Team: 2022-23 Winnipeg Jets

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 23, 2022

Published: Jun. 23, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Plenty of news coming out of WPG suggesting this team is heading towards a rebuild and I think that's the right decision for this team. Done are the days of Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, Patrik Laine & elite versions of Schiefele & Wheeler. The emergence of Connor & Ehlers + the presence of an elite goalie in Hellebuyck has always kept their results mediocre at best in recent seasons. This team is now down a head coach, plenty of elite players are wanting out, and it's time to sell.

First off, there should be some management shaking up. Staring with Kevin Cheveldayoff, who recently signed an extension I believe he'll take a SEMI step back as GM and work hand in hand with new coach/gm hybrid in Barry Trotz. Trotz official role would be "Special Assistant to the General Manager" as he would have a lot of say in decisions made by the club. The coaching staff under Trotz gets a huge overhaul, as the new staff is as followed:

Head Coach - Barry Trotz
Associate Coach - Blaine Forsythe
Assistant Coach - Dave Lowry
Assistant Coach - Glen Gulutzan
Goalie Coach - Mitch Korn
Senior Advisor - Peter Horacek

With this new system Trotz brings in former WSH assistant in Forsythe to be an associate coach, and will likely be groomed to take over as HC when Trotz moves up full time into management. Lowry sticks around as an assistant coach (I heard he'd be staying with the organization, although I don't think he should) where as they bring in Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan as well. Had jobs coaching 3 Canadian NHL teams prior, so he keeps that theme. As well the goaltender whisperer Mitch Korn comes to WPG. A former Trotz assistant in Horacek comes in as an advisor.

With this rebuild I personally think both Wheeler & Schiefele have to go here. In addition to other players, I think you move on from Dubois rather than letting him walk into UFA. Connor & Ehlers I'd hold onto for this season at least, but if there is a market out there for Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets should certainly inquire.

First trade here we go to FLA with a very out of left-field trade. Wheeler to the cap-strapped Panthers seems like a horrible idea admittingly, but I can see the argument. You're picking up the 2 worst deals on the Panthers in Bobrovsdky (we'll get to that later) & Hornqvist. Importantly you have minimal retention on Bobrovsky. For Winnipeg's troubles, seeing that FLA has very little draft picks they give up prospect Justin Sourdiff, who's coming off of a strong WHL championship and maybe memorial cup champion? Ontop of Wheeler, FLA picks up the RFA rights of Kristian Vesalainen. Former 1st round pick recently signed in the SHL.

Secondly, we give the Caps their center to replace Backstrom, in addition to a legit starting goalie. 4 years of Bobrovsky at 4 million is a good bet for Washington, and Bobrovsky joins a legion of Russians with Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Orlov, Alexeyev and now his goalie tandem partner in Samsonov. In return, Caps send out Eller & Vanecek as direct roster replacements for Schiefele and Bobrovsky respectively. On the value side here, WSH gives up 2 1sts essentially (in the 2022 first + Lappiere), 1 2nd, and a B/C tier prospect in Vinny Iorio. For a legit top 6 and starting goalie, that's a low price if anything.

I've been told GM Kent Hughes is looking to make some splashes and especially spice up the experience live at the draft and no way better to trade for french Canadian Pierre Luc Dubois. The Habs here do give up quite a bit and I think it is warranted. Dubois had a tremendous breakout year this season. I don't see him continuing as a C as Shane Wright will likely join the Habs in due time, but to have a top LW in Dubois is still fantastic. In addition to Dubois, Morgan Barron comes back in this deal. Brother of Justin who was as well recently acquired did play well in a short stint on the Jets, and is definitely a player of note for the Habs to bring in. Drouin comes back in this trade, who has been very on and off with the Canadiens. Taking multiple leaves of absences, alongside not exactly lighting up the score sheet. We'll look to flip him shortly though. 2 prospects in Farrell & Brook join the Jets as well. Brook had a rough go this season splitting time in the AHL & ECHL. Last chance stint here for him to make significant chatter and lock down an AHL spot. Sean Farrell shined at the Olympics as it looked the Habs may have gotten a steal with Farrell. But he goes back in this deal for more value going either way. Also the Habs give up Florida's 2023 unprotected 1st in this deal. Which adds a lot of irony considering the Jets just took their starting goalie and dumped a terrible contract in Wheeler. MTL purposely keep CGYs first incase they want to make another splash and move up.

