Jim Slater, Matt Halischuk, Grant Clitsome, Paul Postma

[ajmidd12]

Let's discuss our IR players.

Jim Slater - personally I feel his days as a Jet are numbered, the team has evolved these past few months without him and are playing as one. I think his spot is long gone.

Matt Halischuk - Could see him coming back onto a 4th line role but with Buff playing forward there isn't much room anymore.

Grant Clitsome - I wouldn't mind seeing Clitsome back in place of Pardy, but lately Pardy has been good with Ellerby so who do you replace with Clitty? I think he's destined to the press box or potentially being waived / traded.

Paul Postma - Maybe it's just me, but he wasn't looking all that good pre-injury, and often found himself sitting in the press box. Perhaps when he returns we play him in a demanding role so his stock rises and trade him for what is available (picks).

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Aavco Cup]

All players are under contract for next season except Hustlechuk who is a RFA so the Jets can keep him with a QA. So unless we include one of the others in a trade I think they'll all be at training camp next september.

 

[Samcanadian]

Sure we won 5-1 last night...but is it really fair to say the lineup has evolved without Slater or Clitsome? I think Clitsome, while still a bottom pairing D-man, has a bit more upside than Ellerby or Pardy.

Slater isn't gonna be around forever, but he's a smart 4th line guy who can win faceoffs. That's not to be undervalued.

 

[ajmidd12]

Sure we won 5-1 last night...but is it really fair to say the lineup has evolved without Slater or Clitsome? I think Clitsome, while still a bottom pairing D-man, has a bit more upside than Ellerby or Pardy.

Slater isn't gonna be around forever, but he's a smart 4th line guy who can win faceoffs. That's not to be undervalued.

I would play Ellerby over Clitsome any day of the week. Pardy has bee okay, couple mishaps.

Slater is on his way out, though he is decent in the circle.

 

[sipowicz]

Sure we won 5-1 last night...but is it really fair to say the lineup has evolved without Slater or Clitsome? I think Clitsome, while still a bottom pairing D-man, has a bit more upside than Ellerby or Pardy.

Slater isn't gonna be around forever, but he's a smart 4th line guy who can win faceoffs. That's not to be undervalued.

Clitsome had played mostly bad this season, addition by subtraction here

Slater ability to win face offs overrated, can't play PP, no offence, lousy on the PK, just okay defensivly, good guy that should be moved, just doesn't fit in any more

 

[Flair Hay]

Clitsome had played mostly bad this season, addition by subtraction here

Slater ability to win face offs overrated, can't play PP, no offence, lousy on the PK, just okay defensivly, good guy that should be moved, just doesn't fit in any more

Agreed. I like Wright at 4th line C better.

Clitsome, I think he's probably better than Ellerbe still. He'll likely be back next year but has no long term future. Same with Postma. Redmond is simply a more reliable player.

 

[almostawake]

One win after five consecutive losses and a coach firing and all of a sudden this team is playing as one?

This is still not a very good team. There are a number of guys currently in the lineup that are borderline NHLers.

Slater - A team that currently has the 3rd lowest faceoff win percentage doesn't need Jim Slater? Get real. Slater may not be anything more than a legitimate 4th liner at the NHL level but this team is currently dressing at least 2 or 3 guys below that level on a nightly basis.

Halischuk - This team is currently using Chris Thorburn on a line that is, at least nominally, expected to score goals. Halischuk is definitely a flawed player, but he offers a lot more to any line hoping to score than Thorburn. Halischuk probably won't be in the lineup every night, but at least he is an option.

Clitsome - I get that people on HF tend to fall in love with hopeless limited bottom pairing defencemen but none of Ellerby, Pardy, or Stuart should ever be in a team's top 4. Clitsome is a less than fantastic option for a second pairing but he is far superior to any of the other options right now.

Postma - I agree he is unlikely to see much time after getting healthy. The reality is the guy wasn't getting many games before and he isn't going to get many games after. The only chance he had to see many games this season was Trouba getting sent down. That ship has clearly sailed.

IMO none of these players are great players. Or guys that should occupy their current role on a contending team. But when you look at what we actually have in the lineup at the moment at least Slater and Clitsome are legitimate NHLers.

