Player Discussion: Ehlers

[LowLefty]

That isn't quite the way I see the issue. I think he does well enough close in, as long as the goalie can't focus on him alone, like in a breakaway or shootout. He is certainly no Kyle Connor in close, but that doesn't make him weak there. KC is great in close. For all the moves Niko can put on Dmen to get by them, you would think he would have the odd move for the goalies. But he is very predictable.

Maybe he just prefers to shoot -
I don't see him going to the net at all and that's not a hit on Ehlers.
He likes to use his skating and edges to get in the slot area for a shot - I'm more than fine with that.
It's funny how he used to have trouble letting it rip - and now he's shooting from everywhere - nice change.

 

[AstrophysicalJet]

I still would not use him in shootouts. He gets more breakaway chances than most but fewer breakaway goals. He doesn't seem to have any shootout moves and almost never tries a backhand shot. His only real weakness, IMO.

He was a SO wizard in the Q, great moves and scored alot, also on breakaways...

No idea how he lost that ability tho...

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

He was a SO wizard in the Q, great moves and scored alot, also on breakaways...

No idea how he lost that ability tho...

Maybe he is ready to get it back.

 

[WolfHouse]

This is why Ehlers and Copp are such a great pair... Copp drives to the net for the rebounds or even just as a distraction while Ehlers is dipsy doodling through the crowd

 

[DashingDane]

 

[larmex99]

He is not happy to have lost his BFF. The hockey and the team are different issues.

As a friend’s wife’s new boyfriend told him: You haven’t lost her, you just lost your place in line. I doubt that being on different teams will affect their friendship. My friend and his wife? Not so much.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I like your thinking about pairs and fill in from there. But personally I think if we have the C depth, finally, use it and skate other teams into the ice with a fresh line up. Pack of wolves baby

Scheifele / Wheeler
Connor / PLD
Stastny / Ehlers
Harkins / Lowry

Fill in the rest between Copp, Apples, Ves, Lewis, Perrault

I like the idea of Connor & PLD together. The starter and the finisher. PLD will cover some of Connor's defensive weakness. Plus I think KC might be getting at least a little better defensively.

Some of the numbers for Scheif with Ehlers and without make me think they should be another pair. That would leave the old folks together. Copp might be the best LW to fill out that line but it would be fun to put MP there, just for avg age. Then we could reunite Copp and Lowry.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

As a friend’s wife’s new boyfriend told him: You haven’t lost her, you just lost your place in line. I doubt that being on different teams will affect their friendship. My friend and his wife? Not so much.

Yeah, they are probably good friends for life. The loss didn't seem to hurt Ehlers' game.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I agree with this. Scheifele has topped 26 minutes more than once this year.

That is insane and completely unnecessary. Ehlers doesn't need those extra minutes or to play on the PK, but I think he should be the 5 on 5 ice time leader most nights.

The best player should play the most. Period.

"The best player should play the most". Generally.

There is the point @Whileee made recently that not all players respond the same way to more minutes. Players like Stastny pace themselves. Ehlers skates a lot of miles. There will be a point where more minutes = less performance. See Buff for a good example.

But even considering that, Ehlers should probably be getting 2-3 min more per game. The gap should not be nearly as wide as it is.

 

[Bob E]

there's no "might" anymore, he is.

I like Ehlers, but I’m not anointing him our best player after one 4 point night.

Was he our best player last game? I think Copp and Ehlers both had very good games.

 

[DashingDane]

I like Ehlers, but I’m not anointing him our best player after one 4 point night.

Was he our best player last game? I think Copp and Ehlers both had very good games.

I agree and think best player will fluctuate from game to game and season to season. Connor has been just as strong this season imo. We are lucky to have so many great talents in Ehlers, Connor, Scheif, PLD, Perfetti etc

 

[Bob E]

I agree and think best player will fluctuate from game to game and season to season. Connor has been just as strong this season imo. We are lucky to have so many great talents in Ehlers, Connor, Scheif, PLD, Perfetti etc

That’s the point I was trying to make. We are in an enviable position that we have very good players who consistently play well. On any given day one can step up and have a great game, but it’s not like our team success is tied to the success of one player or one line. They’re too close now.

