Jets Mailbag: Cheveldayoff might have more big moves to make

WINNIPEG — Is there more to come or is the Winnipeg Jets' off-season renovation project complete?

At a time on the NHL calendar where things have slowed considerably, the fan base is wondering if Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff still has a move or several up his sleeve.

With just over five weeks before training camp is set to open, the Jets roster has undergone a significant change with the departure of Pierre-Luc Dubois via trade and former captain Blake Wheeler joining the New York Rangers after having the final season of his contract bought out.

The additions of forwards Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari from the Los Angeles Kings in the aforementioned deal for Dubois have enhanced the depth up front..

Though the job looks like it’s still in progress since there are still several questions left unanswered, including one about the logjam on the blue line that requires attention and an uncertain future for a number of players, including elite goalie Connor Hellebuyck and top-line centre Mark Scheifele among others heading into the final season of their current deals.

As it stands now, the Jets appear to have the makings of a bubble team that should give up fewer goals, but might not score as many.

They should be harder to play against, but will that translate into defending better and making life easier for the goalies?

That remains to be seen.

Beyond the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, the Central Division figures to be pretty wide open, so it stands to reason the Jets should be in position to compete for a playoff spot — and not necessarily just a wild card either — but a few more moves figure to be on the horizon for the team to be considered to be one of the leading contenders.

With all of that in mind, let’s see what else is in the inbox for the Jets' monthly mailbag (spoiler alert, the inbox was flooded with queries about the top centre and the starting goalie):

Are Jets going to offer Connor Hellebuyck a 2-to-3 year deal???? Maybe in the 9 to 10 million range per year? - Jeff Tilbury

This is one of the fascinating questions left to ponder. After watching the New York Islanders lock down Ilya Sorokin to an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $8.25 million, we have an idea what the price is for top goaltenders.

Now, it’s important to remember that Sorokin has one more year left on a deal that carries an AAV of $4 million so he was already due a significant raise.

He’s also two years younger than Hellebuyck.

Both are Vezina Trophy-calibre goalies and Sorokin finished ahead of Hellebuyck in the balloting last season, when Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins claimed the award.

However, Sorokin only has 136 NHL games under his belt (plus another 13 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs), so Hellebuyck has a longer track record (485 games, including the post-season) and a Vezina already in his case, so that’s part of the counter argument when discussing the value of that next deal.

Given how many teams are moving toward more of a 1A and 1B situation in the crease, it stands to reason that it’s going to be difficult to justify paying a goalie somewhere in the neighbourhood of $9-10 million well into his late 30s — even if that netminder is playing at an elite level.

That’s where the suggestion of a shorter-term deal for a higher AAV comes into play.

Would the Jets be willing to pay Hellebuyck $10 million a year for two or three seasons?

Only the GM knows for sure.

Why would it make sense for the Jets to do so?

The chances are higher that Hellebuyck can maintain his high level of play into his mid-30s than it is for him (or any other goalie, for that matter) to do so at ages 37, 38 or 39.

The Jets will likely need to make Hellebuyck one of — if not THE — highest paid goalie in the NHL to convince him to stick around beyond this season.

So what’s in it for Hellebuyck, who could simply opt to wait out the season and be courted by interested teams next summer, when the salary cap is expected to rise and more money should be available?

Well, he could ensure an additional $20-$30 million — which is a high number when you consider he’s going into the final season of a six-year pact that paid him $37 million and carries an AAV of $6.167.

A two-year deal means he could become an unrestricted free agent at 33, a three-year deal likely leaves him in a bit of a tougher spot when it comes to the following contract, giving the ageing curve for goalies.

Ultimately, Hellebuyck has proven he’s a workhorse and he’d likely prefer to ink a deal that is at least five years — probably closer to six or seven — and he’s going to want more than the $8.5 million AAV that Sorokin signed for.

The Jets are the only team that could give him eight years and while Hellebuyck has clearly exceeded the value of his current deal, committing to the maximum number of years would carry plenty of risk — though it could serve as a way to convince the franchise goalie to stick around.

