I am not convinced that either Laine or Ehlers has made the big improvements in their game ppl give them credit for.
Before you can say that, they need to be battle tested. 5 games is not enough. Things look great right now, i do agree, but let os see how it goes 40-50 games in, when bodies are tired and hurt.
Right now they are like me first week in January, where my new-year-eve-promisses are still fresh and I am going to the gym. In February I “forget” to go to the gym. Each March I cancel my gym subscribtion.
I really hope that both Laine and Ehlers stay focused on doing things right and dont forget their new-season-promisses
For Ehlers own sake a trade would be good for his carreer, because he should have pp1 duty regularly, and he will not get it in Winnipeg. Furthermore Winnipeg doesnt have a decent 2C who fits Ehlers speed, which leaves him in a sort of limbo with his production.
I predict a 55-65p season for Ehlers if healthy. 15-20 percent made on pp2
16:30 TOI/game
He will occasionally be on the first line and be doing great, but bc of a single bad period or for no reason at all, be dumped back down the line-up as Pomo’s favourable Blender-Boy, and stay there until a crisis demands his presence at the first line once again.
2nd line will be struggling again - even more so when Little comes back. I dont think Little and Ehlers fit very well together, but I do think that Little is the second best center on this team.