Player Discussion: Nikolaj "Probert" Ehlers Pt. 2

GNP

Here Comes the Jets -look out hockey world !!!
Oct 11, 2016
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I have a bet, with a friend if Jets reaches the final I will fly in to watch it with them.
_____________________________________________

That would be great if you flew in here for the final --as long as you take me back with you to that tropical paradise. :) I mean we just had a snow storm --and it's only early October. :facepalm: :brrr:
 
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Halberdier

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May 14, 2016
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Stop being so reasonable :laugh: I’m just bitter and slowly turning into Sip. It’s just frustrating seeing him improve every season while everyone else is rewarded. I should stop posting when I’m having had days :laugh:

I know the feeling, buddy. But it's not that everyone else is rewarded. For example Patrik and Jack says hi. And by all means, while Ehlers has been awesome, Laine has been even better.

For now, it's better to use that LSW line, if it can stay *that* hot, since if a single line can score 2-3 goals per game, and any Copp line can play reliable +-0, the team will win more than lose. But eventually Maurice should finally spread the talent, split Mark & Blake for the common good. For example LSE & CCW would do the trick. Two 1st lines. No "demoting" anymore. Give Ehlers and all other TOP-6 plenty of TOI, and enjoy the result.
 

Sperss1997

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Lol Nik has a ton of great looks and some stinky puck luck at times. That being said he seems to play and score pretty consistently well up and down the lineup.

It's about maximizing your roster to win more games. Not pleasing your Danish fan base. They pay Nik a nice chunk to play here and he consistently gets meaningful minutes. Its pretty clear that they value his services.

if it was all about maximising your roster Pomo would have atleast tried to split 26/55 last season.
So maximising with a few untouchables ... :)

i agree that a coach should try to maximise his roster and Nik’s versatility bites his own butt from time to time that way.
I don’t think Pastrnak would have become the player he is today, if his coach had bumped him up and down the line-up for no apparent reason and lined him up with Chris Thorburn for a fourth of his rookie season.
I dont mind Ehlers on the second line. What irritates me is that he, no matter how well it goes, is being demoted again and again. Also no pp1 time, but I think Pomo is having the right pp1 lined up. Unfortunate for Ehlers
 
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TS Quint

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Very plausible, if true it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, that a player who was team first by signing a team friendly long term deal up front, gets rewarded for showing loyalty by being demoted, as he doesn't have any leverage longer in terms of contract status. I hope, its not like that.
It's not like playing on the 2nd line is garbage. There's plenty of talent in the top 6. If you can't be productive on the second line I feel like that's on the player. Also was the case with Laine last year. I really dont have any pity for any of them. If you are on a second line with any of the other 3 wingers it's up to you to show your a driver, there's plenty of talent on the ice. I find it more frustrating when players are demanding to be on that top line to pad their own stats off other people's work. You you think you're the man then be the man. A lot of coaches would be spreading the talent around playing 2 talented guys with a down low grinder (of course that gets Babcock nowhere). Thats not the case here.
 
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TS Quint

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if it was all about maximising your roster Pomo would have atleast tried to split 26/55 last season.
So maximising with a few untouchables ... :)

i agree that a coach should try to maximise his roster and Nik’s versatility bites his own butt from time to time that way.
I don’t think Pastrnak would have become the player he is today, if his coach had bumped him up and down the line-up for no apparent reason and lined him up with Chris Thorburn for a fourth of his rookie season.
I dont mind Ehlers on the second line. What irritates me is that he, no matter how well it goes, is being demoted again and again. Also no pp1 time, but I think Pomo is having the right pp1 lined up. Unfortunate for Ehlers
It's pretty hard to argue with the PP1 OVER the last couple years.
 
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hn777

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It's not like playing on the 2nd line is garbage. There's plenty of talent in the top 6. If you can't be productive on the second line I feel like that's on the player. Also was the case with Laine last year. I really dont have any pity for any of them. If you are on a second line with any of the other 3 wingers it's up to you to show your a driver, there's plenty of talent on the ice. I find it more frustrating when players are demanding to be on that top line to pad their own stats off other people's work. You you think you're the man then be the man. A lot of coaches would be spreading the talent around playing 2 talented guys with a down low grinder (of course that gets Babcock nowhere). Thats not the case here.
We will have to agree to disagree. There is a huge dropoff in talent from playing 18 mins with Scheifele to playing 14 mins with another C on the Jets. Who do you see as another top 6C on the Jets?

Not to mention playing PP1 instead of "PP3".
BTW, if we are talking Ehlers specifically he has produced well anyway.

