Jets All Out Top 25 II: Honourable Mentions

We begin our second annual Jets All Out Top 25 player rankings with the honourable mentions - or the players who are on the cusp of making the list as they work their way up or even the players who have been here before and haven't quite confirmed a spot on the regular Jets roster.

Here are those honourable mentionees...

Meech returned from injury to help in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Derek Meech, 28, D, 5'11, 200 lbs
Last Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention 
This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention
Difference: 0


Winnipeg native Derek Meech finds himself once again on the honourable mentions list.  Main reason being that his season was grossly shortened by a knee injury he sustained in the early part of the season after spending time with the Jets, including two games in uniform.  However, Meech did return to the St. John's Ice Caps lineup in time for the Calder Cup Playoffs which he was a big reason the team made it to the third round.  In 15 playoff games, Meech had nine points (four goals, five assists).


Arturs Kulda, 24, D, 6'2, 215 lbs
Last Year's Ranking: Not Ranked 
This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention
Difference: 0

Arturs Kulda caught many by surprise last season, even in the Jets management.  Kulda, a hulking, but still sizable looking defenseman, spent nine games early in the 2011-12 season with the Jets and did not look too out of place.  His play with the Jets rocketed him up the defensive depth chart, especially with the injury to Derek Meech and others throughout the season.  In 63 games with the Ice Caps, Kulda had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists).  As of now, Kulda is starting the 2012-13 season with the Novosibirsk Siber of the KHL.

Aaron Gagnon, 26, C, 5'11, 186 lbs

Last Year's Ranking: Not Ranked
This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention
Difference: 0

The ex Seattle Thunderbird centre made a small impact late in the season with the Jets lineup decimated with injuries.  Gagnon played in seven games, mostly as a faceoff man to help the Jets struggling draw game.  Though he did not register any points, Gagnon was used in certain situations when needed on the fourth line and saw his stock rise a little.  In St. John's, Gagnon had 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 63 games and added nine points (five goals, four assists) in 15 playoff games.

Zach Redmond, 24, D, 6'2, 205 lbs

Last Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention
This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention
Difference: 0

Another player who saw their stock rise in a big way was defenseman Zach Redmond.  In his first professional league season at age 23, Redmond helped anchor the Ice Caps defense in St. John's in a big way.  In 72 games, he tallied 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists), which helped him earn a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic, and he had three points in ten playoff games.  Redmond shot up the defensive depth chart as well and will be looking to take another step up the ladder to the NHL.


Ben Maxwell, 24, C, 6'1, 195 lbs
Last Year's Ranking: 20

Ben Maxwell bounced around in 2011-12.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention

Difference: -10

Ben Maxwell's 2011-12 season was a strange one.  First he started the season in the Jets system, playing a few games with the Jets and in St. John's.  He was then waived and picked up by the Anaheim Ducks, played six games, scoring one assist and then spent the majority of the season with the Ice Caps scoring 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 43 games.  He was later reclaimed on waivers by the Jets and played nine games in total scoring five points (one goal, four assists).  Maxwell is a dark horse to make the team this season if he could jump ahead of top prospect Mark Scheifele and Patrice Cormier as a centre.

Ed Pasquale, 22, G, 6'3, 210 lbs

Last Year's Ranking: Not Ranked

This Year's Ranking: Honourable Mention

Difference: 0

Eddie Pasquale made himself known with a solid rookie 2011-12 season.  Usurping Peter Mannino of the starting spot in St. John's after battling him and NHL veteran David Aebischer, Pasquale would go 23-12-1 with a 2.41 goals against and a .911 save percentage.  In the playoffs, Pasquale kept up his great play going 7-8-0 with a 2.41 goals against and a .917 save percentage as he anchored the Ice Caps to the third round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.  At 22, Pasquale is another diamond in the rough who will only get better as he enters 2012-13 as the possible stater again.

Jets Win Big With Jacob Trouba

The Winnipeg Jets select Jacob Trouba ninth overall in 2012.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

When the International Scouting Service handed out their May 30th, 2012 rankings, Rochester, Minnesota native Jacob Trouba was ranked fifth ahead of the likes of Matt Dumba, Rielly Morgan, and Griffin Reinhart.

However, Central Scouting ranked him ninth behind those same defensemen.

Whatever the ranking, the Jets have won big with selecting the big, hard hitting American defenseman.

Trouba had 18 points in 22 games with the US U-18 Team.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Through 22 games with the United Stats Under-18 Development Team, Trouba was able to collect 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in his second season with the team.

