Where do you see that potential?
I think after 139 NHL games it's difficult to say, with any certainty, what a player will become.
If you look at his NHLe from his draft year SM-Liiga season and from his AHL NHLe in 16-17, it's between 20 and 28. His NHL PPG is right in line with that over his career: 0.3 PPG last year, about 0.2 PPG this season, and 0.27 PPG over his NHL career.
Since he's not waiver-exempt next year, if he were to produce at that average over 82 games next season, he would be at about 22 points on the season and 10 goals. This year, we only have 5 players pacing to score 10 goals...
If we were able to get him onto a 2-year, one-way deal at $1.5M and he produces 22 points that would be about $68K per point. That would put him in company with players like Chris Tierny, Anthanasiou, Armia, Andrighetto, Petan, Martinook and Shore who have a similar cost per point number this season. These players are all a few years older, but they are all on non-entry level deals and are still RFAs after their current deals expire.
I think it is an assumption, yet a safe one, to assume the hip issue hampered his performance to some extent this season. With the right coach, an improved relationship with the org, and most importantly, a successful surgery and rehab process, I think Jessi at $1.5M deal would be a fair value with some significant upside potential and little risk in terms of the cap percentage he would take up on the team.
A trade would be unlikely to return a player with that output/production ratio, especially one that would be under control after their deal expires. A trade for a 2nd-4th round pick is unlikely to yield a player with that ratio either if you look at the average careers of players selected in those rounds. Letting him walk and using $1.5 million dollars on filling that spot may result in a player with that value ratio but may require more term, a larger investment, or on a player who would not be under control after the deal expires.
I'm certainly not advocating for a $3M per year deal with a 3+year term, but even with his average output his cost per production would be a reasonable value for this team with a good risk/reward outlook. I think the alternatives are unlikely to return better results and have less upside.