The Winnipeg Jets had a great season. Only, you don’t get medals and rings for not winning. Teams have to improve, and they simply haven’t done that.
The Winnipeg Jets are the ultimate small-market team. It doesn’t matter so much in salary capped sports, where every team hits the mark. But still, it matters. It’s not a huge free agent destination.
Every financial move has to be right, for you don’t have a lot of wiggle room. The Jets aren’t generating the revenue that the Blackhawks or the Rangers are, and that’s okay. They’ve shown they can still be uber-competitive without it.
But, as we’ve seen across sports our whole lives, success is fleeting. A few bad moves could set a franchise back a decade. And the Jets are now in a precarious position.
See, the Jets have to improve. They were better last season. They’ve lost Paul Stastny. Toby Enstrom, while not a major star, is a free agent still. Their backup goaltender is now Laurent Brossoit, which is dangerous. It’s an upside play, but that’s tough for a contending team.
We’ve referenced the solidity of the farm system, and that’s great for when you need to trade or plug a hole in the roster. Only, it’s finite. The Winnipeg Jets have put themselves in a position to potentially have a lot of holes to plug.
Sure, I can’t blame Cheveldayoff. They said they made a solid offer to retain Stastny, and I have no reason to believe they’re lying. But they failed to. And there aren’t many more upgrades to be made, unless you look over one of our trade options articles.
Come midseason, this team may need a depth defenseman, a backup goaltender, and a top six forward. Those are no easy tasks. Maybe the farm can produce them! Eric Comrie is there. As is Jack Roslovic and Kristian Vesalainen. And maybe even Logan Stanley.
But prospects and picks are finite, and they fail. And the Winnipeg Jets can’t afford to have a high attrition rate on prospects right now. They’re in the realm of contention, and they won’t be forever.
Next: Could a Jets/Leafs Trade Work?
If you don’t cash in on a Cup, you lose. It’s as simple as that. The Winnipeg Jets can’t lose this time.