Player Discussion: Nikolaj Ehlers

[AdamParrot]

 

[Atoyot]

Best 5v5 scorer on the team by a mile, can't get any powerplay time

 

[buggs]

Best 5v5 scorer on the team by a mile, can't get any powerplay time

Wouldn't fit. Too dynamic for a static powerplay. Wheeler would get tired just watching.

 

[ps241]

Yea Nik is kind of the straw that stirs the drink in our top 6 now. I look at his puzzling usage as a red flag on our coaching staff.

 

[DRW204]

if anyone has beef to be on the top line it's Ehlers.

at 5v5 this year

not to mention he produces shots, scoring opportunities and draws penalties at some of the highest rates on our team, along with being our most efficient scorer at 5v5 (pts/60)

 

[KingBogo]

if anyone has beef to be on the top line it's Ehlers.

at 5v5 this year

View attachment 378008

not to mention he produces shots, scoring opportunities and draws penalties at some of the highest rates on our team, along with being our most efficient scorer at 5v5 (pts/60)

Why don't we want Ehlers to carry the 2nd line? Laine is a great goal scorer, but a poor possession player. Nik helps him get to the offensive zone where he can score goals. Probably our most dynamic line would be Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine but this would go against the balanced scoring everyone says they want.

 

[surixon]

Someone send that graphic to the coach. Ehelers is fine driving the second line but I get sick and tired of our coach continually being critical of his play to the media.

 

[KingBogo]

Someone send that graphic to the coach. Ehelers is fine driving the second line but I get sick and tired of our coach continually being critical of his play to the media.

Maybe I just can't remember but when is Maurice critical of Ehlers in the media? If you got some quotes please share, but I've always got the impression he quite liked Nik. I also think Ehlers appreciates and understands his role on the team better than most posters. I get the impression he prefers driving the 2nd line and 2nd PP on his terms playing to his strengths, rather than having to fit into a role on the 1st line and 1st PP.

 

[surixon]

Maybe I just can't remember but when is Maurice critical of Ehlers in the media? If you got some quotes please share, but I've always got the impression he quite liked Nik. I also think Ehlers appreciates and understands his role on the team better than most posters. I get the impression he prefers driving the 2nd line and 2nd PP on his terms playing to his strengths, rather than having to fit into a role on the 1st line and 1st PP.

There was a big one just last year where Mauroce went on about how his game wasn't to his liking.

 

[KingBogo]

There was a big one just last year where Mauroce went on about how his game wasn't to his liking.

I don't remember it. But maybe it was a way to keep him focused on his strengths after an off game? Either way I think Ehlers likes the independence of having the 2nd line run through him, rather than playing on a line that runs through Scheifele. I also think he understands the big picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our top 6 players and how he can maximize his impact.

 

[surixon]

I don't remember it. But maybe it was a way to keep him focused on his strengths after an off game? Either way I think Ehlers likes the independence of having the 2nd line run through him, rather than playing on a line that runs through Scheifele. I also think he understands the big picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our top 6 players and how he can maximize his impact.

If he treated his other players the same in the media I'd have no issues but he doesn't.

Agreed he is likely fine with driving the second line. Where he would likely want more responsibility is in special teams. He has alluded to the fact that he would like to play on the pk and I'd have to imagine he'd live more pp time.

 

[Atoyot]

I don't remember it. But maybe it was a way to keep him focused on his strengths after an off game? Either way I think Ehlers likes the independence of having the 2nd line run through him, rather than playing on a line that runs through Scheifele. I also think he understands the big picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our top 6 players and how he can maximize his impact.

My issue is criticizing Ehlers' game while continuously lauding Connor, Scheifele, and Wheeler's despite the fact that Ehlers continuously has better results. He's convinced that Connor and Wheeler are good defensively to the point where the raves about it in interviews and uses them on the penalty kill despite Wheeler being the second worst forward in the league and Connor also having awful results on the penalty kill. To add he plays the player with the worst results on the penalty kill in the league in Pionk more than the defenseman with the best results on our team in Morrissey. His assessment of defensive ability seems to be based on whether a player plays East to West or North to South rather than the actual results.

