JETS FANS UNHAPPY ABOUT LAINE DEAL
Blue Jackets gave up talented Dubois, but weren't dealing from position of strength
If social media reaction and emails from Postmedia readers are any indication, most Winnipeg Jets fans are livid with the decision to trade star winger Patrik Laine.
Angry messages began flowing in as soon as Saturday's news broke.
The consensus: GM Kevin Cheveldayoff blew it.
“Jarmo Kekalainen (the Columbus GM) took Kevin to school and made him look like a junior leaguer,” Larry Glenesk said via email. “Kekalainen is being hailed as a hero, both in Columbus and in Finland!! I highly doubt similar phrases are escaping anyone's lips in Winnipeg.”
Cheveldayoff shipped Laine to Columbus, along with unhappy and unsigned forward Jack Roslovic, for centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round draft pick. Glenesk points out the Blue Jackets weren't exactly dealing from a position of strength, as Dubois was benched and playing like he'd had enough.
Laine, on the other hand, was a standout in his only game this season, even though his agents said he also wanted a change of scenery.
“Columbus was in at least as difficult a situation as the Jets and arguably one of much greater urgency since Dubois' benching in his last game and complete indifference to playing in Columbus any longer,” Glenesk continued. “The fact that (Cheveldayoff ) obviously felt he was dealing from a position of weakness, not strength, is baffling, disappointing and speaks volumes to a growing streak of ineptitude.”
Winnipegger Bob Dyce, an assistant coach with the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks, took that theme one step further.
“2 players wanted to get traded,” Dyce said via Twitter. “One of them plays one of his best games ever, the other purposely dogs it on the ice to force the trade. I know which one I'd want on my team.”
Many fans say Cheveldayoff didn't address his team's greatest need: a top defenceman.
“Well Chevy outdid himself this time,” John Schabert chimed in with an email. “Trying to say they have a need for a good two way centre. They have a much larger need for a top pairing defenceman. Good thing I don't have to pay to go to the games this year. Trade Chevy!!!!!!”
Bart Carr agrees.
“What a stupid trade,” he wrote. “The Jets needed a Class A defenceman by the name of Seth Jones. That would have been an even trade. Roslovic is a great player who will now get his chance to play. He will do well at home. The Jets got hosed. The trade is a joke.”
An email from Bog Gudz read like an echo.
“Bad, bad trade,” Gudz wrote.
“Dubois will never be the player that Laine is and will come to be. Jets needed a top-four D-man more than anything and why give up a first-round pick in Roslovic for a pending third pick next year? Jets lost out on both ends.”
Laine had become a fan favourite in Winnipeg, scoring 36 goals as an 18-year-old rookie, followed by 44, 30 and 28 last season.
Last season he recorded a career-high 35 assists, looking more like the powerful, two-way forward head coach Paul Maurice was hoping he'd become.
Maurice praised Laine's commitment in training camp, then watched his season debut produce two goals, including the overtime winner, and an assist against Calgary. He's been hurt and hasn't played since.