So to answer the original question, yes I suspect the Jets have offered a shorter-term deal for higher money but no, I don’t think that’s something Hellebuyck and his camp would be interested in agreeing to — at least not at the moment.

Might the Penguins’ trade for Erik Karlsson increase the Bruins’ interest in Mark Scheifele? - Brian Kozak

The complex three-way deal for Karlsson involving the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens has drawn plenty of attention for three main reasons: it’s August and things are generally a little quieter during the month, it’s rare that the reigning Norris Trophy winner is moved during the off-season and folks are wondering if the creativity shown might open up an opportunity for another blockbuster of this nature — since the NHL has often proven to be a copycat league.

As for what it means for the Jets and Bruins as potential dance partners, they still make some sense — though that has little to do with Karlsson, since the Bruins weren’t believed to be among the teams in the market for him.

But with the official retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, it’s natural for observers to link the two clubs since the Bruins could use a No. 1 centre.

The problem? Well, the Bruins don’t have much cap space and while Scheifele’s contract is considered to be pretty team friendly at just over $6 million ($6.125 million AAV to be exact), the return is where things get complicated.

The Bruins don’t have a top centre or top centre prospect that they could ship back in return.

Defenceman Brandon Carlo would make sense but he has modified no-trade protection that kicked in on July 1 and the Jets would likely need to take some additional salary back to make the dollars work in any deal.

That’s not to say the Jets wouldn’t consider a package involving goalie Jeremy Swayman and forward Trent Frederic, both of whom had their arbitration cases heard this summer.

But unless a suitor for Hellebuyck truly emerges, any potential deal with the Bruins is likely on the back burner.

If Elias Lindholm is traded to Boston, would the Calgary Flames be a potential trade destination for Mark Scheifele? If so, which assets would be of interest to the Jets? - Brenda Clayton

The Flames are in a similar situation as the Jets, with a high number of pending unrestricted free agents on their roster.

That number is eight, even after Tyler Toffoli was moved to the New Jersey Devils, so to say the Flames roster is in flux is a massive understatement.

And while incoming GM Craig Conroy has a lot on his plate, bringing in a No. 1 centre like Scheifele wouldn’t even be under consideration until the future of Elias Lindholm is taken care of.

Even then, it would seem like a long shot when it comes to a possible fit.

The only way a Scheifele deal to the Flames could make sense is if the Flames believe he would be the type of pivot that could unlock the skill set of Jonathan Huberdeau, who is looking for a bounce-back season after a tough first campaign in Calgary following the off-season deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.

However, the Flames already committed big dollars to Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar last summer, so while they might welcome the offensive stability Scheifele could bring, giving him a deal beyond five seasons is not likely something that is under consideration at this time.

Do you think Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele will re-sign? I don’t understand the logic of them starting when the season starts and possibly trading them at the trade deadline when we would get picks and prospects. - @mark51978393

The worst possible situation is still out there. In a playoff spot nearing the deadline with 37 and 55 not extended. Trade them and the rest of the team is unhappy, keep them and miss or early exit and lose them for nothing. Seems like a pretty big gamble for a risk averse GM? - Ian K

It’s hard to know whether or not the Jets are considering an extension with one of - or both — of Scheifele and Hellebuyck, though Cheveldayoff made it clear during his media availability on July 1 that the option was very much under consideration.

Part of that claim was to let other GMs know he wasn’t going to be backed into a corner and accept a deal for pennies on the dollar, but right now, it looks like both players will be at training camp and are on track to start the season with the Jets.

That brings with it some risk for sure, but is that riskier than trading them for a futures package or future lottery tickets?

When it comes to dealing with the NHL trade deadline, it’s a slippery slope for sure.

Would the Jets be comfortable moving one or both players if they were in or close to a playoff spot, especially if the returns would be focusing on draft picks or prospects?

It’s too early to tell.

No contender is going to be in a position to send the Jets back a No. 1 goalie or a No. 1 centre.

Would that leave a sour feeling with the players on the roster and/or the fan base?

Probably.

