One player who does not get much attention is Dan Hamhuis, the stalwart defender who is coming off a 6 year deal with the Canucks. He's 33 years old and still has some game in his legs but not as a top pairing guy, perhaps not even top 4, but in Winnipeg what's the alternative?
The Jets blue line is woefully weak on the left side. It starts with Enstrom and drops to Stuart with Trouba playing his off side depending on the match-ups. The question for the Jets right now is who can step in to alleviate some of that pressure on the left side and most are expecting Josh Morrissey to step in but is that realistic?
Morrissey is a top prospect for the Jets but behind where many thought he would be in his development right now, and perhaps the Jets too. In theory Morrissey should get some looks at camp and such but he by no means is a sure thing to make the team.
Enter Dan Hamhuis.
It's not known what the player is looking for in money or term but at age 33 he must know that it's unlikely he will get much in the way of term and perhaps the Jets could offer him a 1 or 2 year deal to buy time for development. Of course there is already a lot of money committed to the blue line in Winnipeg but the team does have cap space and it does have a glaring need on the left side.
Is it possible that the Jets would drop Stuart or do they need to?
The answer is yes but t his 2.6 million salary it's more likely that Ben Chiarot will be the odd man out if any changes are to come. That's the problem with a top 4 with 3 right shots giving all the minutes.
Last season at even strength the pairings by 5 v 5 minutes worked out like this:
Enstrom Myers
Stuart Trouba
Enstrom Byfuglien
Trouba Byfuglien
Chiarot Byfuglien
Trouba Myers
While Stuart is not getting near the minutes of others he commands a salary of 2.6 million and eating that in the minors if he cannot be traded seems rather un-Jets like. But if you took out Stuart or Chiarot where do you fit Hamhuis in?
All he would do is likely cut down the minutes of others but he'd be a far better partner for Trouba.
Here is the rub, take out either Chiarot or Stuart and you can make this happen but there is little chance the Jets are going to pay for them in the minors while adding a likely 3 million dollar plus defence man. Yes Hamhuis would be a major improvement and help the Jets but he'd be playing mostly 3rd line mins and that position is locked in due to contracts.
Regardless, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, has stated that LHD is a priority so perhaps there is a plan and if so Dan Hamhuis should be a part of that plan. He brings far more of what Stuart apparently does well than Stuart and that alone could make for a huge improvement from the Jets' blue line.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
Join the Discussion:
»