Trouba at 6'2, 193 lbs, is committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines next season, under legendary head coach and former NHLer Red Berenson while his OHL rights belong to the Kitchener Rangers.

Again, the Jets have seemed to selected a player who has both skill, size, and great character.

According to michiganhockey.net, Trouba is a man of his word.

"When the highly touted defensive prospect is ready to make his decision whether to play in the OHL for the Kitchener Rangers — who hold his CHL rights –  or the NCAA, there won’t be any late de-commitments or promises broken. 

'That’s sort of why I haven’t (committed), because I don’t want to make a commitment and then back down from it.'" (michiganhockey.net, 09/27/2011)

Showing how much of a physical edge the big defenseman plays with, TSN was showing a video of an eleven year-old Trouba levelling an opponent while playing in a game in Sweden.

On a team that needs to stock up on physical and defensively sound defensemen, Trouba is a big win for the Jets organization.

Already with an influx of offensive defensemen - Postma, Redmond, Bogosian, Enstrom, Byfuglien to name a few - Trouba will be able to add a defensively minded aspect to the Jets back end.

However, with his commitment to Michigan upcoming, there will be a growing period for the young defenseman as he will take the proper time to develop to be an impact player in a Jets uniform.

Again, the Jets win big with a good skilled player that has a positive attitude Jets brass looks for.

Jets Off Season Needs & Wants Part 1

As a former Canadiens fan of the late 1990s and early 200s, I know what early April usually brings - watching other teams play in the playoffs instead of my favourites playing themselves.

Now as a newly converted Jets fan this season, the whole rigamarole starts over again (although the Habs did finish worse than the Jets) but it's not exactly the same as with my former team.

The Jets - albeit young and needing depth - are on the up slope to becoming a better team and the organizational philosophies that Kevin Cheveldayoff has installed in the Jets organization can begin to take root more effectively with the good graces coming down from owners Mark Chipman and David Thomson.

This meaning the Jets will not over pursue any big name free agents in an attempt to find the quick fix solution to the Jets finishing eight points out of the playoff picture.

Let's assess the Jets needs and the possible wants they could also be looking for to shore up the roster for the 2012-13 regular season.


Need #1: First Line Centre
This is in no way directed as a hit against Bryan Little, the Jets default first line centre this season. Little's goal output rebounded above the 20 goal plateau this season after it dipped to a career low 13 in 2009-10 and only bettered itself to 18 last season in Atlanta.

With 24 goals as a first line centre, Little ranks tied for 13th in centres for goals along with the likes of Eric Staal, David Backes, and Mike Fisher. That's some good company when it comes to the goal scoring department, but Little's meager 22 assists was a drop from 30 a year before which kicked Little out of the top 30 in points by centres altogether.

What the Jets need is a centre who can score 20-30 goals a season and be responsible for being the setup man for his wingers as well. To be brutally honest, the combination of Little centring Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler is not a first line on any other NHL team. But that just points out the fact the Jets have some depth issues going forward.

If the first line is to be a force, Bryan Little cannot be that first line centre. Little should be counted on as a second line centre and play the role of secondary scoring in years to come, but as for now, he is making due with the situation he has been handed and shown improvement this past season.


Want #1: A 50 Goal Scorer
I've heard many Jets fans on either Twitter or my own friends who obsess over the team that we should make a bold move for possible pending free agent Zach Parise.

"Why not?" they ask, "He's a 50 goal scorer waiting to happen," after which they salivate over the possibility of Parise and Kane together on the Jets first line.

Let's stop that drooling for a minute and look at this with brutal honesty.

Firstly, Parise is currently in a playoff run with the Devils as they face off against the Florida Panthers. Who's to say he would want to come to a team that is trying to make the playoffs versus a team he is already on - and captaining - that is a legitimate playoff team every season?

Secondly, how much will Parise demand if he was to go to a non-playoff team to be a catalyst for building a winner? The Jets do have alot of cap room, but is it worth the risk? The Jersey captain made $6 million this past season on a one-year deal only to get himself into becoming an unrestricted free agent, so chances are he is looking north of $6 million as a payday.

And thirdly, Parise - though a very tantalizingly great thought of dawning a Jets jersey - is not a viable option for Jets management if they wish to continue the route they are on. Of course, if Parise does get to July 1st without signing back with the Devils, the Jets should undoubtedly go after him, but they will not be alone and possibly not one of the teams willing to go north of $6 million.


