Trade Buff and Sign Franson
Cody Franson could be the player that changes the fortunes for the Winnipeg Jets.
How is that for a hot take? Piping magma hot?
Okay, but let’s discuss the reason for saying something along these lines- Franson could make Byfuglien expendable and that should be a boon to the Winnipeg Jets. It allows Chevy to trade Byfuglien because Franson could fill his spot on the right side and at a cheaper rate.
Trading Byfuglien is not an agenda of mine, it’s part of a management strategy and tactical move that I believe should be employed by the Jets and any other team. It’s catch and release.
Catch a decent free agent and release an aging one at peak value. This isn’t about Byfuglien, it’s about the model and he happens to fit the model. Personally speaking- Buff is a player I want the Jets to have but not at any cost and therein lies the issue.
The Jets are not a cap team, they are a managed small market team with the richest individual owner in the league. His wealth is insurance, not a pot of gold. If Byfuglien and Ladd are to be Jets it will cost plenty and it seems unlikely that the Jets could or want to afford both and keep true to their draft and develop model. Remember Trouba and Scheifele are coming up for new deals after this season.
So what about Franson? What does he bring that Byfuglien doesn’t? He’s younger and will be cheaper and does almost the same thing except the point volume.
Byfuglien Corsi and Goals
Franson Corsi and Goals
Byfuglien Shot Suppression and Generation
Franson Shot Suppression and Generation
Byfuglien Hero
Franson Hero
I won’t tell you that Franson is the player that Byfuglien is in terms of impact on the ice and the unique physical specimen- not going to happen. However, if a team is going to enter into contracts with a draft and develop model in mind they will have Ladd, Byfuglien, Engstrom and Stafford all in their 30s, some with term. Is that the right age gap and assignment of salary?
Remember this is about implementing a strategy, not about who you like. Who doesn’t like Byfuglien? Who doesn’t like a winning team? There’s no guarantee by looking at the data presented here that Franson makes the Jets a better team if he replaces Byfuglien, that’s for scouts and management to figure out but use the data to guide and assist.
The other aspect here is the team itself. What kind of person is Franson vs what kind of person Byfuglien is. WHAT?!?!? Intangibles you say Tessier? Yes, because they still matter and are part of decision for any GM, denying so would be foolish and naive. Byfuglien is popular, well-liked by his team mates and very close with many of them, particularly Ladd and Wheeler. That’s part of the core and leadership- how dangerous is it to disrupt that? How risky is it to leave it alone at any cost? Can you see the balancing act Cheveldayoff has to do?
What if the Ladd and Buff contracts are being worked on in tandem because management and ownership believe in the two and want them as Jets? It might not be a bad thing because it ‘could’ mean both players take less to be in Winnipeg and together. It’s a story every team wants to tell but is it likely?
Some rumours have circulated, coming from other cities, that Chevy has mentioned he would not ask Byfuglien to accept a trade, that it would be un-loyal. Byfuglien can submit 5 teams each off season that he will not allow a trade too, that give Chevy 24 other options to work with and that’s from a deal that was signed by Don Waddel. There is no loyalty issue here. There might be to other players on the team though, such as the ones mentioned above.
If you are going to release Byfuglien in a trade two things have to be clear- the return has to be specific and immediately helpful and the other players on the team need to have an understanding of why the move was done. Whether one feels a GM owes players explanations or not does not matter. This is the culture and construction of the Jets away from the ice- close and friendly with one another, and deconstructing that has risks.
Signing Franson costs cap space and a roster spot but that can be more than made up with a trade involving Byfuglien. The Jets currently have 4 centres signed and one, Perreault, was playing left wing last season so that means either another needs to be acquired or Andrew Copp or another is getting a legit shot.
There seems to be a hole, maybe large or not but this roster is not finished yet. This reality is probably part of the overall strategy and likely something that will be addressed before or during training camp. That would likely be when any deal involving Byfuglien would happen too as the dog days of summer move along.
The debate should not be ‘who is better, Byfuglien or Franson?’ rather it should revolve around what makes the most sense for a team using a draft and develop model about to have 4 core players in 30s. Byfuglien is one such possible solution and whether fans like it or not his status on the ice and with his contract make him the most logical place to start.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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