Player Discussion: Bryan Little

[Ducky10]

*Citation needed.

The most obvious thing to come out of Wheeler playing centre, was that he's not a centre.

 

[DashingDane]

So much talk about the Little contract being really bad is crazy. It's amazing how quickly fans forget Sure it's easy to say since Stats arrived but is everyone conveniently forgetting last summer? We went into the season with serious question marks at C outside of Nickels and Lits. Most posters were claiming Lowry was nothing more than a 4C and Rosie hadn't even made the team yet... That literally gave the organization very few options and that's not even mentioning Lits p/60 which has been solid up until this season. If I'm Chevy last summer I sign that contract any day of the week and would most likely also do it now.

It's super easy to criticize in hindsight while ignoring/conveniently forgetting the circumstances that were at play.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I have to admit, as much as it hurts to say it I am getting some buyer's remorse over the Little contract.

Too soon!

Little has been better the last 3 games than at any other time this season. Yet he is still nursing some kind of injury that is keeping him from taking FO's. For all we know he has been hampered by injury all season.

If that is the case then maybe he gets rested as soon as Nickels and Lowry get back in. Assuming he gets healthy, I expect him to be very important in the PO's.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Little looked far better last night playing WING! I'm not sure how many times I've said this, but it's about time... He's a winger.

He's fast with his straight line speed and Little was all over the puck last night. When he's able to just fly like that, hes really effective.

Connor Scheifele Wheeler
MP Roslovic Little
Ehlers Stastny Laine
Copp/Dano/Tanev Lowry Armia

Was he playing wing last night? Wheeler was taking the FO's. There is a bit more to it than that.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

What sort of injury would prevent a player from taking face offs? Wrist? Shoulder?

I was wondering the same thing. Could it even be related to a lingering effect of the flu bug? Seems like a bit of a reach but IDK. A little loss of reflex quickness doesn't seem impossible and FO's are decided by small fractions of a second. MP complained that it was hard on his back.

Whatever it is doesn't seem to affect the rest of his game as he has been better the last few games than most of the rest of the season. Curious.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Well this thread has gone seriously sideways with Mo / line-up discussion, much of it with no mention of Little.

Back to the original topic, please and tanks.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

lot of garbage talk about Little.

He's been one of the most underrated 2 way centres for years.

We are lucky to have had him and lucky to be able to keep him.

He has had a rough year(sort of) but i think any discussion of his decline are greatly exaggerated.

every player ever has up and down years. Little is having a "down year"(not really, i think he's played quite well) his effort execution and skill are all still evident, he's just not getting the points... next year he could explode and have a career year.

Almost clicked 'like' and moved on because I agree with much of what you say here. But .... I don't think it is just that he hasn't been getting the points. He also hasn't been getting the chances and his linemates haven't been scoring either.

I think part of that has been because of a poor fit with Ehlers and Laine. I suspect that he has been less than 100% physically. No proof, just suspicion - until the last couple of games when he has not been taking FO's. He is the Jets best FO man in spite of any other issues so there is probably a physical explanation.

All that said, he has been playing like his old self the last few games, apart from the FO thing. Being reunited with Wheeler is only part of that story because I think the improvement started before that happened.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It's pretty noticeable comparatively to a few seasons ago. He was much quicker then he is now and it allowed him to be a lot more evasive. He's not the first to the puck as often as he used to be and not winning battles as much because of it. Still a good player but I have noticed a decline in his speed and explosiveness.

Don't disagree. I think the decline is small - but noticeable. My guess though, is that it is related to an injury he has been playing through. With the injuries to Lowry and Scheifele it has been hard to rest him. I hope that is the explanation anyway.

 

[Say What]

The league as a whole is becoming exceptionally fast. Most teams now possess quick, young players, whom are deft at creating an up tempo style of game (McDavid, MacKinnon etc. etc.). To suggest that Bryan Little has slowed down to the degree, that now limits his effectiveness to the Winnipeg Jets; is disingenuous to the multitude of new age players entering/dominating the NHL.

The point being, Bryan isn't slower, just because players like Kyle Connor & Jack Roslovic are now in the league, and are showcasing amazing skills at high speed. Perspective isn't necessarily perception. IMO, Bryan Little is just as valuable to the team today, as he was two years ago; and probably more so, in the coming years. A team can never have too many NHL caliber centermen.

 

[ulf]

Has Little looked better last few games because he played RW/ because his injury(?) is healing / because he played with Wheeler and or Connor. Hoping for the 5 million dollar Little come Playoffs

 

[HPsauce]

Was he playing wing last night? Wheeler was taking the FO's. There is a bit more to it than that.

