tell.
No question Hellebuyck will be happy to see old pal Brossoit back with the organization. But it’s interesting the Jets also signed Delia in free agency, when they already have Oskari Salminen and, presumably, newly drafted Milic (the reigning Western Hockey League goaltender of the year) now in the pipeline.
That seems like potentially one goalie too many, although Milic could always go to the ECHL to start his pro career.
Cheveldayoff is not going to give Hellebuyck away, and it seems like the goalie market is ice cold right now. Perhaps it heats up as the off-season continues. But he’s also got to weigh the risk of losing such a prized asset for nothing at the end of next season. Just ask Calgary how that played when it came to Johnny Gaudreau.
A fascination situation to monitor.
CURRENT DEPTH CHART:
Hellebuyck
Brossoit
Also pushing for work: Delia, Salminen, Milic.
FORWARDS:
OUT WITH THE OLD: Pierre-Luc Dubois (traded to Los Angeles), Blake Wheeler (bought out, signed with New York Rangers), Kevin Stenlund (signed with Florida), Saku Maenalanen (UFA), Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (UFA), Sam Gagner (UFA), Karson Kuhlman (UFA), Alex Limoges (UFA).
IN WITH THE NEW: Gabe Vilardi (trade from Los Angeles), Alex Iafallo (trade from Los Angeles), Rasmus Kupari (trade from Los Angeles), Jeffrey Viel (free agent signing), Colby Barlow (drafted), Zach Nehring (drafted), Jacob Julien (drafted), Connor Levis (drafted).
KEY QUESTION: Will Mark Scheifele be traded?
The other elephant in the room remains the status of Winnipeg’s first-ever draft pick in 2011. Just like Hellebuyck, Scheifele will be a UFA next summer barring an extension getting signed between now and then. Watching him walk away with nothing in return would be a tough pill to swallow.
Chatter has picked up in recent days that perhaps the 30-year-old would be open to staying here for the rest of his career, just as his idol, Steve Yzerman, did with Detroit. Is that something the Jets would want, especially given Scheifele’s questionable level of defensive commitment at times, which has driven three head coaches (Paul Maurice, Dave Lowry, Rick Bowness) mad.
With Dubois and Wheeler now out of the picture, you wonder if anything has changed in the approach from all parties?
There’s no question the Jets now have an intriguing forward group. Vilardi has the chance to blossom into a star, Iafallo is a reliable, responsible veteran winger, and Kupari has plenty of upside. Viel can offer the type of fourth-line toughness many have been clamouring for.
There’s also young up-and-coming players Brad Lambert and Chaz Lucius, who had stints with the Manitoba Moose last year before being returned to junior, who could really make things interesting at training camp.
The longer-term prospect pool also looks promising, with Barlow joining last year’s first rounder, Ruter McGroarty, as key pieces for the future.
Mark Scheifele will be a UFA next summer barring an extension getting signed between now and then. Watching him walk away with nothing in return would be a tough pill to swallow. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press files)
Bringing UFA Vladislav Namestnikov back on a two-year deal gives some added insurance. Just like Vilardi, Kupari and Cole Perfetti, he could potentially play up the middle, joining the likes of existing centres such as Adam Lowry and David Gustafsson.
“I think it really gives us a group of forwards that we really haven’t had at any point in time in this organization from top to bottom,” said Cheveldayoff.
“That group of 12, 13, or 14 forwards there, there are lots of options, there are lots of ways to put them together. There are lots of different things the coaching staff, when we’ve had our meetings, that excite them. It’s a line-up of guys that there are a few guys on the younger side that have something to prove.”
CURRENT DEPTH CHART:
Connor-Scheifele-Niederreiter
Perfetti-Vilardi-Ehlers
Iafallo-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Namestnikov-Kupari
Also pushing for work: Lambert, Lucius, Viel, Gustafsson, Harkins, Toninato, Malott, Reichel
DEFENCE:
OUT WITH THE OLD: Leon Gawanke (traded to San Jose)
IN WITH THE NEW: Artemi Kniasev (traded from San Jose)
KEY QUESTION: Are they really going to run it back with the same group?
Other than a minor-league swap on Sunday, there’s been no movement on the blue-line. Yet.
“We’ve had conversations. We’ve talked about a lot of different scenarios, talked to a lot of different teams,” said Cheveldayoff.
“We will see what happens, whether the interest level in some of the guys we’ve talked to different teams about increases, decreases, stays the same. That’s a good situation to be in.”
Winnipeg had eight defencemen on one-way deals last season who are all under contract. And that’s without Declan Chisholm (who will require waivers this fall) and Ville Heinola, who deserve a long look with the big club.
Whether it’s moving out a pricey veteran such as Nate Schmidt (two more years at US$5.95 million) or Neal Pionk (two more years at US$5.875 million) or trading a player entering the final year of his deal such as Brenden Dillon (US$3.9 million) or Dylan DeMelo (US $3 million), it sure feels like something’s got to give.
CURRENT DEPTH CHART:
Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Pionk
Dillon-Schmidt
Also pushing for work: Capobianco, Stanley, Heinola, Chisholm
It may look like Winnipeg still has plenty of salary cap space to work with, but that’s a bit of a mirage. Vilardi, Barron, Kupari, Stanley, Samberg and Chisholm are all restricted free agents who need new contracts, so that will eat up a good chunk of remaining dollars.
But trades — whether involving Hellebuyck and/or Scheifele and/or defencemen — could really spice up the otherwise lazy, hazy days of summer.
“You know, we’ll see. We’ll let the dust settle a little bit. Obviously everyone can take a deep breath over a period of time,” Cheveldayoff said.
Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre
Sports columnist
Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.
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Credit: Opinion: Jets making moves
