The Winnipeg Jets need to improve. To win the Cup, not necessarily. To be honest, the team has the talent to do it as-is. They are, however, always looking to improve. The trade market is just as good as the free agent market.
The Winnipeg Jets are most likely in the market for a center, or any forward. The Carolina Hurricanes are bad, and apparently willing to listen to offers. This brings us to two main players: Jeff Skinner and Jordan Staal.
Paul Stastny is cool, as is Valtteri Filppula. But Jeff Skinner is better than both! I mean, I guess you can make a case for Stastny, but Skinner comes with less financial commitment. Skinner, 26, is signed just for next season with a $5.75mm cap hit. I understand someone with more club control might be a bit more desirable.
But, you could acquire someone with less control at a lesser rate. And, with the youngsters in the system, and on the roster, the Jets might need that flexibility in the future.
If you really want to sell out, ask for Jordan Staal. He’s signed for the next six seasons at $6mm per. But, they’re quite different players. Staal is also 29.
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Staal is a fanstastic grinder, a power forward who plays the hell out of some defense but isn’t an offensive powerhouse. He’s also a very good faceoff artist, and you gotta win draws. At least in my opinion.
Skinner, on the other hand, is one of the best skaters in the league, terrible at faceoffs, and has a really good shot. His stats aren’t super impressive, but he’s on a bad team. Skinner is technically a wing, but he can play the pivot, and I’d slot him there on the second line.
If you’ve watched Jeff Skinner play, you know he has the ability to take over games. Is the talent worth the price or the promise of better play with better teammates? Maybe.
Jeff Skinner could be the piece that puts Winnipeg over the top. He would give that second line a third option that’s better than some teams’ first. Well, he is Carolina’s best scoring option. I mean, he and Sebastian Aho.
Skinner scored 37 goals just last season! Imagine what he could do on Winnipeg’s roster. Maybe you don’t want him at center. Put him on the third line, and bam, it’s three lines capable of outscoring the first line of many teams.
If you’re having trouble upgrading an area seen as a weakness, find an easy upgrade to a strength. Make a strength of your team a dominance. Hell, maybe the Jets could work out a deal for both. They would have to part with some money to make it work, but it could be done.
Jeff Skinner is really good. Jordan Staal is pretty good. Making either (or both!) of them Jets improves the team in the short term, at the very least. And hey, as the old adage goes, flags fly forever. I suppose Cups apply to that.