How did Connor PLD Harkins do as a line?
Connor-PLD-Svetch (339:03 TOI): 51.41 CF%, 53.33 GF%, 54.44 xGF%
Connor-PLD-w/o Svetch (521:16 TOI): 51.85 CF%, 52.50 GF%, 53.15 xGF% (+0.44, -0.83, -1.29)
Connor-PLD-Harkins (57:10 TOI): 42.37 CF%. 50.00 GF%, 52.98 xGF% (-9.04, -3.33, -1.46 vs. Svetch)
Connor-PLD-w/o Harkins (803:07): 52.39 CF%, 53.03 GF%, 53.71 xGF% (+10.02, +3.03, -0.05)
Svetch had the most TOI with Connor and PLD of all the forwards. Except for a slight 0.44% better CF% without Svetch, the line was better with him. Wheeler and Perfetti both saw over 100 minutes TOI with Connor and PLD. Ehlers spent 86 minutes with those two. Harkins was their 5th most common linemate.
Svetch, Wheeler, Perfetti, and Ehlers all put up better CF and xGF than Harkins on that line. Only Wheeler's actual GF% was worse (1-4 = 20% in 145 minutes), but goals are fluky and their xGF% was a solid 54.96.
(All numbers 5v5)
OTOH, the Jets didn't give up anything for Svetch, and he also didn't fail to galvanize the room into Cup contention on either his first or second go-round.
Svetch is not a hill I particularly wish to die on, but the Jets' record of bringing in depth to support their scoring has been less than inspiring over the years, so a freebie who contributed something, anything, seems like he'd be worth keeping around at minimal cost.
After 11 seasons of watching this franchise fill its bottom 6 with the dregs of the league, it's frustrating to watch them toss aside a rare effective player that they managed to blind-squirrel onto the team.