Player Discussion: Ehlers

[BoneDocUK]

That's understandable. He's definitely a first line player who deserves first line minutes in theory.

I think PoMo has used him to balance our second line for the last number of years but his linemates haven't given PoMo the confidence to use that line in high leverage defensive situations not that Chef and wheels have been defensive stalwarts lately.

I think the icetime issue is in part because PoMo has used Lowry to go out against one of the other teams top six lines in an effort to give the second line better matchups.

My hope is that a PLD/Stats/ Ehlers second line makes them not just matchup proof but also likely the most defensively responsible line leading to an increase in usage and a stabilizing of the whole forward core. Lowry can now go out and absolutely dominate other teams bottom six's. The stone hands line should be able to score more if they are spending 70% of their time cycling in the Ozone.

Sounds good to me.

I am considering making Vesalainen over Lewis on the Lowry/Copp line the hill I die on going forward. First, because DashingDane has already planted his flag on that hill and has sworn never to leave it, and second because Ehlers receiving recognition for what he brings seems like a smaller, gentler prairie hill these days -- at least for the fanbase.

 

[scelaton]

This isn't a new topic but I think you are right in it's being brought up again as a result of the Laine trade. Ehlers has averaged about the same icetime since he was a rookie to now. Not sure about you but I think Ehlers is a vastly better player than when he joined the org. Better driver, better defensively, more consistent etc. I firmly believe that should have translated into more icetime and responsibility. 6v5 is the only critical game play situation Ehlers is used as part of the "first package". That means his responsibilities have diminished over the years while his play has not. Not that anyone will be surprised but his usage is definitely the hill I will die on

Such a war metaphor--you have spent too much time in the USA!

I wouldn't worry about it--Nikolaj is breaking out as a star even as we type. And part of the reason he is a "vastly better player" might just be coaching. Maurice has all but said that he has taken that next step and I think more ice time will naturally follow.
It's great to see him carrying the team offensively on many nights--not being in Laine's shadow will help him in a variety of ways (some beyond the scope of this discussion), not to mention that he has three gifted Cs to work with now.
Seriously, the sky is the limit for this kid, this year.

 

[DashingDane]

Such a war metaphor--you have spent too much time in the USA!

I wouldn't worry about it--Nikolaj is breaking out as a star even as we type. And part of the reason he is a "vastly better player" might just be coaching. Maurice has all but said that he has taken that next step and I think more ice time will naturally follow.
It's great to see him carrying the team offensively on many nights--not being in Laine's shadow will help him in a variety of ways (some beyond the scope of this discussion), not to mention that he has three gifted Cs to work with now.
Seriously, the sky is the limit for this kid, this year.

15 years in the U.S! My Danish has become so bad my childhood friends make fun of me a call me a foreigner

I honestly haven't been as optimistic about Nikky's role in years as I've become over the last couple of days. Two top 20ish C's leaves zero reasons to complain about 5v5 usage. I hope he also gets some chances to be a game changer at critical game moments (PK, 3v3 etc) and I'm not sure the door has opened for that just yet with the new pp setup but I'll do my utmost to remain positive. Might take an injury but I have confidence he will grab whatever opportunity he gets.

 

[jetsforever]

15 years in the U.S! My Danish has become so bad my childhood friends make fun of me a call me a foreigner

I honestly haven't been as optimistic about Nikky's role in years as I've become over the last couple of days. Two top 20ish C's leaves zero reasons to complain about 5v5 usage. I hope he also gets some chances to be a game changer at critical game moments (PK, 3v3 etc) and I'm not sure the door has opened for that just yet with the new pp setup but I'll do my utmost to remain positive. Might take an injury but I have confidence he will grab whatever opportunity he gets.

Agreed, for once I won't complain too much if he's on Line 2 if that means he plays with PLD. I could at least understand why Maurice underplayed Laine and forced him out but I hope Ehlers doesn't have similar sentiments.

