Player Discussion: Nikolaj Ehlers Part III

[GNP]

Ehlers is at his best when he’s using his speed to get on forecheck, control the play and find his line mates. His solo efforts skating into triple coverage that just create turnovers is killing their line’s productivity.

Needs to put his work boots on.

Good post here Bob-- I think Nik is into playing the hero role lately, and trying to do it all by himself--like forcing the play into tough situations. He just get's intercepted, and you can see Maurice is not happy at all with where his game is going. It's like a QB in football throwing into double coverage--it usually never works.

Your right-- Nik needs get his work boots on, and go to work- like he did early this year. Nik will bounce back though--he has a great attitude, listens to his coaches, and has amazing talent.

Sometimes there's no "elevator" to success--you have to take the "staircase"

 

[PhilJets]

I like Nik's drop pass to Little 2 games ago.. more of those

 

[GNP]

Opposition teams have adjusted for Ehlers, his lack of size is his biggest problem!

I don't know how you can say that Sip ??? Ehler's speed offsets his lack of size, the same as Kane with Chicago. Kane is one of the highest paid and most prolific scorers in the game. Kane is no bigger than Ehlers, and is considered one of the great stars in the NHL today.

Also look at Gretzky-he was a "bone rack" apparently came last on the team's strength and endurance test-- yet he "doubled" the highest scoring forwards to ever play at the NHL level. Gretzky's biggest asset was his "brain" - he could size up a situation, and make a decision in a split second, whereas most guys take 3 times as long to make the same assessment. Much like the "very slow" Tom Brady in the NFL- can size up a situation and make the right decision in a split second.( computer like mind)

Bottom line--every player has a different skill set, and it's how they use them.

 

[DashingDane]

Came across a interview Ehlers did with a Swedish newspaper a week ago.
Nikolaj Ehlers: Jeg har ikke spillet som en stjerne

Happy he is taking responsibility for his subpar play! Below are the points he talks about:

- He hasn't played as well as he expects himself to.
- He doesn't think he has been using his speed as much as he wants.
- He is excited that the team has been great when he hasn't been. They can't take it for granted and they have to keep pushing.
- He wants to play more and be difference maker on the team but with how he has been playing he hasn't deserved the extra minutes.

I like that he puts a lot of pressure on himself and understands that it is up to him to make that happen!

 

[DiggerD]

he can skate but nothing more i say. he hasnt good hands and he cant shoot. very selfish linekiller. he cant pass beacuse of selfish and not skill enough to handle puck. why is the skilled Armia at the doghouse , been there so many years...what is wrong with him accepting that despite the skills he have a fresh would wonder...

You really need to stop embarrassing yourself. Ehlers has above average speed, good hands, and an above average shot. To quote the Hockey News
"Blessed with dynamic speed and sniper's hands, Ehlers did not have to adapt to the QMJHL so much as the league needed to readjust and try to stop the blazing Dane. Able to dance through defenders and fire his laser-precise wrister home, " There are other players other than Laine and Armia, and other hockey nations other than Finland.

 

[DashingDane]

You really need to stop embarrassing yourself. Ehlers has above average speed, good hands, and an above average shot. To quote the Hockey News
"Blessed with dynamic speed and sniper's hands, Ehlers did not have to adapt to the QMJHL so much as the league needed to readjust and try to stop the blazing Dane. Able to dance through defenders and fire his laser-precise wrister home, " There are other players other than Laine and Armia, and other hockey nations other than Finland.

Appreciate you sticking up for #Ehlite but some posters you just have to ignore It's not always easy to see the good things in a player when you believe their only role is to pass the puck to your favorite player.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Havent been able to follow much lately.

Whats up with Eehls low TOI the last few games?
Even when KC is out...

He seems to get the lowest of all 2nd liners atm, and even less than a few further down.
He cant be happy about that.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Havent been able to follow much lately.

Whats up with Eehls low TOI the last few games?
Even when KC is out...

He seems to get the lowest of all 2nd liners atm, and even less than a few further down.
He cant be happy about that.

Lack of PP and PK time in comparison to Laine and Little.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Poor Ehlers....

He needs at least a go at that 1st pp.
Maybe some 1st line action now that KC is out.

PoMo not that high on the kid anymore it seems.
had 2 points after only playing 11mins the night before, and still only gets just around 13 this game.

Seems he is getting the brunt end of the stick lately.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

He needs at least a go at that 1st pp.
Maybe some 1st line action now that KC is out.

1. Who do you take off of a PP that has been one of the hottest PP's in the league over the last 10-15 games?
2. Perreault and Connor both do one thing that Ehlers hasn't done with enough reliability: get in hard on the forecheck, and retrieve pucks off the boards/in the corners.

Ehlers is doing fine, IMO. He's still contributing from the 2nd line, and if PP1 didn't score so quickly/often, he'd be getting PP2 time. He's a casualty of the Jets success.

 

[WolfgangPuck]

Ehlers is enjoy to watch when he’s fast and creative and the play works out. It’s the other times when he tries to pass without a man open or hang on to long to the puck and losses possession that gets me tearing my hair out.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Another game, another night of low toi.

