My opinion is that when Scheifele gets back Jets should keep Wheeler as center, he has been so good. That would give us advantage especially in road games.
Perreault - Scheifele - Laine
Connor - Wheeler - Armia
Copp - Little - Ehlers
Hendrics - Lowry - Tanev
Morrissey - Trouba
Kulikov - Myers
Enstrom - Poolman
Jets would have best 3rd line in NHL and Armia would get taste in top 6, either one of top two lines (or 4th) could match up against opponents best line.
On Powerplay Perreault, Scheifele & Laine would stay together with Morrissey on point and Lowry as net front presence.
2nd unit would be Connor, Wheeler, Armia & Little with Myers on the point.
Trade deadline Jets should go after Adam McQuaid type of defenseman to play with Enstrom
Goddamn you nailed almost everything with these lines! I’m practically sure that with these lines the Jets would be an absolute offensive juggernaut, and the lines would be even defensively darn good. Absolutely optimal looking lines, that would make the Jets an absolute pain to play against for any team in the NHL. And if Hellebuyck would be continuing at the same level as he has played so far, the Jets would be losing incredibly small amount of games.
The only things that I kind of wonder about in your lineup is that you have left Ehlers completely out of the power play lines. I admit that I’m not the biggest fan of him, but I still can’t really see how he could be left out of both power play lines. He brings that good zone entries and can also score pretty well on the power play that even though his playmaking is very questionable to me, at least at the moment, I just can’t see how the Jets could be without using his great strengths especially on the power play.
Also I find it quite questionable to leave Buff completely out of the lineup. But at the same time I have to say that if he can’t be really made to play a clearly defensively committed risk free game with playing maximum 20 minutes per night, I also would in that case rather not see him play at all.
Anyway otherwise an absolutely amazing lineup. Pretty much optimal and really scary offensive powerhouse, that would have very balanced defensive power too. This would make the Jets practically a nightmare to make matchups against. So natural and balanced lines that I’m really surprised if not more of people can really see it.