Could the Jets ultimately decide to roll the dice and use both Scheifele and Hellebuyck as self-rentals and run the risk of losing them in unrestricted free agency?

You can’t rule it out, as the Jets have done it before with players on expiring contracts.

While the asset management crowd would be up in arms if that decision is ultimately made, don’t forget that Scheifele is about to begin his 11th full season with the Jets after he was chosen seventh overall in the 2011 NHL Draft and Hellebuyck will be playing his ninth season (and eighth as the undisputed starter).

That’s a lot of value extracted, both for a first-rounder and for a late-round pick who had just finished a season in the NAHL with the Odessa Jackalopes and was heading off to college.

All to say that everything is probably on the table for the Jets right now: keeping one or both players through the deadline, trading one or both earlier in the season, or extending one or both.

While the uncertainty will most likely leave Cheveldayoff in a bit of a precarious position for the coming weeks and months, being forced to make those difficult decisions as the season moves along is probably more palatable than having to replace those players before opening night arrives on Oct. 11.

Do you honestly think that the Jets have a stronger/better team now than last season? - Dale Kaechler

This is probably a topic that will morph into a full column leading into training camp, but it’s also worth exploring right now — though the crystal ball is understandably a bit cloudy at the present moment.

First and foremost, there could be more moves pending that could change the answer — or at least parts of it.

What I can say with certainty is that there will be things the Jets should be able to do that they didn’t do as often last season.

Does that mean they have the talent to get off to the best start in franchise history?

No.

Does that mean they can avoid the near-disastrous stretch that nearly cost them what seemed like a lead-pipe lock on a playoff spot before limping into the post-season?

Perhaps.

How would they do that?

With the enhanced forward depth, which should allow head coach Rick Bowness and his staff to truly roll four lines throughout the campaign.

His options for line combinations seem almost limitless and once the connections are made, the Jets should still be dangerous — even though they’re going to need someone to step up and fill the production left by the departures of Dubois (28 goals, 63 points in 73 games, which left him fourth in team scoring) and Wheeler (16 goals, 55 points in 72 games, which left him fifth in team scoring).

Vilardi is poised to eclipse his previous career highs (23 goals, 41 points), Iafallo is a consistent double-digit goal scorer and having Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov for a full season is going to help offset some of the outgoing offence.

There are other internal candidates ready to emerge and if Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti can stay healthy, both of those players should figure prominently in the scoring leaders with the likes of Kyle Connor (who has held that honour in each of the past two seasons), Josh Morrissey (who had a career-high 76 points in 78 games) and Scheifele (who is coming off a career-best 42-goal campaign).

If these things happen, the Jets have the ability to rise in the standings beyond the eighth seed in the West.

More importantly, they should have a group that does more than steal Game 1 against the top seed and eventual Stanley Cup champion once the playoffs begin.

That’s why the Jets have the potential to be better/stronger than last season’s squad, even though some important questions remain and some additional adjustments are required.

How would you rate this season’s bottom 6 compared to last season’s bottom 6 for the Jets? - @Oaktree65472824

The Jets’ forward depth makes it tough to fully identify who is going to be on the third and fourth lines and there are likely to be a couple of players bouncing back and forth between the top-6 and bottom-6, making it much more of a middle-6 than it’s been for the past several seasons.

That heightens the competition for ice time and should ensure the Jets aren’t leaning too heavily on the top-line players to be in the 22-to-24 minutes of ice-time range (which is a good thing for both the team and those players).

The way the roster is currently configured means there are quality options who could find themselves on the fourth line — or even in the press box at times.

There are also plenty of players who have the versatility to bounce up and down the lineup depending on how they are playing at any particular time.

What we know is that the Jets need to have more complementary scoring from the bottom-6 than they had last season and it shouldn’t be that difficult to eclipse last season’s totals in that department.

The Vegas Golden Knights showed the importance of having a fourth line that can be counted on and the Jets should be in a similar situation on that front this season.

