To make the next step, what do we need?

[NorthBayBattleOnion]

A true 2C and a Dman to play with JoMo and move DeMelo to 3RD
For Helly to accept fewer games in the regular season.

Dom DiVincentiis is a hell of a goalie prospect…. Great future back up?

 

[kylbaz]

Even if they had gone out in the 1st rd this year it was not like the last 2 years where they lost 4 straight. They have given up in previous years and gone out with their tails between their legs. This year, they played hard. They did not give up.

Since 2018 it has not been that they didn't win enough. It has been the meek way they lost. That was not the case this year.

That's definitely fair.

 

[kylbaz]

If Vilardi doesn't want to be here long term what about packaging him up with a top prospect and/or pick to get a good 2C with term.

Names was okay when surrounded with high level talent, but when that talent is hurt or cold, he doesn't have the skill to carry the line. You need a higher skilled guy there.

I just don't imagine Ehlers staying but I sure hope I'm wrong. Between him wanting to be a top line player and earn top line money, I just can't imagine him staying. Someone will pay him top dollar for top minutes. With the cap going up, $10M/year will be the new $7M/year.

We don't need to be the #1 team in the league next year. We know we can beat anyone. Incorporate the young guys into the line up. Sure there will be some growing pains and mistakes but they'll gain the experience and be ready for the playoffs.

 

[DRW204]

If Vilardi doesn't want to be here long term what about packaging him up with a top prospect and/or pick to get a good 2C with term.

Names was okay when surrounded with high level talent, but when that talent is hurt or cold, he doesn't have the skill to carry the line. You need a higher skilled guy there.

I just don't imagine Ehlers staying but I sure hope I'm wrong. Between him wanting to be a top line player and earn top line money, I just can't imagine him staying. Someone will pay him top dollar for top minutes. With the cap going up, $10M/year will be the new $7M/year.

We don't need to be the #1 team in the league next year. We know we can beat anyone. Incorporate the young guys into the line up. Sure there will be some growing pains and mistakes but they'll gain the experience and be ready for the playoffs.

if he doesn't want to be here long-term yeah trade him. ideally, id like to keep vilardi as he adds something a bit more unique compared to rest of our top-6.

2c is obviously going to dominate the topic of discussion for year X out of the last 7 or 8. i just am unsure what you are going to get via trade.... which team just has an extra 2C laying around for trade? & from the FA market, other than Brock Nelson . If anyone is shitting on Ehlers' UFA contract value, then it should be the same application for Nelson who will be 5 years older.

i think you can get by a top-6 line if you have 2 studs offensively and a lower-end one (which would be Names). there's a handful of examples of Jets top-6 lines that were formed this way, including one through parts of this year with iafallo/scheifele/connor. the problem is they had 1 stud at 5v5 offense, and the other 2 were close to mid or below-mid.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

getting a legit 2c would really help, so we can run Scheif-2C-Names-Lowry

Lowry is never getting 4th line ice time.
I don't know why people keep fantasizing about this.
His current status is our 2/3C.
3C in assignment but 2C in ice time.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

The first 2 items on that list have been there for a while…we’ve needed a 2C for years. I know Chevy has tried various options with differing degrees of success, but nothing has stuck as yet. It’s by far our biggest need. The top 2 RHD we’ve needed since Buff left and we will never be able to replace all of what he brought to the team and the ice. I don’t really expect much done in this area though with Salo likely being close to moving up and the way Pionk and Samberg have clicked this season. I think it very possible Chevy lets the D ride, unless he stumbles across a deal he just can’t refuse.

The only realistic 2C that someone would trade us without an over payment is someone that likely has just a year or two left on their contract or they have some version of a NMC (ie the trade can be blocked). OR we take a risk on someone who has performed in the past but has slid enough in a negative way that the team is willing to move on from them. That last one is a risky gamble that could easily backfire. Lambert/Yager etc... are all more than a season away from being able to help.
The Jets need this NOW. Getting that player in FA this summer is almost impossible so then we'd need to make a pretty significant trade which then likely weakens our roster in another way (unless the trade is all futures based).

All this to say the reason this problem has existed for so long is this is really hard to find.
There's a reason so many players who played C through their career have to transition to the wing to make it in the NHL.
Yager's WJHC play gave me more vibes of a shutdown bottom 6 C than a scoring top 6 C.