Justin Schultz is +5 over his last five games

[Kohr]

Please forgive me if this isn't thread-worthy, or if it's already being discussed in another thread.

I just noticed that Justin Schultz is plus-5 over the span of 5 games, and while that is a very small sample size, is this in ANY way related to some improved defensive play? I haven't been able to watch many games lately, so I was just curious on how everyone else is viewing his game as of late. I know he's also picked up some points as well (3G, 1A), but how has he been defensively?

NHL.com also had an article up about him, so I'm assuming he's doing something right?..
http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=25972&navid=nhl:topheads

Click to read more...

 

[Aceboogie]

His play has improved, and with that hes gotten more points (and a better +/-)

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

He has looked great in the last 5-6 games

 

[Mr Forever]

A player in his second (first full) season in the NHL improving.

Wow, who would have thought.

 

[McspOiler]

Ya he's looked better since game 40 IMO if he wasn't playing 25 min a night he'd be great

 

[Joey Moss]

I literally just noticed that Nick Schultz doesn't have "N." before Schultz on his jersey while J. Schultz does.

 

[Kohr]

A player in his second (first full) season in the NHL improving.

Wow, who would have thought.

Haha, hilarious.

+/- often doesn't tell the whole story, gosh.

 

[Sethis]

A player in his second (first full) season in the NHL improving.

Wow, who would have thought.

Is the sarcasm necessary?

The guy came in with numbers asking if they were reflected in the play. The negative BS on this board is crazy recently.

OP - Yes, to my eye he's been a lot better with the puck and on his angles. Makes sense that the numbers bear it out.

 

[HugginThePost]

.......or maybe it's the goal tending?

 

[LTIR]

Marincin leads the team in +/- ... was a +2 tonight as well..

He has been playing some tough minutes too..

Schultz has looked decent the few games... Goaltending has been awesome.. Scrivens leads the league in sv% and is top 3 in GAA

 

[thadd]

1: Goaltending
2: Marincin capable of playing tougher minutes
3: Goaltending

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

He's really not been that good and his D partners still blow (after Marincin, the left side seems to go off the deep end). Really outside of Petry and Marincin the D is really mediocre at best.

He IS still green so maybe he'll grow into a Campbell-ish player. He still needs an appropriate lefty before I criticize him too much tbh.

 

[McGoMcD]

Schultz has really looked good the last bit. I just hope the really gets the pp going. would love to see him finish strong and get over the 40 point mark.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Justin Schultz clearly has the talent, he annihilated the AHL at a pace never seen before a little over a year ago. The issue was, and still is, Eakins' inability to use his players appropriately. J Schultz needed to be sheltered as he learns the defensive side of the game, not thrown against opposing top lines. He's finally being put in the right situation to succeed.

 

[Mr Forever]

He played 27 minutes tonight. I didn't really pay much attention to him though. Was he getting a lot of time against top lines?

 

[OnTheBrink]

Justin Schultz clearly has the talent, he annihilated the AHL at a pace never seen before a little over a year ago. The issue was, and still is, Eakins' inability to use his players appropriately. J Schultz needed to be sheltered as he learns the defensive side of the game, not thrown against opposing top lines. He's finally being put in the right situation to succeed.

I agree he has looked alot better last 15 games and getting better every game lately which is nice to see, especially in his own end. I don't know how much Eakins has to do with it, don't think playing 27 mins as he did tonight really constitutes as sheltering his minutes.

 

[OnTheBrink]

I agree he has looked alot better last 15 games and getting better every game lately which is nice to see, especially in his own end. I don't know how much Eakins has to do with it, don't think playing 27 mins as he did tonight really constitutes as sheltering his minutes.

Beat to it.

 

[Mr Positive]

He's really not been that good and his D partners still blow (after Marincin, the left side seems to go off the deep end). Really outside of Petry and Marincin the D is really mediocre at best.

He IS still green so maybe he'll grow into a Campbell-ish player. He still needs an appropriate lefty before I criticize him too much tbh.

Schultz has had more ups and downs than Marincin, sure, but we lean on Schultz to drive the play waaaayyy more. It's easier to stay a plus player when you are allowed to play a supplementary role and focus on defense. Schultz has been given huge minutes all season long, and without a mentor he's been left out there on his own to figure out how to be a top pairing offensive D in the NHL.

Imo Schultz is a much bigger talent than Marincin, based on limited sample but still.

