Odds and Ends, Thoughts and Questions, from this past week in hockey –
Just so there’s no confusion when I’m spewing my bias, I am a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Ice, and all Team Canada Hockey teams.
I am NOT a fan of Gary Bettman or as I call him, Count Chocula. I am a big believer in the 7Ps. You’ve been warned.
1. Jets: After more post-season reflecting, I recall there was a lot of talk about how Montreal’s bigger defencemen outmuscled and out-worked the Winnipeg Jets forwards in the North Division Final and how maybe the Jets should look at their defence getting bigger. I must confess that I occasionally fall into this narrative as well BUT maybe it was a case of Montreal’s forwards playing bigger and scrappier than our forwards.
The skilled Jets forwards like to score off the rush and tend to play a perimeter game but they don’t really excel in the trenches. I wouldn’t mind more Brendan Gallagher or Brady/Matthew Tkachuk types in our forward group.
2. Jets: The Seattle Kraken expansion draft protection lists are tentatively due in less than a week and Chevy is now under the microscope. What will he and the Winnipeg Jets do?
Poll Question: Should Kevin Cheveldayoff cut a deal with Seattle GM Ron Francis so the Jets don’t lose a player off their roster in the expansion draft?
In the 2017 Vegas expansion draft the Jets and Vegas cut a deal where the Golden Knights would select Chris Thorburn’s expiring contract. In the deal they flip-flopped 1st rounders with Winnipeg acquiring the 24th pick (from Vegas, from Columbus) in the 2017 NHL Draft in exchange for the 13th pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, and the Jets third-round selection in 2019.
FYI: If the Jets don’t cut this deal with Vegas they might have taken Nick Suzuki instead of trading down and getting Kristian Vesalainen. It’s too early to call this deal but the early returns certainly favour Suzuki.
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3. Jets: I was looking at some of the potential defencemen that could be available for Seattle in the expansion draft and it looks like an expansion team is going to end up with better defencemen than the Winnipeg Jets. How frustrating.
4. Jets: Maybe the Jets will get lucky and some team will send Andrew Copp an offer sheet. Based on his perceived market price he could net the Jets a 1st and a 3rd round pick? I would rather have the picks than overpay a 3rd liner.
Offer Sheet (AAV) Compensation:
- $1,395,053 or below: None
- Over $1,395,053 to $2,113,716: 3rd round pick
- Over $2,113,716 to $4,227,437: 2nd round pick
- Over $4,227,437 to $6,341,152: 1st, 3rd round picks
- Over $6,341,152 to $8,454,871: 1st, 2nd, 3rd round picks
- Over $8,454,871 to $10,568,589: (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd round picks
- Over $10,568,589: (4) 1st round picks
5. Jets: I find it amusing that Colorado Avalanche fans and some of their media were complaining that their blueline was to small and are vulnerable to teams with a heavy forecheck. I’m pretty sure most Jets fans would trade our defencemen for theirs in a heartbeat. I know I would. Hell, I’d trade our whole d-corp for Cale Makar.
6. NHL: I don’t have any ill will towards the Tampa Bay Lightning but I understand why some hockey fans hate them.
7. Jets: Although I like both Mason Appleton and Logan Stanley I’m not going to lose any sleep if one of them gets selected by Seattle on July 21.
8. Jets: I know I’m hard on Kyle Connor BUT I do realize his importance to the Winnipeg Jets. He has an excellent offensive skill-set. I still have hope he can improve his compete level and improve his defensive game BUT I am opposed to trading him for defensive help. Scoring is hard to replace. I would prefer it if Keven Cheveldayoff improved our back-end through free agency even if it means overspending. Like I always say, “it’s adding a free player to your roster and all it costs you is money”.
9. NHL: The part of Tampa being over the cap that everybody overlooks is with Nikita Kucherov being on LTIR they were able to trade for guys and take on salary that they would have not normally be able to do without having to worry about being over the cap in the playoffs. Even though they didn’t technically violate and cap rules in the CBA, I’m sure they violated the spirit of the rules. (see#6)
10. NHL: If you want honesty from a player in a ZOOM call just make sure they’ve had 5 or 6 beers like Nikita Kucherov did this past Wednesday. Instant classic. Montreal fans are counting the days until they play Tampa at home to let him have it.
11. Jets: I think the Jets will protect Dylan DeMelo in the upcoming expansion draft, he works well with Josh Morrissey and they are a solid pairing. The problem is they would be our top pairing but they are not a #1 unit. Josh can be a #2 guy with the right partner like Jacob Trouba but with DeMelo they would be a very solid 2nd pairing on a contending team. Chevy needs to upgrade our top pairing.
12. NHL: Key dates.
- July 17 – Expansion draft protection lists tentatively due
- July 21 – Expansion draft
- July 23-24 – 2021 NHL Entry Draft
- July 28 – Free agency opens
13. Jets: Are Paul Maurice’s or Kevin Cheveldayoff’s jobs in jeopardy?
After the first round sweep of Edmonton it looked like Pomo and Chevy were safe.
After being swept in the second by Montreal, Pomo and Chevy are back under the microscope.
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14. NHL: Corey Perry has just played in back-to-back SC finals and although he didn’t win in either final he was a solid contributor to Dallas’s and Montreal’s run to the finals. Say what you want about Perry but for a fourth-line guy on a bargain basement contract he was money well spent. I’d rather have him than Trevor Lewis or Nate Thompson and I’d rather have him on the 2nd PP unit instead of Mason Appleton or Andrew Copp.
15. CFL: Great to see Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ training camp open.
GO BOMBERS GO
In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.
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Thanks, Mitch
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