Would you trade Winnipeg Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba for New York Islanders Travis Hamonic –
Ever since New York Islanders’ Travis Hamonic publicly released his request to be traded closer to home (preferably to the Winnipeg Jets) so he could be closer to his family in Winnipeg, I have had December 19th marked on my calendar.
I have seen Travis Hamonic play plenty of times going back to my scouting days with the Portland WinterHawks. I watched him play IN bantam, in the WHL for the Moose Jaw Warriors, and as a professional with the New York Islanders but I haven’t seen him up close or paid this much attention to him in years.
On Saturday night at Gila River Arena versus the Arizona Coyotes, Travis Hamonic had my full attention and was under my scrutiny like he hasn’t been since his WHL draft year. I already had a good idea on what I was going to see from Travis Hamonic but I gave him my undivided attention for the whole game and he didn’t disappoint. He was everything I expected him to be.
So why hasn’t Chevy pulled the trigger?
Since he announced his trade request publicly, Winnipeg Jets fans have been clamouring for Winnipeg Jets G.M. Kevin Cheveldayoff to pull the trigger and make this trade happen and especially since Chevy has probably known about this since August. As I mentioned in a previous piece, most Jets fans probably couldn’t even tell you what number Hamonic wears in New York but the fact he wanted to be a Winnipeg Jets player is all they needed to hear. It didn’t even matter that Jacob Trouba was probably the asking price. Get it done Chevy is the cry.
There is a segment of Winnipeg Jets fans that are extremely needy. We (I guess I included myself in this category) need to be loved and wanted and as long as a player says he wants to stay or play here we get all warm and fuzzy and it doesn’t matter what the cost. Garth Snow wants Jacob Trouba. I don’t think so Tim! And to the many, many, many Jets fans I have heard say they would trade Trouba for Hamonic straight up, you better give your head a shake.
My take
Travis Hamonic is a nice defenceman. He’s 6’2 and 200 plus pounds, can skate, a good defender, plays with an edge and he has decent puck skills but the bottom line is his ceiling isn’t as high as Jacob Trouba’s. As of right now, the only thing that Travis Hamonic does a little better than Jacob Trouba is defend. Jacob Trouba’s skill-set is already higher than Hamonic’s and Trouba is four years younger with much more time to gain experience and improve.
Once again Winnipeg Jets fans, we are not privy to what goes on in these trade negotiations or conversations but if Garth Snow is stuck on Jacob Trouba going his way straight up, it AIN’T going to happen.
What would you do for a Hamonic?
I’m not saying I wouldn’t do a deal with Trouba in it but Mr. Snow better be adding to this deal and not with a dinky little draft pick. I’m thinking maybe something like Travis Hamonic and Ryan Strome for Jacob Trouba and a low-level prospect or low draft pick as an example.
Just because Hamonic wants to be traded to the Jets doesn’t mean that Chevy should bend to Garth Snow’s will and if the Islanders are looking at other teams and asking for a comparable asset like Jacob Trouba that is the reason Travis Hamonic is still wearing a New York Islander uniform.
Unfortunately we don’t have a crystal ball and there is now way for us to compare a 25-year-old Jacob Trouba to a 25-year-old Travis Hamonic, but I’m betting on 25-year-old Jacob Trouba and the Winnipeg Jets should too!
After all this is said and done though, I would love to see Travis Hamonic in a Winnipeg Jets uniform.
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Great article Mitch. Everyone is willing to sell the farm for a guy they know nothing about, simply that he wants to be here is enough. Which is not enough!
One other advantage from Hamonic over Trouba (which has been talked to death) is the contract situation. Not only is Hamonic cheaper he is a 100% re-sign. That is huge.
Thanks, he’s a pretty good player and would be a good fit here but it would have to be at the right price.
Mitch, how about Tyler Myers for Travis Hamonic? Which is the better player? Could they be traded straight up or would one side have to sweeten the deal to make it happen?
To be honest I’d rather have Myers …. better skater, better puck mover, better offensively … this question will probably come up during tomorrow’s podcast.
Well, I admit to being part of the herd that would do a Hamonic for Trouba trade. And, I am guilty of not really knowing the skills of either player. Point taken (from the article).
So, I’ll leave it at that save for my lying eyes not seeing Trouba as the talent that most others do.
Anyway, it is hard to imagine Hamonic coming here other than in a 3-team deal, which makes it almost impossible to envisage.
Hey Todd … Merry Christmas … you don’t have to like Trouba if you don’t want to. As for a trade, I think after the Jets next 5-game road trip through the Western Conference we’ll have a better idea IF they have a plan … nobody’s really sure LOL
Hey Mitch,
Merry Christmas to you as well. Good reading and listening, always.
Looking forward to the podcast.
any questions?
Not really. I just keep thinking the Jets are going to be sellers.
It is just a matter of ‘when’ (is the only question in my mind).
Take care.
I’d like to see a combo of Hamonic and Oshie coming our way. I’m with Todd in that I’m not really sold on Trouba but if Snow is, maybe JT and a draft pick or a prospect.
You said Oshie but meant someone else I think …. who? … Oshie is on Washington
Hi Mitch.
Merry Christmas to you too. Several bits of this article and some responses caught my eye.
The part about Winnipegers being needy brought a smile to my face. The good folks of River City need to get over this. No need for it.
I’m also in the Show Me camp when it comes to Trouba. I don’t find his puck control in tight spaces as good as Hamonic’s. That said, Trouba has really been coming on of late.
There still remain some questions that need to be answered with regards to obtaining Hamonic if the Jets keep both Myers and Trouba. I’m assuming Buff won’t be part of the equation. But that still leaves 3 Top 4 quality RDs in the lineup. Yes, Trouba has shown he can play LD but that isn’t an ideal situation. And with Trouba, Myers and Hamonic it’s too much money allotted to one position and not enough ice time to go around.
That said, I’d love to get Hamonic. He’s the closest we’d have to what I’d define as a shut-down defenseman,
I agree but I’d rather have the problem of too many good right handed defencemen than too many sub-standard lefties ……. ask Paul Maurice if he would mind that problem LOL … as for the money, a Hamonic trade to Winnipeg probably ends the Dustin Byfuglien era here IMO.
BTW … as Winnipeggers and Canadians we have to get over this inferiority complex … Winnipeg is a NHL city and doesn’t take a back seat to anybody in the hockey world! It’s just that some outsiders don’t get that until they’ve been here.
An excellent and thorough analysis of the talents of the players involved in this discussion. However, any examination of player assets in the NHL salary cap era simply has to include the purely financial pros and cons of the players as well.* Even if Trouba is judged to be a superior talent the attractiveness of Hamonic’s current deal and likely future agree-ability is what makes this subject so captivating.
*- Consider this: if the Winnipeg was actually a prime UFA destination (which it sadly isn’t), Buff & Ladd’s expiring deals would be worth their weight in gold as they would free up cap money to throw at a Stamkos or Kopitar.