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Winnipeg Jets Season Review: The Star Free Agent Defenseman

By Kyle McCarthy

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 12: Jacob Trouba #8 and Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Winnipeg Jets look on from the bench during second period action against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game One of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 12, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 12: Jacob Trouba #8 and Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Winnipeg Jets look on from the bench during second period action against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game One of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 12, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Winnipeg Jets have had struggles in the past with Jacob Trouba. He wants big money, and anybody can see why. An extremely talented 24 year old defenseman should get it. And he will now.

The Winnipeg Jets had Jacob Trouba on the trade block. He asked for it, after all. But a funny thing happened when his RFA status was approaching.

The Jets got good. Well, before that, they gave Trouba a two year, six million dollar deal. That eased his troubled, or trouba-ed (please forgive me) mind. The trade request was ‘rescinded‘ after that bridge deal.

But  also, the Jets put him on his natural right side. With the scarcity of right handed defenseman, the Jets have no such dearth. Tyler Myers and Dustin Byfuglien are northpaws, But with Trouba (and especially the emergence of Josh Morrissey), this allows the Jets to have a deep blueline without playing someone out of position.

Also, Jacob Trouba is really, really good. The one issue with him is durability, as he’s only topped 65 games once in his career. He missed 27 games this past season, too, due to a concussion. All of February just, poof.

It’s not too hard to acquiesce that the Winnipeg Jets may have kept pace with the Predators had they been able to employ his services, there, but whatever. They beat Nashville anyway.

Trouba is an RFA and is (obviously) arbitration eligible, and at some point Winnipeg is going to have to pony up for him. They can’t let him get away, injury concerns aside. Give him somewhere near $7mm per and hope for the best. That’s all they can do. If he’s healthy, it’ll play.

Jacoub Troba (I’m gonna leave this here for the amount that I’ve actually done it) isn’t an offensive star but he has really good upside. He can pass, he has a good shot. But he’s not getting first team powerplay reps because of Dustin Byfuglien.

And that’s the way it should be. But he can handle it. He has the Ryan McDonagh offensive package. And the defensive bit, too. He’s every bit as good (minus the injuries) as the guy who just signed a seven year, $47.25mm contract. Like I said, something in the $7 million range.

Next: Five Reasons Jets Could Improve in 2018-2019

Look, the Jets are good and Trouba is good. Maybe their best defenseman. Probably their best defenseman, but Byfuglien and Morrissey are top tier dudes too. Why worry about rank when you have all three? Good stuff.  I’m not worried about Trouba leaving because Cheveldayoff won’t let him. I’m only worried about him staying healthy.

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