I suspect that the common denominator between any culture issue on the Jets and the Moose is... the org.
The Moose have been singled out for years -- and not just by Jets beat writers -- as a team that has an unusual degree of investment in each other and in team over individual success. Players don't show up to each others' NHL debuts on their days off for nought.
I suspect that there's a deep divide in how top prospects are treated within the org and that this divide, while understandable in terms of the division of scarce dev resources means that the Jets risk alienating talent they already have talent they haven't identified yet.
And before someone trots out the old "Show me a Jets cut who ever played well anywhere else amirite!!!!???" I think that list is growing -- Johnny K and Mikey E (not a Jets pick, but still) and will continue to grow until the brain trust can agree that it makes the odd mistake in identifying and bringing along talent and then integrating it in a timely manner.
Throw them a bone -- play Gawanke against COL instead of Pionk, who has been shyte for most of the season. Play Ville for Dillon or whomever, so he has a taste that motivates him over another offseason before what is almost certainly another year on the Moose because "seasoning."
Sure, maybe Leon doesn't make it. Sure, maybe Kovacevic never becomes more than a steady 5/7 RHD who plays a tough, mobile game -- but maybe he does turn into a RH Ben Chairot, and anchors your 3rd pairing, or grabs you a nice pick.
We know that the Jets have a hard time recruiting talent. Maybe they should think about optimizing the talent they have -- and, at times, instead of over-coddling the talent they're gonna lose.
with his tail between his legs.
