Jacob Billington: Winnipeg Jets Prospects; Boxing Day Update: World Juniors Kickoff

Small sample size… but Chaz Lucuis looked the best… pleasantly surprised by Fabian Wagners performance.

I know not everyone in here are Heinola fans, but can someone clearly tell me what Pionk does that Heinola does not?
Do the Pionk fans realize just how bad he has been?
Do you ignore all the mistakes?
He is making 5 million more than Heinola and is not better. The smartest thing to do is trade Pionk for a forward right now.

I know not everyone in here are Heinola fans, but can someone clearly tell me what Pionk does that Heinola does not?
Do the Pionk fans realize just how bad he has been?
Do you ignore all the mistakes?
He is making 5 million more than Heinola and is not better. The smartest thing to do is trade Pionk for a forward right now.
- Ross77

I haven't seen enough of Heinola to form an opinion about him but i think he will be OK. gets absolutly overwhelmed physically but plays the puck well.

Pionk competes as hard as any player on the team, maybe the toughest/most courageous competitor on the team. He goes to the toughest areas on the ice and battles. He is much tougher to play against than Heinola. His play against Greenway last night is what we consistently get from Pionk. He forced Greenways drive behind the net rather than to the front (as we saw Dubois do at the other end), paid a price then went out and did it again. I don't like that he is our "#2 or #3" dman but like watching him play.

Jets just don't have the horses right now to compete, especially if the goalie is sub par.

The so called first line can't do anymore than they are doing so I would not expect a .500 hockey team until they get 3 or 4 of the injured players back.

This is an AHL team with a #1 NHL line. Nothing more, and forget about the vezina goalie when he plays like last nite.

I haven't seen enough of Heinola to form an opinion about him but i think he will be OK. gets absolutly overwhelmed physically but plays the puck well.

Pionk competes as hard as any player on the team, maybe the toughest/most courageous competitor on the team. He goes to the toughest areas on the ice and battles. He is much tougher to play against than Heinola. His play against Greenway last night is what we consistently get from Pionk. He forced Greenways drive behind the net rather than to the front (as we saw Dubois do at the other end), paid a price then went out and did it again. I don't like that he is our "#2 or #3" dman but like watching him play.
- 2.0

Like you, I haven't seem all that much of Ville Heinola. However what I have seen of him is...well, I have seen little that impresses me. Like what has he shown, other than he is too weak and timid to play in the NHL at the present time? I realize d-men take longer to develop but I think it's time to cut bait - and get what we can for him.

To my way of thinking we are in pretty good shape on the LH side - JoMo, Dillon and Samberg/Stanley. The right side is a different story.

Really think one of Pionk, Schmidt, DeMelo need to be moved out with the first two being my preference. DeMelo has stepped it up a notch lately.

Don't know if this will happen now, or down the road but, say, Pionk, Heinola and a another piece (Harkins, Vesalaianen?) should bring us back a decent return - hopefully! But for a F or D?

See Alex Lafrenniere is a healthy scratch for the Rangers tonight.

Think a Heinola+ for Lafrenniere might work?

I haven't seen enough of Heinola to form an opinion about him but i think he will be OK. gets absolutly overwhelmed physically but plays the puck well.

Pionk competes as hard as any player on the team, maybe the toughest/most courageous competitor on the team. He goes to the toughest areas on the ice and battles. He is much tougher to play against than Heinola. His play against Greenway last night is what we consistently get from Pionk. He forced Greenways drive behind the net rather than to the front (as we saw Dubois do at the other end), paid a price then went out and did it again. I don't like that he is our "#2 or #3" dman but like watching him play.
- 2.0

I appreciate the response and opinion. I just disagree. Not saying pionk doesn’t compete hard or try hard. Just he gets out muscled as much as Heinola but fans make it a bigger deal for Heinola. Pionk makes to many mistakes and turnovers and I can’t stress this enough, makes 5 million more than Heinola and isnt close to a 5 million improvement.
Fans are hanging on way to hard to the only good season of his career which wasn’t even a real year, it was a year we only played 5 other teams in the Canadian division

Like you, I haven't seem all that much of Ville Heinola. However what I have seen of him is...well, I have seen little that impresses me. Like what has he shown, other than he is too weak and timid to play in the NHL at the present time? I realize d-men take longer to develop but I think it's time to cut bait - and get what we can for him.

To my way of thinking we are in pretty good shape on the LH side - JoMo, Dillon and Samberg/Stanley. The right side is a different story.

