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How should the Jets use the 13th overall pick? |
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While there is not much in the way to discuss with the Jets now that player reviews and grades are finished and fans watch the remainder of the playoffs, it does not mean theoretical discussions are without merit. The team has holes, this much is certain and it also has tactical issues within it’s coaching systems. The team also has options with regards to these holes and how they can solve them.
If one were to prioritize the needs of the team, what would the order of importance be?
Goaltending
LHD
PP
PK
4th line
Depending on how you view the Jets that order could be moved around without much argument. Just for perspective, remember after year one of Jets 2.0 there were issues on 3rd line, 4th line and bottom three defence as well as goaltending. Not much has changed but that’s probably by design as TNSE has been steadfast in its draft and develop process.
This year the Jets had a slim chance at draft lottery luck and now sit with the 13th pick overall for the 2017 NHL entry draft. It’s not great and neither is the draft this year with no generational talent players and questionable depth through it. The questions becomes what is the best usage of that 13th overall pick?
The Jets could retain it and pick some player (BPA best player available like most past drafts) such as Juuso Valimaki, Callan Foote, Ryan Poehling or Jason Robertson is the draft goes in similar order to the final CSS rankings.
The pick could become a commodity for a trade to deal with one of the roster holes such as LHD or goaltending. Remember in 2013 when the Canucks traded Corey Schneider for the 9th overall pick to take Bo Horvat? Could that happen and what if it was traded for Corey Schneider? (I think that’s a long shot and I’m not sure Schneider would agree to come to Winnipeg as he was not a fan of the city when he played for the Moose) Could that same pick be used for LHD help? Remember that Tucker Poolman will be given every chance to fill in the 5-6 roll on bottom pairing.
The complicated part here is the that Jets are so deep on RHD and that there is still no understanding of where the team sits with Jacob Trouba and his future in Winnipeg. Losing Trouba would be a huge blow but would he get what the Jets want/need in return if including the 13th pick happened? The over payment is probably necessary because the situation between the Jets and Trouba is known as is the return desired.
3. Again, like a broken record, the expansion draft plays a huge role in how the value of picks in the entry draft could be established. After it is known who the Golden Knights have selected and the likely deals they have made with many of the other 30 teams to take or not take certain players, it could be a wild period of activity. Could the Jets parlay that pick into something involving a player that the Golden Knights have selected from the expansion draft?
4. The Jets could trade down too. It’s possible that should the player they want not be there at pick thirteen a deal is ready to turn that 1st round pick into a lower pick with an extra pick later on. One of the prevailing thoughts in the NHL now is that with the value of younger players being re-established having more of them gives a better chance of developing one into a regular player. Draft picks after the top of the first round are a bit like lottery tickets and the more you have the better your chance of winning is.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record being a broken record…again, the expansion draft will play a monumental role in what the Jets or any other team could and will do with their roster. Add in the variable of a flat salary cap too and draft picks could be a huge asset to play with should a GM choose to. Again though, this is something you’ve read here before and will likely read again as we approach the two drafts and more and more information seeps out.
However to you dear reader and fan- what do you do with the 13th overall pick and who would you target?
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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