To make the next step, what do we need?

[surixon]

I wasn't think of Robertson specifically. I do think there is a good chance Chevy gets aggressive on the trade front to try and rebalance our lineup. At this point I think Ehlers is as good as gone as Chevy directs cap space towards an upgrade at center.

Yeah, I agree fly is likely gone. I also expect Chevy to be aggressive at the draft. I see our 1st, and all prospects sans Yager and Salomonsson on the table to upgrade the team.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

We have to upgrade our 5/6 d pairing.

Florida has Nate Schmidt and Dimitri Kulikov as their 5/6….

Coach….Paul Naurice knows how to get the best out of those 2 players.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I disagree. It doesn't matter what your team archetype is it's all about talent. Florida isn't elite because they are big and gritty. They are elite because the elite players on the team are big and gritty and or drive the identity.

Adding grit just to add grit doesn't work. They need to add more high end players who fit into our identity. Our issue is we have too many bottom 6/middle 6 types.

I don't agree with either statement. Our strength is our depth. Our weaknesses are 2C and 1RHD. We need skilled players who can perform in the PO for both positions. Ehlers leaving is going to create another hole.

 

[sipowicz]

I don't agree with either statement. Our strength is our depth. Our weaknesses are 2C and 1RHD. We need skilled players who can perform in the PO for both positions. Ehlers leaving is going to create another hole.

Our depth? Aside from Connor and Schief who’s scoring? 4 NHL D men, injured Lowry until Dec., who’s replacing Ehlers? Needtoriderher and Tanev look done…

 

[sipowicz]

We have to upgrade our 5/6 d pairing.

Florida has Nate Schmidt and Dimitri Kulikov as their 5/6….

Coach….Paul Naurice knows how to get the best out of those 2 players.

Chevys mistake was dumping Schmidt and Kuli before he had replacements, Stan the pylon seriously

 

[GNP]

10 is basically the new 8 under the rising cap.

You may very well be right on that? and I was thinking the same thing today. A GM has to be aware of this

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

Chevys mistake was dumping Schmidt and Kuli before he had replacements, Stan the pylon seriously

Just like Sipowicz ! I don’t give a Schmidt! …. Go Jets Go!

 

[Daximus]

I know I have brought this up before, but I don't think many GMs will trust the cap going up as forecasted after this season. The Geopolitical winds are starting to blow too strong against that type of economic optimism. This is a recent quote from the United Nations.

The world economy is at a precarious moment. Heightened trade tensions, along with policy uncertainty, have significantly weakened the global economic outlook for 2025. Higher tariffs—resulting in a significant increase in the effective tariff rate in the United States of America—are likely to strain global supply chains, drive up production costs and delay critical investment decisions, while also contributing to financial market volatility. Global economic growth is now projected to slow to 2.4 per cent in 2025, down from 2.9 per cent in 2024, and 0.4 percentage points below the January forecast. The downward revisions in growth forecasts are broad-based, affecting both developed and developing economies. Weakening global trade growth and investment flows are compounding the slowdown. Many trade-reliant developing countries face mounting challenges from reduced exports, lower commodity prices, tighter financial conditions, and elevated debt burdens.

I've read a few opinion pieces that suggest we are quickly making our way to the economic hardships experienced during the COVID years. The bond markets are certainly waiving an economic distress red-flag.

You may very well be right on that? and I was thinking the same thing today. A GM has to be aware of this

While GM's may not trust the cap going forward they still have to operate under the new cap figures for next year. Agents certainly will be and with how shallow free agency is this year it's going to drive prices up on it's own. They go by percentages of cap to negotiate and sign players.

10% under an $88m cap is $8,800,000
10% of a $95.5m is now $9,550,000

Guys like Marner are likely going to be pushing into the 14% area. Bennett is likely going to get around 10-11%.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Chevys mistake was dumping Schmidt and Kuli before he had replacements, Stan the pylon seriously

A 6’7” pylon at that

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Our depth? Aside from Connor and Schief who’s scoring? 4 NHL D men, injured Lowry until Dec., who’s replacing Ehlers? Needtoriderher and Tanev look done…

Not just in the PO, but generally, depth was our strength.

Who's replacing Ehlers? Good question. We don't have anyone in the organization ready to step up and do that. We aren't going to replace him in FA.

I don't have solutions but what we need is still clear. 2C, 1RHD and Ehlers replacement.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Ehlers is probably a 2W, he's generally below PPG rates. Like I'd consider Kucherov, Pasta, Marner, Connor, Hagel, Keller, Panarin, Nylander, Robertson, etc to be 1W types. You could maybe make a case that if Ehlers managed a few more minutes a game he'd be there but I'd still consider him a 2W at this time.

Ehlers is easily a 1W. Usage, usage, usage. He has been near ppg playing 2nd line minutes with a 4C.

But until he signs with us it is a moot point. Right now, we need to consider him gone.

