Winnipeg Jets: What the future holds for Ondrej Pavelec
By Sammi Silber
What does the future hold for Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec?
With three’s company in the goal crease, one can only guess which Winnipeg Jets netminder is the odd man out. Given Michael Hutchinson’s potential as a starter, and the ability of Connor Hellebuyck as a back-up, Ondrej Pavelec’s future seems to be in compromise.
Though Pavelec was the starter for Winnipeg’s preseason finale vs. Minnesota, Hutchinson ended up getting the nod at the last-minute. Perhaps this was to give Hutchinson more practice and prep to take on the starting role. And possibly, that further means something is afoot when it comes to Pavelec’s future with the team.
NHL insider Gary Lawless was the first to speculate a potential move involving Pavelec. Later, he mentioned that it could have been a possible injury, but there was still curiosity around the change in starters. It wouldn’t be wise for Winnipeg to have three netminders up in the NHL, especially given Pavelec’s decline over the years.
In 31 starts for Winnipeg last season, Pavelec went 13-13-4, putting up a .904 save mark and a 2.78 GAA. Out of 31 games, 14 of his starts were “quality starts,” which is mediocre. He’s been with the organization for his entire career over the course of nine seasons and has always been the team’s go-to-guy in net.
If Winnipeg places Pavelec on waivers, another team would surely claim him. He’s a stable backup goaltender who still has potential and can start when necessary. However, the Jets wouldn’t get anything back, and he definitely possesses value to warrant a good return.
When it comes down to it, I see the Jets organizing a trade involving Pavelec. They can get something decent in exchange, and get to keep two strong goaltenders in their organization. It isn’t fair to Pavelec to keep him on the team if he’ll be a scratch, and given his experience and seniority, sending him to the AHL wouldn’t be fair, either.
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The Jets will likely announce their plans in the coming days as they close in on their opening night roster. But for now, it doesn’t look like Pavelec will be a part of it much longer. Even if he does stay, he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2016-17 season.