Player Discussion: Nikolaj Ehlers

[kittiecarlyle]

Little, Perreault, Trouba, Morrisey, Copp, Roslovic, Myers, Kulikov, and Chiarot all have no goals as well.

Copp had 5 assists in 6 games and was plus 3 Ehlers had zero points in 6 games and was a minus 2. Comparing their games and production and concluding they were similar is ridiculous.

 

[DM81]

Ehlers should not have been playing after blocking that shot.

No goals in 4 series is a concern.

Talent is there, speed is there, system is not. He is one of the only players that gets us controlled zone entires. He needs some more direction but he's close. With a coaching change he might get better.

 

[rubikscube]

I used to think Ehlers was untouchable, but not now.

He's not taking his game to the next level when it counts. I don't buy into the online rumour mill about him being unhappy, but if it's true ship him out. He's absolutely replaceable.

He's been useless in playoffs

 

[Gm0ney]

Maybe we can trade him for a Strome!

 

[Robinson2187]

Ehlers should not have been playing after blocking that shot.

No goals in 4 series is a concern.

Talent is there, speed is there, system is not. He is one of the only players that gets us controlled zone entires. He needs some more direction but he's close. With a coaching change he might get better.

Agree with this...I 'd like to see him with a different coach b4 parting ways with him.

 

[Whodey204]

Trading Ehlers would be dumb. Maybe our system doesnt suit him, but does everyone want to see even more dump and chase? Maybe the major issue with the team overall is the system we play, dump and chase for zone time. Chip and chase the puck out of our own end too.

Ehlers would thrive playing under a coach who focuses on creating chances off the rush.

If we stick with a dump and chase system Ehlers may never succeed here so then go ahead and trade him, however our team likely gets worse as soon as he is gone.

 

[raideralex99]

Put Ehlers on a team with a good coach who knows how to use him and you have an all-star player.

 

[LowLefty]

Ehlers should not have been playing after blocking that shot.

No goals in 4 series is a concern.

Talent is there, speed is there, system is not. He is one of the only players that gets us controlled zone entires. He needs some more direction but he's close. With a coaching change he might get better.

This is a player issue - not coaching.
Ehlers is a Low hockey IQ speedster that cannot not drive a line.
He's able to gain access to the O zone but he doesn't have the hockey smarts or creativity to get it to his open wingers.
He always seems to be ragging the puck - likely because he doesn't know what to do with it.

This nothing against the player - he appears to have a great attitude and is always positive -
But, I don't see him as the line driver that some on here believe he is -

 

[DM81]

This is a player issue - not coaching.
Ehlers is a Low hockey IQ speedster that cannot not drive a line.
He's able to gain access to the O zone but he doesn't have the hockey smarts or creativity to get it to his open wingers.
He always seems to be ragging the puck - likely because he doesn't know what to do with it.

This nothing against the player - he appears to have a great attitude and is always positive -
But, I don't see him as the line driver that some on here believe he is -

I cannot disagree with that. It has seemed that he doesn't quite have the vision of an elite playmaker and he's definitely not a shooter. He made it to the NHL with his speed and skill and is not that old of a dog - Maybe he can learn new tricks?

I would still like to see him get another chance with a different coach before (if) he is traded.

He needs someone to get into his head and force him to be a shooter as he is always able to get open...idk.

 

[irunthepeg]

I am firmly in the camp that Ehlers can win on this team. He's just gotta figure some things out. I think with a few more years of experience he'll maybe re-tool his game slightly and be more effective in the post-season.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

ADanish media reporting Ehlers will likely not play in the WC, even with his father as the coach.

They report he has been playing injured and the last games were played on injections.

So much for our vaunted forward depth when a guy who has never scored in the playoffs gets injured and is still viewed as a better option than anyone sitting in the press box.

 

[QuietContrarian]

This is a player issue - not coaching.
Ehlers is a Low hockey IQ speedster that cannot not drive a line.
He's able to gain access to the O zone but he doesn't have the hockey smarts or creativity to get it to his open wingers.
He always seems to be ragging the puck - likely because he doesn't know what to do with it.

This nothing against the player - he appears to have a great attitude and is always positive -
But, I don't see him as the line driver that some on here believe he is -

You lost me when you wrote low iq.

 

[jetsforever]

I used to think Ehlers was untouchable, but not now.

He's not taking his game to the next level when it counts. I don't buy into the online rumour mill about him being unhappy, but if it's true ship him out. He's absolutely replaceable.

He's been useless in playoffs

I agree that there's now a chance he could be traded, but I think it would be a huge mistake to do that. He's on a great contract and will only keep improving. Try a new coach first.

 

[Whodey204]

Dont get all the trade Ehlers talk. Would be beyond dumb to trade a young player with his talent on a long term team friendly contract.

Ehlers is taking far too much blame on here. Hes one of our best players who is misused by an old school coach.

