Player Discussion: Dylan DeMelo

[kylbaz]

Never been a fan but he has been playing great lately. Even Scheif gave him a shout out, clearly he has been working on getting better and it's showing.

 

[bennylundholm]

Jets need to deal for a bigger, experienced D to replace DeMeLo with JoMo. I love DD’s effort but he’s overmatched against bigger, top line players.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Jets need to deal for a bigger, experienced D to replace DeMeLo with JoMo. I love DD’s effort but he’s overmatched against bigger, top line players.

Which demelo is this guy referring to?

 

[voyageur]

Bowness unlocked his offense
On track to surpass career high in pts

Apparently he's setting up scoring chances at a high rate according to @garret9 tracking

I'm not entirely surprised by this result. I'm noticing that 44-2 are getting a lot of ice with the top line, and that line creates offense. De Melo is definitely playing with more jump than anytime in his career. I think Bones has let him be more than just a shutdown d-man under his coaching. The one that stands out to me is how high Pionk is relative to Dillon. Even though they have been on the same pairing for a long time. Tells me that Pionk in a more defensive role is still integral to creating offense from the defense.

 

[hockeyarena]

Jets need to deal for a bigger, experienced D to replace DeMeLo with JoMo. I love DD’s effort but he’s overmatched against bigger, top line players.

Yup Demelo+heinola+2nd rounder at deadline for #2D

 

[Atoyot]

Right, so remove half the top pairing, who are both playing the best hockey of their careers, in the hope that it'll let Morrissey play better than a Norris contender? Reminder that since Trouba the only defenseman Morrissey has looked good with has been DeMelo, and they've looked good together for years. How much does it hurt the team if he doesn't click with the new guy and then we don't even have the guy he was playing elite hockey with anymore to fall back to?

 

[DRW204]

Right, so remove half the top pairing, who are both playing the best hockey of their careers, in the hope that it'll let Morrissey play better than a Norris contender? Reminder that since Trouba the only defenseman Morrissey has looked good with has been DeMelo, and they've looked good together for years. How much does it hurt the team if he doesn't click with the new guy and then we don't even have the guy he was playing elite hockey with anymore to fall back to?

yup. they've had solid results for a while now.

although morrissey and schmidt looked fine together last year, morrissey and pionk are usually pretty underwhelming, and dont get me started on the top-pair during CDN division and the year prior.

Jets need to deal for a bigger, experienced D to replace DeMeLo with JoMo. I love DD’s effort but he’s overmatched against bigger, top line players.

if the jets are looking for a top-pair RD, first off it's hard to acquire those in a trade mid-season. id also look at moving one of pionk or schmidt, probably pionk, ahead of demelo and then put demelo at your 3rd pair with heinola or samberg, and let schmidt be the 2nd pair puck-mover w/ dillon.

morrissey-x
dillon-schmidt
samberg/stanley/heinola-demelo

but like i said, acquiring a top-pair RD during the year is probably v hard. which team is willingly going to deal their guy?

 

[Atoyot]

yup. they've had solid results for a while now.

although morrissey and schmidt looked fine together last year, morrissey and pionk are usually pretty underwhelming, and dont get me started on the top-pair during CDN division and the year prior.


if the jets are looking for a top-pair RD, first off it's hard to acquire those in a trade mid-season. id also look at moving one of pionk or schmidt, probably pionk, ahead of demelo and then put demelo at your 3rd pair with heinola or samberg, and let schmidt be the 2nd pair puck-mover w/ dillon.

morrissey-x
dillon-schmidt
samberg/stanley/heinola-demelo

but like i said, acquiring a top-pair RD during the year is probably v hard. which team is willingly going to deal their guy?

It's just really weird to me that people still want to get rid of him. Every player he's paired with gets a boost in numbers. He's one of the best defensive defensemen in the league and the best on this team by a country mile. He tricked me into thinking Stanley was an NHL player. He's a steal at 3 million and has a lot to do with Morrissey's step forward. Why move him especially when he is so quietly good that he would never return the value that he brings to this team?

 

[voyageur]

yup. they've had solid results for a while now.

although morrissey and schmidt looked fine together last year, morrissey and pionk are usually pretty underwhelming, and dont get me started on the top-pair during CDN division and the year prior.


if the jets are looking for a top-pair RD, first off it's hard to acquire those in a trade mid-season. id also look at moving one of pionk or schmidt, probably pionk, ahead of demelo and then put demelo at your 3rd pair with heinola or samberg, and let schmidt be the 2nd pair puck-mover w/ dillon.

morrissey-x
dillon-schmidt
samberg/stanley/heinola-demelo

but like i said, acquiring a top-pair RD during the year is probably v hard. which team is willingly going to deal their guy?