Need #2: Stronger Back End Defensemen
Lately, I've also heard alot of chatter on Twitter about the possibility and the need to trade top end defensemen Tobias Enstrom. As a big fan of Enstrom, I was not sure why fans would even consider it.

Enstrom was an All-Star defenseman last season - though he didn't play due to injury - and he was also hurt for significant stretches during the season and seemed to be caught up in the hype of the NHL's return to Winnipeg.

Though his points per game decreased from his last two season in Atlanta, Enstrom is only due for a rebound in 2012-13. Despite size issues, his first pass and deft stick handling make him a defenseman that any other team would jump at to get a puck moving defenseman.

That moves me to telling fans - let's not worry about our top defensemen, but our secondary defensmen. The likes of Ron Hainsey, Mark Stuart, Mark Flood, and others.

It wouldn't be an overly big surprise to see Randy Jones not re-signed and the Mark Flood situation is tentatively odd and perplexing at best.

Mark Stuart is a shot blocking expert and heart and soul guy, while Zach Bogosian continues to improve every game, and Grant Clitsome has found a niche in Winnipeg though his defensive play could use some work at times.

As for Hainsey, the Jets could do better. Much, much better.

Despite Hainsey's +9 being second on the team behind leading goal scorer Evander Kane, Hainsey's point production dropped immensely from 19 points a year ago to only 10 assists this season and his stock continues to drop the past three seasons after a career year in 2008-09 - his first in Atlanta.

Injuries did plague Hainsey, but his inconsistent play was the biggest weakness on the Jets back end. Granted, Hainsey was not the only Jets defender with problems in his own zone, but his veteran play did not equal up to his paycheck that he has been receiving - $5 million this season with $3 million on the way next season.

If the Jets could deal Hainsey out of the lineup, his $4.5 million cap hit would free up room to get a steadier, more reliable fifth or sixth defenseman that could cost in the range of $1-$2.5 million and be more responsible in the Jets end - a desperately needed thing for such a young club.


Want #2: Top 5 Pick
I'm not entirely sure what's going through my mind as I write this second and final want for now.

The Jets already have a top 10 pick, but what if they were able to trade up for a top 5 pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft?

Last season, taking Mark Scheifele seventh overall proved to be a decent pick, although eighth overall pick Sean Couturier is lighting it up with the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

But what if the Jets could have the likes of a Nail Yakupov or a Mikhail Grigorenko on their team? Or even an Alex Galchenyuk on the team?

It would cost the team dearly, but may be worth it. With the Jets depth on the back end, there could be a possibility to trade up in the draft, especially since the Oilers hold the first overall pick and are in desperate need for defensive help. Could a Ron Hainsey along with a few prospects and picks work? My first reaction is: No.

I've heard ideas tossed around about shipping Enstrom to Edmonton and getting the pick or others but not the likes of Byfuglien, Bogosian, or Stuart or even Paul Postma or Zach Redmond.

But with the two latter young, AHL All-Star talents upcoming from the playoff bound St. John's Ice Caps what would the Jets be losing if they were to trade an Enstrom or a Hainsey for a very NHL ready Yakupov?

Yet again, Yakupov has expressed his want and excitement to play in Edmonton should he be picked first overall by the Oilers. (Marcy Di Michele, The Hockey Writers, 04/17/2012)

Interesting idea, but still a want.

Tall Order Coming With Young Jets Defense

With their best defenseman so far this season out of the lineup indefinitely, the Winnipeg Jets and their young defensive core have a large and meaningful task ahead of them.

And Tobias Enstrom's broken collarbone isn't the only thing that is keeping the young core busy either.

Injuries to Ron Hainsey, who is slated to return before the new year at latest, and subsequent day-to-day injuries to Randy Jones and Mark Stuart (who managed to get into the lineup and play 18:10 of ice time last night) have put the onus on the young defense of the AHL's St. John's Ice Caps to fill the roles needed.

And filled these roles they have.

After calling up both Brett Festerling and Mark Flood when Jones and Enstrom were not available, both have made the most their opportunities in the NHL.

Flood had his first career goal and a two-point night against the New Jersey Devils and has so far had a +1 rating through three games in Winnipeg.

Flood has also seen his stock rise at the same time, with his minutes improving over 15:00 of ice time after his two point performance in New Jersey - where he played a career high 19:44.

Festerling, on the other hand, has seen his stock drop a bit. After playing 19:05 of ice time against the New York Islanders, his ice time went down to 15:37 with a -2 performance against New Jersey and it plummeted last night to only 7:45 of ice time in New York.

