Player Discussion: Winnipeg Jets Defense

[Buffdog]

Possibly classic HF overestimating a prospect on one hand while underestimating him on the other?

Maybe rushing him to the top 4 too quickly but I wonder if Jets are penciling him in at 3RD for this year. Based on his relatively steep trajectory and the high praise from his SHL coach he may be NHL ready this year. Its not like he will be right out of this year's draft class. He will be in D+3 and the first 2 post draft seasons have been spent in a very good men's pro league.

For the record I had Salo on the second pair in 2025/26 after a year of the AHL

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

For the record I had Salo on the second pair in 2025/26 after a year of the AHL

yeah, and I am just wondering if the Jets see him spending that 1st year at 3RD in the NHL instead.

It skips giving him that year to adjust to the NA game/ice size. But if they are having difficulty acquiring a top 4 RHD (DeMelo included), they just might be planning on going that route.

To my eye, he looked NHL ready last year. But that is on the larger ice where there is quite a bit more space/time. I don't know how well or quickly he could adapt. I'm sure Jets scouts have a feel for that though.

 

[WolfHouse]

yeah, and I am just wondering if the Jets see him spending that 1st year at 3RD in the NHL instead.

It skips giving him that year to adjust to the NA game/ice size. But if they are having difficulty acquiring a top 4 RHD (DeMelo included), they just might be planning on going that route.

To my eye, he looked NHL ready last year. But that is on the larger ice where there is quite a bit more space/time. I don't know how well or quickly he could adapt. I'm sure Jets scouts have a feel for that though.

Might as well wait a couple weeks and see who's left in our Dcore before speculating too much... I have a hard time seeing a scenario where one of Heinola or Samberg don't shift over to their off-side by 2025 season

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Might as well wait a couple weeks and see who's left in our Dcore before speculating too much... I have a hard time seeing a scenario where one of Heinola or Samberg don't shift over to their off-side by 2025 season

I'm beginning to wonder if I imagined it because no one seems to acknowledge it here anymore. I thought Heinola had played a lot of RD, and successfully. Samberg hasn't done it much that I am aware of and not successfully.

Am I wrong?

If not, then Heinola is the obvious one to play the right side. I have only recently started penciling him in on the left since it appears that Dillon is gone.

We could just wait 3 months and have a much better idea of who is and is not available. Speculating is what we do here.

With Chisholm gone and now Capo and Dillon apparently gone also, our left side depth is almost as bad as our right side depth. Stan appears to be full time 3LD and there is no one immediately behind him.

Meanwhile it looks like we go with DeMelo, Pionk, Schmidt again - IF we retain DeMelo.

 

[Board Bard]

What a contract-year bounce-back from Pionk accomplishes more than anything (or less than anything depending on how you look at it) is Chevy giving him a new contract (which could very well happen in any case). In the first year of that contract the bouncebackitis will be magically cured, he will revert to the familiar persona of Donkeypionk, and the team will be stuck with his amusing cartoon antics for another 4 or 5 years. Maybe that does equate to "fine" in Chevy's mind, especially in the likely event he's left with only scraps from the free agent market. Of course, a scrap might still be better than Pionk, and a helluva lot cheaper.

Playing Heinola on the right side kinda gives the coaches a built-in excuse to say, "He wasn't quite doing the job so now he's 7D." Playing him on the left gives him his best chance to succeed. They probably already have an extra-tall chair in the pressbox for Stanley so no adjustments would be needed there.

I saw somewhere (maybe here) that one of the new assistant coaches was director of analytics at one of his NHL gigs. Hopefully it wasn't just a figurehead position and that he actually learned a great deal about how to compile, understand and use the numbers.

 

[voyageur]

well yeah, idk who else is really set for a huge bounceback... morrissey, samberg? what are they bouncing back too, they were great again last year. schmidt was solid in his role too. maybe stanley to the Cdn division year.

at the end of the day, the hope is every off-season for the players & ultimately team to play well. Pionk has not lived up to that supposed hope the last 3 years. fortunate for him. he's not in the same tier or level of polarity as Helle or Ehlers so his PO performance has been less criticized, when effectively the season was over because of his game-5.

I mean you look at playoff stats and other than on the PK Pionk has had as much success as De Melo...people will remember Pionk's own goal but not De Melo's wobble that cost us dearly in a one goal game...no one will remember Pionk needing oxygen after 20T game 3 against Vegas where Morrissey went down, and he was arguably the best d-man in that whole game, playing every other shift.. Schmidt had easy shifts that's why his regular season metrics were so good...-5 in the playoffs in 3 games...there's a reason he got benched both regular season and playoffs...he's lost a step so I'm not sure how he can improve that. But I'm ok with Pionk being the whipping boy. Hopefully he proves himself next season and gets rewarded for it...

 

[voyageur]

What a contract-year bounce-back from Pionk accomplishes more than anything (or less than anything depending on how you look at it) is Chevy giving him a new contract (which could very well happen in any case). In the first year of that contract the bouncebackitis will be magically cured, he will revert to the familiar persona of Donkeypionk, and the team will be stuck with his amusing cartoon antics for another 4 or 5 years. Maybe that does equate to "fine" in Chevy's mind, especially in the likely event he's left with only scraps from the free agent market. Of course, a scrap might still be better than Pionk, and a helluva lot cheaper.