Anyway, that was not my point at all. We were discussing, whether your contract should have influence on your playing situation, and I was basically just replying, that I hope you cannot use your contract negotiations to improve your depth status on the roster.
 

TS Quint

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We will have to agree to disagree. There is a huge dropoff in talent from playing 18 mins with Scheifele to playing 14 mins with another C on the Jets. Who do you see as another top 6C on the Jets?

Not to mention playing PP1 instead of "PP3".
BTW, if we are talking Ehlers specifically he has produced well anyway.

Anyway, that was not my point at all. We were discussing, whether your contract should have influence on your playing situation, and I was basically just replying, that I hope you cannot use your contract negotiations to improve your depth status on the roster.
LOL, are you wanting to discuss production between the two? Laine is leading the lead in points with double Ehlers points. Who are you wanting to replace on PP1? Laine who can score 25 goals/year @ min/game,? Wheeler one of the best assist men with the man advantage? Scheif? Put him at the point or in front of the net? Change the whole PP just because you like him?

Is the PP1 a problem at all? Is your goal yo make this team better or just Ehelers?
 

Board Bard

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Who are you wanting to replace on PP1? Laine who can score 25 goals/year @ min/game,? Wheeler one of the best assist men with the man advantage? Scheif? Put him at the point or in front of the net? Change the whole PP just because you like him?

You left out the one person Ehlers might replace. Ehlers' biggest contribution to PP1 would be zone entry and control, which hasn't been its strong point. Couldn't hurt to try, especially during a dry spell.
 

TS Quint

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You left out the one person Ehlers might replace. Ehlers' biggest contribution to PP1 would be zone entry and control, which hasn't been its strong point. Couldn't hurt to try, especially during a dry spell.
Scheifele is pretty good at that. Who are you wanting to replace? And does that actually give Ehlers the puck on his stick more than if he was on PP2? He gets the zone, gives it to Wheeler then what? You aren't taking your two best goal scorers off. Are you thinking he's better than Connor in front of the net? Does that make the team any better or just Ehlers?

I don't see PP1 in the top 10 of problems on this team.
 

DashingDane

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Dec 16, 2014
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Lol Nik has a ton of great looks and some stinky puck luck at times. That being said he seems to play and score pretty consistently well up and down the lineup.

It's about maximizing your roster to win more games. Not pleasing your Danish fan base. They pay Nik a nice chunk to play here and he consistently gets meaningful minutes. Its pretty clear that they value his services.

I agree with all of this if "they" in the last season is the organization. I'm of the firm belief that Paul undervalues his services.
 

hn777

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Apr 22, 2019
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LOL, are you wanting to discuss production between the two? Laine is leading the lead in points with double Ehlers points. Who are you wanting to replace on PP1? Laine who can score 25 goals/year @ min/game,? Wheeler one of the best assist men with the man advantage? Scheif? Put him at the point or in front of the net? Change the whole PP just because you like him?

Is the PP1 a problem at all? Is your goal yo make this team better or just Ehelers?

I am not sure why you are writing all of this to me?

For the record:
1) I am fine with the PP1 personnel as is, including Connor over Ehlers, as I think he has better hands in tight (but I also understand posters, who prefer Ehlers as PP1 need better zone entries)
2) I am fine with either two of the four star wingers with Scheifele, and I am fine with the other two with our 2C.

If you want to argue with "Ehlers fans" or "Laine fans", you picked the wrong guy.
 

QuietContrarian

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How is Drai #1, not a very fast or particularly good skater? His size and ability to protect the puck?
 

QuietContrarian

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I Know you feeling but ill still watch from denmark.. yep remember 2 years ago hattrick against Edmonton that started the season.. the game after getting demoted from the first line... last year congratulation with you new contract that kicks in, now you start on the 4. line.. well he knows and everybody knows that him and Maurice are not on good terms. and we all know how Maurice sees him.. he does not play the dump and chase hockey but he is still trying to adapt. We have seen this many times before... just hoping this year will be different and it will not get to him.
I will say this, PoMo does seem hesitant to say nice things about Ehlers game, when journos are praising Ehlers, Mo seems to not share that praise.

Also, at least Ehlers is a pro and a good sport.

I am probably very alone in this, but I don't think Laine has been all that much better, a good few 2nd assists does not make his season that much better, considering he gets more toi and pp1.
 
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Duke749

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I will say this, PoMo does seem hesitant to say nice things about Ehlers game, when journos are praising Ehlers, Mo seems to not share that praise.

Also, at least Ehlers is a pro and a good sport.

