Is there concerns that Wheeler is a locker room problem ?

[FMichael]

I just feel bad for Jets fans. They had everything in their hands, such a deep group and now they are shallow. Only center depth and goaltender is elite.

And the Jets D corps just a few years ago was impressive.

 

[Hunter368]

Article in the Winnipeg Free Press today, wi further insights/opinions from the writer and comments from PMO regarding team leadership and players fitting into any team.

No floaters on Jets

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

I always found it odd that there were such strong 'Laine fans' on this board. Usually people are a fan of a team rather than being a fan of a player.

This place was wild around Laine's draft year.

I think they may be called ‘groupies’ or maybe ‘puck bunnies’

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I don't think Wheeler is a problem, he's just a product of the environment. After all the uproar over hazing and things like that, I'd prefer we err on the side of caution when it comes to straightening a player out. Just because you were hazed and brought up in a certain environment doesn't make it okay to do to others.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

There is nothing that indicates Wheeler's personality drove Laine out.

When Wheeler's production falls and he (perhaps) drops down the lineup let's see how he handles that, see if it's about him or the team.

The guy willingly played centre in the NHL. I think he’s proven to the team hes a team player

 

[BatVader]

You realize the Jets are currently 5th OA in the NHL standings, 4 of the top 11 scorers in the NHL are Jets and three of those four players are wingers right? Plus the Jets as a team have scored the 3rd most goals in the NHL...........and they've achieved all that without a single game from PLD and only one game from Laine. Jets are doing just fine, no need to feel sorry for the Jets fans.

Jets have had a great start to the season, shaking off the rust from the offseason and are steadily playing better which they will need to do to be a playoff team and win tough games coming up. If anyone wants to criticize the Jets, it's certainly not about their offensive power at wing or centre.........its valid to criticize them defensively. 17th GA, 20th shots against and 28th in PK. PMO before the season started stated the Jets weren't going to be a defensive juggernaut with our D core. The publically stated plan was to minimize high risk scoring chances and out score teams using a highly potent offence......which is exactly what they have done to-date quite well.

Jets traded from a position of strength to fill a position of weakness.........while some fans always are sad trading away a player they draft......this trade is exactly what the Jets wanted & needed and are a better team now bc of it. PLD will help them defensively better then Laine could ever do and greatly improve their weakness at centre, while being a pretty offensive producer himself. Chevy stated he wasn't going to trade Laine unless he got 1C or 1D back and he got himself one of the best young 1C in the NHL. Jets nation wishes Laine (& CBJ) nothing but the best, but are very happy to welcome PLD to the Jets.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

It seems to me that Wheeler and Scheifele are no-nonsense hard asses.

Is that a problem? I'm sure it depends on who you ask. Not everyone is going to get along

 

[82Ninety42011]

It's weird everyone wants a no-nonsense hard-working talented NHL player. When one actually has one others complain he's too much gotta shake your head. Wheeler can come play for my team anytime. Laine was a great talent but I believe PLD will be the better player congrats Jets.

 

[BatVader]

It seems to me that Wheeler and Scheifele are no-nonsense hard asses.

Is that a problem? I'm sure it depends on who you ask. Not everyone is going to get along

Don’t have to like each other.... they just have to be able to work together
I work construction and there are a lot of guys who can’t stand each other, but on the job they work together like a well oiled machine... those that can’t but aside their personal crap for the overall team/crew, don’t last long

 

[PhilJets]

Maurice (and Laine camp) was the problem.
They didnt see eye to eye

The concern is.
He already knew the concern of Laine.

And Maurice still doing it now even after Laine got traded 》》to Ehlers.

He also have different type of accountability.
Everybody cannot be floater and needs to buy in on team defense but if its 55 and 26. Eyes are close.

The one thing i didnt like about Wheeler was, when Maurice was on a hot seat he sided with the coach.
He is the captain of the team. He cannot state publicly that he only wants to play with Maurice and he will go through brick wa for him. That's self serving.
If you go through a wall you go through it with your teammates.

What happens with lesser players with no voice and they have concern with the coach? How do they approach the captain.

There was a problem in Winnipeg. Some need to admit that (Maurice and Wheeler did) Trading Laine was a remedy. Not a solution.

But Wheeler stated they could have done better after the trade. Hopefully lesson learned. As PLD is coming with a bad teammate attitude as he forced a trade by not trying. They have to work it out with him.
Otherwise PLD can walk in 3-4 years.

Laine is not at fault also on this mess.
Wheeler and Laine wear emotions on their sleeves. So most times that will be hard the last 3 years. Its like an aging king Lion vs. a young lion taking his throne.

I think if you can pick who stays or goes.
Most will pick Laine instead of Wheeler.
But that is management decision not fans.

 

[heilongjetsfan]

I have nothing to say except that every person I have ever known named Wheeler or Blake was a f***ing dick.

Maybe it cancels out when you have 2 of them together

 

[heilongjetsfan]

Last night Scheif played 26 minutes and Wheeler something like 22-23. Ok, that's high even for Maurice, but that's the reality with how he plays his lines. Maybe with the arrival of PLD there's a chance he will go more towards 1A/1B, but this far it has never been the case, even when the 2nd line has been performing great.