Everyone makes a big deal of Cole Perfetti. I just don’t see it. Yes, he has good puck handling and hockey sense but he is a below average NHL skater, an average shot at best and is way too small to take the rigours of a full schedule. Definitely will help the PP, but I don’t see him as the second-line centre. Every article I read is about how great he is. I have seen very little of this greatness and wonder what I am missing? - John Schabert

There have been plenty of flashes of both potential and solid play from Perfetti during the past two seasons, but the biggest issue for him has been the ability to stay healthy and in the lineup.

Being limited to 69 games over the past two seasons has been tough for his development, especially when you consider he was limited to 32 games with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League during the 2020-21 campaign (along with a trip to the world championship).

Hockey sense and vision are two of Perfetti’s biggest assets and I would argue that he has a better than average NHL shot — though he’s still a pass-first player and needs to look to use his shot more often, which is something he has done at the AHL level.

If you don’t believe me, you should have seen the goal he scored on Frederik Andersen in the AHL in May 2021.

Perfetti was involved in a great battle with eventual Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers as the leading rookie point getter before he got hurt last season, so the offensive side of his game has been on display - even though the 10 goals and 37 points he’s produced over two NHL seasons don't pop off the page.

It’s too early to tell whether Perfetti can handle the task of growing into a second-line centre but it’s worth testing out.

He won’t turn 22 until Jan. 1, so to suggest he’s unable to handle the rigours of an NHL schedule because he’s too small is still premature.

As for his skating, there is no doubt Perfetti is going to continue to work on that aspect of his game.

He wasn’t a burner in junior with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, nor has he been one yet through his first two seasons of professional hockey.

His back issue impacted his training in the summer of 2022 and you can expect him to have some additional spring in his step by the time he gets to training camp.

Though it’s tough to project just how big a jump you might see in Perfetti’s point totals, it’s more than reasonable to predict he could be in the 15-goal, 45-to-50 point range if he can play close to a full season.

How will Jets head coach Rick Bowness handle last year's controversy where he essentially called the players lazy? - @bobcatbobby88

Although many players spoke out at the podium on exit interview day about Bowness’ rather public criticism after Game 5 in Las Vegas, I’m not sure there is that much left to “handle” as it pertains to this situation.

Saying a team didn’t push back wasn’t so much a suggestion the players were lazy, it was that they didn’t show enough drive and determination down the stretch when things were unravelling and that it continued in the first-round matchup.

This didn’t come out of nowhere, as the Jets went from battling for first place in the Central Division and Western Conference to limping into the post-season as the second wild card and the eighth seed.

Bowness is an emotional guy and while many players didn’t appreciate the blunt honesty in the heat of the moment, they knew they needed to give a better effort in Game 5.

It’s been a long off-season since the season-ending loss to the Golden Knights and if some players still have something they need to get cleared up, you can expect it will be dealt with either over the phone or when everyone is in Winnipeg next month.

The prevailing narrative around Logan Stanley is that he hasn’t signed because he wants a trade. What’s going on with Declan Chisholm? - @rivercitybum

In a case like Logan Stanley who is an RFA and rumoured to have asked for a trade... Is his agent looking for a trading team as a fit? I'd think a 7th d-man would be motivated to help find a solution and not wait out the summer. - Paul Robert

Do you think Logan Stanley will re-sign or will be added to a trade alongside Scheifele or Hellebuyck? - Charles Shaw

When he spoke after the trade deadline about the reports of him asking for a trade, Stanley made it clear that his position was related to playing time and opportunity.

As it stands right now, there doesn’t appear to be a clear path for Stanley to regain his spot among the top-6 on the Jets’ blue line.

Could that be a factor in why he remains one of the two unsigned restricted free agents? Absolutely.

Does that mean he won’t sign before a trade is completed?

Not at all.

Stanley knows he doesn’t have a lot of leverage and he hasn’t done enough in his 114 NHL games of experience to demand a significant raise from the $1 million he made last season (his cap hit was $900,000 for the past two seasons).

Does Stanley still prefer a change of scenery?

That wouldn’t be a surprise, especially when you consider he went from being in the opening day lineup and is now in a battle for the seventh or eighth spot on the Jets depth chart.

