You can dissect the loss to Dallas all you want. A friendlier crossbar to Kane, a better stop on the first PP goal, some puck luck here, a bounce there... all of it could have changed the course of the game. It could have changed the Jets fortunes for this season but in reality the writing was on the wall after Saturday; this was going to be another post season miss for the franchise, the seventh consecutive one.
First the positives.
Eric O'Dell was probably the best Jet on the ice and did a lot of things that had twitter buzzing about his play. In this writer's opinion he has earned a longer look with the club and if the Jets are true to developing the future it's worth looking at that future now.
Bryan Little was positive in the face off circle.
Dustin Byfuglien once again showed what kind of dynamic player he can be. His value may be the highest it's ever been to this team, and in the trade market.
Al Montoya had a good game after the first two goal while fighting the puck. He came back and made the saves when necessary and gave the Jets a chance to get back in it, which they did on Little's power play marker late in the third.
Now the Questions.
When looking at this season in comparison to the previous three it appears the Jets cannot consistently get something going they desperately need, luck. Is it true 'hockey god' luck, no it's general puck luck, variance or chance. At the root level, as has been written about in many places by folks smarter than yours truly, it's about having a better quality of player through the roster.
Which leads to the question that seems to arrive this time every season, what can Chevy do to make this team better?
Is it too early to answer than question? Yes, but it's not too early to at least cut open the corpse that is the Winnipeg Jets 2013-14 season. The fork is in the meat and it's saying 'done' even though there are a few more games to play.
You have to consider the long term because that is where the trends are. If you go back and look at the Jets/Thrashers seasons in a month by month view you will see that the team rarely puts together any string of success above .500 longer than a month. That's what the collective story says after 7 seasons of not making the post season.
In recent Jets history players such as, Glass, Oduya, Antropov, Wellwood, Hainsey, Stapelton, Miettinen, Fehr and Brumistrov have all been moved away. In came Jokinen, Frolik, Tangradi, Setoguchi, Pardy, Ellerby, Clitsome, Haslischuk and Peluso.
It's hindsight now but that's how we judge, by what's happened, the results. The results have not changed. This team is in the exact same position it was in last year, the year before, and before that and so on.
As has been pointed out numerous times, Jets GM Kevin Chevaldayoff has yet to make a one-for-one or player for players deal in his tenure. While he has had some success with players such as Scheifele and Trouba being foundation players, one wonders if he is going to 'draft' his way to success, the Oilers model.
That's his right to do so and the future may be much brighter that way but something with his moves does not add up to that strategy. Acquiring Setoguchi and not selling anything at the trade deadline to recoup something, no matter how small, for another lost season. Adding Grant Clitsome for 3 years at quite the premium and of course, those three big extensions to his key RFAs last summer. Is this planning for the future or hoping for the best while the future comes?
So here they are, the Jets and their GM, at another cross roads but this time just a bit earlier than previous seasons since moving to Winnipeg. Here we are looking at the still fresh corpse asking the same questions again. At some point Jets fans are going to get tired of the status quo, the continued lack of 'apparent' direction.
The off-season now sets up for something a bit different than many had hoped. It's one of continued lingering doubt and that's probably not a safe place for any GM, especially one without a signed coach for next season. The goalie tandem is of paramount concern and no longer a statistical discussion point amongst the more hearty bloggers and fans. The depth of the forwards is challenged openly as is that of the defense, not to mention the 'core' of the team.
Even the idea that Evander Kane may be dangled on the draft floor come June seems to be something media accepts as reality, with fans reluctantly accepting if not agreeing. A move/option some thought of as so radical, that move out of mediocrity is taking a 30 goal scorer off the team.
Think of this scenario, what if the return for Kane does not pan out? Why is the idea of moving him any less risky than buying out Pavelec? Kane is stepping into his prime and with a rookie centre who kept his name in the Calder conversation until his injury. Is it that there would be an immediate return for Kane and only a hope of improving on Pavelec in the open market? It's about weighing risk and one question which has not been asked is how does the return on Kane (should he be on the market) measure to not having a 30 goal scorer? It's really no different than what happens if you can't replace Pavelec?
Yet the fear of a void seems to hold many back from saying there could and can be a plan without Pavelec in place. Would there not be one in the event Kane is not a Jet?
Is there a plan if Paul Maurice does not elect to come back to Winnipeg?
What about Michael Frolik, a player who is best friends and shares the same agent as Pavelec and Halak- a goalie some say Chevy should target?
In fact there may be more and larger questions this off season than in the past two for this team. Now we, and everyone else, can say with some confidence the Jets are not more than the sum of their parts, nor are they going to be soon. Change the coach, switch out the accessories, add two promising draft picks to the roster, and the song remains the same.
The questions are a bit harder and in number, but more troubling is the ones that matter seem to point to a specific place. That place is what many feel is the heart and soul of this team. Is Chevy able to perform surgery this off season, and make give this group a new vital organ or two?
It's the same old questions again. Probably time some one at least answers for that.