 

[pegjets]

Let's discuss our IR players.

Jim Slater - personally I feel his days as a Jet are numbered, the team has evolved these past few months without him and are playing as one. I think his spot is long gone.

Matt Halischuk - Could see him coming back onto a 4th line role but with Buff playing forward there isn't much room anymore.

Grant Clitsome - I wouldn't mind seeing Clitsome back in place of Pardy, but lately Pardy has been good with Ellerby so who do you replace with Clitty? I think he's destined to the press box or potentially being waived / traded.

Paul Postma - Maybe it's just me, but he wasn't looking all that good pre-injury, and often found himself sitting in the press box. Perhaps when he returns we play him in a demanding role so his stock rises and trade him for what is available (picks).

Thoughts?

The team is also 20-23-5 so I'm not sure how you can have such definitive thoughts about how the team as evolved / not being room. While all these guys have been injured, we have pretty much sucked barring last night.

I think given this season, they all have a chance back in the roster and will be given a run, especially with a new coach.

 

[ajmidd12]

One win after five consecutive losses and a coach firing and all of a sudden this team is playing as one?

This is still not a very good team. There are a number of guys currently in the lineup that are borderline NHLers.

Slater - A team that currently has the 3rd lowest faceoff win percentage doesn't need Jim Slater? Get real. Slater may not be anything more than a legitimate 4th liner at the NHL level but this team is currently dressing at least 2 or 3 guys below that level on a nightly basis.

Halischuk - This team is currently using Chris Thorburn on a line that is, at least nominally, expected to score goals. Halischuk is definitely a flawed player, but he offers a lot more to any line hoping to score than Thorburn. Halischuk probably won't be in the lineup every night, but at least he is an option.

Clitsome - I get that people on HF tend to fall in love with hopeless limited bottom pairing defencemen but none of Ellerby, Pardy, or Stuart should ever be in a team's top 4. Clitsome is a less than fantastic option for a second pairing but he is far superior to any of the other options right now.

Postma - I agree he is unlikely to see much time after getting healthy. The reality is the guy wasn't getting many games before and he isn't going to get many games after. The only chance he had to see many games this season was Trouba getting sent down. That ship has clearly sailed.

IMO none of these players are great players. Or guys that should occupy their current role on a contending team. But when you look at what we actually have in the lineup at the moment at least Slater and Clitsome are legitimate NHLers.

1. Who do you replace with Slater then?

2. Thorburn is way over utilized but I prefer Halischuk over him. I agree.

3. Clitsome, doubtful he isn't that good, very shaky on his feet, makes knob plays (albeit so do other defensemen on our team, but not as frequently), and doesn't seem to fit with any one player. Who do you replace with Clitsome?

The team is also 20-23-5 so I'm not sure how you can have such definitive thoughts about how the team as evolved / not being room. While all these guys have been injured, we have pretty much sucked barring last night.

I think given this season, they all have a chance back in the roster and will be given a run, especially with a new coach.

Prior to the 5 game losing skid the team was actually playing fairly good. Or had you forgotten that?

 

[pegjets]

Prior to the 5 game losing skid the team was actually playing fairly good. Or had you forgotten that?

Absolutely disagree - we hovered around .500 pretty much since the 3rd game this season. I don't consider that playing "fairly good" and we haven't actually been on the playoff line since then.

 

[LadyJet26]

Absolutely disagree - we hovered around .500 pretty much since the 3rd game this season. I don't consider that playing "fairly good" and we haven't actually been on the playoff line since then.

Meaning we had won 3 games in a row prior to the losing streak.

 

[ajmidd12]

Absolutely disagree - we hovered around .500 pretty much since the 3rd game this season. I don't consider that playing "fairly good" and we haven't actually been on the playoff line since then.

You know the team doesn't need to win to be playing good right? (But we had won 3 in a row prior to the skid).

The 5 game skid they played like absolute ****. Yesterday was the first time since New Years they played with any heart at all.

You would have to be foolish to have expected playoffs this year being in the Western Conference and such a tough division. Our only chance is to squeeze in via Wild Card, and even then we'll be forced to play the Hawks in the first round likely.

