Pre-Game Talk: Blackhawks vs Jets - Thu Dec 14 7:00pm CT

[surixon]

If the game against the Panthers tonight is any indication, the Hawks defense is atrocious. They can be picked apart and exploited for odd man rushes with speed. If we unleash Ehlers and Co and utilize the stretch pass and quick transition play we should be able to torch them. We just have to be mindful of the counter attack which is the only time the Hawks have looked the least bit dangerous.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Not that I am downplaying the game against Chicago...but we have all been talking about the St Lou series for awhile now.
Looks like they will be down a couple of valuable pieces against us....both Schwartz and Pietrangelo on IR.

Plus Jay Bouwmeester is also out.
That's their top pair and best scorer out plus Fabbri and whatever other injuries they had. We do need to keep in mind that they started the year with a lot of key injuries and rolled through everyone for 2 months.

But it does seem like a great time to be playing them.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Still don't think Tanev, Hendricks, Copp deserve to be guaranteed everyday players, these guys should be feeling heat and have to battle to stay in the lineup everyday.

Copp and Tanev (playing with Lowry) are a case of the sum being greater then the parts. I've seen a couple of articles showing how for the last month or so they are one of the most effective lines in the NHL for what they are being asked to do. Each of them is having their best stretch of hockey playing with each other. If that doesn't earn you a spot then I don't know what does.

I'd be all for rotating Hendricks out for some games.
He's kind of defying the odds and riding the magic that is Perreault but over the course of the season I would think he would perform better if he wasn't an every day player. I subscribe to the theory that we'd be better off with another player in his spot but he seems to be a "hockey whisperer" and until the results prove otherwise I guess we have to go with Mo's plan.

I know you want Dano in the lineup but he seems 2 or 3 injuries away from seeing the ice at this point. Lots of players on the Moose that could push their way past him.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Copp and Tanev (playing with Lowry) are a case of the sum being greater then the parts. I've seen a couple of articles showing how for the last month or so they are one of the most effective lines in the NHL for what they are being asked to do. Each of them is having their best stretch of hockey playing with each other. If that doesn't earn you a spot then I don't know what does.

I'd be all for rotating Hendricks out for some games.
He's kind of defying the odds and riding the magic that is Perreault but over the course of the season I would think he would perform better if he wasn't an every day player. I subscribe to the theory that we'd be better off with another player in his spot but he seems to be a "hockey whisperer" and until the results prove otherwise I guess we have to go with Mo's plan.

I know you want Dano in the lineup but he seems 2 or 3 injuries away from seeing the ice at this point. Lots of players on the Moose that could push their way past him.

But no one can push past Mathias and Dano unless there is an injury or trade freeing up room in the pb. I think.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

But no one can push past Mathias and Dano unless there is an injury or trade freeing up room in the pb. I think.

Did I say otherwise?
Injury to bottom 6 Matthias goes in.
Injury to top 6 Perreault moves up and Matthias goes in.
2 injuries is where Dano may go in?????
But depending on who is injured I wouldn't be completely shocked to see Lemieux, Petan or Roslovic brought up.

That's why it may take 2 to 3 injuries for Dano to see the ice. Even then if the org has moved the Moose mentioned above ahead of him then he really could be stuck in a long line.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Did I say otherwise?
Injury to bottom 6 Matthias goes in.
Injury to top 6 Perreault moves up and Matthias goes in.
2 injuries is where Dano may go in?????
But depending on who is injured I wouldn't be completely shocked to see Lemieux, Petan or Roslovic brought up.

That's why it may take 2 to 3 injuries for Dano to see the ice. Even then if the org has moved the Moose mentioned above ahead of him then he really could be stuck in a long line.

I wasn't sure that's why I ended my post with I think.But I liked your idea of not playing Hendricks every game.

 

[larmex99]

Monday was the first game I managed to catch live at MTS centre this year (was at the Anaheim game on Black Friday in Anaheim). Boys looked real good. Gotta love Hellebuyck's calm, it radiates throughout the team. Even Tanev showed vast improvement in his angling.

