Post-Game Talk: Jets 5 Canucks 0 - Tacos for Everyone (*offer not valid in Manitoba)

[LucianoBorsato]

Good to see the Wheeler from 3 years ago show up. Hopefully he can sustain it for a playoff run.

He got excited about Stastny's silver stick, he knows his is around the corner

 

[Do or Die]

Signs that Wheeler's uptick was rubbing off on the other 2 guys......was the highlight, last nite.

 

[Jet]

Yep. I've posted Wheeler's quote before, but basically he was asking us to believe that if he's "in the lineup, he's 100%." Now we know that he wasn't anywhere near 100%, and was nonetheless in the lineup playing heavy minutes and making the team worse. That strikes me as less heroic than selfish, but whatevs, hockey culture, leadership, etc.

Good fun game, great to see a flat-out rush game without giving away the bank, and should give the lads some confidence heading into the POs.

Thought the top three lines were strong, 4th line def has their shortcomings minus MP85 -- but if Ehlers gets in then MP will be back there anyway to shore them up.

Damn, I guess Wheeler and Maurice should have just come out in the media to say 'actually, I'm not totally healthy, my left side 3 bottom ribs are cracked'

I think it's heroic. I don't put this on Wheeler, that is a call that coaching should have made to hold him out.

 

[Jet]

Depends on how long it takes to heal. If it takes 4 weeks before it's back to normal, there's a cost to having a player sit for that long in a short season. Anyway, they were winning a ton while he was injured, so no real downside at the time.

Also, there are cap considerations to every move this year, as the Jets were heavily into LTIR and facing some performance bonuses.

Yeah that is an interesting point. You can make a point that his play during injury wasn't great, but he was still producing. Then you have to consider him not playing hockey and being a slow starter, so he'd have to play his way back into shape. In a 54 game season that could be tough.

 

[Whileee]

Yeah that is an interesting point. You can make a point that his play during injury wasn't great, but he was still producing. Then you have to consider him not playing hockey and being a slow starter, so he'd have to play his way back into shape. In a 54 game season that could be tough.

Many posters just don't like Wheeler. He has his limitations, but he's also still a big, skilled winger that can generate offense at an NHL level. Also, his on-ice metrics have been improving as the season goes on, which is a typical pattern for Wheeler. He's looked quite strong and effective recently, which has contributed to better play from the CSW line.

 

[JetsUK]

Damn, I guess Wheeler and Maurice should have just come out in the media to say 'actually, I'm not totally healthy, my left side 3 bottom ribs are cracked'

I think it's heroic. I don't put this on Wheeler, that is a call that coaching should have made to hold him out.

Look, I'm a doc, I know how this works. I also don't like it. No detailed medical assessment was required, just the usual "Wheeler is banged up, maintenance" and leaving it at that. I mean, he was barely playing, but playing a lot, and we had others who could have stepped in for a game or two, just as they did when he sat out recently.

I don't find that particularly heroic, especially in a non-playoff scenario and when his poor play was easily noticeable and a drag on his linemates, and it strikes me as poor asset management, but we can agree to disagree. Glad he's able to play at a higher level now.

 

[Jet]

Many posters just don't like Wheeler. He has his limitations, but he's also still a big, skilled winger that can generate offense at an NHL level. Also, his on-ice metrics have been improving as the season goes on, which is a typical pattern for Wheeler. He's looked quite strong and effective recently, which has contributed to better play from the CSW line.

Agreed. When I look at the list of 'what's wrong with the Jets', Blake Wheeler doesn't make that list for me.

 

[Guardian17]

 

[surixon]

Yeah that is an interesting point. You can make a point that his play during injury wasn't great, but he was still producing. Then you have to consider him not playing hockey and being a slow starter, so he'd have to play his way back into shape. In a 54 game season that could be tough.

The flip side is that as an older player, taking the time to fully heal his injury would have allowed him to be more refreshed and recharged for the back half.

If a player is hurt to the extent that their play takes a significant dip they really should be held out until it heals. That goes for any player not just Wheeler.

 

[Guardian17]

 

[The Blue Baron]

Legs raises ladies! “Now lift and rest, Now lift and rest, Now lift and rest!” “Good job gals now keep it up!”

 

[FonRiesen]

Look, I'm a doc, I know how this works. I also don't like it. No detailed medical assessment was required, just the usual "Wheeler is banged up, maintenance" and leaving it at that. I mean, he was barely playing, but playing a lot, and we had others who could have stepped in for a game or two, just as they did when he sat out recently.

I don't find that particularly heroic, especially in a non-playoff scenario and when his poor play was easily noticeable and a drag on his linemates, and it strikes me as poor asset management, but we can agree to disagree. Glad he's able to play at a higher level now.

I agree completely. I love Wheels, glad he's on our team, but he was dragging every line he played on down for most of the year. He sucked. Like, we're talking bottom of the league in EVG% IIRC. But I don't 'blame' him - he's not paid to analyze his own performance - I completely blame the coach for not developing a prospect instead while Wheeler healed. Harkins and/or Vesalainen wouldn't have been worse - Wheeler really wasn't producing much at all and promoting MP or Apples etc to PP1 may actually have increased production...

 

[Do or Die]

Maurice avoided heat by letting Wheeler call the shot. Not impressed...

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

Wheeler had a really strong game last night. Great to see. The Nucks were giving up a lot of ice, not a playoff style game.

So I hope last night's Blake Wheeler shows up in the tight checking, fast moving playoffs.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It was sure nice to see pucks finally start going in the net. Was the losing streak just an unusual run of team wide low sh%?

The game before, I missed most of the first period. Tuned in shortly after KC made it 2-1. So we were down 2-0 early again - but it was the other goalie.
Is the whole 'give up 2-3 early goals' just about Jets trying so hard to get the first goal that they give up too much defensively?

Whatever - winning is better than losing.