Boy, Ehlers must really play horribad as of late for this massive drop in icetime.
He is getting the least toi of all in the top6 by far.

As mentioned I dont get to watch that much hockey lately, is he really that bad?

I know people say he doesnt forecheck like MP or KC, but imo he did exaclty that to start the season, and was still taken off the 1st line and 1st pp.

Cant help but think I was right in my earlier assessment, KC taking his spot has hurt his confidence bigtime.

And that PoMo is maybe not that high on the kid..

He has never played and made so many mistakes as he did just after being taken off the 1st line, not even as a rookie.

 

[Maurice Del Taco]

Wonder if there's beef between Ehlers and PoMo?!? Something is up. Ehlers' talent is wasted in this limited role.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Cant help but think I was right in my earlier assessment, KC taking his spot has hurt his confidence bigtime.

And that PoMo is maybe not that high on the kid..

Ehlers, the Danish snowflake?

I highly doubt either of these statements is true. I think it's a simple matter of the 1st line driving offense, and Maurice hoping that the 2nd will eventually figure things out in order to provide them with two dangerous lines.

Wonder if there's beef between Ehlers and PoMo?!? Something is up. Ehlers' talent is wasted in this limited role.

I don't wonder.

What reasoning would there be for a coach to have a beef with a talented player? What could the end result of this be? Is it good for the player or for the coach? Honest questions.

 

[NotCommitted]

He's in the same situation as Laine EXCEPT Laine gets to play 1st PP which does wonders to keeping his production up and probably helps a lot with confidence as well. Ehlers is left in a bad spot, and my hunch is when his confidence is low he tends to overcompensate with his failing heroics. When his confidence is high and he is playing well, he can make those plays BUT he also knows when not to and can give great passes. Ehlers as of late seems like banging his head on a wall apart from rare glimpses. But he's playing like 12-13 min a game lately... that's awfully low and with those kinds of minutes it's hard for him or that line to ever get going. I'd like to see something done, maybe try swapping him and KC... might make both lines better.

EDIT: also the team needs to get that 2nd line going in a way that lets them play more so they can split minutes more evenly between the 1st and 2nd. Currently the split 5v5 seems something like 18/12 while it should be more like 16/14 IMO to keep both lines in the game. If PoMo currently doesn't feel confident he can play the 2nd line more, then he should adjust the lines so that both work.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Ehlers, the Danish snowflake?
.

I dont think thats fair.

He and Laine did not get as many go's at 1st line hockey in a row or 1st pp as KC.

Even after a bad game, if Laine or Ehlers had a not so good game, they would get shuffled.

Imagine playing well, getting pts, and then not only getting demoted, but having your pp and toi severly reduced.

He probably is not as affected by the line change as he is by KC getting his pp and alot more toi.

come on, the last three games he has gotten 11,12 and barely 13. How is a line going to click with that?

 

[YWGinYYZ]

I dont think thats fair.

What's not fair?

I don't think you're giving him enough credit, personally. I doubt he's as affected by the line he's on as you're intimating. He's playing with two very good players, and is a key part of PP2. He doesn't get PK time, and PK1 has been so dominant lately that he's not seeing the ice as much.

I'll bet if you look at a comparison of 5v5 time, he's not far off of the 1st line's average TOI.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Just to follow up:

Here's a table of the 5v5 TOI for 1st and 2nd line. 1st line averages 15.05 minutes, and 2nd line averages 12.8 minutes. Ehlers is actually seeing a higher average 5v5 TOI than Laine and Little, at 13.25 minutes.

In my opinion, PP and PK time is the big separator for these players, including Ehlers.

Player	Season	Line	Team	Position	GP	TOI	TOI AVG	G	A	P	P1	P/60
BRYAN.LITTLE	2017-2018	2	WPG	C	27	337.38	12.49556	3	6	9	6	1.6
NIKOLAJ.EHLERS	2017-2018	2	WPG	L	27	357.87	13.25444	6	4	10	9	1.68
PATRIK.LAINE	2017-2018	2	WPG	R	27	341.15	12.63519	4	5	9	8	1.58
BLAKE.WHEELER	2017-2018	1	WPG	R	27	403.6	14.94815	6	10	16	11	2.38
KYLE.CONNOR	2017-2018	1	WPG	L	21	307.73	14.65381	5	7	12	9	2.34
MARK.SCHEIFELE	2017-2018	1	WPG	C	27	420.05	15.55741	4	12	16	12	2.29

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[QuietContrarian]

What's not fair?

I don't think you're giving him enough credit, personally. I doubt he's as affected by the line he's on as you're intimating. He's playing with two very good players, and is a key part of PP2. He doesn't get PK time, and PK1 has been so dominant lately that he's not seeing the ice as much.

I'll bet if you look at a comparison of 5v5 time, he's not far off of the 1st line's average TOI.

Maybe I am...

But again, I dont think the lines as much as the toi is affecting him.

he just looks like day and night out there.

