Player Discussion: Kyle Connor

[Mathil8]

But 2nd line players play more minutes and more often against the other teams top 4. The idea is to ease him into the role.

For 5v5 Maurice didn't play the 2nd line much more than the Lowry line last year:

Player-------------------------------------5v5 ATOI
Joel Armia------------------------------------12:24
Shawn Matthias------------------------------11:59
Adam Lowry----------------------------------12:04
Mathieu Perreault----------------------------13:37
Nikolaj Ehlers---------------------------------14:51
Bryan Little-----------------------------------14:10

https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WPG/2017.html

You also didn't answer my question:
In your opinion do you believe Connor would have a more difficult time playing against harder competition with Little/Ehlers or against weaker competition with Lowry/Armia?

That's how I'm viewing 'sheltering' in this case.

The lines will shuffle. They always do. If things go well he'll force his way up to the second line after Christmas. If he's not ready for that he can continue in his sheltered role.

I agree with this, and stated as much in my original post.

 

[ps241]

Connor will be fine. He dominated at the AHL level last season and he will be needed on the Jets this season so drop him in the top 9 and it will work itself out. injuries will happen so I don't get too fixated on line combinations yet.

 

[robertocarlos]

Connor will be fine. He dominated at the AHL level last season and he will be needed on the Jets this season so drop him in the top 9 and it will work itself out. injuries will happen so I don't get too fixated on line combinations yet.

Is he going to make the team? He seems like a top 6 or AHL because he won't improve without the ice time.

 

[Bob E]

Is he going to make the team? He seems like a top 6 or AHL because he won't improve without the ice time.

Baring a trade for Duchene or some other top 6 or 9 forward, Connor makes the team out of camp, imo.

He has shown speed, tenacity on the puck, skill in making plays, and hasn't done anything to send him to the AHL yet. Now, after 10-15 games in the NHL this year, that may change. But for now, he's earned a spot and will play top 6 minutes at some point this season. Perreault won't last forever.

I think Connor is the lone rookie on the roster for this year. Both Roslovic and Poolman should start the season in the AHL this year, but will see some NHL time when injuries hit. Poolman is a nice d prospect but needs some time to get his feet under him as a pro.

Dano seems to be out of favour with coaches. Trouble is, if they waive or trade him they would be looking for a 3rd or 4th line RW with some grit and scoring who is good defensively. A role that many on here believe Dano will grow into over the next year or two, and is an inexpensive option right now as he develops.

Oh well.

 

[10Ducky10]

They will not waive Dano and Connor makes the team out of camp...both will make the 23 man roster.

L S W
MP L E
C L A
the next 5 forwards will be Copp Matthias Dano Hendricks Tanev
JM JT
K B
E M
Chiarot in pressbox with mainly Tanev and Hendricks
M
H
Petan can go to the farm without waivers so he will...unless he really impresses and they waive Tanev but I don't think they will.

 

[ps241]

Is he going to make the team? He seems like a top 6 or AHL because he won't improve without the ice time.

My measuring stick is once a kid dominates at any level he is ready for the next level. Connor dominated at the AHL level last year with less than perfect linemates and that is really tough to do. One of the traps we run into on our board (every board has the same trap) is we fixate on line combinations a bit too much. Coaches like Maurice are constantly juggling lines and injuries are always happening. As long as Connor is not trapped on the 4th line for 40 games with Hendricks then he will sort it out and be productive.

 

[Aavco Cup]

You also didn't answer my question:
In your opinion do you believe Connor would have a more difficult time playing against harder competition with Little/Ehlers or against weaker competition with Lowry/Armia

If he starts with LE and gets "demoted" would be more difficult for him than if he starts with LA and gets "promoted"

 

[Mathil8]

If he starts with LE and gets "demoted" would be more difficult for him than if he starts with LA and gets "promoted"

Fair enough.

 

[TS Quint]

Kyle Connor on the 2nd line? Get outa here! 1 shot and 1 puck hit him in 3 games and that deserves 2nd line? This isn't the AHL. It's clear he's having a hard time against even boarderline NHLers.

If you keep him you shelter the crap out of him on the 3rd line. But how do you do that when Maurice wants to line Lowry up against the other teams big centre?

 

[surixon]

Kyle Connor on the 2nd line? Get outa here! 1 shot and 1 puck hit him in 3 games and that deserves 2nd line? This isn't the AHL. It's clear he's having a hard time against even boarderline NHLers.

If you keep him you shelter the crap out of him on the 3rd line. But how do you do that when Maurice wants to line Lowry up against the other teams big centre?

Your putting way too much stock in two games. Remember last year when he torched training camp? I find that training camp is a pretty poor indicator of how a player will do.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

If you keep him you shelter the crap out of him on the 3rd line.

Easier to "shelter" him via better QoT on the second line. Don't think he needs any special treatment, TBH.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Easier to "shelter" him via better QoT on the second line. Don't think he needs any special treatment, TBH.

Yup. Conner would be asked to lead alot less of the offense with Little and Wheeler/Ehlers. If he plays with offensive black holes like Lowry and Armia he will be asked to lead the offense all by himself on that line.

