3 early predictions for Jets offseason after Stars series loss

Nikolaj Ehlers will be a free agent this offseason for the Jets. The Jets’ top line this year of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi was the highest-scoring trio in the NHL. Still, production plummeted after the top line. Ehlers was the most productive of the second line, finishing the year with 24 goals and 39 assists.

Still, 22 of his 63 points came on the power play, when he was often playing with Connor and Scheifele on the top power play unit. While Ehlers has elite speed, he has not translated that into elite production on the ice yet.

Further, at 29 years old, the Jets are in a situation where they need to decide if Ehlers is part of the core for the Jets. Scheifele is signed for another seven years, and Connor will need to be re-signed next off-season.

Further, the Jets just committed to Alex Iafallo. While there is going to be cap space for the Jets, they will not want to spend over six million on a player they are not getting the most production from. Look for the Jets to let Ehlers go and look elsewhere for a replacement in a deep free-agent class.

The Jets let Brandon Tanev Walk

The Jets want to bring Brandon Tanev back after trading for him this season, but that may not be in the cards. Tanev began his career with the Jets in the 2015-16 season. He would stay through the end of the 2018-19 season before moving to the Penguins. After two years there, he would head to the Kraken and remain there until the Jets reacquired him this year. Tanev is a solid third-line checking forward. He consistently is one of the leaders on the team in hits and in plus/minus rating.

Still, the Jets forward is going to be a popular man in the offseason. While the free-agent class this year is deep, there are not a lot of strong checking forwards available, which will drive up the price for Tanev. He was. already making $3.5 million this year, and that could more closer to the $5 million range, which would most likely put the Jets out of the running. Further, his brother Chris is currently playing in Toronto and moving towards the end of his career. Tanev is from Toronto, and the lure of playing at home with his brother may move him to sign there.

The Jets draft a center

With the unexpected retirement of 2021 draft pick Chaz Lucius due to his being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, the Jets have a hole in the farm system at center that they will look to fill this offseason. They will be drafting 32nd in the first round this year and will have some solid options at center that fit the mold of what the Jets are looking for. First is William Moore, the center of the United States National Team Development Program. He started his season rough, but with top-end speed and a high IQ, he is someone who projects into a top-six forward in the NHL.

Second, there is Jack Nesbitt of the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL. The 18-year-old left-handed center from Canada just scored 25 goals while adding 39 assists in his second season in the OHL. The game came together for Nesbitt this year. After scoring just one goal with nine assists the prior season, he became an integral part of the top six forwards for the Spitfires this year. Nesbitt also played six games for the U18 Canadian team, scoring twice and adding three assists.

Finally, Ivan Ryabkin would follow the mold of the Jets drafting European-born players. The Russian scored 19 goals and added 11 assists with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before playing in the MHL. with the MHK Dynamo Moskva. Ryabkin also saw two games at the KHL level this year, but did not record a point.