I'm not sure that makes the Jets better. The stats you posted indicated that Pionk was among the Jets best at creating offense, if not the best. Take him out of the lineup in a secondary role to put a top heavy d-pairing and you are relying on guys like De Melo and Schmidt for secondary offense, and that's not necessarily going to happen. Especially with the d partners of Dillon and Samberg. I am liking the offensive surge from De Melo but it could very well be an anomaly or the result of Morrissey's increased offensive output. I'd keep playing the top 6 exactly as they are, and hope for some improvements with more playing time together. Pionk was a +3 on this road trip. That's a good sign.

 

[Upperdeckjet]

No, I don't trade DeMelo this year. Even though that play where he dropped his stick, tripped and the Penguins scored was an absolute clown show, his value to our team right now is solid.

Just lov'n being a Jets fan this year. I'm going to try to enjoy this season without worrying how the coming offseason plays out.

Anybody else have a wicked cold right now? Man, I am medicated right out. My wife and I are going to the game tomorrow so I got's to get better.

 

[scelaton]

Jets need to deal for a bigger, experienced D to replace DeMeLo with JoMo. I love DD’s effort but he’s overmatched against bigger, top line players.

This is a very odd time to make this comment. DD is having a great season as a complement to a Norris candidate and is signed for our current window (till 23-24) at a very inexpensive AAV. He was always a highly competent defensive defenseman who made all his partners better, but look at the offence now too.

Don't touch that first pairing!

 

[DRW204]

I'm not sure that makes the Jets better. The stats you posted indicated that Pionk was among the Jets best at creating offense, if not the best. Take him out of the lineup in a secondary role to put a top heavy d-pairing and you are relying on guys like De Melo and Schmidt for secondary offense, and that's not necessarily going to happen. Especially with the d partners of Dillon and Samberg. I am liking the offensive surge from De Melo but it could very well be an anomaly or the result of Morrissey's increased offensive output. I'd keep playing the top 6 exactly as they are, and hope for some improvements with more playing time together. Pionk was a +3 on this road trip. That's a good sign.

if you relook at the stats from Garret above, schmidt and pionk are equal in scoring chances created. however, the dillon-schmidt pairing fairs better in net-offence comparatively to dillon-pionk. the latter gives us more far more chances and GA, and are on the wrong side of the overall share. hence why pionk is a team-worst -6 while his most commonly used partner is a +4. im fine with pionk still on this team, but id rather him in a 3rd pair role where his defensive struggles are minimized.

 

[BoneDocUK]

Which demelo is this guy referring to?

The tiny, ineffective one who doesn't exist.

... instead of the calm, consistent, versatile, increasingly effective one who plays for the Jets.

 

[DRW204]

No, I don't trade DeMelo this year. Even though that play where he dropped his stick, tripped and the Penguins scored was an absolute clown show, his value to our team right now is solid.

Just lov'n being a Jets fan this year. I'm going to try to enjoy this season without worrying how the coming offseason plays out.

Anybody else have a wicked cold right now? Man, I am medicated right out. My wife and I are going to the game tomorrow so I got's to get better.

that was one play. all of our dmen have had their "clown show" of attempts of defending over the years. demelo is few and far between though usually.

 

[Upperdeckjet]

that was one play. all of our dmen have had their "clown show" of attempts of defending over the years. demelo is few and far between though usually.

Oh, to be sure, but tell me you didn't face palm after that one? I found it quite comical.

 

[voyageur]

if you relook at the stats from Garret above, schmidt and pionk are equal in scoring chances created. however, the dillon-schmidt pairing fairs better in net-offence comparatively to dillon-pionk. the latter gives us more far more chances and GA, and are on the wrong side of the overall share. hence why pionk is a team-worst -6 while his most commonly used partner is a +4. im fine with pionk still on this team, but id rather him in a 3rd pair role where his defensive struggles are minimized.

I noticed that but I also noticed that Pionk was higher in puck movement, whereas I think you could infer that Schmidt generates more chances by getting in shooting areas. Maybe I am reading that wrong. I don't see any problem with that change, I just wonder how good Schmidt actually is at defending. I don't see him as being considerably better than Pionk. And I wonder if handedness is a factor for coaching in defensive zone situations, how a player plays the puck on their offside vs. their strong side. Those would be stats I'd be interested in.

 

[DRW204]

Oh, to be sure, but tell me you didn't face palm after that one? I found it quite comical.