 

[TS Quint]

Your putting way too much stock in two games. Remember last year when he torched training camp? I find that training camp is a pretty poor indicator of how a player will do.

I'm including all his NHL games. I think some people around here put too much stock in college and AHL games.

 

[TS Quint]

Easier to "shelter" him via better QoT on the second line. Don't think he needs any special treatment, TBH.

Why drag the 2nd line down? We have a top 6 that other teams need to adjust to not the other way around.

No more developing at the NHL level. There's enough talent on this team that nothing should be handed to any young player. At this point Connor is closer to the moose than the 2nd line.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Why drag the 2nd line down? We have a top 6 that other teams need to adjust to not the other way around.

I doubt pairing Connor with Little + ?? would drag the second line down. He'd be a complementary scoring piece, not the main driver of that line. You talked about sheltering - I counter that it's easier to shelter via putting him with better players.

Personally, I don't think he needs to be sheltered regardless.

No more developing at the NHL level. There's enough talent on this team that nothing should be handed to any young player. At this point Connor is closer to the moose than the 2nd line.

He did his development last year in the AHL - I think he's ready. He torched the A at the end of the year.

I know I'm not going to convince you, and the opposite is also not going to happen, so we might as well agree to disagree at this point.

 

[TS Quint]

I doubt pairing Connor with Little + ?? would drag the second line down. He'd be a complementary scoring piece, not the main driver of that line. You talked about sheltering - I counter that it's easier to shelter via putting him with better players.

Personally, I don't think he needs to be sheltered regardless.



He did his development last year in the AHL - I think he's ready. He torched the A at the end of the year.

I know I'm not going to convince you, and the opposite is also not going to happen, so we might as well agree to disagree at this point.

You're right. This board isn't for debate.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

You're right. This board isn't for debate.

I get what you're saying - I just disagree. You also disagree with my position, and haven't addressed my main points in any event. So: here we are.

 

[heilongjetsfan]

I'm including all his NHL games. I think some people around here put too much stock in college and AHL games.

What other predictor of success could we have. He dominated the USHL, did it again in the NCAA, and for the last part of the AHL season. He's gone up 3 levels in 3 years. He needs the NHL to provide him the challenge that will force him to grow.
If we'd left Scheif in the AHL for 2 years after his junior career, do you think he'd have been an 82 point player last season.

 

[TS Quint]

What other predictor of success could we have. He dominated the USHL, did it again in the NCAA, and for the last part of the AHL season. He's gone up 3 levels in 3 years. He needs the NHL to provide him the challenge that will force him to grow.
If we'd left Scheif in the AHL for 2 years after his junior career, do you think he'd have been an 82 point player last season.

We go off of NHL games because that's where we want him. If he continues to show he's not ready then AHL it is. He does look good in tonight's game but he has to play well consistently and then do it against real NHLers. Not a preseason Oiler line up.

Not saying the 3rd line isn't a reasonable place for him. 2nd line is not even a conversation.

[mod]

 

[WolfgangPuck]

I think KC is ready to begin with the big club starting the season
He showed potential with raw talent during last years pre season but need some development with the Moose and became a better player later on
Not putting much stock in the preseason as much as all the games taken together last year

 

[GNP]

Kyle Connor Better Make The Team !!!

It will be a "grave mistake" if Connor doesn't make the team. He has all the base assets, like speed, good puck handling, and most of all a great shot. ( He's a sniper)

He had great college numbers, and holds the record for points, as he surpassed the former holder (Hoby Baker Winner) Jack Eichel.

This reminds me a little of Ehlers 2 years ago, when posters were saying he should be sent down for a year. The Jets did not send him down, and it took him a little time, but eventually he found his groove, and is one of the Jet's stars.

Connor should be handled the same way- "let him find his way"- he has the speed and the shot, and he will do just fine. Don't judge him on this short pre-season playing with a lot of scrub players.

I think Connor will score 45-50 points, but he needs a chance to develop and form some chemistry with his linemates. He needs to be with some good players, that can get the puck to him-and he'll put it in the net- "bigtime."

 

[Enthusiast17]

Keep pumping him up, but a player needs to earn a spot not be given it.

 

[Halloween Jack]

Keep pumping him up, but a player needs to earn a spot not be given it.

He was given the chance to hit the ground running last year in the NHL; He wasn't ready so he got sent down. Then Connor transformed from an elite college player to an elite AHL player by the end of the season. I'll call that earning a chance to start this year in a major offensive role for the big club.

 

[bumblebeeman]

The way I see it he is pretty clearly the 5th best winger on the team. Now if it would be better for him and the team if he was on the 2nd or 3rd line is obviously very debatable, but to me even if there is a slight negative impact to him playing on the 2nd line, I think the positive impact of having Perrault on the 3rd line is much bigger. And I think it would only help Connor to get to play with some legitimately great players.

 

[ps241]

I remember when about 70% of our board wanted to send Scheifele to the AHL after his first 20 games in the NHL and I will repeat what I said then. When a guy has the obvious talent they will play their way through it and that is what I see in Connor. He was not ready last season and it was the right call to send him to the AHL to develop. He crushed that challenge ready now, he will be very productive in the NHL this season IMO.