It’s an interesting debate.
Qualifier: I am aware the Jets have historically bought and sold at the TD and have roughly a balanced amount of 1st round picks over our 13 year history.
How to use draft capital (ps’s Winnipeg view)
I do like some use of draft capital to augment the roster of a competitive team. Once you spend capital for a Dillon, or DeMelo they are sure things for the length you own them if they have term. That is a nice way to augment a core. Now most teams are able to add this level of asset through “Free agency” so having to expend draft capital is a bit of a Winnipeg Tax. I think that is an important reality to keep in mind as we look at draft capital as an asset class.
Draft picks used to draft players have a variety of effectiveness but you have to have a ticket to win. There are all sorts of cases of teams hitting on picks including Winnipeg where our most important asset was taken in the 5th round. More importantly we have built our core with 1st round picks although we are less effective with late 1st round picks.
My challenge is with pure rentals to “go for it” to win a cup. I think by the odds that is the poorest use of draft capital. On April 25th 2024 the Winnipeg Jets were given a 3% chance by the athletic to Win the Stanley cup heading into the playoffs. How much did Monahan and Toffoli move the % needle of winning the cup? Might it have been .1 or .2%? Yes almost all playoff teams use rentals but Florida didn’t use 1st or 2nd round draft capital at the deadline to help them this year and they won the cup? They used their 3rd and 4th round pick to get Tank. Only one team wins the cup so 15 others waist assets on rentals every year if they rent. I get it all teams play the game at the deadline but…….
When we are in Winnipeg where it’s harder to attract free agents I think we need discipline on being a bit more restrained at the TD. We had a good enough team to get to 1st overall at one point in the season so did they really need allot of help at the TD and how much difference does it really make? Those same assets could have been used within trades to improve our team allot. If we were heading into the draft how far could we have moved up if we were offering McGroarty plus our 2024 2nd round pick? How about McGroarty plus our 2024 1st round pick had we kept him. There is a better than 3% chance that might have led to a franchise altering asset.
At the TD as long as we can get some term then no problem, that is more of a hockey trade. We can use that asset for more than just the playoff run but just throwing them away to try to enhance 3% odds doesn’t make much sense to me as I sit alone on my island.
ITS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF THOSE ASSETS TO BE USED IN SMARTER WAYS TO BUILD THE ROSTER OF THE FUTURE.
All teams rent at the deadline, I get it. Doesn’t mean it’s smart for Winnipeg and especially not a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for one attempt vs using that same 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to build a better team to make multiple attempts.
TLDR Summary of my view. I think the Winnipeg way especially with 1st or 2nd round capital should be draft…… trade…….or rental with term.