The Jets have bet on Stanley before — looking back, it’s hard to believe they exposed Dylan DeMelo instead of him in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft — so the organization isn’t going to just give him away.

Having said that, Stanley won’t have a lot of trade value right now, so it’s possible he signs and comes to training camp before he is moved in a deal.

When it comes to Chisholm, he’s coming off a strong season in the AHL (he was chosen to participate in the AHL All-Star Classic) but only has two NHL games on his resume, so he’s not waiting to sign a big deal.

Why is it taking so long?

The logical explanation is that the Jets would prefer Chisholm to take a two-way deal, why the player and his camp believe a one-way deal is in order.

Since he’s no longer exempt from waivers, that’s probably a moot point anyway, since Chisholm would likely be claimed if exposed the way Johnathan Kovacevic was last October.

Having said that, Chisholm recognizes the best way for him to show that he’s ready to compete for a roster spot and push for a job inside the top-6 is to be in training camp from the start.

That’s why a contract should get signed during the coming weeks.

Would you pay someone a future 2nd-round pick to take Neal Pionk or Nate Schmidt contracts, not because they are so bad, but to see what else we have on D? What is the point of developing Leon Gawanke, Jonathan Kovacevic and now Declan Chisholm if you don’t create a spot to let them all try out. If you agree that the Jets need to make it happen, what would you pay? - Gary Cox

Do you see a scenario where the Jets could go into training camp with the existing logjam on D (especially on the left side)? These assets have trade value. Losing someone (like we did with Johnathan Kovacevic) for nothing is inexcusable to have happen again. We seem to lack asset management. - Jonathan Middy

By trading Gawanke to the Sharks for fellow blue-liner Artemi Kniazev, the Jets added some depth to the defence corps. Gawanke had already signed to play in Germany, so he wasn’t going to be back with the organization, so this is an example of asset management.

The fact the logjam has yet to be alleviated is both a surprise and a bit of a mystery, though Cheveldayoff has said repeatedly that it’s better to have too many D-men than not enough.

He knows that from experience, though the Jets are clearly going to need to make a move or two before the opening-night roster is submitted.

The Jets have six spots basically spoken for on the back end right now and Kyle Capobianco has already shown he’s capable of sitting out for long stretches and then jumping into the lineup and providing quality minutes.

If you’re in the organization and not in the top-6 spots on the depth chart, you’re going to need to steal a job in training camp and likely outlast one of your teammates for the seventh or eighth spot on the 23-man roster.

Would I pay another team a second or third round pick to take on the final two years of Pionk or Schmidt’s contracts?

Not right now.

The Jets are banking on Pionk being healthy and having a big season, while Schmidt provided some quality play on the third pairing during the playoffs.

For a draft, develop and retain team, moving out a high draft pick to shed a salary simply isn’t in the cards right now.

Pionk needs to be a minute-muncher on the second pairing to go along with his career-high 10 goals he recorded last season and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility he could manage a second 40-point campaign.

Would the Jets prefer to not have someone making nearly $6 million on the third pairing?

Absolutely, but that can be offset somewhat by the low cost of paying Dylan Samberg $1.4 million during the next two seasons — especially when you consider Samberg is likely to grow into a second-pairing guy before next season is complete.

Schmidt is also an upbeat guy and team leader who can play a mentorship role no matter who is playing alongside.

Realistically, how soon could Dom DiVincentiis suit up for the Jets? - Tony Hornung

DiVincentiis is coming off an excellent season with the North Bay Battalion and was honoured as the top goalie in the OHL, so he was feeling optimistic during his stop in Winnipeg last month during development camp.

He will be attending his second NHL training camp next month, though he’s going to be heading back for a third OHL campaign.

DiVincentiis is rocketing up the prospect rankings and could have an opportunity to represent Canada at the 2024 world junior championship, which would be another great experience for him.

After completing his junior career, he likely needs at least one and probably closer to two full seasons in the AHL before he’s ready to battle for an NHL roster spot.

So his ascension to the NHL won’t be imminent, but the seventh-pick (207th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft could be donning the Jets jersey sometime in 2025 or 2026.