Game 71: Blues @ Jets

[New_Earth_Mud]

This is my take on the 4 guys... And i really dont think Buff or Ladd are going to ask for stupid money to stay.

 

Buff i figure stays because hes not a flashy type guy... He dont needs the lights of a big market or warm weather and houses on the beach and hes a quiet type big leader in the room and he likes to work and teach younger players. He likes it here and respects the Team... Throwing Kanes track suit in the shower or whatever shows that IMO.

 

I heard the comments from Ladd about wanting to win now and dont care about the draft and develop thing... I dont read to much into that. Hes the leader and needs to comment like one and thats what he did. Speaking of being the leader and captain.... Ladd likes the role to much to really want to go... Hes not going to go to a team and become their captain... IMO he will take a lil less money to keep that role on a young up n coming team that he can lead.

 

Stafford i think resigns with us. If Staff thought he was brought in as a rent a player them i think hed bolt but i think Maurice has let him know he is in the teams plans and has a role on this team now and in the future. IMO he sees he has a good fit with Wheels and Schief and will want to continue with that and see where that line can go.

 

Fro....  Hes a bit more iffy IMO. Hes said he wants to stay and likes his role with the team and likes Maurice.He doesnt come across as a me me me type so i think he may stick around for 3.5 i think he knows hes not going to get much more then that and if hes comphy with his role here i think he stays.

 

From what ive seen of this team is the guys have character. none of them seem to have the all about me attitude and thats what im basing my opinion on.   

[Jacquie]

Chiarot and Perrault practicing today - could they be back sooner rather than later? What about Buff and Little?

Since Buff and Little are both out longer than we had been led to believed, I think they might play tomorrow. Perrault probably not until April. But if the team is winning, there isnt as much urgency for guys to come back before they are 100%.

Initial reports said Buff would miss 2-4 weeks and it's 2 weeks now.

[Goalie]

I think i see Buff more as a luxury than a necessity. I mean, it would be nice to have him but, if you look at the team and how they are building it, they are building it through youth, draft and develop really, just signed another guy today in jimmy lodge, RW, can score, will look good on the moosecaps next season, but regardless of that, if you look at how they are building the team.. It's through youth, people talk about you build through your centers and D, YUP you sure do.. Scheif,Lowry (2 young centers), Myers,Trouba (2 young d men) Throw in guys like Morrissey who will make people realize that Chiarot is nothing more than a bottom pair d man, throw in a vet like toby and you got yourself a solid top 4 without buff, Heck, even right now this team is winning without buff, They have looked amazing the last 3 games without buff, you don't need buff to win. Buff is a luxury, he's not a necessity and reality might just be that when this young team (oh yeah, they are very young) is actually ready to compete for real, not just take a wild card spot but to legit compete and contend year in year out, guys like Buff,Ladd even, they probably won't be here to see that. This team isn't being built around Ladd and Buff, they are being built around the scheifs,lowrys,troubas,myers, the young guys, i could throw in ehlers, morrissey, petan, guys like that. 

 

I guess the hockey news there ran a story about how the winnipeg jets will be stanley cup champs in 2019, nice story but thats what 4 years away? Buff will be almost 35, really think he's the guy they are going to keep over the young guys like myers and trouba? 

 

Man, trading buff when his value is the highest would get you something good in return, if Keith Yandle whose contract expires at the same times buff does gets you a 1st and a prospect like duclair,Buff would get you at least that and in the long term, cuz that's what this is about, it's about 2 3 4 5 seasons from now, that helps you more than buff does. 

 

Buff is a popular player, he's a good player, he's not one of the best in the league tho, heck, he's not even our own best player, goes MIA for way too long at times, do you pay him like an elite d man or do you trade him this off season when his value is high and get a haul and a half that will help you in a few seasons when you are ready to legit compete.

 

Like it or not, this team, it might make the playoffs (i think they do) but they might not, what if they don't? Gonna try again next year with the same cast of characters that haven't gotten it done for the last 4 or 5 years now? 

 

Buff is a good player tho, but he's in that age group where, well, it doesn't really fit in to what the Jets are building actually.

 

I'll take Myers and Trouba in their early 20's over almost 30 year old buff any day. 

 

Yup, you build through centers and d man and that's exactly what Chevy has been quietly doing the last couple years (scheif,lowry,trouba,myers) That is your new core right there. The core that will take us to places that we have never been before really, that's the core plus ehlers, morrissey and a couple others that will make us legit contenders year in year out. 

 

Let's not pretend that this Jets team has been nothing but average the last few years, this year, they are better than average for sure but... it's really the first year since they have been here that they have been, normally at this time of the Jets past few seasons, we are all talking about who we are taking at the draft with our top 10 pick again. 

