Post-Game Talk: Just not good enough, Jets lose 2-1

[puck stoppa]

Be nice to have a D man that can make a pass thru their trap, Niku can do that. Would also be nice to have Ehlers out there to gain the zone with goalie out. If I was coaching against the Jets, I would trap every game all game, we are lost when teams do that.

 

[hn777]

I like Ehlers but he's played on the #1 line for a few games now and it's not like he was lighting it up , i just think Maurice was trying to get offense from another line . Guys have been moving all around and i think this will keep happening until they string some wins together .

This is not correct, every stretch Ehlers has played with Scheifele he has been PPG (even with low special teams opportunity).

I liked Harkins on the topline, but why break up something that worked well (the 2015-line)?
Now, we have Appleton playing 7 minutes on the 4th line.

And, we were stringing wins together.

 

[LowLefty]

I just want to know once and for all why Maurice hates Ehlers so much. It defies all logic and explanation and yet here we are.

I could speculate (and this is not my opinion, merely a possibility):

I don't think Mo likes players that are overly creative - or you could use the word "unpredictable"
Most of his better players are up and down the ice, pass, shoot, and hopefully hit the net. everyone once and a while these players try to run it through the defense but mainly they either pass or dump / chase on entry.

Ehlers is not that kind of player -
His zone entries are solid - best on the team but the up and down players he's lined up with have no idea where he's going or what he's going to do. In other words, he might be considered hard to play with from Mo's POV (possibly even the players POV). Mo might prefer a more conventional approach that includes less puck dragging, more passing, more to the net, more shooting, etc -

And I'm sticking to my disclaimer - this is purely speculation

 

[macmaroon]

Am I the only one who liked this game? Gave me a chance to catch up on my sleep... Nothing puts me out more than a boring hockey game...

 

[GeorgeJETson]

 

[AKAChip]

I could speculate (and this is not my opinion, merely a possibility):

I don't think Mo likes players that are overly creative - or you could use the word "unpredictable"
Most of his better players are up and down the ice, pass, shoot, and hopefully hit the net. everyone once and a while these players try to run it through the defense but mainly they either pass or dump / chase on entry.

Ehlers is not that kind of player -
His zone entries are solid - best on the team but the up and down players he's lined up with have no idea where he's going or what he's going to do. In other words, he might be considered hard to play with from Mo's POV (possibly even the players POV). Mo might prefer a more conventional approach that includes less puck dragging, more passing, more to the net, more shooting, etc -

And I'm sticking to my disclaimer - this is purely speculation

I don't think you're entirely wrong, but if there's even a nugget of truth in your speculation it's both sad and terrifying for the future of this team.

I have no doubt that Ehlers is a slightly unconventional player but the fact remains that every person he plays with puts up better numbers with him than without him. Both in the classic sense and in advanced metrics. P60 is a stat that is, or at least should be, appreciated by even those who scoff at advanced stats and he's the best on the team in that metric by far. That makes me skeptical that Ehlers is difficult to play with. I think it’s more like his skills are in areas that Maurice considers unimportant. And that should scare the lot of us.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Your second line cannot have Copp as it's centre

Yep. Like the player but he has no business there.

Why Mo didn’t juggle lines when it’s apparent that nothing good offensively is happening is a mystery. Move Wheeler there. Move Roslovic there.

Why on earth was Ehlers on the third line? Harkins looked good but Ehlers is a far bigger threat up there.

Really frustrated with this loss.

 

[sipowicz]

So two straight losses where they score a total of 3 goals, of course 4th line Copp sees the most ice time any forward in both games, the black hole of offence, smart coaching MO

 

[Jet]

You're a defensive defenseman that likes defensive defensemen, we get it. We needed a defenseman that could create offense today and Maurice chose Bitetto. Then we proceeded to score one goal.

I'm not saying we would have for sure won if we played Niku, but I believe we would have had a better chance of winning.

For the record I would have chosen Niku too. I also wouldn't have Ehlers on the bench when we had six attackers.

The fact remains that Niku in for Bitteto wouldn't have materially changed your op

 

[sipowicz]

Yep. Like the player but he has no business there.

Why Mo didn’t juggle lines when it’s apparent that nothing good offensively is happening is a mystery. Move Wheeler there. Move Roslovic there.

Why on earth was Ehlers on the third line? Harkins looked good but Ehlers is a far bigger threat up there.

Really frustrated with this loss.

another game where anyone with an iota of hockey knowledge says WTF Maurice!

and they extended this clown because?

 

[Jet]

So glad, we didn't have to watch Ehlers with another great rush in the last minute of the game. After all, why did he pass to a D-man on the first one?

