Well if you’re a fan of the Winnipeg Jets you probably heard that Drew Stafford will return for the 2015-2016 hockey season in Winnipeg. On Tuesday, the Jets inked Stafford to a 2-year contract worth over $8.7 million dollars.
Did Drew Stafford warrant an over $8.7 million dollar contract with an annual cap hit of $4.35 million? During the past season Stafford played a total of 26 games with the Winnipeg Jets, spending the majority of his season in Buffalo with the Sabres. In total Stafford played 76 games during the past season where he captured 18 goals and over 43 points. The 2014-2015 season with the Jets and Sabres was Stafford’s best season since 2011-2012 where he scored 20 goals and had over 53 points.
Winnipeg Jets
Drew Stafford is not a young man anymore. Stafford will turn 30 this October and by the end of his 2-year contract with the Jets he will be 31 years of age. Length wise this was a smart deal as many players tend to see a descent in their stats around this age so it makes sense that the Jets would not commit to Stafford for a deal longer then two years.
This was a superb deal for the Winnipeg Jets who could not afford to lose an offensive player such as Stafford. During the past season the Jets finished 16th in goals per game with 2.72. The loss of a player Stafford would only aid the Jets in dropping further down that list rather then rising towards the top. Stafford finished 10th on the team in points, but finished in a 3-way tie for 4th on the team in goals. This shows that Stafford not only adds depth to the Jets offense, but also holds the capability to be a top goal scorer for his team.
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So what could Mr. Stafford bring to what would be his first full season in a Winnipeg Jets uniform? Stafford has demonstrated in the past that not only can he had depth to a roster, but that he can be a prolific goal scorer. During the 2010-2011 season with the Buffalo Sabres, Stafford 31 goals and had over 52 points. One might say that the 2010-2011 season was a long time ago, but this past season was Stafford’s third best (statistically) for his entire career. Perhaps Stafford is like fine wine? Getting better with age.
Will Stafford aid offensively in another Jets playoff run during the 2015-2016 season or will his statistical descent descent begin? Comment below on what you think Drew Stafford is going to bring to the Jets during the 2015-2016 season or if he should have even been re-signed in the first place.
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