Player Discussion Joel Eriksson Ek: The 2nd Act

[Bazeek]

given proper top 6 usage and at least pp2 time he should get to 50 points and still be shutting people down. i dont know of any trick he has that makes him elite for the pp but i have said before and ill say it again, he could be able to do parises job of net front plus since he is bigger he should be able to battle better than parise can at this point. hand eye may be worse i dont really know as he doesnt get highlighted for it.

I'm not sure that it's all that important that he gets "proper top 6 usage" or powerplay time. That would pump his personal stats, but that doesn't seem like a priority. He's already producing pretty well, especially for the minutes he plays. It'd be cool to see him earn a place on the powerplay, but he does have to develop some kind of standout skill there. If he was 55% on faceoffs like Horvat I think it'd be easier to have him out there, but he's got a long way to go.

I think the more important thing is that he makes it easier to put a guy like Monahan, who has an impressive offensive resume but is questionable defensively, in the 1C spot. From what little I've seen of Sturm I'm hopeful that he can help in that respect as well.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

I'm not sure that it's all that important that he gets "proper top 6 usage" or powerplay time. That would pump his personal stats, but that doesn't seem like a priority. He's already producing pretty well, especially for the minutes he plays. It'd be cool to see him earn a place on the powerplay, but he does have to develop some kind of standout skill there. If he was 55% on faceoffs like Horvat I think it'd be easier to have him out there, but he's got a long way to go.

I think the more important thing is that he makes it easier to put a guy like Monahan, who has an impressive offensive resume but is questionable defensively, in the 1C spot. From what little I've seen of Sturm I'm hopeful that he can help in that respect as well.

i agree he needs to prove it, iv been quite high on his shot for awhile from watching international and ahl play of him. i like him in the gretzky role behind the net but that is not our pp so i agree that until he really gets better on the dot its not ideal to put him there. im hoping sturm turns into a solid 3c so we can allow ek to take the 2c role and run with it. if having ek shut other top lines down allows us to trade for monohan and let him be very offensive and put up 60+ each season i will gladly take that.

 

[SMTHook]

Still trending up. Where does it plateau?

 

[DANOZ28]

no idea where his ceiling is but hes sure playing like he doesn't want to be sent to seattle.

 

[zellmatic]

no idea where his ceiling is but hes sure playing like he doesn't want to be sent to seattle.

No way Ek is getting left exposed in the expansion draft. The kid's a stud, plus he's a center. He pisses off other teams so much. I love it.

 

[schnapshot]

Wild fans, what's the ceiling of this guy given how weak your center line is? 5 points in 5 games so far is pretty impressive given his past production.

 

[Prior]

Wild fans, what's the ceiling of this guy given how weak your center line is? 5 points in 5 games so far is pretty impressive given his past production.

Pretty clearly their best center. Also playing on their third line which is their best line currently. Do not see the team breaking it up even though they should to give Kaprizov and Fiala more help.

In terms of points this year, he will come back to the pack as he won’t get quality minutes on the PP over the course of the year. I see him ultimately settling in as a second line center. Maybe a 40-50pt guy in a normal year.

 

[57special]

Wild fans, what's the ceiling of this guy given how weak your center line is? 5 points in 5 games so far is pretty impressive given his past production.

We don't know, but if i had to guess, 50 points pace in a regular season. He has a nice shot, but has a pretty basic offensive game, and seldom gets PP TOI, though that might change this year due to our incredibly weak C corps. JEE's forte is his physical and defensive play. One of those guys who's eyes light up when he gets into a board battle or scrum in front of the net.

I love how he set up Greenway for his 1st goal on the EN. Not only was it the right hockey play, but it was smart of him to reward a linemate who has been working so hard this year.

He has similarities to Coyle. Better defensively, slightly worse puck skills. Both are physical, and can skate. Coyle got moved around from wing to C, from scoring line to checking line, and I think that confused him. Hopefully the lack of confusion about JEE's position will help him progress. At present, both excel as #3C's, and can fill in as #2C's.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Wild fans, what's the ceiling of this guy given how weak your center line is? 5 points in 5 games so far is pretty impressive given his past production.

2C who is elite defensively, average in goal scoring, slightly below average in playmaking. Faceoffs are a work in progress.

 

[CROCODILE SEATS]

Wild fans, what's the ceiling of this guy given how weak your center line is? 5 points in 5 games so far is pretty impressive given his past production.

My guess is he’ll be centering Kaprizov sooner than later. So for fantasy implications (which I’m assuming you’re coming here for) I expect him to have a good season in that regard. Hell, stats wise he’s been nice without having that good of wingers.

 

[2Pair]

Pretty clearly their best center. Also playing on their third line which is their best line currently. Do not see the team breaking it up even though they should to give Kaprizov and Fiala more help.

In terms of points this year, he will come back to the pack as he won’t get quality minutes on the PP over the course of the year. I see him ultimately settling in as a second line center. Maybe a 40-50pt guy in a normal year.

In fairness to the argument, Eriksson-Ek is 2nd on the team in 5x5 TOI and 3rd in ES TOI. He's not getting anywhere close to 3rd line icetime.