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

That's understandable. He's definitely a first line player who deserves first line minutes in theory.

Not in theory.
He deserves 1st line minutes. That includes on the PP. It should have happened 2 years ago.
I'm happy, but shocked Ehlers hasn't asked for a trade as well from the team, and if he did, I wouldn't blame him at all.

 

[ElLoboBlanco]

Not in theory.
He deserves 1st line minutes. That includes on the PP. It should have happened 2 years ago.
I'm happy, but shocked Ehlers hasn't asked for a trade as well from the team, and if he did, I wouldn't blame him at all.

Good teams have first line players playing down the line up. Ehlers has played on the first line at numerous points throughout his last 3 or 4 years.

I would think most GMs in the league are aiming to build teams where guys play down the lineup because there is so much talent.

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

Such a war metaphor--you have spent too much time in the USA!

I wouldn't worry about it--Nikolaj is breaking out as a star even as we type. And part of the reason he is a "vastly better player" might just be coaching. Maurice has all but said that he has taken that next step and I think more ice time will naturally follow.
It's great to see him carrying the team offensively on many nights--not being in Laine's shadow will help him in a variety of ways (some beyond the scope of this discussion), not to mention that he has three gifted Cs to work with now.
Seriously, the sky is the limit for this kid, this year.

So far it's been all words and no action from PM. His ice time has not improved. Even when placed on the 1st line KFC passed him on minutes while playing on second line. Pretty much every game.

 

[jetsforever]

Not in theory.
He deserves 1st line minutes. That includes on the PP. It should have happened 2 years ago.
I'm happy, but shocked Ehlers hasn't asked for a trade as well from the team, and if he did, I wouldn't blame him at all.

The funny thing is that it did happen ~2 years ago, Nik was great, and then ever since he's been demoted.

 

[PhilJets]

If Jets going best on best using Schiefele.

Nik needs to be in one of the wing.

 

[GumbyCan2]

15 years in the U.S! My Danish has become so bad my childhood friends make fun of me a call me a foreigner

I honestly haven't been as optimistic about Nikky's role in years as I've become over the last couple of days. Two top 20ish C's leaves zero reasons to complain about 5v5 usage. I hope he also gets some chances to be a game changer at critical game moments (PK, 3v3 etc) and I'm not sure the door has opened for that just yet with the new pp setup but I'll do my utmost to remain positive. Might take an injury but I have confidence he will grab whatever opportunity he gets.

If Nikky continues with consistent finish and production, with his " better-than-most play driving- puck carrying wizardry" he will be as exciting as King McDavid for 4-on-4/ 3-on-3.
He's earned the look in these situations, and should top be #1/ 2 in shoot-outs.
Wake up coach Mo and give Nikky his due opportunities, please, before he has to initiate trade me requests!

 

[JetsFan815]

Laine being so bad defensively is part of the reason for Maurice sheltering that 2nd line so much which unfortunately has impact on Ehlers as he played with Laine a lot. With Laine gone and Ehlers playing with two guys Paul can trust I think that changes the usage. Paul even mentioned that in his interview today Paul Maurice on the North Division, what went wrong with Laine & the acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois Said that he used to use the Lowry line to take the checking minutes and use the younger guys in the "3 hole" to get them matchups where they could just score, said that with Dubois he intends to use him more to have the top 2 lines draw attention from each other.

 

[JetsJets]

When I hear Paul Maurice's first answer here in Illegal Curve's YouTube post, I find it hard to imagine that he has not contributed in some significant way to Nikolaj's development (and I know others will disagree – I am not saying that there are not valid criticisms of him or issues for debate around his coaching). Anyway, I wonder what Nik's father thinks as a coach himself in Denmark.

I also wonder, as he alludes to (indirectly) here, if things could have been very different for the team in the past couple of years if they had somehow been able to hang on to Paul Stastny.

 

[AstrophysicalJet]

I know this is a few days old, but it had eluded me untill now.

