Player Discussion: Nikolaj "Probert" Ehlers Pt. 2

[QuietContrarian]

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 evaluatung 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.

Admittedly, I do not watch the Oilers on a regular basis.

I just remember pre draft in his Dub days, he was rated as a clumsy skater.

kudos to him, if he has fixed that.

 

[Ippenator]

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.

Stastny was excellent for that role. He has also very good quick hands like Connor, but in addition Stastny had clearly the better hockey IQ than Connor and was competing harder in front of the goal. Stastny was an excellent addition to the Jets power play, and perfectly deserved his spot with his skills and abilities.

 

[DRW204]

Stastny was excellent for that role. He has also very good quick hands like Connor, but in addition Stastny had clearly the better hockey IQ than Connor and was competing harder in front of the goal. Stastny was an excellent addition to the Jets power play, and perfectly deserved his spot with his skills and abilities.

yeah i thought he was. stastny was a very strong passer and high iq, always did some vet-savvy in-game moves too lol. idk i think the net gain from replacing connor with ehlers could help the pp get going.

 

[Ippenator]

Admittedly, I do not watch the Oilers on a regular basis.

I just remember pre draft in his Dub days, he was rated as a clumsy skater.

kudos to him, if he has fixed that.

You remember correctly. He had some problems with his skating. Especially his first steps. But he has been doing gradually good hard work for fixing it. Pretty amazing really what level he is at nowadays, when comparing him to a few years ago. A completely different level of a skater nowadays.

Still you are correct with him being very strong and great with protecting the puck too. But he is also a lot better in pure skating nowadays than many people might realize.

 

[Ippenator]

yeah i thought he was. stastny was a very strong passer and high iq, always did some vet-savvy in-game moves too lol. idk i think the net gain from replacing connor with ehlers could help the pp get going.

I would honestly like to see that change too. It would definitely be worth of at least trying it. But we know Maurice and how stubborn he is in not ever trying anything that we suggest here. I in fact suspect that he is constantly reading posts here and exactly loves to troll us with never trying anything else than what he has always done before.

 

[pucka lucka]

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

Connor has very quick hands for retrieving pucks down low on the PP. He's a puck collector. It's the exact reason he is there.

 

[LowLefty]

Connor has very quick hands for retrieving pucks down low on the PP. He's a puck collector. It's the exact reason he is there.

I agree - he's there for his quickness and his good stick for deflections although there hasn't been a lot coming from the point on our PP lately.

There's been a call out to get Ehlers involved on the PP mainly for zone entries - I get that but there are other ways of doing it with the players we currently ice.

Keep in mind, we used to have very little problem with entering the zone on the PP and what I see missing is a D man that can carry the puck well (Buff / Myers) - Pionk might be the answer considering he is a very good puck carrier.

We do need to stop that drop pass to Scheif because he is struggling with this task (drop pass play) and it ties up a forward when we're trying to find the open man on entry. Same with Wheels - he doesn't do well when pressured and it seems we are always entering that side since Laine is not usually involved in PP zone entries from the other side.

A good QB Dman will fix a lot of this by allowing the forwards to get set and outnumber the opposition when entering the zone.
He should be leading the entry and allowing the 4 forwards to spread out - one of them has to be open on entry as long as the Dman is carrying the puck (and is good at it). Pionk

I'm just tossing stuff out there based on what I'm seeing - we are forced into making rushed plays where there is no room because our Dman is not activated.

Flip Pionk and JoMo - let Ehlers do what he does on PP2 (entry) and let JoMo QB the PP1 once they're set.

 

[Sperss1997]

I do not know if this article has been linked to before on this forum, but here it is
High-flying Ehlers even more dangerous with Connor as linemate

 

[Neuf]

Ehlers looks great this year so far!

 

[Psych0dad]

Ehlers looks great this year so far!

He looks better than Wheeler, I would put him in 1st line.