Just to follow up:

Here's a table of the 5v5 TOI for 1st and 2nd line. 1st line averages 15.05 minutes, and 2nd line averages 12.8 minutes. Ehlers is actually seeing a higher average 5v5 TOI than Laine and Little, at 13.25 minutes.

In my opinion, PP and PK time is the big separator for these players, including Ehlers.

Player	Season	Line	Team	Position	GP	TOI	TOI AVG	G	A	P	P1	P/60
BRYAN.LITTLE	2017-2018	2	WPG	C	27	337.38	12.49556	3	6	9	6	1.6
NIKOLAJ.EHLERS	2017-2018	2	WPG	L	27	357.87	13.25444	6	4	10	9	1.68
PATRIK.LAINE	2017-2018	2	WPG	R	27	341.15	12.63519	4	5	9	8	1.58
BLAKE.WHEELER	2017-2018	1	WPG	R	27	403.6	14.94815	6	10	16	11	2.38
KYLE.CONNOR	2017-2018	1	WPG	L	21	307.73	14.65381	5	7	12	9	2.34
MARK.SCHEIFELE	2017-2018	1	WPG	C	27	420.05	15.55741	4	12	16	12	2.29

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

But thats the whole season, incl. when Eehls was on the 1st line, and Connor has fewer games. So I dont think thats the correct representation of the problem I am presenting.

Dont want to make this a bigger deal than it is, as we as a team are doing great, but I am just aftaid we might ve loosing the kid in the swing of it all.

Hope im wrong, and dont mind if I am

 

[DashingDane]

Ehls is definitely lacking confidence at the moment! That seems to result in him trying to do too much and forcing plays he shouldn't.

I don't think he is in anyone's doghouse.. Paul is still putting the 2nd line out in key situations and he wouldn't do that if he had issues with the players imo.

I hope he is unhappy with the toi as I'm sure anyone who isn't on the 1st line should be. I do think PMo is doing a poor job distributing the ice time though. Obviously low toi can happen in individual games as a result of special teams (yesterday pp1 got most of the time and they were killing a lot of pk's) but it does seem to be a trend this season. We have all heard players say it becomes harder to find a rhythm when not playing a lot and I have to think PMo might be shooting himself in the foot. What good is a balanced team if your 1st line runs out of gas late in the season and your other skill guys have no confidence from being underplayed... I think Armia, Frenchie, Lowry, Little, Laine and Ehlers all deserve more minutes. Never thought I'd say it but I think I am a supporter of a designated 4th line... Mix the above players in any combo on the top 9 and I think you utilize this roster better.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

@DashingDane : 5v5 TOI has been pretty evenly split recently. It's only special teams (for the most part) that is skewing TOI allotment.

 

[DashingDane]

@DashingDane : 5v5 TOI has been pretty evenly split recently. It's only special teams (for the most part) that is skewing TOI allotment.

I saw that and don't really mind the 5v5 distribution. I think it becomes a problem when you have Scheifele and Wheels pking and on pp1 though. I just have doubts that they will be fresh when we reach the part of the season that really matters. I sure hope I'm wrong though. I'd start by removing them from the pk and adding Armia (not sure who the other guys could be) but I think we need to get our other talented players more involved.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

I witnessed 3 drive bys from Ehlers yesterday, and all three times the puck was there for the taking, had he engaged in getting it.

He also, on multiple occasions, left Little alone in his corner, offensive end, to dig the puck out with 2 defensive players on him.

He still has tendancies to avoid corner plays, and

 

[YWGinYYZ]

I witnessed 3 drive bys from Ehlers yesterday, and all three times the puck was there for the taking, had he engaged in getting it.

He also, on multiple occasions, left Little alone in his corner, offensive end, to dig the puck out with 2 defensive players on him.

He still has tendancies to avoid corner plays, and

...and? Don't leave us hanging!

Puck retrieval is one of those things that Perreault (and recently, Connor) excel at. If Ehlers could perform a similar role, he'd be more apt to be swapped from line to line, IMO.

 

[DashingDane]

I witnessed 3 drive bys from Ehlers yesterday, and all three times the puck was there for the taking, had he engaged in getting it.

He also, on multiple occasions, left Little alone in his corner, offensive end, to dig the puck out with 2 defensive players on him.

He still has tendancies to avoid corner plays, and

Yes, Nicky did not have a great game yesterday. No doubt about that! I have been after both Ehlers and Laine for not forechecking hard enough on multiple occasions. That is on them.

It does however feel like they get more criticism than other players which I don't completely understand. I don't think they have been significantly worse than any other Jets. They are youngsters and are going to improve. The vet players make plenty of mistakes as well and I would argue that's a bigger problem considering they supposedly are more finished products.

Based off yesterdays GDT you would think Ehlers and Myers were the main reasons for the loss which is just ridiculous. We hear about all the times he didn't pass every two minutes but no one mentions that he drew the penalty that led to the only Jets goal or that he set up Lits and Laine for quality chances or that he had as many takeaways as giveaways ect.. I just wish there would be more balance among the fans.

Also, this is definitely not guided towards you specifically MrBojangelz. Your quote just got me rambling...