Playing Heinola on the right side kinda gives the coaches a built-in excuse to say, "He wasn't quite doing the job so now he's 7D." Playing him on the left gives him his best chance to succeed. They probably already have an extra-tall chair in the pressbox for Stanley so no adjustments would be needed there.

I saw somewhere (maybe here) that one of the new assistant coaches was director of analytics at one of his NHL gigs. Hopefully it wasn't just a figurehead position and that he actually learned a great deal about how to compile, understand and use the numbers.

Who's your PK2 LD Morrissey or Heinola...if you choose Morrissey are you ready for lower 5 on 5 totals from wear and tear, if you choose Heinola do you really think he can kill penalties at the NHL level? That's the kind of decisions a head coach and assistants will have to make?

 

[Crocket]

If I had to call an opening day defense group, my prediction would be:

Morrissey - DeMelo
Samberg - Pionk
Stanley - Heinola

#7 a UFA signing or waiver pickup. I'll go out on a limb and say Kovy after he gets waived by the Habs at the end of camp. Dillon gone to free agency and Schmidt bought out. Obviously DeMelo re-signed, but with a contract many will complain about.

Heinola is not playing behind Samberg, he had a spot last year before breaking his leg. VH is much better than Sammy, who is a decent 3rd pair guy.

 

[WolfgangPuck]

Dillion and Schmidt out
Miller, Fleury , Coghlan in
Stanley, Heinola stays
Who our 3rd pairing and press box Guy?

 

[KingBogo]

Dillion and Schmidt out
Miller, Fleury , Coghlan in
Stanley, Heinola stays
Who our 3rd pairing and press box Guy?

TBD but likely the depth chart from 5-9 could be pretty fluid based on camp. I’d guess the Jets will carry 8 D again this year.

 

[Buffdog]

Dillion and Schmidt out
Miller, Fleury , Coghlan in
Stanley, Heinola stays
Who our 3rd pairing and press box Guy?

I'm hoping we start

Heinola - Miller
Stanley (or Fleury or Coghlan, I don't really give a f***). Those three and Lundmark are all waiver eligible

 

[KingBogo]

I'm hoping we start

Heinola - Miller
Stanley (or Fleury or Coghlan, I don't really give a f***). Those three and Lundmark are all waiver eligible

I think Fleury might open some eyes in camp. He is a former top 10 pick with really good size. Not much offense but a pretty steady player with close to 300 NHL games.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Who's your PK2 LD Morrissey or Heinola...if you choose Morrissey are you ready for lower 5 on 5 totals from wear and tear, if you choose Heinola do you really think he can kill penalties at the NHL level? That's the kind of decisions a head coach and assistants will have to make?

Can Heinola make up for the lost offense?

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

I heard….Heinola was very rude and offensive…, at a gathering last night

 

[DRW204]

I heard….Heinola was very rude and offensive…, at a gathering last night

same person told me Logan Stanley is actually 6'8

 

[WolfHouse]

I heard….Heinola was very rude and offensive…, at a gathering last night

Did he have am altercation with Mike Smith?

 

[Humlannitton]

Salomonsson reminds me as a Skellefteå AIK fan a lot of Adam Larsson. A better skater, maybe not as great hitter, but overall very similar. Great psyche as well, very calm and collected. Was a big reason we won the cup this year.

 

[Jet]

I'm beginning to wonder if I imagined it because no one seems to acknowledge it here anymore. I thought Heinola had played a lot of RD, and successfully. Samberg hasn't done it much that I am aware of and not successfully.

Am I wrong?

If not, then Heinola is the obvious one to play the right side. I have only recently started penciling him in on the left since it appears that Dillon is gone.

We could just wait 3 months and have a much better idea of who is and is not available. Speculating is what we do here.

With Chisholm gone and now Capo and Dillon apparently gone also, our left side depth is almost as bad as our right side depth. Stan appears to be full time 3LD and there is no one immediately behind him.

Meanwhile it looks like we go with DeMelo, Pionk, Schmidt again - IF we retain DeMelo.

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but I actually remember the opposite.

I recall him not being comfortable on his off side, struggling there, and it being one of the reasons he didn't stick around when we were thin there.

I think a lot of D are OK with playing their offside but at the nhl level with the talent they face, even a modest loss in skill or experience can be very detrimental.

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but there are so many little things that are different playing your offside. Pivots, stick positioning, receiving switches, digging the puck off the boards wth a forward barreling in on you.

I know I hate it as a defenseman.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but I actually remember the opposite.

I recall him not being comfortable on his off side, struggling there, and it being one of the reasons he didn't stick around when we were thin there.

I think a lot of D are OK with playing their offside but at the nhl level with the talent they face, even a modest loss in skill or experience can be very detrimental.

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but there are so many little things that are different playing your offside. Pivots, stick positioning, receiving switches, digging the puck off the boards wth a forward barreling in on you.

I know I hate it as a defenseman.

