Rich

I think the best thing for the Jets and Connor would be for him to start in the AHL. However there is a rumour going around HFBoards that the Jets made a "deal" with Connor when he signed that he would play his first year in the NHL. And of course he signed last year before we knew we were picking Laine, so if we did make such a deal, it would have been before we knew what the depth on the left hand side would look like. According to the rumour, this is a common occurrence with the NCAA kids as a way to entice them to jump to the NHL. Of course the NHL clubs don't want the prospects sitting in the NCAA for too long due to the limits on what contact / development they can have with the prospect and the loop hole that would let the prospect re-enter the draft if they aren't signed in time. They apparently also made the same deal with Copp when he signed. The deal of course would not be enforceable by a contract or anything like that, but if you go back on the "handshake", you would have a tough time getting an agent to agree to the same thing next time.

We are 3rd in average punt yards given up and 2nd in average kickoff return yards given up. Top 3 in both categories. We are 3rd in average punt return yards gained and 1st in average kickoff return yards gained. Top 3 in both categories. Lots to complain about with this team, don't need to invent more.

If we start the year with 3 rookies (2 in our top 6) + Petan with a whopping 26 NHL games under his belt, we will be in the hunt for Nolan Patrick next year. Not sure why everyone wants to trade away serviceable players and push rookies into the lineup. Spending time in the AHL and forcing your way into the lineup isn't a bad thing. Handing rookies jobs out of training camp = see last season. My preference is to keep Lowry Stafford Armia and see Connor, Petan, Lemieux and Tanev all start in the Moose. Let them come up when injuries hit and force the coach and GM's hand to keep them up there.

The NCAA program has improved drastically over the years. Going to the OHL would mean the Jets could pay for his travel to be in camp, etc. NCAA would forbid that. However, he is American and from Ohio. Nothing wrong with getting a College education to boot.

Not saying Johnson has no blame in the whole thing, he definitely has to shoulder some of it. But how many people of the general public would make stupid decisions if they got that much money at the age. Agree he trusted the wrong people.

Jack Johnson got taken for a ride by his parents and supposed financial advisers. The only thing he did wrong was trust people he should have been able to trust.

Standings can be seen below. Picks need to be in by 6:00PM Thursday this week.

Apparently he has given some of his bonus to his parents. Nice thing to do for all the time and money I'm sure they put in throughout his childhood.

Also missing Burmi. There is a good chance Dano and Petan start with the Moose since they can be sent down. Replace Dano with Stafford and through Burmi down on the 4th line if you can't trade him. Lots of injury depth though.

Vanek to Detroit. 1 year 2.6M

Weircioch to Col 1 year 800k Justin Falk to Buffalo 1 year 650k

Joe Colborne to Colorado. 2 years @ 5M per.

Copp Petan Dano are all waiver exempt of our bottom 6 guys.

Copp doesn't have to clear waivers.

Don't really understand the Matthias signing. We already have a log jam in our bottom 6. I suppose competition is a good thing. Does this mean Copp starts with the Moose?

Chris Stewart to Minny 2 years @ 2.3M

Chad Johnson (G) to Calgary for 1 year @ 1.7M Jason Chimera to NYI for 2 years Ben Lovejoy to NJ for 3 years.

The Boston offer was likely just a rumour. It would be way above market value for Trouba.

Why would it mean we are going to lose Trouba?

John-Michael Liles to Boston 1 year

Didn't really expect Chevy to sign any of these bigger names. Expect him to make some signing later in free agency.

Staal is 3 years @ 3.5M That cuts his pay in half from last year! Nice pickup for Minny.

Troy Brouwer to Calgary 4 years @ 4.5M

The money isn't too crazy for any of these guys, but they are all getting term.