My problem with that is we're doing two deals that directly downgrade our defense. I'd honestly be alright with either one of those trades, but not both. And considering Trouba's almost definitely getting moved, that PHI deal doesn't really work for Winny.

Wings are not trading for Trouba, when they can get him possibly next year as a FA.

Or a team like the Rangers trades for him and he signs an extension there...

Idk man I think it'd be an improvement and definitely improves the defense in the long run, if they hold on to Buff they're definitely not gonna get someone like Gostisbehere for him.
That trade would free up a ton of cap space too.

As a fan of Detroit and Hronek, I accept that trade. Lowest valuation I've seen anybody give Trouba yet.

Buff is one of the top 10 defenseman in the NHL in terms of suppressing shots against, controlling play in terms of corsi, and doing it on a team that had trouble with that last year. Add on that he is elite at special teams (this is an overrated stat in a lot of cases, but when you're as good as Buff it does count for something). He'll probably decline a little next year because age tends to do that, but he will still be very valuable.

If we were rebuilding or reloading and not trying to win a cup in 2020, these two trades would make a lot of sense. But in this scenario, we have 3 new members of our top4, and only one of them is an upgrade on the player that used to play there. (Ghost is a massive upgrade on Chiarot, but that's still 1/3.)

There have been a lot of Trouba for Ghost trades going around. I'd be alright with any of those. I'd even be alright with not sending them Perreault if PHI views MP85 as negative value, and/or giving up a pick or prospect not named Vesalainen, or Samberg, to smooth out the deal.

As far as cap goes, the Jets aren't in trouble as long as they dump the right guys and give some opportunities to the right guys. 85 and 5 need to be gone, Trouba probably gets moved as well, and we can't be making any stupid UFA signings *cough*Tanev*cough*. And Poolman needs to get a shot. The guy was dominant in the AHL, has done decently in NHL action he's gotten and is the cheapest player on the roster right now, and isn't due any bonuses.

See the problem with "dumping the right guys" is that you need a team willing to take that player and that team must also not be voided by a NTC or NMC. There are so many quality players available this year in FA and so many teams that need to dump cap that it is going to be very hard to find suitors for cap dumps.

They should not be trying to win the cup in 2020 as they won't be contenders, any attempt to do so isn't gonna work out and will cause more long term pain then anything else. They should use this offseason and next season to retool the roster to be a long term contender.
Now if they can find a trade partner for any of Kulikov or Perreault that doesn't want to be paid premium assets to take them then make the trade but otherwise best to just ride out their contracts and be done with it, this team has traded far too many assets for rentals and cap space in the last two seasons so trading more to dump 1 and 2 year contracts would be really really bad.
If they could trade Buff (and even Wheeler)and recoup some of the pieces lost in the last two seasons that'd be ideal but they most likely won't.
I most definitely agree about Tanev, if he's still a Jet next season prepare yourself for a while(while as in multiple seasons) of the Jets sucking with no cup or much cap space to improve with. Also if Tanev is a Jet you can also expect the "right guys" you want to be given an opportunity to be rotting on the 4th line with 5-7 minutes of ice time or sitting in the press box.

I'm alright with overpaying in terms of prospects for that. If the Jets play their cards right this year, lock up Laine and Connor. and have a tentative plan for Morrissey next year, You're left with a top 6 that is cup-worthy for years to come, a franchise defenseman, and a couple nice cheaper pieces for defense. That really is all you can ask for as a GM. I am completely content mortgaging the future to make all the necessary moves to set up a cup window for the next 6 years that Scheifele is a jet for 6M/year. Any prospect or pick not named Samberg and Vesalainen is up for grabs. I would even spend a 1st round pick if it managed to dump a fair amount of dead cap.

The NTC on Kulikov and Perreault is fairly limited. There are more bad teams than good teams especially in southern sunny markets. Los Angeles, and Florida come to mind immediately. Or New York if a player is blocking all small market teams.

I am 100% on board with 86ing Wheels. I was a very vocal minority that hated the extension when he signed it. Otherwise I think we're in agreement about most of the other stuff.

I just wouldn't trade Buff, because his value to cost ratio is still very high. There are much worse contracts to get rid of.

I agree but I think it's far more likely to get a good return for Buff cause his contract is only two more years so a team that's a contender will take that risk, Wheeler's is pretty long. Like who would trade for 33 year old Blake Wheeler who's about to start a 5 year-$8.25 million contract?

I know it's a rhetorical question, but if you're ever wondering who the absolute worst GM in a post-Chiarelli league is, the default answer is Dale Tallon.