 

[pucka lucka]

The reason Ehlers isn't on PP1 is that he'd likely need to replace Wheeler in any configuration close our current one.

 

[QnebO]

Ehlers looks so fast, not like he hasnt looked for long time, but if he turns the Jets on I think hed outdo McJesus these days

Connor and Ehlers are top line material in many teams

 

[surixon]

He looks better than Wheeler, I would put him in 1st line.

He's been better the Wheeler at ES for a few years now. I agree that he should move up to the top line.

 

[Sperss1997]

He's been better the Wheeler at ES for a few years now. I agree that he should move up to the top line.

I actually like him and Connor on the same line. Let them build chemistry for a while and feed on each others speed.

 

[Board Bard]

The reason Ehlers isn't on PP1 is that he'd likely need to replace Wheeler in any configuration close our current one.

So in five years?

 

[jetsforever]

Ehlers looks so fast, not like he hasnt looked for long time, but if he turns the Jets on I think hed outdo McJesus these days

Connor and Ehlers are top line material in many teams

All of Connor/Ehlers/Laine/Wheeler are top line material
One of these days we may get a return to the glorious Laine-Scheifele-Ehlers line but until then LSW and CLE seem good
It's a shame that Ehlers doesn't play on PP1 but I guess that's more about the fact he can elevate PP2 with zone entries and isn't needed as much on the first unit
I wouldn't mind mixing these units up now and then though to try new things

 

[Hulide]

I honestly think roslovic would look Great between Connor and Ehlers... but Maurice do not trust Ehlers and roslovics defensive game..

 

[pucka lucka]

I honestly think roslovic would look Great between Connor and Ehlers... but Maurice do not trust Ehlers and roslovics defensive game..

Ehlers is the best defensive forward in the top 6.

 

[Evil Little]

He's been better the Wheeler at ES for a few years now. I agree that he should move up to the top line.

Ehlers is arguably better than Wheeler 5-on-5, but Wheeler has chemistry with Scheifele. He's not and won't be the only one, but it's a factor in your lineup decisions.

Ehlers plays quite well with the two of them, but for now if Patty's going, then that's who should be there. In addition to that, Ehlers is a real weapon partly because he's good at both cohesive, team offense, and heavy-lifter, finding soft spots offense.

 

[surixon]

I actually like him and Connor on the same line. Let them build chemistry for a while and feed on each others speed.

I don't mind that line at all but the top line has stalled a bit and spreading the speed around may make both lines more dangerous. I also think the second line needs a bit more size to get in tight to the net and provide some screens.

 

[Howard Chuck]

I mentioned on another thread, I want Ehlers with 29/55, but also would like to see Roslovic center Ehlers and Connor.... so I think we should double shift him

He is becoming a fantastic player for sure.

 

[Ducky10]

Ehlers would definitely help the top line with more controlled zone entries and retrievals as well for that matter. He also far better than Wheeler at getting it over his own blue line. I think LSE would just be a deadly transition line.

Wheeler would help create more space for Connor and plays a better down low game with both him and Little.

 

[Hulide]

Ehlers is the best defensive forward in the top 6.

Try telling Maurice that.....

 

[Howard Chuck]

Ehlers would definitely help the top line with more controlled zone entries and retrievals as well for that matter. He also far better than Wheeler at getting it over his own blue line. I think LSE would just be a deadly transition line.

Wheeler would help create more space for Connor and plays a better down low game with both him and Little.

As I was beginning to type something, I realized that I like Ehlers on both lines over Wheeler so far this year. He would be a big upgrade to the 1st line over Wheeler and makes the second line very good paired with Connor.

 

[Psych0dad]

He's been better the Wheeler at ES for a few years now. I agree that he should move up to the top line.

I know that. I just try to sugarcoat it because when I say facts about Wheeler, they get deleted and I can't like other people's posts etc.

People paying attention know this, but we're not winning the majority.