Why not put some blame in Scheifele Wheeler Connor for giving up the tying, and game winning goals in game 5? Completely MIA in game 6 too. Seems like that line was on the ice for a lot of blown leads. If they showed up for either of those games at all, were likely talking about game 7 tonight

 

[DJBiffWPG]

I used to think Ehlers was untouchable, but not now.

He's not taking his game to the next level when it counts. I don't buy into the online rumour mill about him being unhappy, but if it's true ship him out. He's absolutely replaceable.

He's been useless in playoffs

No player on the roster can replace what Ehlers brings.

 

[Sperss1997]

Ehlers played game 6 with help from medical injections, due to his injury from game 5, his dad told Danish media. He will likely not play world cup for his country (his dad is national head coach)

Not surprising he played on painkillers

 

[jetsfan15]

Ehlers is ridiculously skilled, but it’s true that he hasn’t really taken his game to the next level (which I think everyone - including the Jets when they extended him - expected to occur by now). That being said, he’s still very young and I think his best days are ahead of him. Scored 60+ pts in 2 consecutive seasons not long ago at a very young age. His injury this year obviously didn’t help. I really think he has the potential to blossom into a star who consistently gets 70-80.pts/season. But we’ll see.

Like a lot of other ppl posted already, I’d like to see more from him in the playoffs. This has been the bigger issue so far in my view.

 

[Tommigun]

You lost me when you wrote low iq.

Well Ehlers is not Connor so he has low IQ

 

[DRW204]

no excuse for his PO production, yes he was generating chances and doing his zone entry thing, however goose-egg for goals from a guy you expect mid-high 20s over the course of 82 games is abysmal.

It's about results on the score-sheet and unfortunately he didn't have any positive results in the POs. I do agree he gets the short-end of the stick of our young wingers. Ehlers is always the guy that gets moved around, never on PP1 which i think he could be an effective tool on that unit given his zone entry prowess and he's also victim of the Laine 5v5 anchor.

I think he can be a producer in the playoffs. Barzal who is another wizard at zone entry was great in the Pitt series. Mitch Marner, a similarly sized winger, is productive as well.

Wouldn't trade Ehlers. Still young, roughly 60 points+/82 games for 6M - those kind of players exceed 7M on the open market nowadays

 

[LowLefty]

Well Ehlers is not Connor so he has low IQ

One has nothing to do with the other -
Connor is not a line driver or much of a playmaker for that matter -
He is very good with the puck, very good on his skates, and knows how to put the puck in the net.
But his vision is average IMO -

Anyway, back to the guy that titles this thread -
If you disagree, why not debate it?
Sounds like you might have an opinion - make yourself heard!

 

[Hulide]

Well its simple either Maurice or Ehlers need to go!!! I know who I would choose!!

 

[NotCommitted]

Wouldn't trade Ehlers. Still young, roughly 60 points+/82 games for 6M - those kind of players exceed 7M on the open market nowadays

Toronto gave Nylander 10 and the only thing he has on Ehlers is he's a "center", who in truth seems to play mostly wing. Ehlers has actually produced better throughout their careers (including this season) and with more goals. Granted, Toronto probably overpaid, but if that signing has any relevance to the market going forward, some fans are going to get ugly surprises with the Connor and Laine deals and Ehlers' contract will just keep looking better and better going forward.

 

[DRW204]

Toronto gave Nylander 10 and the only thing he has on Ehlers is he's a "center", who in truth seems to play mostly wing. Ehlers has actually produced better throughout their careers (including this season) and with more goals. Granted, Toronto probably overpaid, but if that signing has any relevance to the market going forward, some fans are going to get ugly surprises with the Connor and Laine deals and Ehlers' contract will just keep looking better and better going forward.

Nylander's first year is inflated due to the hold out. its 6.9M prorated

 

[DRW204]

 

[NotCommitted]

Anyway, back to the guy that titles this thread -
If you disagree, why not debate it?
Sounds like you might have an opinion - make yourself heard!

Personally, I wouldn't call Ehlers low IQ, but like I (sort of) said earlier, I also wouldn't expect him to show Connor McDavid type of vision and puck skills while playing Tanev's minutes. For a bit there Ehlers-Little-Laine looked a Stastny short of domination and even with Little they had a couple really nice passing plays in ... game 3? game 4? With Stastny they were able to keep that up for extended stretch, with Little it just never seems to go on consistently. That's not a dig on Little, I thought he was one of the last guys to blame for the Jets early exit, but he's not the player who will keep up with the likes of Ehlers/Laine offensively and off the rush.

I guess Ehlers hockey IQ is quite average. He can make a play that's absolute genius, or one that's totally moronic. Often in the same shift, or even during same rush However with E-S-L (either version), Ehlers rarely looked like low-IQ - occasionally he would make those moronic choices with the puck, but he would also do very nice passing plays with his linemates a lot. It kinda evens out. I don't think it's low-IQ, more like sometimes his vision doesn't keep up with his legs, but let's face it, if it always did, he'd be just a bit of top-end skill away from being a winger McDavid...