Line Combos: Roster Discussions

[DashingDane]

That's all it comes down to for me. Wins=good, Losses=bad. At the end of the day that should be all that matters. The Stats line is playing great I see no need to overload 1 line when we can spread the talent out, makes us a matchup nightmare. With all our firepower on 1 line other teams just match their shutdown line to them and we don't have much else to work with.

I would split up the Stats line and have Ehlers, Laine and Connor on separate lines. Have a top 9 with a shooting winger on each...

 

[Adam da bomb]

I would also like to see a game of Laine Chef and Ehlers considering that Stas is out the door next year it would be good to try that line out in a meaningless game once we clinch playoffs. That way that can be our time line next year and our second line can be Connor Little Wheeler
3rd, Perrault Roslo Armia, 4th Copp Lowry Tanev. Unless of course they move a player in the off-season.

 

[Daximus]

I would split up the Stats line and have Ehlers, Laine and Connor on separate lines. Have a top 9 with a shooting winger on each...

I think Ehlers brings a bit more to that line with his speed. The other two guys aren't exactly fast in terms of forechecking. Stats is great along the wall and Laine is starting to play there really well but they both aren't speedy forecheckers that's where Ehlers comes in. If they can't break the blueline cleanly they can float it in and Ehlers can retrieve and set up the play. Plus Ehlers is one of the best players in the league at gaining the zone cleanly. He creates a tonne of chances from that alone. I think once Perreault gets going he is a pretty solid threat for the Little line. Roslovic is starting to turn it on as well so I think it's really just a matter of time before that line gets rolling. What I would like to try is Roslovic at center and Little on the wing for a game, with Perreault opposite.

 

[Ippenator]

I think people are forgetting how poor they were defensively... They created a lot of the rush but wren't good at possession and bled quality chances. Now I wouldn't be against trying them out since Laine and Ehlers defensive play has gotten better but lets not pretend they were gods gift to hockey...

Why they scored then so much more on 5 on 5 than they got scored against? They couldn’t be at least very bad defensively, as they scored so much more really goals than they allowed. Anyway that is after all what should matter the most - that the line scores clearly more in general than they get scored against. Defence just by itself is a pretty useless thing if you can’t achieve production that beats your defensive play. This of course unless you are part of a pure shutdown line.

 

[Ippenator]

It's more about spreading out the threats. Makes matching up to us on the road much harder.

Keeping Scheifele and Wheeler stubbornly in the same line is not spreading the threats. And especially with their pretty weak defensive play together it is plain stupidity.

 

[Daximus]

Keeping Scheifele and Wheeler stubbornly in the same line is not spreading the threats. And especially with their pretty weak defensive play together it is plain stupidity.

Well they score more than they give up. Or does that line only work when Laine is involved?

Anyway thst is after all what should matter the most - thst the line scores clearly more in general thsan they gets scored against.

 

[DashingDane]

I think Ehlers brings a bit more to that line with his speed. The other two guys aren't exactly fast in terms of forechecking. Stats is great along the wall and Laine is starting to play there really well but they both aren't speedy forecheckers that's where Ehlers comes in. If they can't break the blueline cleanly they can float it in and Ehlers can retrieve and set up the play. Plus Ehlers is one of the best players in the league at gaining the zone cleanly. He creates a tonne of chances from that alone. I think once Perreault gets going he is a pretty solid threat for the Little line. Roslovic is starting to turn it on as well so I think it's really just a matter of time before that line gets rolling. What I would like to try is Roslovic at center and Little on the wing for a game, with Perreault opposite.

Well I always like to hear good things about Ehlers and agree with what he brings. I do however think swapping him for Rosie would bring a similar result but would make the Lits line more dangerous in scoring.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Why would you ever break up stats laine ehlers

Ehlers' stats are improving on this laine.

 

[Daximus]

Well I always like to hear good things about Ehlers and agree with what he brings. I do however think swapping him for Rosie would bring a similar result but would make the Lits line more dangerous in scoring.

