Lots of things happen on Twitter everyday and if you follow me
Teddier then you may have come across some of what I am about to talk about.
The conversation and topic was about what kind of a rebuild the Jets are in and when it began. While it's virtually impossible to have true conversations on Twitter, it's more a vehicle to thrust your thoughts at those who choose to see them, the ideas today were about where the Jets stand in their rebuild, or if it even has begun... or if it has started again?
My view at the time was the rebuild for the Jets started when they arrived in Winnipeg. However that was not completely agreed with by all, but not because it was wrong but some saw a different point and definition of what a rebuild is.
I'm not so sure there is any true definitive description of what constitutes a rebuild for a team. Most would probably agree that a 'rebuild' starts when a team strips away what remaining player assets it has after it fails to meet it's goals. The process is to 'reset' the team in terms of roster personnel where younger newer players or draft picks are accumulated in the hopes of developing to a stronger better group in the future.
It's a rudimentary description but I would say it suffices for our purposes in this discussion.
What if a team did that with its entire staff and ownership to the point where only a select few remain? Is that not changing the dynamic and structure of the team too? It's a 'reset' but in a different area of the organization.
For my point today that is what I saw happen when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. Other than the roster, virtually everything else changed for the team and franchise. There was a complete and total reset except the player assets remained the same.
There is one other way to do this as well and that is by jettisoning both player assets and management assets as well. It is radical, as moving players in the hopes of acquiring new assets for the future seems risky if those in charge of the new assets are not even in place. The one time this kind of event stands out to me is when Cliff Fletcher came in after JFJ was fired to steer the Leafs ship as they had no permanent GM in place to guide it.
In the case of the Thrashers and Jets there was a point made that perhaps that rebuild began with the acquisition of Ladd and Byfuglien from Chicago. The pieces of Bogosian, Kane, and Burmistrov having just happened in the draft after a failed playoff run attempt in 2007 which set the prospect cupboard to zero for the franchise.
The Jets are still reeling from those decisions of Waddell and trying to make sense of a mixed bag of players who never seemed to fit a plan. Great assets but do they all work well together?
The real point here as I see it is, can we hold the current regime somewhat accountable to a reset or rebuild point the old regime tried to make?
It appears that in the short history of the Thrashers there was no plan, no true building philosophy or desire to do what smart teams do, which is patiently build a winner. While the economics were a disaster and we'll never know if a winning team would have changed the franchise's fortunes, did the Thrashers ever really have that chance?
I don't believe they did but I do say that with hindsight. Regardless there's more to the Jets than what showed up in Winnipeg and after three off seasons there should be more to the roster too. At least more than a few feel very strongly about that position. With one playoff berth in 13 seasons should anything be sacred?
The simple answer is 'no' but what fans in Winnipeg are seeing is a different one, at least from the team. The answer, if you were to get one from TNSE, may probably be along the lines of this: working with existing core pieces they have identified until the proper complimentary pieces can be developed in the way so desired.
When I look at the best teams in the NHL year in and out it's the ones who consistently build a team through their own development and processes not by trying to grab every piece from someone else's development program. The Detroit, New Jersey, San Jose, Vancouver, Chicago(recently), and Boston methods that have worked. These teams have all made deals to add to their rosters but they have all managed their core pieces well to keep adding players they develop.
The Jets reset their organization when it moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta but the rebuild had already begun on the roster. While it's not playoff calibre yet it's not far off by points. The best teams have key or core people on all lines who fill a role and that's the one area the Jets desperately lack in, especially the bottom six. It's getting better but not great, but what is clear it's deeper than it has been in the last 3 years.
However you look at the roster, and whether you think it's a rebuild or not, if someone had said in the summer of 2011 that Winnipeg would have Olli Jokinen and Devan Setoguchi anchoring the second line with Kane most would have said, 'no way'. Well, that's what is shaping up for the next season.
If someone had said in 2011 that the Jets would have drafted the 2013 the WHL player of the year, drafted the WHL academic player of the year, drafted the WHL scoring leader, along with have the best US player from the WJHC under contract we'd have had them locked up. Well, that happened too.
It's not that change and a rebuild hasn't happened it's that it's not happening by stripping away assets, that happened to the Thrashers in 2007 and the team is just now recovering and it only took 3 off seasons in Winnipeg with a committed and focused ownership and management group.
Does it turn the Jets into a playoff contender right now? No but when has this organization looked so good from top to bottom?
Reset or rebuild? It doesn't matter what you call it because both have happened as I see it. The Thrashers started it but an ownership change means the Jets and Kevin Chevaldayoff have to do the tougher, more discreet work and that is fill in the depth holes. I think he's on his way but there's still work to be done.
Now about those key RFAs Chevy....
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