Predicting the Jets' Most Improved Player for the upcoming season

After losing Brenden Dillon to the New Jersey Devils in free agency, the Jets have to look toward their blueline. It's all but certain that Dylan Samberg is set to move into the more impactful top-four role that Dillon had occupied in seasons past. The question that may however be on management's mind is whether he is ready to take on that additional workload after spending the last few seasons on the bottom pairing.

Samberg is going to have to take that next step-in his development to be in that top-four role because the Jets are lacking in depth at that department. He will also need to be someone who deserves that «most improved player» label because it's a big jump in terms of competition.

Samberg will now get the chance to be a force in increased minutes after that spot opened, and it could turn out to be his opportunity to really shine in those increased minutes. Having spent most of his young NHL career in sheltered minutes on the third pairing, 2023-24 was really the first time he was given the opportunity to play minutes in the top four, most of which came when Dillon was serving a suspension.

Samberg has to run with the new role thrust upon him. Management has always felt he has all the tools to be in a top four role, and if he manages to do what he did to make himself successful on the third pairing, then he has a real shot at being an X-factor for the Jets this season.