A possibility as well. We'd have to move Laine back to the off wing. Roslovic is a great forechecker though. Underrated speed.

 

[DashingDane]

Why they scored then so much more on 5 on 5 than they got scored against? They couldn’t be at least very bad defensively, as they scored so much more really goals than they allowed. Anyway that is after all what should matter the most - that the line scores clearly more in general than they get scored against. Defence just by itself is a pretty useless thing if you can’t achieve production that beats your defensive play. This of course unless you are part of a pure shutdown line.

If i remember correctly (and I might not) they scored a lot while the team was trailing and the games were very open. My biggest issue with them was if they didn't score off the rush they were likely spending the rest of their shift in the Dzone. I don't understand how people want to return to something that didn't work team wise...

 

[Ippenator]

Well they score more than they give up. Or does that line only work when Laine is involved?

When Laine played with Scheifele the 5 on 5 goal difference was even better, so there is still that. Depends still who is the 3rd player in each case.

 

[Daximus]

When Laine played with Scheifele the 5 on 5 goal difference was even better, so there is still that. Depends still who is the 3rd player in each case.

But then we only have 1 line that outscores the opposition heavily. Instead of 2. I'd rather have 2 lines that outscore the opposition than 1 line that outscores the opposition at a higher rate than either.

 

[Ippenator]

If i remember correctly (and I might not) they scored a lot while the team was trailing and the games were very open. My biggest issue with them was if they didn't score off the rush they were likely spending the rest of their shift in the Dzone. I don't understand how people want to return to something that didn't work team wise...

Partially agreed, with the getting too often hemmed to their own end. But in fact the same has been very much happening with Scheifele and Wheeler playing in the same line. So it didn’t happen with just Laine and Ehlers.

In fact the best and most well balanced line I have seen the Jets having so far has been Perreault-Scheifele-Laine, but they didn’t get to play together that long after all last season. Well, Stastny’s line seems to be at least close to that level, although need to still see more from them.

Anyway I’m happy with Laine and Ehlers playing with a center like Stastny, and it doesn’t matter to me much if they play with Scheifele or Stastny after all. Both Laine and Ehlers are anyway definitely better and stronger players than they were when they played last season with Scheifele, so it’s in fact very weird that some people keep even thinking that ESL 1.0 wouldn’t be already much better if they would be put together again. On the other hand ESL 2.0 seems great, so whatever, as it seems anyway that Maurice will not play Laine and Ehlers together with Scheifele on 5 on 5 hockey.

 

[Heldig]

With everyone healthy:
Connor - Scheifele - Roslovic
Perrault - Little - Wheeler
Laine - Stastny - Ehlers
Copp - Lowry - Armia
Tanev

A bit risky splitting up the Scheifele - Wheeler duo but Little - Wheeler is very effective. Plus, Connor and Roslovic have good chemistry and I think Scheifele makes everyone on his line better. How do you coach against that top 3? Who do you line match against?

 

[Daximus]

With everyone healthy:
Connor - Scheifele - Roslovic
Perrault - Little - Wheeler
Laine - Stastny - Ehlers
Copp - Lowry - Armia
Tanev

A bit risky splitting up the Scheifele - Wheeler duo but Little - Wheeler is very effective. Plus, Connor and Roslovic have good chemistry and I think Scheifele makes everyone on his line better. How do you coach against that top 3? Who do you line match against?

I don't mind that lineup at all. Roslovic is very solid at forechecking and passing. When his shot starts to click more I think he will really take off. Connor has more to show as well and we know him and Roslovic have some chemistry.