Paul Postma, the other emergency call up for the Devils game when Stuart couldn't go, played 13:37 in New Jersey, only to have three shifts in New York last night with the return of Stuart.

Experience is key and for the Jets, these three defensemen have proven that they can step in and make an easy transition.

Though the next call ups may see the names of Zach Redmond given a try or another Mark Flood call up, but the Jets defensive depth has proven to be a key cog in the Jets machine, despite the 1-1-1 record with the call ups in the lineup.

Most importantly, Flood has seen his stock rise higher than ever in his career. After spending last season in Winnipeg with the Moose for an entire season, it seems he has learned both sides of the puck and will be counted on to add to the Jets defensive depth.

If another team comes knocking on the door for defensemen, Mark Flood will not be the first to go.

Jets Trim Roster; Assign 20 To St. John's Ice Caps Training Camp

The Winnipeg Jets announced they have assigned 20 players to training camp of their AHL affiliate St. John's Ice Caps Tuesday afternoon.

Included in those 20 players are ex-Moose players Marco Rosa, Travis Ramsey, Kevin Clark, Mark Flood, Jason Jaffray, and Shawn Weller.

The Jets still have 36 players on their roster, which will need to be trimmed down again by opening night October 9th.

Also going down to the Ice Caps were goalies Chris Carrozzi, Peter Mannino, Edward Pasquale, defensemen Ben Chiarot, Arturs Kulda, Julian Melchiori, Zach Redmond, Cody Sol, and forward Shayne Wiebe, John Albert, Akim Aliu, Mike Forney, Riley Holzapfel, and Eric O'Dell.

Still on the team are both Mark Scheifele and Paul Postma, who have both had impressive pre-seasons so far with Scheifele leading the league in pre-season scoring and Postma chipping in heavily with two goals through three games.

The final 36 man roster of players still in camp includes 20 forwards, 10 defenseman, and three goalies as well as three injured players.

Also still on the roster looking to finally get some full-time NHL work are forwards Kenndal McArdle, Spencer Machacek, Jason Gregoire, Aaron Gagnon (injured), Carl Klingberg, Derek Meech, Randy Jones, Patrice Cormier, and Brett Festerling.

The Jets next play on Wednesday night at the MTS Centre against the Carolina Hurricanes.

That game is available on TSN-Jets and Sports Radio 1290 at 7:30 PM CT.

Jets All Out Top 25: #12 Johnny Oduya & #11 Chris Mason

Johnny Oduya, 29, Defense, 6'0, 200 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #12 Difference: N/A

Chris Mason, 35, Goalie, 6'0, 200 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #11 Difference: N/A

After a successful junior career in the QMJHL with both the Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats in 2000-01, defenseman Johnny Oduya decided to spend more time back in his native Sweden, playing in the Swedish Elite League from 2003-04 until the 2005-06 season.

Despite being drafted 221st overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Oduya did not debut in the NHL until the 2006-07 season with the New Jersey Devils - the team who selected him in the seventh round.

Oduya made an immediate impact, playing 76 games in his rookie season collecting 11 points (two goals, nine assists).

He would spend three full seasons in New Jersey, playing in all 82 games in 2008-09, scoring a career high 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists).

Known as a two-way defenseman, Oduya can chip in with five-ten goals per season, around 25 points and bring a solid defensive game to the ice. His leadership has shown through in his career. Though only in the league for five seasons, Oduya has become a leader on the Jets blueline while in Atlanta along with veteran Ron Hainsey.

Look for Oduya to help in aiding the development of young defenders such as Zach Bogosian, Paul Postma, Andrey Zubarev, Zach Redmond, and Cody Sol in the future.

Behind Oduya and the defense is veteran backup goalie Chris Mason.

Though situated as the Jets backup since his time in Atlanta, Mason did end up starting 33 games last season, taking over main duties early in the season with starter Ondrej Pavelec was out with injury issues.

Though he had a mediocre 13-13-3 record and subpar numbers: 3.39 goals against average and a .892 save percentage, his leadership and experience is what is keeping him in a Jets uniform as a mentor for the young Pavelec.

Mason has seen many different cities and been the starter for other clubs, including St. Louis, where he won a career high 30 games in 2009-10. He has also won 20 games during two other seasons, with the Blues and Nashville Predators.

For Mason, his main duty is the supportive, mentor-like backup goalie. But his enthusiasm and his knack for having one of the sharpest masks in the NHL will help a young Jets team be even more exuberant about coming to a hockey mad city in Winnipeg.