I do know that as players start to decline (say Wheeler over next 2 yrs), Chevy has added another player in the fold (Perfetti) that may lessen that impact.

 

[Neuf]

I like Ehlers, but I’m not anointing him our best player after one 4 point night.

Was he our best player last game? I think Copp and Ehlers both had very good games.

I almost anointed him the best Jet after last season. He's been really solid for a while now.

Re: minutes, I think Ehlers' kilometers per game is probably higher than anyone else, so less TOI makes sense. What doesn't make sense is Mark and Blake dragging themselves around the rink playing 25+ minutes. Needs balance. Whether Ehlers gets those minutes or not is secondary in my mind.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

Ehlers was the only "driver" in last year's playoffs after Scheifele and Laine went down. Everyone else was a passenger. Ehlers has improved steadily, he makes the most of his minutes, brings a unique skill that is critically important to our team (zone entries) and is pretty consistent. He was already in the running for best Jet before this season even started.

 

[truck]

"The best player should play the most". Generally.

There is the point @Whileee made recently that not all players respond the same way to more minutes. Players like Stastny pace themselves. Ehlers skates a lot of miles. There will be a point where more minutes = less performance. See Buff for a good example.

But even considering that, Ehlers should probably be getting 2-3 min more per game. The gap should not be nearly as wide as it is.

Counter to Maurice's comments from today, we know that Ehlers has scored MORE when he's played 1st line minutes with Scheifele.

I agree with your comments in theory, but there's no reason to believe that applies here. McDavid, P Kane and the Bread Man skate a ton too, they seem to do alright with the added ice time.

We're only talking about a minute or two if ice time at 5 on 5 (he averages 14:11 over the last couple years, about 80 seconds less than Connor and many first liners), and some soft PP minutes (he averages 1:25, vs 3:12+ for the top unit).

The fact that Scheifele plays more than everyone but Morrissey is a whole other issue, that has nothing to do with Ehlers.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Counter to Maurice's comments from today, we know that Ehlers has scored MORE when he's played 1st line minutes with Scheifele.

I agree with your comments in theory, but there's no reason to believe that applies here. McDavid, P Kane and the Bread Man skate a ton too, they seem to do alright with the added ice time.

We're only talking about a minute or two if ice time at 5 on 5 (he averages 14:11 over the last couple years, about 80 seconds less than Connor and many first liners), and some soft PP minutes (he averages 1:25, vs 3:12+ for the top unit).

The fact that Scheifele plays more than everyone but Morrissey is a whole other issue, that has nothing to do with Ehlers.

Sure, and I said he should be getting 2-3 min more than he is.

But Ehlers /60 productivity goes up when he is with Scheifele. Scheifele's /60 productivity goes up when he is with Ehlers. Connor's productivity remains pretty much the same with and without Scheifele. Seems pretty clear that Ehlers and Scheifele should be together, at least once PLD takes over at 2C.

That still wouldn't even out Ehlers' and Scheifele's minutes entirely, but it would bring them closer together.

 

[DRW204]

I like Ehlers, but I’m not anointing him our best player after one 4 point night.

Was he our best player last game? I think Copp and Ehlers both had very good games.

over the course of a season it'll fluctuate game to game. but over the last year and a bit, ehlers stats wise and IMO eye test was has been the best player on this team (sans helle ofc). obviously there's nights where he is off - just like every NHL player - but majority of the time it's been ehlers. he's tops in almost every significant 5v5 stat for the Jets which IMO deserves the most weight in evaluating a player. Not trying to discredit PP completely, but i just value 5v5 production and being able to generate shots and High quality chances and 5v5 goals/production more.

