Player Discussion: Ehlers

[PhilJets]

Lets go Ehlers

25+45 season!!! Hoping
30+50

 

[Calcutta]

Has he ever played Centre? I'd love to see him tearing up and down the middle of the ice, stick Laine/Vasalinen on their offside wings to wait for the puck to spill out of the Nik inspired carnage....
Not gonna happen I know, brilliant player tho.

 

[JetsUK]

Has he ever played Centre? I'd love to see him tearing up and down the middle of the ice, stick Laine/Vasalinen on their offside wings to wait for the puck to spill out of the Nik inspired carnage....
Not gonna happen I know, brilliant player tho.

Don't think he's played centre at the NHL level before. Like many top players who make the move to wing he did at times as a junior. I can see it as something he might do later in his career but can't see such a move happening anytime soon.

Both he and Vesa are happy on the offwing, as is Laine, of course. I think Ehlers is even more dangerous there, partly because of the speed and deception of his edgework, and because he has a lethal shot from the offwing, including that quick-release slapper.

 

[mazmin]

Both he and Vesa are happy on the offwing, as is Laine, of course. I think Ehlers is even more dangerous there, partly because of the speed and deception of his edgework, and because he has a lethal shot from the offwing, including that quick-release slapper.

I too like Ehlers on the RW. Now that he’s a little bulkier and stronger on his skates he can go wide on the right side and use his body to protect the puck while turning on his rocket blasters to drive straight at the goal. It’s not a move we’ve seen him do a lot, but it’s an easy way to get past the defender when you’ve got that rare speed.

Too bad PoMo is obsessed with playing everyone on their “traditional side.” But the only way Ehlers goes RW is if Laine goes LW, unless Wheeler somehow ends up at C again.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Ehlers, Connor give Maurice plenty of line-up possibilities

In that spot, Ehlers would see the opposition's best - whether that's in terms of offensive talent or defensive ability - on a nightly basis. It's a challenge Maurice feels Ehlers is ready for.

"Nikolaj has made developments in his defensive game," said Maurice. "He's just older, he's more experienced. He understands how important it is in the defensive zone and what you do with the puck in the offensive zone, your risk profile based on who you're playing against.

"He's a more mature person, a more mature player. His numbers would say he's earned the right to play against the other team's best."

Looks like Mo has made a 180 on his opinion on Ehlers.

 

[MardyBum]

Ehlers and Connor making an appearance.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Once again Ehlers back at sub 14mins a night...

Once again KC back with Chef and Wheels, and 21plus minutes.

What happened to Ehlers deserves more toi and to play against the best Mo?

Honestly, don’t care if he is on the second line, especially now when PLD is here, but those mins need to go up, or we will loose Ehlers aswell.

 

[Aggie204]

Once again Ehlers back at sub 14mins a night...

Once again KC back with Chef and Wheels, and 21plus minutes.

What happened to Ehlers deserves more toi and to play against the best Mo?

Honestly, don’t care if he is on the second line, especially now when PLD is here, but those mins need to go up, or we will loose Ehlers aswell.

I hope that PP2 gets PLD, spreading the special teams workload and cementing thier overall chemistry.

 

[QuietContrarian]

I hope that PP2 gets PLD, spreading the special teams workload and cementing thier overall chemistry.

Same.

Just hope pp2 then gets a little more toi.

 

[JetsFan815]

Once again Ehlers back at sub 14mins a night...

Once again KC back with Chef and Wheels, and 21plus minutes.

What happened to Ehlers deserves more toi and to play against the best Mo?

Honestly, don’t care if he is on the second line, especially now when PLD is here, but those mins need to go up, or we will loose Ehlers aswell.

It's the first game where his ice time was weird. He had been getting good minutes in the first 4 games totalling just 2-3 below Connor combined across all 4 games despite playing on PP2. Looking at the shift charts it seems the the difference is only 4 extra shifts for Connor, one of them is the PP that they scored on, one is the EN shift after which Maurice shut down the top two lines. Seems more like an anomaly than anything.

 

[JetsFan815]

Same.

Just hope pp2 then gets a little more toi.

PP1 has started to try to change around the 1 minute mark now instead of staying on ice for 90-100 seconds when Laine was on it. I expect to see that continue (unless they are lighting it up) now that there isn't as much of a "sure thing" on PP1.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Love how he picked it up after 2 weaker games. Amazing that our best winger isn’t the one leading the league in scoring.

 

[QuietContrarian]

It's the first game where his ice time was weird. He had been getting good minutes in the first 4 games totalling just 2-3 below Connor combined across all 4 games despite playing on PP2. Looking at the shift charts it seems the the difference is only 4 extra shifts for Connor, one of them is the PP that they scored on, one is the EN shift after which Maurice shut down the top two lines. Seems more like an anomaly than anything.

Nah, I don’t have trust in this just being an outlier..
Same happened last season, and the season before... started getting 1st line mins, and then BAM after 8-10 games, slowly decreased in toi.