 

[surixon]

My issue is criticizing Ehlers' game while continuously lauding Connor, Scheifele, and Wheeler's despite the fact that Ehlers continuously has better results. He's convinced that Connor and Wheeler are good defensively to the point where the raves about it in interviews and uses them on the penalty kill despite Wheeler being the second worst forward in the league and Connor also having awful results on the penalty kill. To add he plays the player with the worst results on the penalty kill in the league in Pionk more than the defenseman with the best results on our team in Morrissey. His assessment of defensive ability seems to be based on whether a player plays East to West or North to South rather than the actual results.

Bingo, its all about how the player plays for him results be damned. He loves his north south straight line players to the point where he has a hard time finding faults in their games. He has no issue with pointing out the faults in and not recognizing results in the players who don't play the north/south game he wants. He continually goes off on the lines Ehlers takes on the ice in comparison to the other trio.

It shouldn't be about the how here and that is what Maurice likes to make it about. I don't care how a player derives his results if they are elite.

 

[DRW204]

Why don't we want Ehlers to carry the 2nd line? Laine is a great goal scorer, but a poor possession player. Nik helps him get to the offensive zone where he can score goals. Probably our most dynamic line would be Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine but this would go against the balanced scoring everyone says they want.

because no1 is able to carry the 1st line as it stands. id be a proponent of leaving ehlers on the 2nd line if we had a top line that performs magnificently, however that's not the case. they get outshot/outchanced constantly, and if it wasn't for Vezina goaltending last year, likely outscored heavily (as we saw in 2018).

over the past couple years, the top line has performed at it's best when it was ESW in 2018 (comparing top line combos over a large sample size of mins). I know efficiency stats are not always 100% predictive or a guaranteed, but ehlers produces shots/scoring opps/pts/and draws PP at a higher rate than any of our fwds, and should get a majority of the mins as top line wing to make this team overall better.

How exactly would ESL go against balanced goal scoring? our top goal scorer is KC and he'd be on Line 2 with Stastny and Wheeler. If Ehlers or KC can play RW could even roll with Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers. But Laine and Connor are basically the same analytically so i don't think it's a big difference.

 

[Adam da bomb]

because no1 is able to carry the 1st line as it stands. id be a proponent of leaving ehlers on the 2nd line if we had a top line that performs magnificently, however that's not the case. they get outshot/outchanced constantly, and if it wasn't for Vezina goaltending last year, likely outscored heavily (as we saw in 2018).

over the past couple years, the top line has performed at it's best when it was ESW in 2018 (comparing top line combos over a large sample size of mins). I know efficiency stats are not always 100% predictive or a guaranteed, but ehlers produces shots/scoring opps/pts/and draws PP at a higher rate than any of our fwds, and should get a majority of the mins as top line wing to make this team overall better.

How exactly would ESL go against balanced goal scoring? our top goal scorer is KC and he'd be on Line 2 with Stastny and Wheeler. If Ehlers or KC can play RW could even roll with Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers. But Laine and Connor are basically the same analytically so i don't think it's a big difference.

Well the 1st line of the future will be
Kc Schief Ehlers
Ves perefetti Wheeler

from the sounds of it Laine is on the way out so the best goal scorer should play with the best playmaker.
Problem with Esl is Schief and Ehlers are the best play drivers on the team.
Wheeler and Kc aren’t play drivers and Stastny is best with setting up Laine.

 

[DRW204]

Well the 1st line of the future will be
Kc Schief Ehlers
Ves perefetti Wheeler

from the sounds of it Laine is on the way out so the best goal scorer should play with the best playmaker.
Problem with Esl is Schief and Ehlers are the best play drivers on the team.
Wheeler and Kc aren’t play drivers and Stastny is best with setting up Laine.

Think a line of Connor-Stastny-Wheeler would be fine as a 2nd line.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Think a line of Connor-Stastny-Wheeler would be fine as a 2nd line.

Who is driving that line. Kc is best without the puck on his stick only getting it last second. Are you expecting Wheeler or Stastny to be a playdrivers?

