an idea from logan ollivier

As a Jets fan, I'm unable to look at Hainsey in your top 6 without chuckling, but that is a huge improvement to your defense. Chevy would probably agree to that trade, but your issue would be getting a rebuilding team to trade for a rental in Gardiner. You might have to offer a conditional pick if Gardiner doesn't resign or get Gardiner's approval for an extension before the trade. Also with the Jets trade, I assume you extend Myers, because if not we'd be alright with sending a conditional 2019 2nd or 3rd pick if he doesn't resign.

I have no problems with this lineup at all. Personally I wouldn't spend money on Grabner or Ryan. Both had big years and are not worth close to what they'll get but those price tags don't sink the ship thats for sure. Love that defence though. That would be so much harder to play against and would improve the penalty kill in a big way. Myers and Tanev can both play the right side of the PK, which would give Hainsey a big break.

2 things

1) Hainsey can still play a regular shift in the NHL, but he's far better on the left side of the bottom pairing.

2) The Vancouver trade works if Dubas convinces Benning that Gardiner will transform the Canucks transition game and if he doesn't want to sign in Vancouver, he can be flipped at the deadline and likely get a package close to what Shatenkirk got a couple of seasons ago. (Well less than that.)

Hey, thank Celt. I agree with Logan here, that Hainsey ain`t bad, and he provides alot of mentorship, but I think he was way overused this year. Gettign him on his propper side and on a lower pairing would help. Yeah, I think those are fair assumptions that you stated about a conditional pick - if this were to go down, I`m sure that would be part of it. And you could be right about the Gardiner to Vancouver trade - maybe a conditional is required as well, or maybe its a different package and Gards get dealt for picks like Logan did. But I think Gards > Tanev (differetn roles obviously) and throwing Martin in there (cap dump), as well as Carrick (which essentialy gives the Canucks a pairing with some decent history together) might balance things. Anyways, all trades in this game seem to be about a general framework and picks prosects might need to be added to make them work.

Out of curiousity - any word/rumours on how things are going with Stastny and the Jets? Do you think he`s sticking around?

Very doubtful, not because the Jets don't want to keep him, they really do, it just adds more moving parts to a team where GMChevy likes to simplify things.

I explained their situation completely in full detail for the next two years barring blockbuster trade or free agent in a thread on my most recent team (sorry for the shameless self-promoting), but the Jets are in kind of a unique situation where without Statsny they are really one of the only SC contending teams that doesn't have a 1C playing 2C (PITT, TOR, NSH, VGK, WSH, TBL, BOS), but in terms of rates of production in P/60 and Corsi they have 3 average or untested 2C's. (Roslovic, Little, and Lowry). Out of all of these guys I'd be happiest with Jackie getting the nod at 2C. Last season in his limited games with the Jets he scored at a rate 1.9P/60, which shatters 1st line standards. I'd like to see what he can do with Laine on his wing.

As for Hainsey, don't take it personally. I would love to see a Leafs vs Jets SCF, and if the John Carlson negotiation gets messy it's not a crazy proposition. Hainsey did play easily his the two worst seasons of his career with the Jets. You won't find many Hainsey fans in Winnipeg at all.