Damn, this is the first time I am seeing Nik like this.
It’s obvious he is touched by Laine being traded.

Not just that, he refuses to answer a few questions - Especially the one were the journo is sorta indicating Ehlers was in the same situation as Laine, and not happy in Winnipeg.

Also, makes it clear Laine always wanted to win.

 

[garret9]

Use Ehlers on the PK instead of Connor dot com

 

[Adam da bomb]

I know this is a few days old, but it had eluded me untill now.

Damn, this is the first time I am seeing Nik like this.
It’s obvious he is touched by Laine being traded.

Not just that, he refuses to answer a few questions - Especially the one were the journo is sorta indicering Ehlers was in the same situation as Laine, and not happy in Winnipeg.

Also, makes it clear Laine always wanted to win.

Ehlers must be happy right as this is the most productive he’s ever been. Best player with his new best friends Copp and stastny.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

the 2nd line is playing out of their minds!!!! does it continue when they have to play calgary 4x? because if this keep up where do you place PBD?
stats - pbd - ehlers?
stats and ehlers have real good chemistry.
i guess copp runs out of gas when montreal comes to town and then you stick pbd into the mix.

 

[Cleatus]

Uhhh, holy shit. If Ehlers keeps playing like this, we're gonna forget about Laine pretty damn fast.

 

[I3LI3]

5 game goal streak.

5 goals. (Most on team)
6 assists. (2nd most)
11 points. (Most on team)
+10 (most on team).

what's mind blowing is that he's doing all of this will just the 14th most TOI (average) on the entire Jets roster. Like wut? (16 mins TOI)

tied for the second most points in the entire league. I'm a CBJ season ticket holder and die hard, but even I can see how criminally underrated Ehlers is.

 

[Whileee]

Use Ehlers on the PK instead of Connor dot com

Connor has had less than 90 seconds on the PK this season. Maurice has taken Connor, Scheifele and Wheeler off the PK.

 

[Whileee]

If Ehlers keeps playing like this he's going to be so expensive... wait... never mind, he's got 5 more years in his contract at 6M.

 

[Halberdier]

That gap won't last and isn't even worth discussing knowing the PLD is going to centering that line soon.
I honestly think the top line is being overplayed a bit due to Laine being injured the last 4 games and the jets finding themselves behind as often as they are.

I don't think overplaying the 1st has anything to do with Laine's absence. For the record in that only game Laine played this season (and robbed those points for the Jets), he got 16:19 TOI.

Ehlers AVG TOI for this young season is 16:26. Or in other words: stupid.

Yes I am aware that things should change at least to some degree when PLD steps in, no doubt. But the usage scheme has been mostly the same last 3 seasons so it's not really a new thing for Mo and his 2nd line.

 

[Halberdier]

Connor has had less than 90 seconds on the PK this season. Maurice has taken Connor, Scheifele and Wheeler off the PK.

And that's an excellent decision.

 

[29from27and55]

5 game goal streak.

5 goals. (Most on team)
6 assists. (2nd most)
11 points. (Most on team)
+10 (most on team).

what's mind blowing is that he's doing all of this will just the 14th most TOI (average) on the entire Jets roster. Like wut? (16 mins TOI)

tied for the second most points in the entire league. I'm a CBJ season ticket holder and die hard, but even I can see how criminally underrated Ehlers is.

He has been for a long time, and every line hes on usually has the best analytics

 

[garret9]

Connor has had less than 90 seconds on the PK this season. Maurice has taken Connor, Scheifele and Wheeler off the PK.

True. That has been better. I still think Ehlers could do a "power kill" type situation.

 

[Hulide]

Use Ehlers on the PK instead of Connor dot com

Normally I agree with you... But I dont think Ehlers should be playing PK he would just throw his body on the ice to prevent goals and would get hurt doing so.. and we need his offence... Nahhh I agree with Maurice not playing him on the PK.