There's really no reason for the Wild not to start cycling Kaprizov, Fiala, Johansson through that line with Ek and Greenway to see if there's a fit somewhere. Maybe the plan is to put Zuccarello there when he returns? That would give that line 2 guys capable of carrying the puck, but would require Greenway to start looking to shoot more than he does.

 

[GordieGallant]

2C who is elite defensively, average in goal scoring, slightly below average in playmaking. Faceoffs are a work in progress.

I think EE will score more goals with more icetime. He won't be getting the highlight reel goals. He will be getting rebounds deflections and causing chaos in the crease. I am sure he is pumped to be out from under the shadow of Koivu who for a big strong man very rarely hit somebody. Koivu in our house was called "Captain Pokecheck" for years.

 

[MuckOG]

We know that Eriksson-Ek can play a heavy, north/south, cycle the puck, grind out goals type of game.....but can he also be that playmaker that Kaprizov and Fiala need? I'm not sure.

 

[2Pair]

We know that Eriksson-Ek can play a heavy, north/south, cycle the puck, grind out goals type of game.....but can he also be that playmaker that Kaprizov and Fiala need? I'm not sure.

I don't think there's any chance that Ek can play the same style as guys like Fiala and Kaprizov. That doesn't mean that they can't find a line combination where those types of players can benefit each other.

Kaprizov, in the current lineup, is pretty much playing by himself. At the very least, playing him with Ek/Greenway would allow him to play by himself in the offensive zone.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

I don't think Ek has to play the same game as Kaprizov or Fiala to be successful with them. Just play hard north/south and give them the puck, backcheck well, and help play down low in own zone and help with good breakouts so that Kap/Fiala can get the puck with some speed. He would also create more space in offensive zone because hes better at stripping pucks/forechecking.

Not saying Ek is a 1st line offensive center that will make those two guys better, but I think he would be fine there and would be better than anything else. While the third line has been solid, I wouldn't mind seeing Sturm center the third line to see if they could allow Ek to move off it.

 

[2Pair]

Greenway - Ek - Johansson Give that line whatever minutes you want
Kaprizov - Bonino - Fiala Give that line all the offensive opportunities you can
Foligno - Sturm - Hartman make this the new shutdown line and give them all the hard dzone assignments
Parise - Rask - Bjugstad leave this line in the locker room for all I care

If Kap and Fiala don't work together then you start swapping them around with Johansson. When Zuccarello comes back you get the flexibility to try Johansson at center if nothing is working.

 

[Eye of Ra]

10 points in 14 games. can he keep producing points in this rate?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

10 points in 14 games. can he keep producing points in this rate?

If his line stays together? It’s possible.

 

[Spurgeon]

10 points in 14 games. can he keep producing points in this rate?

Even with a 15.8% shooting rate (double his career S%), he's not playing a game where his production is unsustainable. Feels like he's consistently producing high-danger scoring chances in nearly every game.

 

[nickschultzfan]

If his line stays together? It’s possible.

More than happy to keep the Greenway-JEE-Fiala together as a first line.

Looking forward to partner it with a Zucc/Boldy-Rossi-Kap line next season.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Pacing 34 goals, 51 points per 82 games

5v5:
71% GF% (leads team)
65% xGF% (leads team)
61% SCF% (leads team)
69% HDCF% (2nd on team)
44% OZ start %
19% SH% still pretty high, but leads team in both individual SCF and HDCF

Respect.

 

[SMTHook]

Any team in the NHL with Ek as a 3C is a Stanley Cup favorite. Rossi as a 2C, aquire a 1C, and the Wild are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

 

[57special]

If he is used as a shutdown C on a shutdown line against the teams #1 line then it will affect his offensive #'s. If he is given a bit more free rein, and has one winger like Fiala or Kap, then he might be able to be a 50+ pt. C, and still be responsible defensively.

 

[2Pair]

If he is used as a shutdown C on a shutdown line against the teams #1 line then it will affect his offensive #'s. If he is given a bit more free rein, and has one winger like Fiala or Kap, then he might be able to be a 50+ pt. C, and still be responsible defensively.

He produces better with Greenway and Foligno than anyone else. Why continue to try and force fits with players that he isn't going to fit with? It's not like you have to limit that lines minutes to certain situations. Ek's line right now is a line that can produce good offensive numbers while shutting down the other teams top lines. That's so much more valuable than trying to squeeze another 10 points out of Greenway or Ek by trying to play them with a Kaprizov or Fiala. Find a center to play with Zuccarello and Kaprizov and then you have 2 great lines. And, you still have Fiala and Boldy to build a 3rd line around.

 

[SMTHook]

If he is used as a shutdown C on a shutdown line against the teams #1 line then it will affect his offensive #'s. If he is given a bit more free rein, and has one winger like Fiala or Kap, then he might be able to be a 50+ pt. C, and still be responsible defensively.

He's been the shut down guy this season. His analytics put him in Selke territory. The amazing thing is how good Fiala looks defensively. I love this line. Ek is a beast and the scoring is sustainable, while not sacrificing D.