Still don't think Tanev, Hendricks, Copp deserve to be guaranteed everyday players, these guys should be feeling heat and have to battle to stay in the lineup everyday.

Guaranteed? I would bet that they don’t feel like they have anything guaranteed. It seems much more likely that players further up the roster feel they are a lock on the team. The players mentioned are among the hardest working players on the team.

 

[67 others]

Is Perreault for real now?

Last year he ended the year with 28 points in his last 25 games and he seems to be continuing the trend this year.

No matter what line he is on, he produces

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Is Perreault for real now?

Last year he ended the year with 28 points in his last 25 games and he seems to be continuing the trend this year.

No matter what line he is on, he produces

Basically yes, but he is injury prone. Chances are he will miss another chunk of time this season. In the past he's been a bit slow to get back to scoring, but this season his injury return was fireworks from the start. Get out the bubble wrap... we love Frenchie!!!

 

[Jets 31]

Is Perreault for real now?

Last year he ended the year with 28 points in his last 25 games and he seems to be continuing the trend this year.

No matter what line he is on, he produces

Ya , when Frenchie isn't hurt he pretty much is good for almost a point a game , very underrated player .

 

[Whileee]

Is Perreault for real now?

Last year he ended the year with 28 points in his last 25 games and he seems to be continuing the trend this year.

No matter what line he is on, he produces

I thought Perreault lacked his usual sharpness in the first half of last season, particularly offensively. I thought maybe it was injury, but who knows. He was generating shots and chances, but just didn't seem to have his customary offensive polish. Later last season he seemed to be much sharper and started to produce more, and he's carried that sharp play into this season. He's been outstanding.

One thing I do like is that Maurice has taken him off of the R half wall on the PP to a large extent, and moved him down low and to the net front. I suggested that last season, and it seems that he is much more effective in that role (with Ehlers playing more on the half wall).

 

[ecolad]

I thought Perreault lacked his usual sharpness in the first half of last season, particularly offensively. I thought maybe it was injury, but who knows. He was generating shots and chances, but just didn't seem to have his customary offensive polish. Later last season he seemed to be much sharper and started to produce more, and he's carried that sharp play into this season. He's been outstanding.

One thing I do like is that Maurice has taken him off of the R half wall on the PP to a large extent, and moved him down low and to the net front. I suggested that last season, and it seems that he is much more effective in that role (with Ehlers playing more on the half wall).

Problem is that Ehlers isn`t really well suited to half wall play either... this is IMO the key area that needs shoring up to make our PP one of the better ones in the league. A really good playmaker in this position would be key to generating scoring attacks ,especially in cirumstances where the short handed team over-commits to controlling Laine on the left side. Our inability to capitalize when they do over-commit is a source of real frustration to me.

 

[Aavco Cup]

Problem is that Ehlers isn`t really well suited to half wall play either... this is IMO the key area that needs shoring up to make our PP one of the better ones in the league. A really good playmaker in this position would be key to generating scoring attacks ,especially in cirumstances where the short handed team over-commits to controlling Laine on the left side. Our inability to capitalize when they do over-commit is a source of real frustration to me.

Our PP should not be a source of frustration for anyone. They must be doing something right.

 

[Whileee]

Problem is that Ehlers isn`t really well suited to half wall play either... this is IMO the key area that needs shoring up to make our PP one of the better ones in the league. A really good playmaker in this position would be key to generating scoring attacks ,especially in cirumstances where the short handed team over-commits to controlling Laine on the left side. Our inability to capitalize when they do over-commit is a source of real frustration to me.

I think Ehlers will continue to improve in that role. He's still fairly young and inexperienced and will need to settle his game down a bit, but I think he has all the skills necessary to be effective in that role. In general, I like how the PP is set up now. My usual frustration is when Wheeler makes an inexplicably poor decision with a pass or shot that gives up offensive zone possession too easily, but he does a lot of other things well (particularly puck retrieval).

 

[Huffer]

Ray Ferraro calling Copp a (future) 20 goal scorer on 1290 today. Was pumping all the Jets' tires.

I wasn't able to listen to the entire interview. He said that about Lowry for sure, did he also say it about Copp? I don't see it with either, but Lowry would have a better chance IMO.

