Quoting: tormundgiantsbane
This site seems to be very anti-Laine for whatever reason, but I totally believe this report.
The Jets locker room has been concerning for years. The way guys like Byfuglien and Perreault talked about Evander Kane bordered on unprofessional and gave some insight into how things were definitely not good there... I know Evander can be polarizing to some but I don't think he's totally to blame for that.
Also look at how many good players have left the franchise in the last few years - Trouba, Byfuglien, Kane, Stastny, Hayes, Myers, now Laine and Roslovic. People always say it's because "no one wants to play in Winnipeg" but I disagree - I think a lot of players would love to play for a Canadian team, especially one that's consistently competitive and, until recently, looked like a Stanley Cup worthy team.
I would not doubt that there's a problem with leadership at all. And I wouldn't be surprised if Ehlers was the next one out the revolving door.
The Jets have drafted better than arguably any other franchise in the past decade, but they can't retain anyone despite being very competitive in recent playoffs. That's a culture problem, and apparently it comes from the top - the captain.
Laine is going to be a beast for Columbus or for any other team he may ultimately end up on if he doesn't sign there in the summer. I stand by Laine being the best player the Jets have had in the past decade. Let's not forget that he's only 23 - there's time to become an even more dominant player.
Oh, and lost in all of this is Jack Roslovic - why couldn't they sign him to that small contract? He's another one who may become a stud, and he's a center which is what the Jets supposedly needed.
I really liked Winnipeg's growth from inception (2011) through like 2018, but now I'm pretty low on them. I think it's impossible to deny there are big problems in that locker room that are holding them back. Weren't there recent rumors about affairs between Jets players and their teammates' girlfriends/wives?
Seems like there's something up there. Though I've been a bigger Winnipeg fan than Columbus fan (from afar), I look forward to rooting for Laine with the Jackets.
I wish Laine well in Columbus. Kane and Trouba are head case cancers and the Jets are better off without both of them. Have fun eating that contract NYR. Hayes and Stastny were both brought in as UFA trade deadline rentals. Signed for higher amounts than the Jets were willing to pay. Good for them. Myers also signed with Vancouver for more than he is worth. Good for him. Byfuglien lost the will to play. Considering he didn't sign with anyone else, that might not be a Winnipeg issue. Roslovic could see the writing on the wall in Winnipeg. With the trade for Stastny and the drafting of Perfetti, he was never going to crack the top 6. Wanted a shot at top 6 minutes and Chevy granted him his wish. I would have preferred he sit for the year and Winnipeg had offered him up to Seattle. Chevy is nicer than me.
To me the biggest problem with the Jets is that they set themselves up to be a "draft-and-develop" team but they have a coach that loves playing his wily veterans. The development of Heinola, Samberg, Niku, Stanley, Vesalainen, and Gustafsson has been delayed by the acquisitions of Sbisa, Forbort, Bitetto, Thompson, Lewis, Bourque, Shaw, and Shore. Paul Maurice doesn't let his young prospects learn from their mistakes in the NHL.