Last big trade here, and this is where things get a little silly. The Jets move both Hellebuyck & Drouin to the Colorado Avalanche. Hellebuyck comes in under the assumption Kuemper would leave and grab a pay day. Drouin comes in making just over 1 mil and replaces a hole left by likely Andre Burakovsky (as the Avs are going to prioritize bringing back Nichushkin). This does seem like low value and you're probably right. I really wanted to include one of Newhook or Byram but simply the way this team is built, there is no room for either. Perfetti is essentially a less developed Newhook, whereas Byram isn't going to crack barely any minutes on the current Jets D core. It was already an issue playing Sami Niku out of Winnipeg, and might be Ville Heinola soon. So WPG takes on 1 FWD, DEF & GOA prospect respectively from COL as well as a 1st round pick in 2024. Olausson is another talented winger prospect who'll find his place with the Manitoba Moose. Sean Behrens will play a few more seasons in college before transferring over. Justus Annunen is a quite talented goalie prospect who'll make his way straight to the NHL here. I'd consider all 4 prospects to be 1st round pick potential, alongside a 2024 1st you could consider that 4 1sts for the duo of Hellebuyck & Drouin.

All the former trades we were selling off our talented players, now we buy a player. With quite a loss of firepower in the Top 6, we'll be in need for a player (doesn't have to be elite) to log minutes and most importantly take draws, enter Josh Bailey. Played center consistently in junior and breaking out with the Islanders but has transferred into a winger role as of late. The last 2 seasons where he had 100+ FOT was in 2018/19 & 2019/20 where he had quite good percentages. He'll come in to play top line center for the Jets as he is notably one of Trotz' favourite players. In return the Isles get a Top 4 LD they've been looking for, a player who's familiar with Lane Lambert's system.

Finished with trades here, now onto resigning. Vanecek comes in and gets a deal just under 3 mil for 2 years. Svechnikov & Harkins return on identical deals. Appleton comes in making just over 1 mil over 2 years. Harkins & Gawanke take league minimum for 2 years, Gustafsson & Brook take it for 1.

Free agency is short and simple. Calle Jarnkrok signs on to an identical deal as Vanecek top primarily play top 6. Personally he feels like a prototypical Trotz player to me, defence orientated, has all the opportunity to break out. Galchenyuk also comes in on a 1 year deal. With a very offence weak forward group, Galchenyuk can provide some juice offensively when need be. I also chose to sign Grant Hutton as out 7th D, relative unknown even to myself before this year. But played 16 games under Trotz this year, could only assume Trotz trusts him as a player. A few AHL veteran signings to boot, with Jankowski on FWD and Hutchinson in net. Probably smart to grab a veteran 3rd goalie playing Justus Annunen at backup.

Looking at the lineup here, not supposed to be good. Outside of line 1 maybe I feel all bottom 3 lines could be interchangeable to a degree. Galchenyuk as an extra FWD to specifically fill offensive deficits and Toninato coming in primarily as 4C when needed. Jankowski also comes in like Toninato to ride line 4 if need be. Trading Dillon opens up space for Heinola to officially get a spot in the lineup. Hutton starts the year as our 7th defencemen, but with plenty of young defenders coming up like Chisholm, Samberg & Gawanke, I suspect all 3 will get playing time with injuries. Vanecek & Annunen are not supposed to be a good tandem out of any means, but both goalies are developing and having a legendary goalie coach in Mitch Korn will only do wonders for them when the Jets exit their rebuild. Hutchinson as the 3rd goalie makes sense, familiar with WPG as well.

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