Quoting: MisstheWhalers
Very much agree, acquiring Eakin like 3 or 4 years ago would've been great but extending him now is pretty much pointless, like if they could get him for $2M× 2 or 3 then that's not terrible but you lose a 3rd rather then a 4th and he's likely wanting much more aav to sign in Winnipeg so I just don't see it as worth it.
Copp is more of a 3C then anything else, Roslo did pretty well at 3C and definitely has the skill to be a 2C, Shore could be resigned cheap for 4C depth, Gustafsson is likely around and looks like a 3 or 4C, Lowry is here for another season at least and Harkins was a C in the AHL so this team has plenty of 3/4C options which Eakin just adds to what they already have plenty of, they need a true 2C or at the very least a 3C with low end 2C potential like Tierney maybe but that'd mean taking a risk and parting with an asset or two. Other then Roslovic I see no potential 2C's on the Jets, maybe Harkins but Maurice being so 1995 in his thought process I can't see him trying Harkins at center let alone 2C even though Harkins seems like more of a Maurice type player then Roslovic is.
I'm all for acquiring Domi, I'd overpay for a long term signed Domi, Cirelli too but I can't see Tampa not figuring their cap crunch out, I just don't have much faith in Chevy, he really doesn't make enough moves building this lineup and roster imo, far too reliant on the draft and no team is built solely through the draft.
Certainly agree on your points there.
To be fair though, the main reason why the jets have seen regression over the past couple years has been because simply, the players still here have just been playing worse. For example, Mark Scheifele had a legit case to be called a top 5 C in the 17-18 season, he was excellent. Josh Morrissey played like a true #1 defenceman. Adam Lowry and Perrault were two VERY strong depth players, now they were barely NHL level this season. Even Blake wheeler has seen regression, as well had Kyle Connor in terms of overall play. The only players you could say have gotten better since that season are Hellebuyck and Roslovic, Ehlers maybe as well (he has always been very good though) that says something to have that many players regress.
The only players that we really should have tried harder to keep since that 17-18 season are Statsny, Armia, Tanev, and Chiarot. The rest weren’t these huge losses that Everyone was making them up to be.
You can say that this has been because of poor coaching or the players simply not putting in the same effort as they did before.
The way I see it, this summer should hold no excuses. We will have the cap to go out there and seriously improve this team. If we are still seeing adequate at best results by the middle of next year I think it’s time for a coaching change.