 

[Alberta]

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Schultz has had more ups and downs than Marincin, sure, but we lean on Schultz to drive the play waaaayyy more. It's easier to stay a plus player when you are allowed to play a supplementary role and focus on defense. Schultz has been given huge minutes all season long, and without a mentor he's been left out there on his own to figure out how to be a top pairing offensive D in the NHL.

Imo Schultz is a much bigger talent than Marincin, based on limited sample but still.

He's more talented offensively but at the moment that is where JSchultz talent ends for me. He needs a better lefty beside him. I think Marincin will be the superior player imo and have a greater presence when he's on the ice than Schultz will probably ever have. I see them being future top pairing D partners actually.

 

[Mr Positive]

He's more talented offensively but at the moment that is where JSchultz talent ends for me. He needs a better lefty beside him. I think Marincin will be the superior player and have a much greater presence when he's on the ice than Schultz does and will. I actually think Marincin will be Schultz D partner eventually.

Minutes don't lie. Schultz is the one charged with carrying this team. Imo nobody on our team is a top pairing Dman. Marincin and Schultz have the potential to be though. Schultz is the one thrust into the top pairing though, and whoever gets that task on our team is destined to look worse than they really are.

and btw, I've seen Justin do some amazing defensive maneuvers. He can strip pucks very skillfully and his mobility is an asset in quickly closing passing lanes. He's just got so much on his plate and he doesn't know all the tricks yet. Like you say, I could see Marincin continuing to develop, being a solid two-guy with size, and then we would see the best of both players. Edit: but even then, Schultz' offensive ability will always put him a cut above.

 

[Master Lok]

Minutes don't lie. Schultz is the one charged with carrying this team. Imo nobody on our team is a top pairing Dman. Marincin and Schultz have the potential to be though. Schultz is the one thrust into the top pairing though, and whoever gets that task on our team is destined to look worse than they really are.

and btw, I've seen Justin do some amazing defensive maneuvers. He can strip pucks very skillfully and his mobility is an asset in quickly closing passing lanes. He's just got so much on his plate and he doesn't know all the tricks yet. Like you say, I could see Marincin continuing to develop, being a solid two-guy with size, and then we would see the best of both players. Edit: but even then, Schultz' offensive ability will always put him a cut above.

What on earth are you talking about? Justin Schultz is NOT thrust into the top pairing, its Marincin and Petry. They get the tougher opponents consistently.

I've seen Justin do some amazing braincramps. Including last night against the Rangers in the second period. Did you watch the game?

Justin Schultz has not improved that much defensively. its the goaltending.

 

[Mr Positive]

What on earth are you talking about? Justin Schultz is NOT thrust into the top pairing, its Marincin and Petry. They get the tougher opponents consistently.

I've seen Justin do some amazing braincramps. Including last night against the Rangers in the second period. Did you watch the game?

Justin Schultz has not improved that much defensively. its the goaltending.

Nowhere did I say that Schultz was improving. He's had stellar defensive abilities since day 1. We don't get to see it because we depend on him for puck support and offense.

As for who is top pairing just look at the minutes (like I said). I'm not talking about who has looked the most solid by the eye test. I'm talking about who is trusted to put up the big minutes. It's not Marincin. It's Schultz. Schultz is our top pairing guy, and very clearly so.

The reason he crushes other D like Marincin in minutes is because he's the only D on our team who can drive the offense. Marincin is a shutdown D, but he gets to work with partners who are also good at shutdown D. Specifically, both him and Petry lean on each other to play the shutdown role. Where is Schutlz's partner to play the top pairing? Ference? Nultz?

Only time will tell for certain. I believe that Justin Schultz will elevate just like Cam Fowler did. Fowler was dismal in the D zone for Anaheim for years. Marincin could elevate his game too, and find a way to contribute more points without sacrificing his plus minus.

 

[CornKicker]

A player in his second (first full) season in the NHL improving.

Wow, who would have thought.

a person on the internet being a jerk, who would have thought?


to answer your question in the OP schultz is a smart enough player that he would figure it out eventually. not lost in the stats that he is +5 in the last 5 is theplay of the goaltenders behind him. im not saying that his game isnt getting better but not having dubnyk and lolbera behind him squeeking in garbage and having someone occasionally bail him out helps alot.

 

[rasarhdasd]

I think J.Schultz is improving but +/- is a truly awful stat to judge somebody.