Really think one of Pionk, Schmidt, DeMelo need to be moved out with the first two being my preference. DeMelo has stepped it up a notch lately.

Don't know if this will happen now, or down the road but, say, Pionk, Heinola and an another piece (Harkins, Vesalaianen?) should bring us back a decent return - hopefully! But for a F or D?
- grahamzky

Jets have already ruined any Heinola return value. No one’s giving more than a 3rd rounder at this point. We need to play him.
Vesalainen has no value. None.
Pionk is the piece that GM’s would over value based solely on ice time and right shot D. He is 💯 the one to move

Pionk has been so bad it actually is maddening. It seems as though he never learns from stupid mistakes, such as making needless risky plays as a pp is ending. Trade him now and pray you can get a middle six forward in return.

Pionk has been so bad it actually is maddening. It seems as though he never learns from stupid mistakes, such as making needless risky plays as a pp is ending. Trade him now and pray you can get a middle six forward in return.
- Jetlag

I agree, another thing about Heinola, why is it he is the one having to play his off side and not Samberg, Dillon or stanley (when healthy) could it be because none of them are remotely as talented to Heinola ?

I agree, another thing about Heinola, why is it he is the one having to play his off side and not Samberg, Dillon or stanley (when healthy) could it be because none of them are remotely as talented to Heinola ?
- Ross77

Further to this, the Rangers are sitting Lafrenier after never allowing him to play his true left wing position, always plying him on his his off wing. Maybe let some of these guys play their true position before completely judging them

Watching Pionk and Sambergs follies tonight, I’d certainly like to see more of Heinola and Dillon.

Watching Pionk and Sambergs follies tonight, I’d certainly like to see more of Heinola and Dillon.
- Jetlag

Heinola was our best D tonight.

Heinola was our best D tonight.
- Ross77

Definitely Ville's best NHL game yet!

Ville certainly looks to my eye as the 2nd best option as a dman on pp1 or pp2 depending on configuration. He had his best game of this season for sure.

Heinola was our best D tonight.
- Ross77

Heinola had a good game for sure.

So did Gagne.... no points but played well in his milestone game, back checking and made some good defensive plays.

This is the 2nd time that Scheifle has scored a hattrick with his parents in the stands.

Further to this, the Rangers are sitting Lafrenier after never allowing him to play his true left wing position, always plying him on his his off wing. Maybe let some of these guys play their true position before completely judging them
- Ross77

Change of scenery trade would be good for Lafrenier and a jets prospect plus.

However, if it is not a waiver wire pickup I am not holding my breath for Chevy to make a trade. Can’t even remember the last player trade he has made during the season.

Definitely Ville's best NHL game yet!
- grahamzky

I am thinking it was a great game for Heinola to play his best. He will be a central piece in a trade to get Horvat.

Heinola was our best D tonight.
- Ross77

It was his best game so far in his young career, to say he was our best is a little rich. In one sequence I was impressed with his skating speed - something he has never shown in the NHL. He often looks slow out there, hopefully that is a sign of some confidence or a chip on his shoulder. He needs to add/keep the skating in his game.

Team defense was excellent, really limited opportunities in the last half the game. Dillon and Dylan were both really solid and on thier games and played much tougher minutes than Ville. Morrissey was good, but the bar recently set for himself is higher.

Given the RW situation i like that 55 has been sliding over to extend his shift and play some 2nd line RW minutes the last couple games. Also guys like Dubois, Dillon and Lowry have reigned in their physicality and played some boring disciplined hockey. Not the tone we are looking for but needed as we can't afford more injuries.

I agree, another thing about Heinola, why is it he is the one having to play his off side and not Samberg, Dillon or stanley (when healthy) could it be because none of them are remotely as talented to Heinola ?
- Ross77

I'm pretty sure both Dillon and Samberg have played some games on their offhand. IIrc Dillon played on his offhand for a bit last season while babysitting Stanley.
Can't recall Stanley playing any games on his offhand but maybe he has.

Anyone wonder what Samberg's ceiling is, he's okay but doesn't seem like anything special so far, just a run of the mill 3rd pair D, not sure there's top 4 potential in him, definitely don't see anything that would indicate top pair potential.

I am thinking it was a great game for Heinola to play his best. He will be a central piece in a trade to get Horvat.
- TheUltimateJet

Not the right season for a rental

Not the right season for a rental
- Rexypoo

Why is this not the season for a rental?

Typically I don't think this organization should ever really be trading better assets (1sts/A-prospects)for rentals.