30-in-30- The Youth
Scheifele, Trouba, Lowry are the mainstsys and familiar names of the youth within the Winnipeg Jets team and organization. Although looking deeper should produce more notable names or perhaps simple more. Here’s a great piece by Garret Hohl about where the Jets stand.
The point that every one is making now is the Jets are about to converge there existing vets with the youth they have developed and acquired. More specifically, who is that?
The names of Hellebyuck, Petan, Armia, Ehlers, Morrissey, Kostalek and Copp are where Jets fans and pundits are hoping to see change. That’s the good within the organization but when does it arrive?
The simple answer to that question is along the lines of ‘it is what it is’ as the younger talent arrives when it’s ready. That’s an important aspect to note because it’s take almost 4 years for the Jets to unearth themselves from the mess that was Atlanta and player development. The approach to player development before the team was moved to Winnipeg was ‘it’s here when we need it’ not when ‘we’re ready’.
That’s a critical difference but right now it’s very important because at no time since the Thrashers became the Jets did has the possibility of so much youth arriving at once been possible.
Andrew Copp is likely to be the 4th line centre replacing an aging Jim Slater. Younger and probably cheaper.
Nik Ehlers will likely have to play himself out of a spot in the top 9 this camp.
Joel Armia will have a chance to make one of Matt Fraser or Halischuk redundant and in the AHL or traded.
Connor Hellebyuck is going to make the crease situation very interesting for both Paul Maurice and Kevin Cheveldayoff.
Kostalek and Morrissey could provide some interesting variables on defence in camp as well.
What the Jets are beginning to realize as an organization, is that they have the assets to challenge positions without looking outside. It probably explains why contracts were not extended to Stempniak and Tlusty this off season. The available depth within the younger ranks of the organization also points to a situation that may explain why a faster movement to youth was not made when the team arrived from Atlanta.
Remember how many thought the ideal time to blow things up and make the team balanced to grow for the future was in year one or just after? What would the Jets actually be icing as product and would that have looked a lot more like Atlanta? Had they done a wholesale change to move towards youth would they be making the same mistake as the Thrashers did- playing young players before they were ready for the NHL?
If you look back at the veterans of Jets teams past, particularly 2011-12 and 12-13 would implanting more youth have helped? The reason to ask this question now is to compare against the core veterans of today, Ladd, Little, Wheeler, Byfuglien, Engstrom, Myers, Stafford, Perreault are a group that got the Jets into the post season. That’s something that did not happen since 2007 with a host different players, combinations and efforts.
It may not be the most dynamic or talented core but it’s a lot better than 3 or 4 seasons ago and that is probably what Chevy is banking on at this juncture. He has youth who impresses, is close to ready and could be equal in talent to his vets but at the beginning of the talent arc.
What could be happening is that according to plan the Jets are replenishing the roster from within with talent equal to what has grown to be the veterans, leaders and core of the team. In theory if it (the plan) works out the talent gap is reduced and the team becomes better through the bottom to top.
The sense amongst those closest to the Jets is that the ‘development’ part of draft and develop is about to bear fruit. That’s the good news but the simple reality is that before anyone can taste the fruit it has to stay on the tree for a bit. Some may fall off and thrown into the compost heap but that’s a natural part of the cycle. Not everything works out.
However, should a few players grow and ripen the way some expect the Jets could have a very delicious roster in the near short-term. Just have to worry about those UFAs but that’s another issue entirely.