Winnipeg Jets: 3 Reasons Why the Jets Should Trade Andrew Copp
Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp is one of 17 NHL players who have elected for salary arbitration. Here are three reasons why now is the time to consider trading the 27-year-old forward.
On August 1, 2021, the NHL Players Association announced that 17 players have elected for salary arbitration, including Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp and defenseman Neal Pionk.
While most NHL media have indicated that an RFA choosing salary arbitration is a normal part of the negotiation process, this will be the second time that Andrew Copp has chosen salary arbitration as he did so previously in 2019. This should concern Jets fans as there is a history of players who have gone to salary arbitration and not staying with their teams long term (according to The Athletic, subscription required).
The Jets have a challenge to sign both Pionk and Copp given that they will only have approximately $7 million in cap space remaining. Pionk will likely get a salary of close to that of teammate Josh Morrissey at $6 million per season, and Copp will likely look at a number higher than linemate Adam Lowry’s salary of $3.2 million per season.
Given that the Jets will be hard pressed to afford both Pionk and Copp, here are three reasons why now is the time to consider trading Andrew Copp.
3. Andrew Copp’s Value is High
Andrew Copp scored 39 points in 55 games this past season, which is a 58-point pace over a regular 82 game season. What was most impressive is that he did so playing everywhere in the Jets’ top nine forwards, and was still was one of their most defensively effective forwards.
In a perfect world, the Jets would be able to sign a player like Copp to a long term deal. However, in the salary cap world, there are times when a team needs to make some difficult choices on which players to extend. If you need to trade a player for cap reasons, it’s always best to do so when their value is highest.
Copp’s point production last season puts him in the same statistical range as players like Kevin Fiala, William Karlsson, Bo Horvat, Conor Garland, and Mike Hoffman. This type of production means that his agent will be using those players as comparable players for salary, and also means that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can compare Copp’s trade value to those players.
There are many NHL teams who could more easily absorb Copp’s new contract if it falls in the $5 million AAV range, and would welcome a two-way player who is peaking in terms of point production.
2. The Jets Need Draft Picks
The Jets upgraded their defense this offseason acquiring Brenden Dillon from the Washington Capitals for two second-round draft picks, and Nate Schmidt from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round draft pick. Both were excellent acquisitions by Kevin Cheveldayoff who addressed the teams’ biggest weakness more significantly than he has done in the last two seasons.
The Jets also made what most experts call excellent value choices this summer in the 2021 NHL entry draft. However, the fact remains that the Jets only had four total draft choices this year, and have given up high draft picks in the next two years due to these trades.
Trading Andrew Copp for some form of draft picks as compensation would be a solution on two fronts. First, it would allow the Jets to replenish their already thin prospect pool with some high-round picks. Second, the Jets would not have to worry about absorbing any considerable salaries, as the draft picks would be on entry level contracts when they actually do make the Jets.
Given some of the recent trades for comparable players, I believe that the Jets should be able to acquire at least a second-round draft pick, and possibly a prospect for Copp. The timing is right to explore this option given the number of teams with available cap space like Ottawa, Detroit, Seattle, and Buffalo, and the teams with multiple high draft picks to deal such as Arizona, Buffalo, and Columbus.
1. The Jets Need to Focus on Paying Their Defense
For the last two seasons, the Jets have had one of the lowest overall salary levels for their top-six defense in the NHL. Not coincidently, the Jets have also had one of the worst top-six defenses in the NHL on all metrics.
Having the highest salaries for a specific position group does not guarantee that group will be the best in the NHL, as we can all cite many bad contract decisions teams have made. However, if a substantial portion of your roster is comprised of minimum or near minimum salary veteran contracts on defense as the Jets has the last two seasons, you will likely struggle on defense.
The Jets now have two proven veteran NHL defensemen in Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt who come with reasonable, but larger contracts than the Jets have paid lately. One can argue about whether Josh Morrissey is playing at the level of his $6.2 million AAV contract, but I would argue that if not, he’s not majorly overpaid.
With Dylan DeMelo’s $3 million AAV the Jets are now paying a combined $19 million per season on four defensemen, before considering Neal Pionk’s new contract. While that may seem frightening to Jets fans who have watched the team bargain shop for veteran players on the back end, I welcome it.
Kevin Cheveldayoff is finally focusing salary resources on the weakest link in the Jets chain. Trading Andrew Copp would allow the Jets general manager to easily sign their best defenseman this past season, Neal Pionk, to a long term deal somewhere between $5 – 6 million AAV.
Salary arbitration hearings will be held from August 11 to August 26, so Kevin Cheveldayoff will have to work quickly deciding the future of Andrew Copp.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Do you think the Jets should trade Andrew Copp? Leave your comments below!
Must Read. 3 Talking Points from the Jets 2021-2022 Schedule. light