from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

You’ve got to be sure.

Whether the question is, “Is Jacob Trouba a top-pairing defenceman?” Or, “Can I win a Stanley Cup with Sean Monahan as my first-line centre?” an NHL general manager has to absolutely sure he knows the answer before he starts handing out long-term deals to young, restricted free agents on just their second contract.

That is where the Jets are with their unsigned 22-year-old right-shot defenceman Trouba, a player on whom the hockey world is split. He is big (6-foot-3, 202 lbs.), mobile and shoots the puck well. But the question persists when you talk to people around the National Hockey League:

Is Trouba destined to be a top pairing defenceman on a good team? That’s the projection the Jets are facing, as Trouba’s camp is likely asking to be paid and played like a top-pairing defenceman.

Averaging eight goals and 24 points per season over his first three campaigns, the scoring numbers don’t add up to a top-pairing guy. And as one NHL exec asked, “Does Trouba make his teammates better?”

continued plus Johnny Gaudreau mentioned too...