Oh for sure. Thought it was Pionk at first that's how bad it was

 

[BoneDocUK]

I noticed that but I also noticed that Pionk was higher in puck movement, whereas I think you could infer that Schmidt generates more chances by getting in shooting areas. Maybe I am reading that wrong. I don't see any problem with that change, I just wonder how good Schmidt actually is at defending. I don't see him as being considerably better than Pionk. And I wonder if handedness is a factor for coaching in defensive zone situations, how a player plays the puck on their offside vs. their strong side. Those would be stats I'd be interested in.

It's a fair question, and while I have no particularly useful or sophisticated answer, I'd say that by the eye-test, and definitely this season, that Schmidt is a steadier and lower-event defender than Pionk.

Schmidt has a stronger puck retrieval game than I'd noticed before, and can be quite efficient in transition -- I don't often notice him chasing pucks or players or exhibiting some of the wilder pinches, pizzas or possession play that I see more and more with Neal.

I do think he's settled down a bit from last season's defensive omnishambles, but I must shout "Pionk WTF???!!!" a few times per game, because my partner actually asked me if I'd like it on a tee-shirt for this year's Xmas hockey-themed gift.

He's a player I've really liked for long periods, and absolutely loved during the Lost Years, when his combination of puck movement, willingness to shoot and overall high-end peskiness made him the team's best D many nights.

I really think he needs to a) heal from whatever's ailing him and b) play with someone who can provide a backbone of calm for his occasional adventures.

For quite a lot of this season -- and last -- he's struck me like a player who is working incredibly hard to remake his game into something it isn't, quite. I don't think you can question his effort and "heart," but I do think he's often working against the run of play and looking to make JMo-like plays without JMo's technical skills and, most importantly. JMo's high-end hockey brain.

 

[DRW204]

I noticed that but I also noticed that Pionk was higher in puck movement, whereas I think you could infer that Schmidt generates more chances by getting in shooting areas. Maybe I am reading that wrong. I don't see any problem with that change, I just wonder how good Schmidt actually is at defending. I don't see him as being considerably better than Pionk. And I wonder if handedness is a factor for coaching in defensive zone situations, how a player plays the puck on their offside vs. their strong side. Those would be stats I'd be interested in.

Playing with higher offensive IQ or talented fwds can lead to more opportunities for scoring chances to be set up as well. i dont know good schmidt really is at defending. i do know that the Jets' on-ice stats when dillon-schmidt are together fair pretty good in their defensive end. all your factors you listed for consideration would be accounted for in on-ice stats/measures too.

 

[scelaton]

Mike McIntyre has been lurking!

"D-man DeMelo among Jets playing better than ever under new coach"​

Jan 2023: D-man DeMelo among Jets playing better than ever under new coach

PITTSBURGH — The brightest stars tend to get the most ink, and deservedly so. The likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey, Mark Scheifele, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kyle Connor and, now that he’s back from injury, Nikolaj Ehlers, are all dazzling on the ice.

www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

[BoneDocUK]

Mike McIntyre has been lurking!

"D-man DeMelo among Jets playing better than ever under new coach"​

Jan 2023: D-man DeMelo among Jets playing better than ever under new coach

PITTSBURGH — The brightest stars tend to get the most ink, and deservedly so. The likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey, Mark Scheifele, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kyle Connor and, now that he’s back from injury, Nikolaj Ehlers, are all dazzling on the ice.

www.winnipegfreepress.com

Hah!

I swear that when I listened to WST early on, I'd recognize around 60% of Hustler's talking points from having read them on this very board, sometimes line for line, and often in the OP's distinctive voice.

 

[bennylundholm]

This is a very odd time to make this comment. DD is having a great season as a complement to a Norris candidate and is signed for our current window (till 23-24) at a very inexpensive AAV. He was always a highly competent defensive defenseman who made all his partners better, but look at the offence now too.

Don't touch that pairing!

A good GM is always looking to improve his team.
Tampa’s D has been huge.
A guy like Ekblad wit 44 would be great.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Yup Demelo+heinola+2nd rounder at deadline for #2D

Given the market that likely doesn't get you what you think it does.
The TDL D market is razor thin.
The type of D you are talking about is going to cost a first plus a good prospect, plus something.

Then there's the whole the new guy may not mesh with our team mentioned above.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

A good GM is always looking to improve his team.
Tampa’s D has been huge.
A guy like Ekblad wit 44 would be great.

What does Ekblad cost to acquire.
Does he have a NTC, would he waive it to come to WPG.
How does his cap affect our roster going forward.
Lots of questions for a hypothetical move.

If he was available wouldn't there be a bidding war for his services?

 

[MardyBum]

Some demelo love

Glad pionk got off the top pair early in the year

Just quoting this for a new page as I read apparently serious posts about trading Demelo.

If you want to improve the defense you look at the second and third pairs, not the best pairing the Jets have had in years.