Yes he was playing wing

 

[Aavco Cup]

Has Little looked better last few games because he played RW/ because his injury(?) is healing / because he played with Wheeler and or Connor. Hoping for the 5 million dollar Little come Playoffs

He wasn't playing wing. He was playing C but not taking faceoffs.

 

[Adam da bomb]

The league as a whole is becoming exceptionally fast. Most teams now possess quick, young players, whom are deft at creating an up tempo style of game (McDavid, MacKinnon etc. etc.). To suggest that Bryan Little has slowed down to the degree, that now limits his effectiveness to the Winnipeg Jets; is disingenuous to the multitude of new age players entering/dominating the NHL.

The point being, Bryan isn't slower, just because players like Kyle Connor & Jack Roslovic are now in the league, and are showcasing amazing skills at high speed. Perspective isn't necessarily perception. IMO, Bryan Little is just as valuable to the team today, as he was two years ago; and probably more so, in the coming years. A team can never have too many NHL caliber centermen.

Except in the case where it means you can't afford to have NHL caliber defenceman or better wingers.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Yes he was playing wing

Are you sure? I didn't think so. I'm not talking about where they line up for FO's.

 

[HPsauce]

Are you sure? I didn't think so. I'm not talking about where they line up for FO's.

More often then not Wheeler was the drive when low man in the Dzone. The center responsibilities were on him. Little was flying to zone a lot and often the first man in on the forecheck

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

More often then not Wheeler was the drive when low man in the Dzone. The center responsibilities were on him. Little was flying to zone a lot and often the first man in on the forecheck

Fair enough.

 

[Maukkis]

I am a forward playing on the Winnipeg Jets.

I started the year being shackled to a player with whom I had little chemistry, hence why my point totals are not what they could have been. Things started to pick up after I was separated from said player. When my team faced injuries and desperately needed someone to step up, I was right there, forming what was then the best line on the team.

This description fits two Jets. One gets heaps of praises, whereas the other is washed up. Apparently.

 

[Daximus]

Little definitely isn't washed up. He is still a great player but there is definitely something off about him lately. He played great last game. Wasn't fighting the puck as much.

 

[cbcwpg]

Little isn't washed up and is still a decent player. I like him and like having him on this team... but he is not playing up to the level of his contract and if this is his level of play from now on or even worse.... his contract is going to feel like the Pavelec contract.

 

[Maukkis]

Little definitely isn't washed up. He is still a great player but there is definitely something off about him lately. He played great last game. Wasn't fighting the puck as much.

That's the point...

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Little definitely isn't washed up. He is still a great player but there is definitely something off about him lately. He played great last game. Wasn't fighting the puck as much.

Its been the last 3 games. It was plainly visible against the Caps, despite the OT penalty. That was the game when I first noticed the difference at any rate. Whenever he was on the ice he was hard on the puck - and winning his share of the battles. Night and day difference compared to a few games earlier.

Not taking FO's the last couple of games is strange. Even if he is playing RW with Wheels at C, he should be the one taking the FO, more often than not.

 

[Daximus]

Its been the last 3 games. It was plainly visible against the Caps, despite the OT penalty. That was the game when I first noticed the difference at any rate. Whenever he was on the ice he was hard on the puck - and winning his share of the battles. Night and day difference compared to a few games earlier.

Not taking FO's the last couple of games is strange. Even if he is playing RW with Wheels at C, he should be the one taking the FO, more often than not.

Yeah I wonder if he is playing through an arm or hip injury. Hip would make sense as it's damn tough to take faceoffs with an injured hip and it would hamper his skating ability.

I didn't watch the last Nashville game so I can't comment on that. I just noticed he looked better last game.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Yeah I wonder if he is playing through an arm or hip injury. Hip would make sense as it's damn tough to take faceoffs with an injured hip and it would hamper his skating ability.

I didn't watch the last Nashville game so I can't comment on that. I just noticed he looked better last game.

I noticed it in the Caps game and the Hawks game. I interpolated it into the Preds game because I watched that one on FF after the first shortie against.

 

[Tommigun]

Little looked glorious against the Hawks. He should play with Wheeler more.

 

[Maukkis]

Yeah I wonder if he is playing through an arm or hip injury. Hip would make sense as it's damn tough to take faceoffs with an injured hip and it would hamper his skating ability.

I didn't watch the last Nashville game so I can't comment on that. I just noticed he looked better last game.

In the 2015 playoffs, Tyler Johnson played with a broken wrist and was completely unable to take faceoffs. Could be a possibility.

Then again, if you're judging which injury it is based on the ability to take faceoffs, there is a long list of options.