 

Jets have the best ranked prospect pool in all of hockey they say, what a job Chevy has done really, guy gets blasted for doing nothing but all he did was build the best prospect pool in the league and make the biggest trade in the last 5 years. The new core, that's what we all about, Those are the guys that we will win with, those are the guys that will take us from competing for a wild card spot to competing for a stanley cup and 1st in our division. 

 

In a perfect world, yup buff,ladd, stafford,frolik, they all sign new deals and the young guys get their extensions and it's all happy happy joy joy but in the salary cap world that the Jets live in, it don't work like that.  You have to make choices and they are tough ones, What to do with Buff is a tough choice, it's not an easy one, but... it's a choice that Chevy will have to make soon, probably this summer, can't lose the guy for nothing if he isn't willing to extend right and can't overpay because you are gonna have to pay your young core some big money soon too. 

 

All in all, I'd take the captain over Buff. Only because our LW depth isn't as strong as your RHD depth. 

[New_Earth_Mud]

I think i see Buff more as a luxury than a necessity. I mean, it would be nice to have him but, if you look at the team and how they are building it, they are building it through youth, draft and develop really, just signed another guy today in jimmy lodge, RW, can score, will look good on the moosecaps next season, but regardless of that, if you look at how they are building the team.. It's through youth, people talk about you build through your centers and D, YUP you sure do.. Scheif,Lowry (2 young centers), Myers,Trouba (2 young d men) Throw in guys like Morrissey who will make people realize that Chiarot is nothing more than a bottom pair d man, throw in a vet like toby and you got yourself a solid top 4 without buff, Heck, even right now this team is winning without buff, They have looked amazing the last 3 games without buff, you don't need buff to win. Buff is a luxury, he's not a necessity and reality might just be that when this young team (oh yeah, they are very young) is actually ready to compete for real, not just take a wild card spot but to legit compete and contend year in year out, guys like Buff,Ladd even, they probably won't be here to see that. This team isn't being built around Ladd and Buff, they are being built around the scheifs,lowrys,troubas,myers, the young guys, i could throw in ehlers, morrissey, petan, guys like that. 

 

I guess the hockey news there ran a story about how the winnipeg jets will be stanley cup champs in 2019, nice story but thats what 4 years away? Buff will be almost 35, really think he's the guy they are going to keep over the young guys like myers and trouba? 

 

Man, trading buff when his value is the highest would get you something good in return, if Keith Yandle whose contract expires at the same times buff does gets you a 1st and a prospect like duclair,Buff would get you at least that and in the long term, cuz that's what this is about, it's about 2 3 4 5 seasons from now, that helps you more than buff does. 

 

Buff is a popular player, he's a good player, he's not one of the best in the league tho, heck, he's not even our own best player, goes MIA for way too long at times, do you pay him like an elite d man or do you trade him this off season when his value is high and get a haul and a half that will help you in a few seasons when you are ready to legit compete.

 

Like it or not, this team, it might make the playoffs (i think they do) but they might not, what if they don't? Gonna try again next year with the same cast of characters that haven't gotten it done for the last 4 or 5 years now? 

 

Buff is a good player tho, but he's in that age group where, well, it doesn't really fit in to what the Jets are building actually.

 

I'll take Myers and Trouba in their early 20's over almost 30 year old buff any day. 

 

Yup, you build through centers and d man and that's exactly what Chevy has been quietly doing the last couple years (scheif,lowry,trouba,myers) That is your new core right there. The core that will take us to places that we have never been before really, that's the core plus ehlers, morrissey and a couple others that will make us legit contenders year in year out. 

 

Let's not pretend that this Jets team has been nothing but average the last few years, this year, they are better than average for sure but... it's really the first year since they have been here that they have been, normally at this time of the Jets past few seasons, we are all talking about who we are taking at the draft with our top 10 pick again. 

 

Jets have the best ranked prospect pool in all of hockey they say, what a job Chevy has done really, guy gets blasted for doing nothing but all he did was build the best prospect pool in the league and make the biggest trade in the last 5 years. The new core, that's what we all about, Those are the guys that we will win with, those are the guys that will take us from competing for a wild card spot to competing for a stanley cup and 1st in our division. 

 

In a perfect world, yup buff,ladd, stafford,frolik, they all sign new deals and the young guys get their extensions and it's all happy happy joy joy but in the salary cap world that the Jets live in, it don't work like that.  You have to make choices and they are tough ones, What to do with Buff is a tough choice, it's not an easy one, but... it's a choice that Chevy will have to make soon, probably this summer, can't lose the guy for nothing if he isn't willing to extend right and can't overpay because you are gonna have to pay your young core some big money soon too. 