Who is our best skater then? def not Scheifele or Wheeler. Connor? this season it's fluctuated b/w ehlers and connor most nights imo, but over the course of '19-'20 and this year, think Ehlers has been superior overall.

 

[truck]

That’s the point I was trying to make. We are in an enviable position that we have very good players who consistently play well. On any given day one can step up and have a great game, but it’s not like our team success is tied to the success of one player or one line. They’re too close now.

I do know that as players start to decline (say Wheeler over next 2 yrs), Chevy has added another player in the fold (Perfetti) that may lessen that impact.

Ehlers has been the Jets best 5 on 5 performer for more than 2 years now. If you had to place a bet on who will be the best player on any given night, safest bet is it's him.

 

[WolfHouse]

Copp-PLD-Ehlers will actually be our top three play drivers on one line if I’m not mistaken...

I still think Ehlers needs a winger who drives to the net to be most effective... don’t see Stats being that guy

 

[truck]

Sure, and I said he should be getting 2-3 min more than he is.

But Ehlers /60 productivity goes up when he is with Scheifele. Scheifele's /60 productivity goes up when he is with Ehlers. Connor's productivity remains pretty much the same with and without Scheifele. Seems pretty clear that Ehlers and Scheifele should be together, at least once PLD takes over at 2C.

That still wouldn't even out Ehlers' and Scheifele's minutes entirely, but it would bring them closer together.

I agree with you RE the ideal line combinations, but I doubt Mo will make the logical move. He rarely does.

That said, PLD and Ehlers should dominate if they play together - especially if Ehlers can boost his scoring rates (as he does with pretty much everyone else).

PLD has rocked an xGoals rate near 54% on average and pretty well everyone has put up better results with him. Dating back to 2018-19, PLD out produced Scheifele at 5 on 5 too.

Ehlers PLD would should be the Jets best line - assuming there are no Chemistry mishaps.

 

[Whileee]

Ehlers is marvelous, and Laine's a great scoring talent, but when the Jets lost Scheifele in the playoffs last year it was pretty clear who the most important skater on the Jets is when the competition is at the top level. PLD will add another player at that level. Ehlers is a very important part of this team and a dynamic play driver and scorer, but I think people underestimate how important Scheifele (and hopefully PLD) are to the Jets' championship aspirations.

 

[Bob E]

Ehlers is marvelous, and Laine's a great scoring talent, but when the Jets lost Scheifele in the playoffs last year it was pretty clear who the most important skater on the Jets is when the competition is at the top level. PLD will add another player at that level. Ehlers is a very important part of this team and a dynamic play driver and scorer, but I think people underestimate how important Scheifele (and hopefully PLD) are to the Jets' championship aspirations.

Are we going to open that Ehlers playoff wound again?

I agree with you about Scheifele’s impact, and hope PLD has the same playoff impact the next few seasons like he had last year.

 

[DashingDane]

Agreed. We really shouldn't be comparing top2 C's to top 4 Wingers. Losing Scheif/PLD would always have a bigger impact because of the positional role imo.

 

[truck]

Ehlers is marvelous, and Laine's a great scoring talent, but when the Jets lost Scheifele in the playoffs last year it was pretty clear who the most important skater on the Jets is when the competition is at the top level. PLD will add another player at that level. Ehlers is a very important part of this team and a dynamic play driver and scorer, but I think people underestimate how important Scheifele (and hopefully PLD) are to the Jets' championship aspirations.

I'm not saying this to be difficult Whileee, but what about the playoff performance indicated that Scheifele was desperately missed.

The Jets were the worst 5 on 5 team in the entire NHL last season. Their xGoals and shot share metric actually improved in the playoffs (albeit marginally).

Regardless, using a 4 game sample - that came after a long layoff - as telling in any regard is poor form.

 

[Whileee]

Are we going to open that Ehlers playoff wound again?

I agree with you about Scheifele’s impact, and hope PLD has the same playoff impact the next few seasons like he had last year.

Not me. I think Ehlers has been good in the playoffs, but Scheifele has been the major driver at forward.