Names is our best bet for 2C for now. There is no rabbit in the hat.
Having our top three C's all at 32 years old is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Yager should be getting prime offensive minutes with the Moose and be groomed to replace Names. Barron should be extended long term and played exclusively as a 4C, and injury replacement for our other C's. He's Lowry's heir.
I have no idea how you replace Scheif without tanking but maybe you focus on drafting raw, offensive C's and hope to strike gold.
I'm not sure that age is a problem next year. Can say that all of our top 3 centers skated with their opponents. Lowry as a shutdown center on Rantanen with Samberg and Pionk was rather effective, I think they only gave up a goal in game 1. That defensive grind is still a big feature of the Jets identity going into next year.
I'm not 100% sold on Barron as 4C, part of me thinks he would be good as a winger with Lowry, to get him back on the heavier side of the forecheck, less puck handling, also interchangeable in the forecheck with Lowry, but I do agree he has potential to be Lowry's heir. Be interesting to see who is the favourite for that 4C job in camp, because I thought Kupari stepping up and winning, what was it 7 games with Lowry out?, against some tough teams too, was a big momentum shift in the President's trophy season. Barron playing top 9 with Scheifele out was impressive too. The speed up the middle is still good. Might be as good as it has ever been with the Jets. But it's thin, one top tier center, two effective middle 6 centers, and three 4th line centers, who showed some ability to step up this year.
Kupari's success came at a time when Perfetti-Namestnikov-Ehlers went on a bit of a heater, which was not the case in the playoffs. And that's where I wonder what the quantitative aspect of losing Ehlers would be. Jets would need 25 goals internally developed, or from outside acquisitions, to finish with a total that tied them for 3rd with Dallas and Colorado in the NHL this season. There's also the zone entries, PPs drawn, PP effectiveness that Ehlers brings. I think it's unknown territory but luckily the Jets do have some skilled forward prospects.
If the Jets can keep the speed on the left side of the defense buzzing, I think it's a good way to generate offense.
Can the Jets with or without Ehlers keep the goals against under 200 again next season? That's a sure fire way to win in the league, even with 25 less goals. Doesn't give rookies much rope to make defensive lapses.
For the Jets to improve with what they have Perfetti, Chibrikov, Barron and Kupari have to make some strides. Salomonsson and Lambert need to be guys that can be called upon to add some youthful energy, with injuries.
Yager needs a big season on the Moose, maybe even get some looks during the season, if he works hard in the offseason to improve in areas the management communicates with him.
For me the Jets need to keep drafting centers. It's possible Perfetti moves into the middle, with maturity. I don't see the speed there though, in a speedy conference, that does have some old vets like Kopitar, Duchene O'Reilly, Stamkos, Kadri kicking around. To me the Jets success at C still hinges on Scheifele and Lowry being above the grade in their trade. With everybody else playing their role.
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