 

All in all, I'd take the captain over Buff. Only because our LW depth isn't as strong as your RHD depth. 

 

I think what your saying is correct ... but this team does not move forward like they have without players like Buff and Ladd on it.

 

And you have seemed to completely forgot about Wheeler. You are right tho when and if this team wins a Cup it will be the Troubas and Scheifs Lowys, Myers that will lead it but right now they arnt ready.

 

Without Ladd Buff Little Stuart you are pretty much the Oilers....  bunch of talent but cant get it together because they dont have that leadership.

 

The team will continue to build thu draft and develop but my guess is we will also always have vet leaders on it. 

[Goalie]

Yup and that's where little Toby wheeler and Stuart fit. All signed for several years still too

[Mr Dee]

They'd trade Myers loooooooong before they traded Buff, anyone that thinks otherwise is a sandwich short of a picnic.

 

 

…...Did somebody say Picnic?

[Goalie]

They will trade the 30 year old b4 trading the 23 or 24 year old.

[Ducky]

Wheeler is a year younger than buff so by your logic we better trade him too...gimme a break.

 

Buff is the best D man and arguably the best player on the team...Maurice doesn't praise him for nothing. They will both be signed and aren't going anywhere....if we trade Ladd, who replaces him???????? He has the best eye-stick coordination on the team and gets huge goals for us. Stuart would be the first D man i would trade and yes, Chiarot is a 3rd pairing D man and cud move up in a pinch...nobody said he is Bobby Orr. Sometimes I think you post just so u can read yourself. I think you need a sandwich.

[HardCoreBlue]

I think i see Buff more as a luxury than a necessity. I mean, it would be nice to have him but, if you look at the team and how they are building it, they are building it through youth, draft and develop really, just signed another guy today in jimmy lodge, RW, can score, will look good on the moosecaps next season, but regardless of that, if you look at how they are building the team.. It's through youth, people talk about you build through your centers and D, YUP you sure do.. Scheif,Lowry (2 young centers), Myers,Trouba (2 young d men) Throw in guys like Morrissey who will make people realize that Chiarot is nothing more than a bottom pair d man, throw in a vet like toby and you got yourself a solid top 4 without buff, Heck, even right now this team is winning without buff, They have looked amazing the last 3 games without buff, you don't need buff to win. Buff is a luxury, he's not a necessity and reality might just be that when this young team (oh yeah, they are very young) is actually ready to compete for real, not just take a wild card spot but to legit compete and contend year in year out, guys like Buff,Ladd even, they probably won't be here to see that. This team isn't being built around Ladd and Buff, they are being built around the scheifs,lowrys,troubas,myers, the young guys, i could throw in ehlers, morrissey, petan, guys like that. 

 

 

You're missing a few parts imo. Championship teams also need veteran presence, leadership and grit. Players like Buff and Ladd (I know you didn't say Ladd) are not a nice to haves for this team. They are a big part of our identity, they are a big piece to what we would like to accomplish in the next 3-5 years. They are two special players that would be very difficult to replace. I appreciate cap restrictions may dictate this not being possible but if it comes down to where do we push this pile of money, I know what I'd do. Obviously some of us will have different perspectives when it comes to determining what's a luxury for this team and what are necessities when you really get into the discussion of how this team is being built. Arm chairing gm'ing is fun when there's no pressure :-)

[The Unknown Poster]

Wheeler is a year younger than buff so by your logic we better trade him too...gimme a break.

Buff is the best D man and arguably the best player on the team...Maurice doesn't praise him for nothing. They will both be signed and aren't going anywhere....if we trade Ladd, who replaces him???????? He has the best eye-stick coordination on the team and gets huge goals for us. Stuart would be the first D man i would trade and yes, Chiarot is a 3rd pairing D man and cud move up in a pinch...nobody said he is Bobby Orr. Sometimes I think you post just so u can read yourself. I think you need a sandwich.

Talk about twisting what someone wrote. Big difference between comparing wheeler and buff and buff and Myers. However if they could only keep one of buff or wheeler it would be wheeler. Like someone else said Buff is a luxury.

[Goalie]

Wheeler is also signed to a decent deal. Boychuk in nyi got 7 years 42 million. How much could buff get. Buff is not the best d man or player on the team. That's crazy talk.

[The Unknown Poster]

Make no mistake Buff can be a game changer. I hope he stays here forever. But it's going to be a difficult decision.

[Mr Dee]

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is futual.

[HardCoreBlue]

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is mutual.

Great point.

[The Unknown Poster]

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is mutual.

Great point.

Terrible ooint. Hey Buff do you want a 7 year deal for $56 million or a three year deal for $18? If you don't take the lesser deal it's because you hate winnipeg.

