As Murat has been hinting at all season, I wonder if the Jets might consider trading Ehlers at some point, especially if Lambert continues to show well in a de facto 3rd line role. I could see the Jets make a couple of moves using Ehlers and futures (prospect and/or picks) to add a C/F for that 2/3 line and a solid top 4 D, especially with the coaches losing confidence in DeMelo.
Agree. I also think that all 3 of the 4th liners look like they can move up the lineup if needed.
The one I am watching is how effective Ehlers has been on the PP. And the struggles the Jets have had since he's been out. You can win a lot of games with the PP, playoff games too, as Colorado taught us last year. That one makes me apprehensive. Whereas keeping Lambert around in a group of 13 forwards gives some options, as a backup to Namestnikov at C, or a winger like Perfetti if he struggles. Having 13 forwards who can play, at this time of year when there are a lot of bumps and bruises, you can rotate players in and out, make the competition stronger for playing time. And for Lambert he's practicing every day with pros, and playing on a winning team, that might be better than trying to carry the Moose. If the Jets lost Gustafsson on waivers, I'd say they have an equally capable replacement in Anderson-Dolan if he can get back up to game speed.
I think it's hard to replace PKers with PP guys, on a defensive minded team. Arniel seems pretty set in the roles. Maybe you start to see Namestnikov out on the PK more often. He hasn't been a regular since Schmidtty broke his jaw with a shot last year in the playoffs.
I don't think that the move is anything more than the org using the Ehlers injury as a chance to get both of them a look and some experience in the NHL.
Like scoring on an empty net...
I think taking a penalty in a 1-0 game when you have better legs than most of the team is one that will get the coach's attention for the wrong reasons. IIRC Perfetti and Chibrikov had decent chemistry in preseason, so that would be one to watch. Might get more shots out of Chibrikov too, and that seems to be something Arniel wants where he talks about winning zone time but losing on the shot clock.
My feeling is there's a lack of finish there. All the tools but....
Reinhart and Barbov play both PP & PK ... I like speed on the PK. Connor has looked good in the limited time he has been on the PK.
.......definite lack of finish, but entirely repairable. Lambo has quick responses, too quick, on that empty neter it was on full display. He moved so quickly on that puck that he shot before the net was actually open....and it went wide to the passing side. A brain and response issue. It will come to him with more experience and patience. Still a project.
He looked good considering he's coming into the 2C position. His retrieval and passing were good. He whiffed on that open net but was really good overall.
Sorry, the Kupari thread is a few pages down.
I guess they sent him down to work on his empty net skills. He can examine the tapes of Wheeler and Barron...