 

[204hockey]

The jets will go to the usual and I don't blame them

Connor shief wheeler
Laine stats ehlers
Perrault little roslovic
Copp lowry armia

I wldnt doubt If they even sent roslovic down to moose to play in the Calder cups and call up if needed

 

[Gil Fisher]

With everyone healthy:
Connor - Scheifele - Roslovic
Perrault - Little - Wheeler
Laine - Stastny - Ehlers
Copp - Lowry - Armia
Tanev

A bit risky splitting up the Scheifele - Wheeler duo but Little - Wheeler is very effective. Plus, Connor and Roslovic have good chemistry and I think Scheifele makes everyone on his line better. How do you coach against that top 3? Who do you line match against?

I must say, IF you change things up in the top 9, this is what I like. PLW is a pure shutdown line...the other two feast. REally like the idea of Scheifele with the rooks. I don't think it's possible though. Mo vets his winger choices with his top C.

 

[Gil Fisher]

The jets will go to the usual and I don't blame them

Connor shief wheeler
Laine stats ehlers
Perrault little roslovic
Copp lowry armia

I wldnt doubt If they even sent roslovic down to moose to play in the Calder cups and call up if needed

I would seriously doubt it. The Moose are likely getting Vesalainen, Kraskovsky and Ceuss for their playoff run. Rosie will be with the Jets, even if on a taxi squad (but I think he'll be in the 18).

 

[Daximus]

I would seriously doubt it. The Moose are likely getting Vesalainen, Kraskovsky and Ceuss for their playoff run. Rosie will be with the Jets, even if on a taxi squad (but I think he'll be in the 18).

I could see Vesa signing. Kraskovsky and Suess will be wildcards. Suess could very well go straight to FA and have a better chance at playing in the NHL. Kraskovsky will depend on how much he gets offered by Yaroslavl to come back.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine
Connor-Wheeler-Little
Perreault-Statsny-Roslovic
Copp-Lowry-Armia

Morrissey-Trouba
Enstrom-Buff
Kulikov-Myers
Poolman

Hellebuyck
Hutchinson

Why would you ever swap Little and Wheeler?

 

[Gil Fisher]

I could see Vesa signing. Kraskovsky and Suess will be wildcards. Suess could very well go straight to FA and have a better chance at playing in the NHL. Kraskovsky will depend on how much he gets offered by Yaroslavl to come back.

I think Kraskovsky has already said he'd like to give it a try at the end of the season (re: North America)

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I don't really want to. And I'd be fine with Ehlers-Stastny-Laine - sink or swim the rest of the year.

However, Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine were the best line in the NHL last year for the 10 or so days they were together and when they didn't score in the first period of a back-to-back vs Colorado they were split up permanently - which has been approximately 130 games or so.

I'd like to see if maybe Paul Maurice's instincts about that particular line combo might be wrong (just kidding - his instincts almost always are. Remember 30G scorer Connor to the AHL and a 3rd line of Tanev-Lowry-Matthias?)

Connor was not a 30 goal scorer when he was sent to the AHL. He had been bad throughout TC. Really seriously useless bad. Thoroughly deserved to be sent down. Results since verify that it was the right thing to do.

E - S - L were very good together. IIRC, they had begun to falter on the road when we couldn't control the matchups. But that was a long time ago. Both Ehlers and Laine have improved their defensive play since then. I would agree with reuniting them but not until E- s - L cools off a bit.

 

[Daximus]

I think Kraskovsky has already said he'd like to give it a try at the end of the season (re: North America)

I think he has a better shot at making money in Russia. If he's coming to get a crack at the NHL I think the probability he makes the Jets is extremely low.

 

[Gil Fisher]

I think he has a better shot at making money in Russia. If he's coming to get a crack at the NHL I think the probability he makes the Jets is extremely low.

Better tell him that, not me.

 

[Daximus]

Better tell him that, not me.

If I was his advisor I'd tell him to play in Russia a few more years. Make some money, hopefully build a name for himself there and then look to join the Jets when he will be closer to UFA. Which gives him more options then coming over and trying to make the Jets off the Moose where it will be pretty tough and possibly ruining his NHL career to early.