 

[Buffdog]

Chevys mistake was dumping Schmidt and Kuli before he had replacements, Stan the pylon seriously

Kulikov hasn't played form the Jets since 2020, and he's on his 6th team since then

As for Schmidt, posters on here shit on him regularly and were glad he was scratched late last season

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I think more like 7.5 to 8, but you never know. I think 10 is way too high for Bennet.

I agree 10 is too high for Bennett, but I won't be surprised if he gets that.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

What is the point of comparing with Florida. They literally traded and signed players to make that team. Granted they bottomed out years ago and got Ekblad and Barkov but jesus we can't compete like them

If we had bottomed out 5 years ago and picked up a Barkov and an Ekblad we'd be right there with them.

Yes it is hard to compete with all that Florida has going for it, but the difference is in that bottoming out.

 

[Flair Hay]

Kulikov hasn't played form the Jets since 2020, and he's on his 6th team since then

As for Schmidt, posters on here shit on him regularly and were glad he was scratched late last season

I'm not sure anyone was happy when he was getting scratched for Stanley, haha.

But we did need to shed his cap space. Just unfortuante we didn't get to weaponize it the way it we planned.

Benefit of hindsight now, but the key to our defense may have been swapping Samberg and Dillon from 3rd/2nd pair. Samberg and Pionk are both better with each other, and Dillon and Schmidt gave up nothing defensively together. Oh well.

 

[Flair Hay]

If we had bottomed out 5 years ago and picked up a Barkov and an Ekblad we'd be right there with them.

Yes it is hard to compete with all that Florida has going for it, but the difference is in that bottoming out.

Realistically we got a guy who isn't Barkov but was a couple levels below in PLD.

Despite his LA struggles and inconsistency here he was a 60 point guy that brought physicality and great puck possession. He just didn't want to stay. And he was holding back to the culture (to some degree) from being greater than the sum of our parts.

Chevy took the chance to get that type of guy for Laine. Just didn't work out long term.

 

[DRW204]

It seems like the narrative has been ehlers is gone.

So I think they need a consistent offensive producer that can generate shots, chances and importantly goals for the second line. I don't know if you can go into the year with Namestnikov and Perfetti as your two best 2nd liners with their inconsistent offense. Ideally, they probably need two top 6 2nd liners.

At the end of the day they'll still likely be a V good team still with hellebuyck in net, solid defense and soid enough overall offense. Idk if their PP proficiency continues, as we saw it regress in the season/PO's.

They we're a +86 goal differential team....cut that in half bc of regression and they're at Colorado's level. Still a good team.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Ehlers is easily a 1W. Usage, usage, usage. He has been near ppg playing 2nd line minutes with a 4C.

But until he signs with us it is a moot point. Right now, we need to consider him gone.

I think Ehlers is a 1W, but, that most of the guys listed there are significantly better and closer to star territory than he is.

 

[Xavier Laflamme]

I think Ehlers is a 1W, but, that most of the guys listed there are significantly better and closer to star territory than he is.

He is definitely a first line winger, put him on the top line all season with Scheifs and KFC and watch his numbers soar.

 

[Adam da bomb]

He is definitely a first line winger, put him on the top line all season with Scheifs and KFC and watch his numbers soar.

I mean they did for Names. His most productive game was when he got to play with Connor.,

 

[CanMerc]

I don't know about that as Chevy has been involved in some of the biggest trades over the last few years. I can see Chevy pursuing a young potential #2 center that is signed long term but doesn't have trade protection yet. Similar to when Cozens got moved.

I think Chevy definitely calls Tampa about Cirelli. He fits the criteria quite well. Not as young as some may want, but fits the overall core age range. Whether or not TBL would be willing to part with him is a totally different matte.

 

[CanMerc]

Chevys mistake was dumping Schmidt and Kuli before he had replacements, Stan the pylon seriously

No, Chevys, mistake was acquiring Schmidt to begin with

 

[surixon]

I think Chevy definitely calls Tampa about Cirelli. He fits the criteria quite well. Not as young as some may want, but fits the overall core age range. Whether or not TBL would be willing to part with him is a totally different matte.

Cirelli has a full NTC, he's not waiving to leave Tampa for here. Also we'd be buying him at the peak of his value coming off easily his best year. He'd be far too expensive in terms of acquisition cost.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Realistically we got a guy who isn't Barkov but was a couple levels below in PLD.

Despite his LA struggles and inconsistency here he was a 60 point guy that brought physicality and great puck possession. He just didn't want to stay. And he was holding back to the culture (to some degree) from being greater than the sum of our parts.

Chevy took the chance to get that type of guy for Laine. Just didn't work out long term.

Laine was drafted in the same slot, but he hasn't panned out to be anything close to Barkov. Even the day he was drafted he didn't show that potential. Simply by not being a C he was behind. By also being a 1 dimensional goal scorer instead of an all around player he was way behind. But if he had lived up to that potential we saw in his first couple of seasons we would be stronger than we are even with his warts. We wouldn't have Vilardi and Iafallo though.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I think Ehlers is a 1W, but, that most of the guys listed there are significantly better and closer to star territory than he is.

So .... he's not a top 10 in the world 1W. Doesn't mean he is not an NHL 1st liner.