My memory could certainly be faulty. I am not talking about 1 game with the Jets. I thought that historically he had played the right side.

Generally, I don't favour Dmen playing their off-sides but there are never enough RHS to go around so quite a few LHS Dmen play the right side at various points in their careers. Some more successfully than others.

 

[surixon]

My memory could certainly be faulty. I am not talking about 1 game with the Jets. I thought that historically he had played the right side.

Generally, I don't favour Dmen playing their off-sides but there are never enough RHS to go around so quite a few LHS Dmen play the right side at various points in their careers. Some more successfully than others.

He played some RD when he was in Finland but he wasn't really deployed there for the Moose. My guess is he can play it in a pinch but will be used mostly on the left.

I think him and Stanley will rotate in and out unless one is dealt this summer.

 

[voyageur]

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but I actually remember the opposite.

I recall him not being comfortable on his off side, struggling there, and it being one of the reasons he didn't stick around when we were thin there.

I think a lot of D are OK with playing their offside but at the nhl level with the talent they face, even a modest loss in skill or experience can be very detrimental.

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but there are so many little things that are different playing your offside. Pivots, stick positioning, receiving switches, digging the puck off the boards wth a forward barreling in on you.

I know I hate it as a defenseman.

It's funny because I am old enough to remember when the Jets didn't have a right handed defenseman (in the 80s). Mario Marois was one of the first. Nowadays with so much analysis into the game, it's rare that you see more than one defenseman per team on his offside. Seems like guys without good backhands will have trouble moving the puck at times, in the defensive zone, on those board plays...And I think there is more offensive awareness too, from players to attack stick positions on players...I know Heinola started the one year on the Moose on his offside with Samberg playing his strong side. And it was not a success...Samberg seems more comfortable in that position,playing his offside in college, but he did have some problems in the playoffs

 

[ps241]

Salomonsson reminds me as a Skellefteå AIK fan a lot of Adam Larsson. A better skater, maybe not as great hitter, but overall very similar. Great psyche as well, very calm and collected. Was a big reason we won the cup this year.

Our board, me included, has irrationally high hopes for this kid given our needs and his results to date post draft. Thank you for feeding in to our delusional fantasies.

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

I'm beginning to wonder if I imagined it because no one seems to acknowledge it here anymore. I thought Heinola had played a lot of RD, and successfully. Samberg hasn't done it much that I am aware of and not successfully.

Am I wrong?

If not, then Heinola is the obvious one to play the right side. I have only recently started penciling him in on the left since it appears that Dillon is gone.

We could just wait 3 months and have a much better idea of who is and is not available. Speculating is what we do here.

With Chisholm gone and now Capo and Dillon apparently gone also, our left side depth is almost as bad as our right side depth. Stan appears to be full time 3LD and there is no one immediately behind him.

Meanwhile it looks like we go with DeMelo, Pionk, Schmidt again - IF we retain DeMelo.

Heinola has played virtually zero RD on the Moose.

The right shooting Kovacevik was his partner 3 years back, 2 years ago the right shooting Gawanke.

Perhaps you’re thinking of Chisholm who spent a considerable time on the Moose playing on his weak side.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Heinola has played virtually zero RD on the Moose.

The right shooting Kovacevik was his partner 3 years back, 2 years ago the right shooting Gawanke.

Perhaps you’re thinking of Chisholm who spent a considerable time on the Moose playing on his weak side.

No, wasn't thinking of the Moose.

 

[Whileee]

Our board, me included, has irrationally high hopes for this kid given our needs and his results to date post draft. Thank you for feeding in to our delusional fantasies.

Agree that the expectations are somewhat skewed by perceived need but Salomonsson has been legitimately good in his D+1 and D+2 seasons. In particular, he became a mainstay of the D for an SHL champion at the age of 19 last season. That's an uncommonly good performance at that age and stage of development.

My observation is that in his D+1 season as an 18 year-old he still had some rawness in his puck-handling and decisions with the puck, so his main role was defensively. He was learning to use his skating and natural aggressiveness to play a solid defensive game. As a 19 year-old in D+2 season you could see that his puck-handling had become much more confident and he started to become more and more involved in transition and offensively, while continuing to improve his defensive play.

The foundation of his game is his really good defensive play, where he closes gaps quickly and aggressively in all zones using his mobility and decent size. He also became more quick and confident in moving the puck in his D zone, so his retrieval and puck movement is a strength. Those attributes create a high floor for him as an NHL prospect. You could see these strengths in the Jets' camp last season.

His ceiling will be determined by how much his offense develops. I think it's an area that has been improving quickly. He produced quite a bit of offense without much PP time at all. His point totals don't look very impressive, but he produced as much or more at even-strength than the other D on his team (including highly-touted offensive D Sandin-Pellika). Later in the season and into the playoffs (and in the Champion's League) he showed a lot of offensive dash and confidence. He's so young that I think he still can add a lot more offense. He'll never be a Quinn Hughes or Morrissey type of offensive D because he doesn't "dance and dangle" with the puck, but he could become more like the way Trouba played offensively with the Jets - using his speed to be strong in transition, and aggressive in the offensive zone.