KC has since game 2 been sniffing at coming back to line 1 and his 20+ mins a game..

It’s not even about KC.. I Just wish they would even out the toi, especially now with PLD taking 2nd line C duties.

 

[irunthepeg]

I know Staz had that beautiful move to set up Copp for the goal, but the way Ehlers just effortlessly brings the puck into the zone... then drops it to Staz with space... he's such a beauty.

I feel so bad that it seems like he lost his best friend on the team. And I know it's hearsay, but especially with all the rumours of the locker room drama over the last couple years... it seemed like Patty was one of the few that made Nik feel at home here in the locker room. I sincerely hope Nik is not the next to go. I remember when some wanted to ship him out after his, what 20 game playoff stretch without a goal... I still maintain that if we trade him, it will come back to bite us, just like I think it will with Patty.

All in all, give this man his ice time. Give him his PP minutes

 

[NikoEhlers]

I know Staz had that beautiful move to set up Copp for the goal, but the way Ehlers just effortlessly brings the puck into the zone... then drops it to Staz with space... he's such a beauty.

I feel so bad that it seems like he lost his best friend on the team. And I know it's hearsay, but especially with all the rumours of the locker room drama over the last couple years... it seemed like Patty was one of the few that made Nik feel at home here in the locker room. I sincerely hope Nik is not the next to go. I remember when some wanted to ship him out after his, what 20 game playoff stretch without a goal... I still maintain that if we trade him, it will come back to bite us, just like I think it will with Patty.

All in all, give this man his ice time. Give him his PP minutes

Just with my understanding of Ehlers and his personality, he's someone that is easy for ppl to get along with and relatively open, so I doubt it has major effect outside here just after him leaving. But who knows

 

[DashingDane]

Nah, I don’t have trust in this just being an outlier..
Same happened last season, and the season before... started getting 1st line mins, and then BAM after 8-10 games, slowly decreased in toi.

KC has since game 2 been sniffing at coming back to line 1 and his 20+ mins a game..

It’s not even about KC.. I Just wish they would even out the toi, especially now with PLD taking 2nd line C duties.

8-10 games is generous <5 games pretty consistently since his sophomore season. I'm actually baffled that he hasn't forced a trade yet.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Let's see if line gets more minutes with PLD.

 

[Whileee]

I think Ehlers needs more "load management" than Connor. Ehlers seems to lose his energy / pop more with high usage. With a back-to-back and 5 games in 7 nights, it's reasonable to use Ehlers a bit less so he is fresher for tonight's game. Connor seems to be able to manage the heavier workload without slowing down as much.

 

[FFHockey]

Who will be the first to beg to be traded after watching Mo's continued "never ending love" for CSW? Ehlers or PLD? (Great song by the way...to us old folk anyways)

 

[DashingDane]

I think Ehlers needs more "load management" than Connor. Ehlers seems to lose his energy / pop more with high usage. With a back-to-back and 5 games in 7 nights, it's reasonable to use Ehlers a bit less so he is fresher for tonight's game. Connor seems to be able to manage the heavier workload without slowing down as much.

I don't think that is unlikely at all. I haven't really noticed the pop you mention with high usage though. I've seen it more of a being on or off for a full game at a time. I'll definitely try to pay more attention now. When looking solely at full season ATOI his best season was his sophomore season that also happens to coincide with the season he had the most responsibility on the team (pp1, 3v3 etc). I'm not sure we have actually seen what heavy workload Ehlers looks like yet and I think he has earned a chance to at least fail at a increased workload.

 

[Duke749]

I think Ehlers needs more "load management" than Connor. Ehlers seems to lose his energy / pop more with high usage. With a back-to-back and 5 games in 7 nights, it's reasonable to use Ehlers a bit less so he is fresher for tonight's game. Connor seems to be able to manage the heavier workload without slowing down as much.

You think it’s a conditioning thing or more of a “does more with less” kinda thing? Connor definitely seems to have that top notch elite conditioning few guys have.

 

[Skidooboy]

Ehlers is gonna shine this year no matter who how or where.

 

[QuietContrarian]

8-10 games is generous <5 games pretty consistently since his sophomore season. I'm actually baffled that he hasn't forced a trade yet.

Yup, I was definitely being generous

 

[QuietContrarian]

I think Ehlers has shown he is quite consistent, even in the few instances he has had a heavy workload..

He just doesn't get any consistency on the lines he is on, who he plays with, or even his toi..

KC does not have to worry about those things, and he also has the safety of knowing he can take a game off or 2, without it having consequences, same goes for Fefe and Wheels.

 

[jetsnblues]

Love how he picked it up after 2 weaker games. Amazing that our best winger isn’t the one leading the league in scoring.

someone commented yesterday ehlers was pissed about the trade, let him be pissed every game if he scores. Don't forget Kyle Lowry wasn't jumping for joy when his buddy got traded look how that worked out! GO JETS GO