I am probably very alone on this, but I don't think Laine has been all that much better, a good few 2nd assists does not make his season that much better, considering he gets more toi and pp1.

With the condensed schedule, I think the last couple of games a bit of tiredness crept up and some bad habits from last year crept in. And not just Laine. Still young and we’ll see some ups and downs but a lot of the improvement people are talking about I think is them wanting to see improvement.
 

DRW204

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Dec 26, 2010
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leads the league in penalties drawn at 5v5, tied for 1st at all strengths

guy should be on PP1, his zone entries would help immensely imo..... sorely missing that w/ Buff gone
 

pucka lucka

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The prob is Ehlers isn't better than any he could replace. The only open spot would be Connor's, but he doesn't have Connor's quick hands to retrieve low pucks and get them back to the blue line/Wheeler.
 
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DRW204

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The prob is Ehlers isn't better than any he could replace. The only open spot would be Connor's, but he doesn't have Connor's quick hands to retrieve low pucks and get them back to the blue line/Wheeler.

don't think connor offers anything that a skilled top 6er can't do. and we can't even enter the zone effectively right now which should be priority #1
 

Ippenator

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How is Drai #1, not a very fast or particularly good skater? His size and ability to protect the puck?
In fact Draisaitl has very good top speed, and he has also been able to develop his leg power with hard training gradually for better acceleration, so that he is in fact most probably one of the best over 6’2 tall players in skating. He is a deceptively fast and good skater for his size. If you look at leg movement when evaluating his skating, you will not though get it how good of a skater he really is. He has long and very powerful strides, but most importantly they take him very fast from location A to location B.

He gets quite consistently around 40 kph speeds measured in game situations. Players that are capable of doing that consistently and have great puck skills, they tend to be excellent with zone entries. Absolutely not any kind of a surprise to me that Draisaitl is statistically so good with zone entries.
 
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Jack722

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Problem I have with Connor at netfront PP1 is that he's not good at getting in the goalie's way. I think he's a guy who actively avoids any physicality. He's not exactly a nuisance in front of the net. All he does is stand back and wait for rebounds (which he's very good at, but I think you want more from your 'net front' guy.). I also don't think Ehlers would be any better playing netfront. Not sure who else would be good at it. Maybe Lowry like a couple years ago? Perreault? Appleton?

PP1's major problem though has been setting up, and with the personel we have that shouldn't be such an issue that we NEED Ehlers to play on our PP1 just to gain the zone. IMO this has to be a coaching issue.
 

DRW204

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Problem I have with Connor at netfront PP1 is that he's not good at getting in the goalie's way. I think he's a guy who actively avoids any physicality. He's not exactly a nuisance in front of the net. All he does is stand back and wait for rebounds (which he's very good at, but I think you want more from your 'net front' guy.). I also don't think Ehlers would be any better playing netfront. Not sure who else would be good at it. Maybe Lowry like a couple years ago?

PP1's major problem though has been setting up, and with the personel we have that shouldn't be such an issue that we NEED Ehlers to play on our PP1 just to gain the zone. IMO this has to be a coaching issue.

was stastny really good net front when he bumped KC and was on PP1? honestly don't remember.

the problem is right now we can enter the zone at all, Buff being gone hurts the pp1 with this. they're trying to dump & chase and are losing or committing turnovers at the blue which leads to chances the other way (evidenced strongly in the CHI game)

i think the net gain from an effective zone entry player vs a a guy waiting for rebounds would be positive. i really don't think connor's role on the the PP isn't anything a skilled top 6 player can't do, & ehlers' zone entry prowess is something that most of our line-up cannot do.
 

Jack722

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was stastny really good net front when he bumped KC and was on PP1? honestly don't remember.

the problem is right now we can enter the zone at all, Buff being gone hurts the pp1 with this. they're trying to dump & chase and are losing or committing turnovers at the blue which leads to chances the other way (evidenced strongly in the CHI game)

i think the net gain from an effective zone entry player vs a a guy waiting for rebounds would be positive. i really don't think connor's role on the the PP isn't anything a skilled top 6 player can't do, & ehlers' zone entry prowess is something that most of our line-up cannot do.


Can't remember results rise but Stastny seems like he should be good at it.


Agree on Ehlers but I have to think that if we NEED one of the best zone entry players in the league just to prevent getting stood up at the blue line at 5 on 4... that's a bigger problem. We've also seen before the Jets struggle hugely with gaining the zone cleanly when teams play a 'lockdown' style... Preds, Wild, Islanders all seem able to completely seal off our offense when doing so. Seems like a coaching problem to me...
 

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