There’s a lot of bad defencemen that go off the board after Suzuki but assuming the Jets are looking for a centre, it’s Suzuki, Norris, Robert Thomas that go in order. Considering they had taken Stanley the year before, I say they lean Centre.
Re: coulda/woulda/shoulda - number one with a bullet for me is trading back with Vegas to protect Enstrom and Dano. I think you can keep Enstrom without paying as much, and Dano was 100% expendable.
The move cost us Nick Suzuki who many Jets fans had circled in red ink.
Leafs.
If you would have asked a Jets fan where we’d end up if we started the season down Lowry, Samberg and Perfetti for six weeks, then lost Hellebuyck for eight, and Pionk was out indefinitely at the same time, I think a lot of Jets fans would say we’re a lottery team.
Well I think this is the final *final* nail in the coffin for the Jets.
@netw3rk.bsky.social the loan shark idea made me want to throw up.
5 years team control on Thomas and 7+ on the draft pick. I think Matthews is likely on the way out but as an outsider I don’t get the sense he wants to screw over the leafs.
If they’re gonna trade him it needs to be this summer, don’t do what the jets did with Trouba.
The opposite of love is not hate, it’s apathy.
Gavin McKenna + Robert Thomas =\= Auston Matthews?
Auston Matthews and Colorado’s 1st for Robert Thomas and St Louis’ 1st (top 3 pick) who says no?
@downgoesbrown.bsky.social re: magical trade - Blues 2026 1st (a top 3 pick), and Robert Thomas for Auston Matthews and Colorado’s 1st. Who says no?
Cc Ryan Lambert who isn’t on Bluesky
The Ducks reissued the same statement they gave the Jets last time around:
@scottcwheeler.bsky.social a small request for your prospect pool rankings: can you keep the “tiers” consistent across the other Athletic prospect rankings?
For example;
Tier 1 - Elite NHL player
Tier 2 - Bubble Elite NHL player and NHL All Star
And so on.
Nyquist, Pearson et al are a dime a dozen at the deadline or in-season. Why not see what you have with the kids *before* you bring in vets? It’s the old “we know what veteran X will give us, why don’t we see if 21 y/o “Y” can give us more?
Random thought but I’ve always been confounded by the thought process of calling up the young players after the deadline when you’re out of it.
Isn’t it way easier to start the season with a bunch of young players to see what you have then send them down if they’re not ready? Guys like
Same thing they offered them this time around - more money? Players are already given stipends when they’re traded. If it’s in the last 6mos of a contract just compensate them a little extra and it should be fine.
No move clauses would still apply so players can’t just be waived.
Would the leafs have been better with Seth jones over Brandon Carlo? Who’s to say?
Would Seth jones have waived for Toronto? Probably not.
While this wouldn’t apply to the Jones situation, the league needs to eliminate NTCs in the final 6mos of a contract.
Stanley is gonna get over $5m aav this summer. Outside of Rasmus Andersson who everyone expects to sign in Vegas, Stanley is 5 years younger than most of the quality ufa defencemen. Even if Stanley stays the exact same as he is now and doesn’t improve, he’ll be better in yr 5 than Trouba.
Fair. Yager’s role also predicts to be different but the production at the AHL level hasn’t been ideal imo.
He and Walton will also be with the moose next year so the aforementioned wingers are probably sweating a bit.
If your name is Brad Lambert, Colby Barlow, Brayden Yager or Nikita Chibrikov this is a giant kick in the ass.
@garrethohl.bsky.social am I wrong or does Rosen seem like Temu brand Nikolaj Ehlers? Or a Swedish Matt Perreault?
Yea I like that a lot. Alternatively, Stanley for Laine, 1st, 3rd.
You’ve asserted Stanley is a ‘fine’ number 6. Is that no longer the case? He’s also been strapped to the boat anchor that is Schenn for most of the year. How have the stats been with Demelo? Eye test is that he’s been less bad lately.
Been saying for a few weeks now that if MTL wants to ship us a 2nd to eat the rest of Laine’s contract, sign me up.
The Jets should be tanking but there’s no reason we can’t have a bit of fun while we do it. Clap some bombs, sell some jerseys, it will be a good time.
If the Jets go to St Louis with 6OA, a 1st in the 20s returned for Stanley, Morgan Barron and two prospects not named Salomonsson is that not enough for Armstrong to ask Thomas to waive?
Is that not enough to pry Beniers or ask Vancouver to retain on Petterson?
Lawrence, Carmel’s, Malhotra, Smits are the guys who should be available at 6.
The guys linked to Thomas: Mrtka, Hage, Reinbacher, etc are all two tiers below those guys on The Athletic’s ‘top players under 23’ list.
I think it makes sense to wait until the draft order is set, but
I think that Winnipeg’s 2026 1st (currently 6th in the lottery) should be worth more than many premium assets being discussed in relation to acquiring anyone in the first tier in your article.
Per Pronman, the guys in that tier for the draft are rated as ‘top of the lineup player’ (contd)
Nic Roy gets a 1st and a 5th? Does anyone want to trade for Vlad “2C on the presidents trophy winning Winnipeg Jets” Namestnikov?
Vs: Detroit’s pitch you discussed: the Jets’ 2026 pick (even in the 4-10 range) has higher upside than Danielson and significantly more value than either of the Detroit picks. They still get a 2nd 1st, plus a useful middle six player and a reclamation project.
@dimfilipovic.bsky.social @thomasdrance.bsky.social @jfreshhockey.bsky.social
Let me pitch you guys on a Robert Thomas trade:
Step 1: Winnipeg trades Stanley for a late 1st.
Then, it’s the Jets’ 2026 1st round pick (top-3 protected), the other 2026 1st round pick, Morgan Barron and Brad Lambert
So if I’m reading this right - the problem is he’s playing Connor-Scheifele and particularly Jomo less?
Jomo is hurt so I get it but it doesn’t make sense that Scheifele and Connor would play less this year.