Zone entries are overvalued anyway, when we are only down one goal late in the game

He's gotta be frustrated and I'm starting to think he's the forward going the other way in a trade.

Not happy about it one bit.

 

[Jet]

Harkins

He had a wonderful game. Problem is if he's your best forward you're probably not going to win.

 

[abax44]

This place is becoming a cess pool of negativity.

Becoming?

 

[AKAChip]

In a logical world, Ehlers would be the most untouchable (or second most untouchable after Laine) forward on this team.

 

[puck stoppa]

He's gotta be frustrated and I'm starting to think he's the forward going the other way in a trade.

Not happy about it one bit.

Did you see the look on his face during that entire time out? He must be ticked.

 

[bustamente]

It seems that Maurice has his favorites and they don't seem to mesh with who we like, same goes for his lineups, don't think we will win either argument.

 

[Whodey204]

He's gotta be frustrated and I'm starting to think he's the forward going the other way in a trade.

Not happy about it one bit.

Agreed. With Mo in charge Ehlers will be the one traded, however it's almost assuredly going to make us a worse team.

 

[AKAChip]

It seems that Maurice has his favorites and they don't seem to mesh with who we like, same goes for his lineups, don't think we will win either argument.

That’s completely fair. But this is a message board after all and voicing concerns and frustrations about a stubborn coach who was just extended for the foreseeable future is a necessary cathartic experience.

 

[DRW204]

Such a joke ehlers gets called out. Top line asides from him doesn't register a shot last game, wheeler takes two bad penalties smh

 

[hn777]

Did you see the look on his face during that entire time out? He must be ticked.

Yep, he was visibly disappointed.

Knowing he was a difference maker two minutes before (except Beaulieu couldn't bury it), and wanted another chance to do something similar.

 

[surixon]

I could speculate (and this is not my opinion, merely a possibility):

I don't think Mo likes players that are overly creative - or you could use the word "unpredictable"
Most of his better players are up and down the ice, pass, shoot, and hopefully hit the net. everyone once and a while these players try to run it through the defense but mainly they either pass or dump / chase on entry.

Ehlers is not that kind of player -
His zone entries are solid - best on the team but the up and down players he's lined up with have no idea where he's going or what he's going to do. In other words, he might be considered hard to play with from Mo's POV (possibly even the players POV). Mo might prefer a more conventional approach that includes less puck dragging, more passing, more to the net, more shooting, etc -

And I'm sticking to my disclaimer - this is purely speculation

I think you have hit the nail on the head. He is the one skilled player that really hasn't conformed and simplified his offensive game. All of the other skilled players whether it be on defense or forward now play more of a simplified north/south game with limited risk at the offensive blue line. The other skilled players also play more of a cycle game (Even Laine) then Ehlers does.

I like Ehlers but he is likely the first high impact skilled player that gets moved out if it comes to that due to Maurice preferring different attributes.

 

[pucka lucka]

I think you have hit the nail on the head. He is the one skilled player that really hasn't conformed and simplified his offensive game. All of the other skilled players whether it be on defense or forward now play more of a simplified north/south game with limited risk at the offensive blue line. The other skilled players also play more of a cycle game (Even Laine) then Ehlers does.

I like Ehlers but he is likely the first high impact skilled player that gets moved out if it comes to that due to Maurice preferring different attributes.

I know what I’d do when I need to make a call between elite team best player and career .500 coach who hasn’t won a thing.

 

[surixon]

I know what I’d do when I need to make a call between elite team best player and career .500 coach who hasn’t won a thing. f*ck this team already.

Oh I would move on from the coach first as well and I am sure most other orgs would as well.

We aren't going to get full value for him due to how undervalued he is by our coach here.

 

[bustamente]

Trading Ehlers sends the wrong message about this team and to it's fans, frankly I don't see it happening but if it does it will greatly sour me on this team.........................I will eventually get over it.

 

[NorCalhockey]

So much frustration. We looked awful out there. How does a team with this much forward talent look this disorganized on the attack?

Zooming out a little, this team is one where Chevy wants to burn more picks on? We should be sellers for god sakes, or, at least just stay put with the roster as is and see what happens.

God , losing sucks, but it f*cking sucks when your club just has no idea what it wants to do or be. f*cking Sabres? Really?

Full disclosure: I root for both Sabres and Jets but since Jets are in a playoff spot while Sabres aren’t, I wanted Jets to win so they could solidify their position. Jets are almost at that point of needing help from other teams to make the playoffs. That’s a really dicey strategy since you want to put your destiny in your own hands. C’mon Jets - get it together!!!