There's something to be said for being close to home and liking where you are but this is his last chance to cash in and make generational money. He might put a value on liking where he plays bits flat out stupid if that value is more than a few bucks.

[Mr Dee]

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is mutual.

Great point.

Terrible ooint. Hey Buff do you want a 7 year deal for $56 million or a three year deal for $18? If you don't take the lesser deal it's because you hate winnipeg.

There's something to be said for being close to home and liking where you are but this is his last chance to cash in and make generational money. He might put a value on liking where he plays bits flat out stupid if that value is more than a few bucks.

Whoops...you're not using the same money offers. In your example, the offer for 3 years would have to be the same as the 7 years. In other words, 8 million per.

How about 5 years @ 6-7 million or the appropriate money available to fit what the team needs. That's where the player has to have that "mutual feeling".

[HardCoreBlue]

 

 

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is mutual.

Great point.

Terrible ooint. Hey Buff do you want a 7 year deal for $56 million or a three year deal for $18? If you don't take the lesser deal it's because you hate winnipeg.

There's something to be said for being close to home and liking where you are but this is his last chance to cash in and make generational money. He might put a value on liking where he plays bits flat out stupid if that value is more than a few bucks.

 

I'm sorry, was that the point that was made? No, the point was, at least for me, was wondering how much Dustin likes playing here (without your type of judgement), nothing more nothing less.  

Also, suggesting Dustin is stupid if he gives up significant money to play in an environment he likes fascinates me. You casting judgment on things like this doesn't sound very open minded. Historically, some professional athletes, in a variety of sports, have factored in other things than money when making key decisions about their future.

[New_Earth_Mud]

 

 

 

Buff is one piece of this team's plans. Pay the man...for a short term. Winnipeg loves the guy. Let's see if the meeling is mutual.

Great point.

Terrible ooint. Hey Buff do you want a 7 year deal for $56 million or a three year deal for $18? If you don't take the lesser deal it's because you hate winnipeg.

There's something to be said for being close to home and liking where you are but this is his last chance to cash in and make generational money. He might put a value on liking where he plays bits flat out stupid if that value is more than a few bucks.

 

I'm sorry, was that the point that was made? No, the point was, at least for me, was wondering how much Dustin likes playing here (without your type of judgement), nothing more nothing less.  

Also, suggesting Dustin is stupid if he gives up significant money to play in an environment he likes fascinates me. You casting judgment on things like this doesn't sound very open minded. Historically, some professional athletes, in a variety of sports, have factored in other things than money when making key decisions about their future.

 

 

I agree... im pretty sure non of us know what Buffs thinking. He sure dont seem like the kind of guy thats going to put money above all else.

[The Unknown Poster]

I didn't say he was stuoid for putting value on liking where he plays. In fact I metioned that specific point. But he'd be crazy to give up a significant amount of money at this stage of his career.

[New_Earth_Mud]

I didn't say he was stuoid for putting value on liking where he plays. In fact I metioned that specific point. But he'd be crazy to give up a significant amount of money at this stage of his career.

 

 

Whats a significant amount tho? 2mil? 5mil? Over how many years?

We are aways from this anyway... We have no idea if a team will throw huge cash at Buff.

 

Would you say hes crazy if he just wanted a 3 year deal for say 20mil so hes set and his familys set and he can retire and they can all live in a log cabin on some lake so he can relax and fish for the rest of his days?

 

Its fun to guesss but we really have no idea.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

I can see us signing Ladd but Buff might want to go home to finish things off.

[Goalie]

Minny has no cap space to sign guys with suter and Parise being paid a ton. Same issue there tho. Suter and Brodin. Minny wouldn't have much interest I don't think. They have bigger issues then adding yet another rh d man. Jets are 5-2 without buff. Is he really needed that badly? People also need to realize buff ain't that great defensively. Had a good first half but his old habits of pinching at wrong times and not hustling back In the play had reared it's ugly head. Buff is good. He's not elite tho

[The Unknown Poster]

I can see us signing Ladd but Buff might want to go home to finish things off.

I actually don't think Minnesota is much more attractive to him than winnipeg as far as playing at home. He's pretty close as it is.

To answer the weird question if he wants to retire in here years then great but I sort of doubt it.

[SPuDS]

To suggest buff isn't defensively sound when he wants to be is preposterous.. He was being heralded as a Norris trophy winner at one point.. You don't get mentioned in that class of players unless you have showcased as one of the better or best at defense. He also is a leader by example and he is a bone crushing hitter. I'd classify a utility player with buffs skillset as unique and exceptional. Those, to me, put him into elite category..

[Brandon]

I definitely prefer Buff to stay... even if he does let himself go  I would think he would still be much easier trade bait then Ladd....