Player Discussion: Winnipeg Jets Defense

[bumblebeeman]

Heinola isn’t exactly a goal scorer

Not especially, but might be better at it than basically anyone else except maybe Morrissey. He definitely has good offensive instincts

 

[Howard Chuck]

I really hope we find out what we have in Samberg and Heinola. We need to get these guys playing.

 

[KingBogo]

I took that comment to mean he wouldn't be actively shopping a defensemen until Bowness evaluated them. Clearly someones gotta go.

Forgetting the Jets for a moment, there's not enough enough positions available on the Moose regarding defensemen.

Jets (5)
-Morrissey, Pionk, Schmidt, Dillon, Demelo

Waiver eligible (2)
-Stanley, Kovacevik, Copabianco

Waiver exempt (8)
-Samberg, Heinola, Chisholm, Gawanke, Lundmark, Salomonsson, Kuzmin, Bauer

15 players, 7 to make the Jets including the healthy scratch leaving 8 prospects competing for 6 positions on the Moose.

I can see one of Samberg / Heinola returning to the Moose, but not both, leaving Stanley as the scratch which also isn't optimal considering the organizations investment in him. Assuming Kovacevik & Copabianco pass thru waivers you'd have 9 defensemen on the Moose, many of which are prospects that need ice time.

Bowness will evaluate from a win now perspective & then Chevy needs to get to work either trading a vet to create:

1) considerable cap space for some bottom 6 scoring
2) packaging some prospects and use his existing cap space for bottom 6 scoring

Obviously the more cap space at his disposal the better the return.

Isn’t 15 defenceman for the Jets and Moose already cutting it extremely thin. That is only 1 injury at both levels combined to put you at only 1 PB player at each level. Based on history that first injury is likely to happen the first week of camp. At some point this season we will likely have at least 3-5 Dman down across both levels based on a normal season of Dman injuries.

 

[surixon]

Isn’t 15 defenceman for the Jets and Moose already cutting it extremely thin. That is only 1 injury at both levels combined to put you at only 1 PB player at each level. Based on history that first injury is likely to happen the first week of camp. At some point this season we will likely have at least 3-5 Dman down across both levels based on a normal season of Dman injuries.

That list doesn't include a good 3 or 4 dmen the Moose have signed to AHL deals. So depth is absolutely there but playing time might not be optimal for some of our kids o both teams.

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

Isn’t 15 defenceman for the Jets and Moose already cutting it extremely thin. That is only 1 injury at both levels combined to put you at only 1 PB player at each level. Based on history that first injury is likely to happen the first week of camp. At some point this season we will likely have at least 3-5 Dman down across both levels based on a normal season of Dman injuries.

I'm not worried sbout the Jets at all. The team is deep on D. That's a good thing.

It's playing time for all the prospects I'm concerned about.

 

[Jet]

I'm not worried sbout the Jets at all. The team is deep on D. That's a good thing.

It's playing time for all the prospects I'm concerned about.

I still get the feeling that Heinola is moved for a young F with top 6 abilities. No real Intel to support.

 

[BobTheSolarsystem]

Bowness hasn’t traditionally given his fourth line big minutes

I’d like to roster 8D and get heinola rotating in - if scheif has bought in again, run him with gagner and Gus for fourth line

 

[Weezeric]

Bowness hasn’t traditionally given his fourth line big minutes

I’d like to roster 8D and get heinola rotating in - if scheif has bought in again, run him with gagner and Gus for fourth line

Disagree on the first point.

Over the past three seasons, Dallas had exactly zero players who played more than 15 games and averaged less than 9:30 mins per game. And he had zero forwards over 18:30.

Over that same period the jets had 14 players of various games played average less than 9:30 per game and 5 players average over 18:30 per game.

It’s a huge shift.

 

[Gabe Kupari]

I still get the feeling that Heinola is moved for a young F with top 6 abilities. No real Intel to support.

I'm thinking Heinola goes in a trade with Wheeler

 

[pictman]

I'm pretty excited to see how this all shakes down . Not only training camp but also to see where things are after 20 games or so. I like what I'm seeing and hearing from Bones. The players all sound pretty positive and upbeat. Will it last ? Who knows . But for now I'm enjoying the positive vibes.

 

[Jet]

I'm thinking Heinola goes in a trade with Wheeler

I really don't see Wheeler being traded tbh. Maybe at the deadline if we're struggling but Heinola could be gone already.

 

[surixon]

I really don't see Wheeler being traded tbh. Maybe at the deadline if we're struggling but Heinola could be gone already.

For some reason he seems to have fallen out of favor in the org. Chevy barely mentions him anymore whereas he's quick to throw praise Perfetti's way and talks more about Samberg etc on defense.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go either but they need to get the right return.

 

[Hunter368]

For some reason he seems to have fallen out of favor in the org. Chevy barely mentions him anymore whereas he's quick to throw praise Perfetti's way and talks more about Samberg etc on defense.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go either but they need to get the right return.

