Forget last night- it can be dissected any way you like but it's still another loss but with a far better chance of not being one. Does that make sense? It should because sometimes you have to come close to busting a slump before you actually do and last night was pretty close for the Jets.
That doesn't mean Kevin Cheveldayoff is not trying to change the roster he assembled with confidence this summer in an effort to start a youth movement in Winnipeg. As tweeted by Chris Nichols Nichols On HockeyDarren Dreger of TSN said this:
Cheveldayoff has been working the phones, trying to drum up interest. #NHLJets in the market for preferably top-6 forward.
That tweet was followed up with this one:
I heard Toby Engstrom's name tossed out as potentially being a guy they would consider parting w/ in some sort of deal...
Then:
I talked to Cheveldayoff. He admits he's making calls. He admits he's trying to get something going (on the trade front.)
So let's break this down here on a few different levels.
Dreger got Chevy to say something about the Jets and trades and what he is doing. That in itself is a coup bigger than taking over a small South American country. All anyone had to do was call Chevy up and ask him what he's doing???
However, it makes sense that he is trying to do something, as I've said before, something isn't right and it's likely not fixed within the group in a short amount of time. When hot goaltending is not there the Jets are not a particularly functional group right now, or may not be into the future.
So something has to be done but it begs a question, why sign Drew Stafford to 4.5 million/year for two years if he isn't a top 6 forward? Don't try to answer that one, especially why you remember that the Jets could have Frolik at 4 years for 4 million/year right now.
But the real kicker is that Dreger suggests Enstrom is somehow available. That would leave Mark Stuart as your top LHD so this seems not only idiotic but suicidal. I'm not buying it.
The other thing here is why are Buff and Ladd's names not out there? It would probably mean Chevy is stilll intent on signing them because one or the other would be the logical choice to move right now based on them being UFA.
The sense is that there is a bit of a scramble here by the Jets management and that they are in reactionary mode, but what if they see and know something more about the roster? Something that dictates this action as much as the recent record.
You would not find me arguing against shoring up the bottom forwards and perhaps a move to get a player like Brad Boyes from Toronto would be a baby-step precursor to something of a larger magnitude.
What is clear is that the Jets are missing forwards who can pinch hit in different roles, much like the ones they acquired before the deadline last year, Stempniak and Tlusty. If the risk is to get some one for a pick it makes sense as Nic Petan needs time in the AHL and Chris Thorburn should not be your utility winger when lines need to be shifted.
Perhaps that's the clue to what Chevy is looking at or for- some one who can be that mid-level forward 6-10 who can move through the line up when needed. Ideally that forward would come from within and Raffl would be that guy but he is injured.
Remember all the criticism about how the Jets didn't try more PTOs in training camp? Here's a good reason why they are helpful. You may find something and you may not have to rush youth and right now perhaps both Petan and Copp could use time in the AHL to get their groove.
More as it happens.