Lol if he goes 1a/1b, there's only going to be about 8 minutes to split between Lowry and Stastny

 

[bleedgreen]

I think this shines a light on Laine as much as anything else. There was a reason they were hard on him. We all hear jokes about fortnight all night. He likely didn’t take things as seriously as the others and didn’t like it when they called him out. Both sides were likely right.

Wheeler is supposed to be a leader and did his best to lead. Maybe he wasn’t “new school” enough in his approach. I’m sure they’ll all move on and do just fine. PLD will be a good player for them at a more important position. It’s not like the Jets won’t survive the loss of Laine.

 

[Alwalys]

Gee I can't imagine that a 5th OA pick that refused to sign with his drafting team would have a personality issue.

 

[Butch26]

Thats remind me a podcast here in Quebec, produced by RDS with Guy Boucher. he had call that 4-5 captain around the league was very bad leader/person in the locker room. He said that some player had a high pedigree. He was telling that for explain how to deal with player like that.

I guess Wheeler is one of them

 

[GoldenSeal]

Maybe I'm misremembering things, but wasn't Laine the guy who the Jets had issues with playing video games above and beyond everything else and it costed him on the production end?

 

[PhilJets]

Maybe I'm misremembering things, but wasn't Laine the guy who the Jets had issues with playing video games above and beyond everything else and it costed him on the production end?

Different people have different personality, hobbies and like.
Off games Laine likes to stay home and play video games. Some likes to get together and have a drink. Some likes to watch tv or movie.

The fortnite was just a meme on him
He is actually one of the people that makes fun of his fortnite plays. He makes fun of Barkov too.

But if training is what we are talking about Laine is probably the hardest player on himself to train after Schiefele

 

[PhilJets]

Thats remind me a podcast here in Quebec, produced by RDS with Guy Boucher. he had call that 4-5 captain around the league was very bad leader/person in the locker room. He said that some player had a high pedigree. He was telling that for explain how to deal with player like that.

I guess Wheeler is one of them

Sometimes those who are in the position, the mistakes they don't know the difference about leading and managing.

With Wheeler i could see it happened a long the way. He wasn't born a leader. He never lead anything before. All of a sudden he had thst 2018 Jets team with expectation through the roof.
And with his age the opportunity to win was closing in on him. He was pretty intense.
There was an article he said, after the 2018 season he took everything about (breath) hockey even at home. He wasn't able to differentiate it or separate it.

IMO. Wheeler didn't have a strong support leadership group in the locker then.
Little is too quiet and just follow. And Buff was a rougue personality. Maurice was too pleasing of the leadership core aswell.

Reason why they brought in players to the Jets system like Hendrick, specifically to help on locker room leadership only. That came from chevy.....

He (Wheeler) looks like he is seeing those mistakes now. Which is good. Though (sad) too late on some instances.

 

[SotasicA]

I think Laine was the problem. Played lazy and acted like he deserved top billing, despite being only the 2nd-3rd best winger on the team. Too loose and casual. It's about winning hockey games in this business, and it's a tough business. Nobody in the organisation cares about your goal totals if the team loses the game.

 

[PhilJets]

I think Laine was the problem. Played lazy and acted like he deserved top billing, despite being only the 2nd-3rd best winger on the team. Too loose and casual. It's about winning hockey games in this business, and it's a tough business. Nobody in the organisation cares about your goal totals if the team loses the game.

To clarify to loose and casual is different that off ice vs. On ice.

On ice Laine specially playoffs is one of the most intense Jets.
He trains all season long except one off season when he had a bad back.

 

[SotasicA]

To clarify to loose and casual is different that off ice vs. On ice.

On ice Laine specially playoffs is one of the most intense Jets.
He trains all season long except one off season when he had a bad back.

Maybe his teammates can't separate the two. A guy who is not serious off ice or in practice or at the gym can send wrong vibes. Or just when hanging out. How you act on your free time does affect your teammates, assuming they are around you.

 

[Kaner9]

Wheeler has been a fake tough guy for years. The man is part of the problem in the peg. Cant wait to see who else doesn't fit in Wheelers precious culture smh

 

[dedutchhockey]

Wheeler might want to walk the walk if he is gonna talk the talk.

straight floater tonight

check out this coast job by #26

literally ZERO strides from the red line.

 

[PhilJets]

Maybe his teammates can't separate the two. A guy who is not serious off ice or in practice or at the gym can send wrong vibes. Or just when hanging out. How you act on your free time does affect your teammates, assuming they are around you.

Laine though is one of a couple of Jets who trains almost all year round. He skipped 1 year ( off season ) back issue. Otherwise he has training plan to better himself physically and technically.
This off season he was hard training already way before the rest of the team.

I can see the not hanging out part.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Wheeler might want to walk the walk if he is gonna talk the talk.

straight floater tonight

check out this coast job by #26

literally ZERO strides from the red line.

Double his ice time for the next game!