If the Jets are doing poorly by Thanksgiving I expect to see multi players traded, Blake, PLD, Mark and couple defence. No vet is protected

 

[Jet]

If the Jets are doing poorly by Thanksgiving I expect to see multi players traded, Blake, PLD, Mark and couple defence. No vet is protected

Problem with that is cap availability but I'm sure teams will have injuries by then

 

[Hunter368]

Problem with that is cap availability but I'm sure teams will have injuries by then

Agreed and if it doesn't happen by then it will by the TDL

 

[DRW204]

i think you need to keep morrissey-demelo together. demelo on the top pair was one of the bright spots of last season. he should be used in more critical situations/higher on the depth chart rather than his previous 3rd pair role, given his defensive abilities.

at this point of their careers (draft+7 and draft+6), one of Stanley or Samberg must be able to play 3rd pair at a passable level w/o demelo. if not, id trade at least 1 of them while they have some perceived value and find someone that can.

i like dillon-schmidt though. i think that could work.

Wonder if we see Morrissey and Pionk paired together?

Morrissey-Pionk
Dillon-Schmidt
Samberg-DeMelo

Stanley/Heinola/Kovacevek

 

[Gabe Kupari]

Demelo does nothing offensively tho. Seriously our D scored 24 goals last year. Demelo is a good defensive d man but if you are looking for your D to be more aggressive and jump in to the rushes, he's not the guy. I think it's possible demelo is traded

 

[Imcanadianeh]

For some reason he seems to have fallen out of favor in the org. Chevy barely mentions him anymore whereas he's quick to throw praise Perfetti's way and talks more about Samberg etc on defense.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go either but they need to get the right return.

I don’t really see how Chevy not talking about Wheeler really makes you think the organization doesn’t like him anymore, he’s a guy that’s been here for 12 years now, the only thing to talk about is him no longer being captain and why would Chevy voluntarily bring that up,what’s Chevy going to say “I’m looking forward to what Wheeler can bring this season, I gotta think he’ll be faster now that his sweater is lighter without that letter”

Of course he’s going to throw lots of praise at Perfetti, he’s the Jets best prospect and the team is clearly hoping he has a very successful season as a full time Jet.

Sort of the same with Samberg, Chevy probably sees him as the best Defensive prospect we have right now and again hoping he can have a successful season as a full time Jet this year.

 

[surixon]

I don’t really see how Chevy not talking about Wheeler really makes you think the organization doesn’t like him anymore, he’s a guy that’s been here for 12 years now, the only thing to talk about is him no longer being captain and why would Chevy voluntarily bring that up,what’s Chevy going to say “I’m looking forward to what Wheeler can bring this season, I gotta think he’ll be faster now that his sweater is lighter without that letter”

Of course he’s going to throw lots of praise at Perfetti, he’s the Jets best prospect and the team is clearly hoping he has a very successful season as a full time Jet.

Sort of the same with Samberg, Chevy probably sees him as the best Defensive prospect we have right now and again hoping he can have a successful season as a full time Jet this year.

I'm talking about Heinola and not Wheeler

 

[DRW204]

Demelo does nothing offensively tho. Seriously our D scored 24 goals last year. Demelo is a good defensive d man but if you are looking for your D to be more aggressive and jump in to the rushes, he's not the guy. I think it's possible demelo is traded

Fair point.
But I do think you need some defense first players who actually rate good at playing defense.

 

[Gabe Kupari]

Fair point.
But I do think you need some defense first players who actually rate good at playing defense.

I think you play demelo with heinola or Samberg.

 

[voyageur]

I still get the feeling that Heinola is moved for a young F with top 6 abilities. No real Intel to support.

I think injuries will play a factor. Whether they be to forwards or defensemen. Not many teams can promote a quality player like Heinola in the middle of the season if they need a spark. Samberg being older/mature should get a full time job this year. When he moves on, I'd like to see Heinola play on the top unit PK for the Moose, become a complete player. Maybe paired with Simon Lundmark, having a bit more pace. With two years left on this ELC Chevy can patient in his development, as long as he doesn't bolt for Finland at the end of the year, so there has to be some kind of progression, I'm thinking at least 20 games this year, and if he doesn't cut it, then maybe the trade option comes in.

I'd rather trade Dillon and promote Stanley, because a 30+ defensemen can start to look slow in a hurry in today's NHL. Dillon should be a top unit PKer for us to get our money's worth out of him.

 

[Imcanadianeh]

I'm talking about Heinola and not Wheeler

My bad, that makes a lot more sense.

I always got the vibe if the Jets were too trade a defenseman it would be Heinola, granted I think a reason for that would be because he’s probably bring a good return.

 

[DRW204]

I think you play demelo with heinola or Samberg.

Don't think so

 

[10Ducky10]

I'd trade Pionk and/or Schmidt before I traded DeMelo.