 

[ecolad]

Our PP should not be a source of frustration for anyone. They must be doing something right.

Our PP should not be a source of frustration for anyone. They must be doing something right.

For clarity...I never said that we weren`t doing anything right on the PP- those are your words. My frustration is with the fact that they are failing to capitalize as much as they could/should when the opponent over-commits because they don`t have a skilled half-wall player. If you have something constructive to offer on this subject I`d surely welcome it, but to make a sardonic reference to our season win/loss record, as you have, doesn`t add much frankly.

 

[Ducky10]

Both PP units are operating at pretty high levels right now, it's hard to be critical. I think the main thing that effects Ehlers and Wheeler on the half wall is they can get a bit impatient and force plays that don't necessarily need to be made. It often arises from how both of them move in that spot imo, they tend to get them in situations where they limit their options, which lead to forced plays.

Other than that I think their skills are well suited to playing that spot, they are both great passers and can also attack the net quickly, both things you want in that position.

 

[Aavco Cup]

For clarity...I never said that we weren`t doing anything right on the PP- those are your words. My frustration is with the fact that they are failing to capitalize as much as they could/should when the opponent over-commits because they don`t have a skilled half-wall player. If you have something constructive to offer on this subject I`d surely welcome it, but to make a sardonic reference to our season win/loss record, as you have, doesn`t add much frankly.

I did offer something constructive. I suggested the Jets are one of the best PP teams in the league. Of course every team can always do things better. You could say exactly the same thing about every other team.

Personally I think you underestimate the skill on this team.

 

[ecolad]

Both PP units are operating at pretty high levels right now, it's hard to be critical. I think the main thing that effects Ehlers and Wheeler on the half wall is they can get a bit impatient and force plays that don't necessarily need to be made. It often arises from how both of them move in that spot imo, they tend to get them in situations where they limit their options, which lead to forced plays.

Other than that I think their skills are well suited to playing that spot, they are both great passers and can also attack the net quickly, both things you want in that position.

All good points. It`s not so much their passing ability and overall quickness that is the issue though - it`s more their inability to QB the play from the half-wall. I`m thinking here of the ability to actually create passing lanes through misdirection and the ability to draw the D out of position while controlling the puck. Then of course, the ability to effectively use the pointman as a tertiary scoring threat and /or generate an odd man attack on the single D on the right side using the other two forwards. You undoubtedly know this well, but someone like Washington`s Backstrom is elite at doing these types of things.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Myers injury would be very bad

 

[Aavco Cup]

Myers injury would be very bad

As would using Dano as a D

Real surprised they have not called up anyone yet...... incoming trade perhaps?

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Hopefully it's just a maintenance thing for those players.

 

[Whileee]

Both PP units are operating at pretty high levels right now, it's hard to be critical. I think the main thing that effects Ehlers and Wheeler on the half wall is they can get a bit impatient and force plays that don't necessarily need to be made. It often arises from how both of them move in that spot imo, they tend to get them in situations where they limit their options, which lead to forced plays.

Other than that I think their skills are well suited to playing that spot, they are both great passers and can also attack the net quickly, both things you want in that position.

Agree. Wheeler tends to take too many low percentage shots, and goes high and wide much too often. Ehlers is a more dangerous shooter.

 

[Aavco Cup]

Is that Dano high sticking 4th line Jesus at practice?

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Both PP units are operating at pretty high levels right now, it's hard to be critical. I think the main thing that effects Ehlers and Wheeler on the half wall is they can get a bit impatient and force plays that don't necessarily need to be made. It often arises from how both of them move in that spot imo, they tend to get them in situations where they limit their options, which lead to forced plays.

Other than that I think their skills are well suited to playing that spot, they are both great passers and can also attack the net quickly, both things you want in that position.

In the last couple of games Wheeler has tried to force seam passes through PK'ers that are in position and ready for it. He's done a great job at times this season of threading the needle to Laine and Scheif but he needs to set it up better and not foreshadow it. I had always hoped that Petan would become a PP specialist with the ability to pass right through the box to Laine. Maybe he still can but for now the Jets need to not give the puck away so easily.