Good article by Peter Tessier from the sometimes questionable Hockeybuzz.com
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Peter-Tessier/Another-Loss-yet-Same-Old-Questions/161/58910
Old questions still remain
You can dissect the loss to Dallas all you want. A friendlier crossbar to Kane, a better stop on the first PP goal, some puck luck here, a bounce there... all of it could have changed the course of the game. It could have changed the Jets fortunes for this season but in reality the writing was on the wall after Saturday; this was going to be another post season miss for the franchise, the seventh consecutive one.
First the positives.
Eric O'Dell was probably the best Jet on the ice and did a lot of things that had twitter buzzing about his play. In this writer's opinion he has earned a longer look with the club and if the Jets are true to developing the future it's worth looking at that future now.
Bryan Little was positive in the face off circle.
Dustin Byfuglien once again showed what kind of dynamic player he can be. His value may be the highest it's ever been to this team, and in the trade market.
Al Montoya had a good game after the first two goal while fighting the puck. He came back and made the saves when necessary and gave the Jets a chance to get back in it, which they did on Little's power play marker late in the third.
Now the Questions.
When looking at this season in comparison to the previous three it appears the Jets cannot consistently get something going they desperately need, luck. Is it true 'hockey god' luck, no it's general puck luck, variance or chance. At the root level, as has been written about in many places by folks smarter than yours truly, it's about having a better quality of player through the roster.
Which leads to the question that seems to arrive this time every season, what can Chevy do to make this team better?
Is it too early to answer than question? Yes, but it's not too early to at least cut open the corpse that is the Winnipeg Jets 2013-14 season. The fork is in the meat and it's saying 'done' even
though there are a few more games to play.
You have to consider the long term because that is where the trends are. If you go back and look at the Jets/Thrashers seasons in a month by month view you will see that the team rarely puts together any string of success above .500 longer than a month. That's what the collective story says after 7 seasons of not making the post season.
In recent Jets history players such as, Glass, Oduya, Antropov, Wellwood, Hainsey, Stapelton, Miettinen, Fehr and Brumistrov have all been moved away. In came Jokinen, Frolik, Tangradi, Setoguchi, Pardy, Ellerby, Clitsome, Haslischuk and Peluso.
It's hindsight now but that's how we judge, by what's happened, the results. The results have not changed. This team is in the exact same position it was in last year, the year before, and before that and so on.
As has been pointed out numerous times, Jets GM Kevin Chevaldayoff has yet to make a one-for-one or player for players deal in his tenure. While he has had some success with players such as Scheifele and Trouba being foundation players, one wonders if he is going to 'draft' his way to success, the Oilers model.
That's his right to do so and the future may be much brighter that way but something with his moves does not add up to that strategy. Acquiring Setoguchi and not selling anything at the trade deadline to recoup something, no matter how small, for another lost season. Adding Grant Clitsome for 3 years at quite the premium and of course, those three big extensions to his key RFAs last summer. Is this planning for the future or hoping for the best while the future comes?
So here they are, the Jets and their GM, at another cross roads but this time just a bit earlier than previous seasons since moving to Winnipeg. Here we are looking at the still fresh corpse asking the same questions again. At some point Jets fans are going to get tired of the status quo, the continued lack of 'apparent' direction.
The off-season now sets up for something a bit different than many had hoped. It's one of continued lingering doubt and that's probably not a safe place for any GM, especially one without a signed coach for next season. The goalie tandem is of paramount concern and no longer a statistical discussion point amongst the more hearty bloggers and fans. The depth of the forwards is challenged openly as is that of the defense, not to mention the 'core' of the team.
Even the idea that Evander Kane may be dangled on the draft floor come June seems to be something media accepts as reality, with fans reluctantly accepting if not agreeing. A move/option some thought of as so radical, that move out of mediocrity is taking a 30 goal scorer off the team.
Think of this scenario, what if the return for Kane does not pan out? Why is the idea of moving him any less risky than buying out Pavelec? Kane is stepping into his prime and with a rookie centre who kept his name in the Calder conversation until his injury. Is it that there would be an immediate return for Kane and only a hope of improving on Pavelec in the open market? It's about weighing risk and one question which has not been asked is how does the return on Kane (should he be on the market) measure to not having a 30 goal scorer? It's really no different than what happens if you can't replace Pavelec?
Yet the fear of a void seems to hold many back from saying there could and can be a plan without Pavelec in place. Would there not be one in the event Kane is not a Jet?
Is there a plan if Paul Maurice does not elect to come back to Winnipeg?
What about Michael Frolik, a player who is best friends and shares the same agent as Pavelec and Halak- a goalie some say Chevy should target?
In fact there may be more and larger questions this off season than in the past two for this team. Now we, and everyone else, can say with some confidence the Jets are not more than the sum of their parts, nor are they going to be soon. Change the coach, switch out the accessories, add two promising draft picks to the roster, and the song remains the same.
The questions are a bit harder and in number, but more troubling is the ones that matter seem to point to a specific place. That place is what many feel is the heart and soul of this team. Is Chevy able to perform surgery this off season, and make give this group a new vital organ or two?
It's the same old questions again. Probably time some one at least answers for that.