You and I obviously have very different views what constitutes good play. The team could lose every single game, but if the strong fighting effort is there then it makes it palatable, it's when they really stink and there is zero effort that makes it unbearable.

 

[almostawake]

1. Who do you replace with Slater then?

2. Thorburn is way over utilized but I prefer Halischuk over him. I agree.

3. Clitsome, doubtful he isn't that good, very shaky on his feet, makes knob plays (albeit so do other defensemen on our team, but not as frequently), and doesn't seem to fit with any one player. Who do you replace with Clitsome?

Slater can replace any of the players currently on the 4th line. I get that people are falling in love with O'Dell, but he's not an NHLer at this point in time. At least not in a 4th line role. Maybe he gets a look farther up the lineup, maybe he gets sent back to the IceCaps. But in either case, he is not a better 4th line option at the NHL level than Slater. Perhaps Wright has made a good case to stay in the lineup, but he has not shown anything that indicates he is a better option at center than Slater. Peluso is a decent enforcer but generally what I've heard about Maurice is that he doesn't favour having a devoted enforcer in the lineup every night.

For Clitsome, pull out Ellerby or Pardy or Stuart. Given Stuart's 'leadership role' it isn't likely he'll be sat down but either of the other two are just fine. The are not NHL level defencemen. Period. Pardy doesn't look awful because he plays some of the most sheltered minutes in the entire NHL.

Prior to the 5 game losing skid the team was actually playing fairly good. Or had you forgotten that?

I know this wasn't necessarily directed at me, but you have got to be kidding. They had a three game winning streak. That followed a blowout loss to one of the worst teams in the league. At no point in this season have they been a good team.

 

[pegjets]

You would have to be foolish to have expected playoffs this year being in the Western Conference and such a tough division. Our only chance is to squeeze in via Wild Card, and even then we'll be forced to play the Hawks in the first round likely.

You and I obviously have very different views what constitutes good play. The team could lose every single game, but if the strong fighting effort is there then it makes it palatable, it's when they really stink and there is zero effort that makes it unbearable.

I don't disagree with your sentiment there, but we are also in a league aiming to win and paying comparable salaries to other teams that are winning. If we are barely winning more than we are losing (which is where we were prior to the skid), then I don't consider the roster set in stone by any means. Changes (roster and coach) are needed to take change a bubble team to a winning team.

And I never mentioned anything about expecting playoffs this year.

 

[Samcanadian]

Clitsome has been good and bad this year. He's playing worse than he did last year, agreed...but I do understand that maybe it's why he was a waiver wire pick up. Obviously he won't get minutes over our top 4 pairing, but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he's the odd man out with our current blueline.

 

[ajmidd12]

Clitsome has been good and bad this year. He's playing worse than he did last year, agreed...but I do understand that maybe it's why he was a waiver wire pick up. Obviously he won't get minutes over our top 4 pairing, but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he's the odd man out with our current blueline.

Problem was Noel was utilizing him as top pairing with Buff.

Clitsome is not a top pairing defensemen. Maybe a 5, 6, 7 player.

O'Dell on the 3rd or 4th line wouldn't be all that bad, just speaks to how our team is built with 4 decent lines instead of 2 top lines and 2 really weak lines. I would prefer the former.

 

[Positive]

Slater is good in the circle and decent on the PK imho. He's a decent 4th liner. Slagging him for not being great on the PP is a bit of a stretch.

 

[Samcanadian]

Problem was Noel was utilizing him as top pairing with Buff.

Clitsome is not a top pairing defensemen. Maybe a 5, 6, 7 player.

I agree. The question is who should be those 5-6-7 players.

Right now I think our top 4 d men are pretty much undisputable. It's just those bottom two and the two guys in the pressbox that cause debate.

Out of Ellerby, Pardy, Clitsome and Postma...I think Postma's the odd guy out there. That being said, it's hard to predict ceilings right now. I think Elleryby and Pardy have to be right about maxed out.

 

[Samcanadian]

Problem was Noel was utilizing him as top pairing with Buff.

