Winnipeg Jets

Game Postponed so Mailbag time
March 14, 2017, 2:09 PM ET [5 Comments]
Peter Tessier
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I'm not going to get into details of last night's game simply because I barely saw it. My Midget team I coach was knocked out of the playoffs lsat night, had we won it was off to the city finals but we pulled a Jets and lost 7-3.

So that being said when I finally could tune in, what the hell was Stuart doing out on the ice during OT? Good lord.

As for the mailbag, let's take one topic that was presented yesterday and apply it to some new information that came out in Elliot Friedman's 30 thoughts today.



Rich replied to my tweet and while it seemed very innocuous given the state of affairs that exists with the expansion draft today we have some rather interesting information courtesy of Elliote Friedman of Sportsbet.

I had read the article but did not have this sink in until I saw this tweet:



Ooooh Baaabyyyyy! As Bob Cole would say.

This is a very delectable circumstance and worth thinking about given the opportunity it presents and the Jets are team that needs to seize opportunity when it knocks on the door. Think left hand defence man, think left had defence man.

Consider who the Jets might leave unprotected, Matthias, Lowry, Dano, Armia to name a few and who might want them aside from the Golden Knights. Now consider what they might pay to get that player, one who had been previously unaccessible prior to the expansion draft due to whatever reason.

What would you pay to the Golden Knights to get a certain unprotected player, a first round pick in an average draft class? How high, how about a second and a player? Here's the thing, we don't know who will be unprotected, and we won't know until the lists likely leak after, or at least certain names. GMs will know and Chevy should be looking at this new reality and planning accordingly it will be an opportunity like no other, that is if a player he wants is available.

The Jets, as it relates to the expansion draft, should be all in on their modelling process for the other 29 teams as well as what they can afford to part with. In fact would Chevy, if not any GM, make a deal by leaving a certain player unprotected that McPhee of the Golden Knights would want in exchange for taking another player and trading them to that team?

"George my good man, Chevy here. We believe that XXXXX is going to be available for the expansion draft but we'd like a shot at him."

"Cheeeeevvvyyyyyy, so good of you to all. I'd love to help you out but I'd really need something from you to make that happen. I need a player that rhymes with 'dowry' to be available and that 2nd round pick this year you have."

There's that angle but then there's the other one. Now that GMs know McPhee means business with his one shot to be in the driver's seat of a one car race, do they start thinking trade if they are going to lose some one?

Team A plans to leave player Z unprotected but knows from the past that Team B wants him. Team A calls team B and they work out a deal.
Team A now decides to protect the player they like acquired because it's better than the other options.
Team B gets a player back they don't really care about protecting but also a draft pick too (or more) that can't be claimed via expansion draft.

Theres a lot going on with this new variable and the savvy GMs are going to figure out some really interesting ways to do things. It's going to be a lot of fun and I bet McPhee is exhausted at the end of it all.

In fact looking at McPhee makes me think of this scene from Moneybag, pardon the quality but it's the only one I could find.



So to answer your question Rich McKinley it's less about who will be available and now how to get them as that opportunity is now there. There will be draft maps done by all teams, estimates on who will be available and more and the Jets need to be nose deep in this process and at the forefront because this is a chance like no other for them if the right player is there. While that is a big 'if' it's the most important one and if this franchise is going to change it's trajectory, at least closer to the ones the fans are starting to demand they have to make use of this opportunity.