Winnipeg Jets

[Mr Tall Forehead]

Originally Posted by Jammon

Of course. BUT, the major criticism of this team is that we lack prospect depth and our young guys just aren't showing the promise that they saw earlier in their careers. So, you can basically explain the faults in one of two ways: 1) our scouts are really bad at finding talent and mis-read abilities and talents or 2) we don't allow them to develop into NHL talents when they give little to no opportunity to play at the NHL.

Take your pick- but either criticism points our current issues straight at Jets management.

Or the third and actual reason: 3) the Jets were a good team for a number of years and traded away second round picks annually to acquire vets at the trade deadline for playoff runs. Fewer higher end draft picks available = fewer NHL ready prospects.

[pspeid]

Apparently another trade with Buffalo

Buffalo gets Tanner Pearson

Winnipeg gets a 2026 7th round draft pick

Clearing out some salary space with this one (one million $$) ?

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by Mr Tall Forehead

Or the third and actual reason: 3) the Jets were a good team for a number of years and traded away second round picks annually to acquire vets at the trade deadline for playoff runs. Fewer higher end draft picks available = fewer NHL ready prospects.

Not the greatest excuse when the failure rate of every top 100 pick you've made since 2016 is everyone but Samberg and Perfetti (who is looking more and more like a bust himself). After all the trades over the years the Jets actually only ended up short 2 top 100 picks between 17 and 23.

The Jets aren't in a position to miss on basically every pick they have for a decade and stay competitive.

They don't have a single core player coming in their prospect pool and their entire core is over 30. Not going to enter the 2030's with my hope if this doesn't start changing immediately. Have to wonder if Chipman has asked the question....WTF is going on with our scouting and development?

[bomberjet]

They changed their scouting team, or the head scout, sometime around then too. A little from column A, a little from column B?

[The Jabroni]

In any case, Chevy seems to have "corrected" our ways and, at least on paper, gotten quicker, and also have our average roster age from early-to-mid 30s to early 30's, maybe a smidge under into the late 20's.

[pspeid]

On a side note, since I'm expecting the Jets to be out of the playoffs, I find I'm kind of pulling for Buffalo this year. Nothing to do with their players, or geography or the colour of their jerseys or anything. I've just always felt Buffalo and Winnipeg were both cities that either get dumped on or ignored by their respective countries. Both are cold weather cities, both have had some stinging disappointments with their football teams.

My quick "A.I." assisted search told me Buffalo is perceived as a "forlorn or forgotten city". It faces challenges with high crime in some areas but is praised for its affordability and culture. It sounded familiar to me.

Of course I'd still like to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup, though I think that is less likely this year than in the past. I suppose the Oilers still have the best chance, but how many kicks at the cat will they get before the eventual decline?

So despite the U.S. administrations hostility to practically the entire planet, and my own personal on-going boycott of U.S. travel, oranges and anything else I can nickel-and-dime the U.S. against, I'm quietly pulling for Buffalo.

Unless the jets have a miraculous turnabout, then Go Jets!

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by Biff

The answer to your question about better drafting before 2016 is the fact that the Jets had better draft spots - were a worse team.

2011 - Scheifele (7) Lowry (67)
2012 - Trouba (9) Hellebuyck (130)
2013 - Morrissey (13) Copp (104)
2014 - Ehlers (9)
2015 - Conner (17) Roslovic (25) Appleton (168)

You are leaving out several players that were picked in later rounds, that have gone on to play at least 50 NHL games (Poolman, Comrie, Petan, Harkins, Niku, etc). While none of these players are stars, they do provide plenty of depth, and were picked lat #43 overall or later.

Back in the day, I did a chart that showed what percentage of draft picks, by round, go on to play 100+ games in the NHL. IIRC. it was roughly 75% of first round picks, about 40% of second round picks, 20% of third round picks, and by the final rounds it was 10% or less. So even though a player may not be a star, it's hard to make a career playing in the NHL, even for draft picks.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

In any case, Chevy seems to have "corrected" our ways and, at least on paper, gotten quicker, and also have our average roster age from early-to-mid 30s to early 30's, maybe a smidge under into the late 20's.

I've never understood the hate for Chevy by a small but vocal percentage of the fan base. I still maintain that he is arguably the best GM of the past 15 years, considering Winnipeg is the least desirable place to play in the NHL, which inhibits his ability to pick up players in free agency, or at the trade deadline.

I am absolutely convinced that if the Jets were playing in Las Vegas, we would have won the Stanley Cup last year.