Clitsome is not a top pairing defensemen. Maybe a 5, 6, 7 player.

O'Dell on the 3rd or 4th line wouldn't be all that bad, just speaks to how our team is built with 4 decent lines instead of 2 top lines and 2 really weak lines. I would prefer the former.

O'Dell doesn't have NHL speed, imo. He's scored two right-place, right-time goals which, credit to him, he made no mistake about. That being said, I'm just not sure if he's able to keep up with the rest of the play. That goal he scored last night was a James Neal type goal. Puck came to him, made a slight move and then buried it without any hesitation. There's always room in the lineup for a guy who can finish...but I'm just wondering if the Jets can afford to keep a guy like that in the lineup once Halischuk, Slater and Kane return.

 

[sipowicz]

Slater is good in the circle and decent on the PK imho. He's a decent 4th liner. Slagging him for not being great on the PP is a bit of a stretch.

Obviously Slater doesn't play the PP nor can he, Wright brings as much as Slater but in a bigger, faster, 10 year younger body. Some of you guys have a short memory of Slater on the PK, he wasn't very good. Slater's 31 and not getting any better and now entering the category of injury prone, a lot harder for older guys in the 4th line role to bounce back from the dings and dents a hockey player receives game in and game out. Put Slater out to pasture.

Last season Slater played 26 games for the Jets with a lofty point total of 2, 1 goal and 1 assist like this season he missed half of it with injuries.

 

[Samcanadian]

Obviously Slater doesn't play the PP nor can he, Wright brings as much as Slater but in a bigger, faster, 10 year younger body. Some of you guys have a short memory of Slater on the PK, he wasn't very good. Slater's 31 and not getting any better and now entering the category of injury prone, a lot harder for older guys in the 4th line role to bounce back from the dings and dents a hockey player receives game in and game out. Put Slater out to pasture.

Last season Slater played 26 games for the Jets with a lofty point total of 2, 1 goal and 1 assist like this season he missed half of it with injuries.

Yeah, those totals are nowhere near the lofty numbers a younger, bigger and faster James Wright is putting up right now.

 

[Samcanadian]

In all honesty though, I agree with Sipowicz about Slater's future. He's injury prone and likely doesn't have too much left to offer the Jets...especially if he's getting in the way of developing young talent.

The biggest strike against him is his age. His motor's only going to continue to degrade and when you're playing bottom 6 minutes that's one thing you can't fall short on.

 

[sipowicz]

Yeah, those totals are nowhere near the lofty numbers a younger, bigger and faster James Wright is putting up right now.

Between Slater and Wright I would pick Wright. Is either a threat offensively, NO

 

[wpgsilver]

One win after five consecutive losses and a coach firing and all of a sudden this team is playing as one?

This is still not a very good team. There are a number of guys currently in the lineup that are borderline NHLers.

Slater - A team that currently has the 3rd lowest faceoff win percentage doesn't need Jim Slater? Get real. Slater may not be anything more than a legitimate 4th liner at the NHL level but this team is currently dressing at least 2 or 3 guys below that level on a nightly basis.

Halischuk - This team is currently using Chris Thorburn on a line that is, at least nominally, expected to score goals. Halischuk is definitely a flawed player, but he offers a lot more to any line hoping to score than Thorburn. Halischuk probably won't be in the lineup every night, but at least he is an option.

Clitsome - I get that people on HF tend to fall in love with hopeless limited bottom pairing defencemen but none of Ellerby, Pardy, or Stuart should ever be in a team's top 4. Clitsome is a less than fantastic option for a second pairing but he is far superior to any of the other options right now.

Postma - I agree he is unlikely to see much time after getting healthy. The reality is the guy wasn't getting many games before and he isn't going to get many games after. The only chance he had to see many games this season was Trouba getting sent down. That ship has clearly sailed.

IMO none of these players are great players. Or guys that should occupy their current role on a contending team. But when you look at what we actually have in the lineup at the moment at least Slater and Clitsome are legitimate NHLers.

This sums up my views pretty well.

 

[meedle]

I think Postma is a clear upgrade over Bogo on the PP. I'm not sure how much difference there is between Pardy and Postma tho.