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Paul Stastny Spits on the Heart of the Winnipeg Jets

By Kyle McCarthy

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 20: Luca Sbisa #47 of the Vegas Golden Knights and Paul Stastny #25 of the Winnipeg Jets battle for the loose puck during first period action in Game Five of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 20, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 20: Luca Sbisa #47 of the Vegas Golden Knights and Paul Stastny #25 of the Winnipeg Jets battle for the loose puck during first period action in Game Five of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 20, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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In the first hour of free agency, the Winnipeg Jets biggest target has spurned them. And in the worst way, signing with the team that ousted them from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Winnipeg Jets had one seemingly obvious target in free agency: Paul Stastny. He was good for the team in the down the stretch and in the playoffs, and having a high-end #2 to Mark Scheifele seemed like a good use of resources.

Unfortunately, even after clearing salary, theoretically for Stastny, they’ll have to reallocate those funds elsewhere. Stastny has agreed to a three year, $19.5mm deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.

It’s ugly, I know. In the long term, it’s not as bad as him being on the Predators, and the Golden Knights have some UFAs of their own, but it stings. The Winnipeg Jets couldn’t beat them. So Stastny joined them.

I want to preface this with how much I love NHL Free Agency. The set start time and the salary cap pressures people into getting deals done early, when the money is still there. It’s fun, it causes a huge flurry on day 1 (NBA is the same way, but I don’t care about that).

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This also allowed the Winnipeg Jets to face heartbreak quickly. Less than an hour. Maybe you weren’t heartbroken about Stastny. He’s not a star, and was likely to be overpaid a bit. But the Winnipeg Jets are better without him, and it doesn’t come at the expense of the farm system.

Six and a half million per is too much for Stastny. It’s on par with his previous contract, which was a bit rich. He’s good, but he’s not that good. Two overpaid centers on one roster may be too much. But it’s still a bummer.

Where do the Winnipeg Jets turn now? Valtteri Filppula? Not nearly as high end, but should come much, much cheaper.

I’m not sure what the Jets do now. As I noted in the earlier article, I thought Stastny would be back in Winnipeg, sooner rather than later. I don’t blame him for taking the money Vegas threw at him and can’t help but wonder: Would he have taken the same contract from the Jets?

Vegas is a premium draw, maybe that appealed to him. They did just reach the Stanley Cup Final, although it’s not as if the Jets are non-contenders.

Next: Kyle Connor Season Review

I suppose it doesn’t matter. But Stastny might be in for some boos next time he ventures this far north. I’m sure the Jets will manage without him, but, damn, he was a good fit.

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