 

[KingBogo]

because no1 is able to carry the 1st line as it stands. id be a proponent of leaving ehlers on the 2nd line if we had a top line that performs magnificently, however that's not the case. they get outshot/outchanced constantly, and if it wasn't for Vezina goaltending last year, likely outscored heavily (as we saw in 2018).

over the past couple years, the top line has performed at it's best when it was ESW in 2018 (comparing top line combos over a large sample size of mins). I know efficiency stats are not always 100% predictive or a guaranteed, but ehlers produces shots/scoring opps/pts/and draws PP at a higher rate than any of our fwds, and should get a majority of the mins as top line wing to make this team overall better.

How exactly would ESL go against balanced goal scoring? our top goal scorer is KC and he'd be on Line 2 with Stastny and Wheeler. If Ehlers or KC can play RW could even roll with Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers. But Laine and Connor are basically the same analytically so i don't think it's a big difference.

Last season when Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler when played as a line 5-5 they were at a 53.76 CF% and out produced their competition with a 57.14 GF%. I'm curious how this isn't being able to carry a 1st line, especially when most nights they were matched up against the other team's best line.

 

[DRW204]

Who is driving that line. Kc is best without the puck on his stick only getting it last second. Are you expecting Wheeler or Stastny to be a playdrivers?

For next year yea i think they'd be fine. KC sucks at defense but produces scoring chances at a high-rate. Stastny and Wheeler are both great playmakers, and Stastny is good enough 200 ft C imo.

 

[DRW204]

Last season when Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler when played as a line 5-5 they were at a 53.76 CF% and out produced their competition with a 57.14 GF%. I'm curious how this isn't being able to carry a 1st line, especially when most nights they were matched up against the other team's best line.

Oh yea last year they did great for 10 games to end the year after they were hot-garbage in 2018. but over a large sample ESW is still the superior top line over the past 2 years.

 

[KingBogo]

Oh yea last year they did great for 10 games to end the year after they were hot-garbage in 2018. but over a large sample ESW is still the superior top line over the past 2 years.

Over the last 3 years Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler is a slight upgrade over Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler but at the cost of bringing down Laine's numbers to a considerable extent. Last season with Ehlers, Laine had a CF% of 50.77 and a GF% of 56.67%. Without him Laine had a CF% of 45.86% and a GF% of 49.04%. If your goal is to maximize production for the top 6 as a whole you separate Ehlers and Scheifele as they only add slightly to each other while they add considerably more to their current linemates. If all you cared about was Ehlers and Scheifele's production at the cost of the rest of the top 6, sure you play them together.

 

[surixon]

Who is driving that line. Kc is best without the puck on his stick only getting it last second. Are you expecting Wheeler or Stastny to be a playdrivers?

Stastney is actually still a very effective play driver. His advanced stats have been pretty darn good the last number of years. I think he is capable of driving a second line with Wheeler.

Blake imo likely would have better results in terms of driving play against lesser competition.

 

[DRW204]

Over the last 3 years Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler is a slight upgrade over Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler but at the cost of bringing down Laine's numbers to a considerable extent. Last season with Ehlers, Laine had a CF% of 50.77 and a GF% of 56.67%. Without him Laine had a CF% of 45.86% and a GF% of 49.04%. If your goal is to maximize production for the top 6 as a whole you separate Ehlers and Scheifele as they only add slightly to each other while they add considerably more to their current linemates. If all you cared about was Ehlers and Scheifele's production at the cost of the rest of the top 6, sure you play them together.

Ehlers is a superior player to what he was in 2017, and our team isn't even remotely the same as it was that year. Last 2 years imo are a more representative basis of stats given the current line up. Even Scheifele isn't the same player as 2017, in a very negative manner though.

maximizing production would be to give the most efficient (at goal scoring/reducing goals) and effective lines the lion share of the minutes

i am not sure how a line-up of

Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine
Connor-Stastny-Wheeler

isn't maximizing production.

 

[DashingDane]

I don't remember it. But maybe it was a way to keep him focused on his strengths after an off game? Either way I think Ehlers likes the independence of having the 2nd line run through him, rather than playing on a line that runs through Scheifele. I also think he understands the big picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our top 6 players and how he can maximize his impact.

I think assuming he likes being on the 2nd is quite the stretch. I'd say he tolorates it. He has always said he wants to be the best player in the world (I know that won't happen). But I don't think anyone states that and is then happy about being on the 2nd line.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Ehlers is definitely our best forward so the 1st line would run through him anyways.