GDT: Preseason game 6 - Jets vs Wild

[Ducky10]

The problem with ehlers is because he shots instead of passing to Laine. It's the exact opposite. the problem is ehlers defers to Laine all the time even when he is in much better scoring position. I had mentioned this before season started last year many times based on how they played the year before. They are both goal scorers first that need to be on separate lines.

I think this is largely accurate, Ehlers said himself just the other day that he needs to shoot more, regardless of who he is playing with. He's a shooter, no doubt.

 

[Mathil8]

I'm assuming with Vesa that we'll give him 9 games to start the season, healthy scratch him for one or two so he can make the trip to Finland. Then he'll be sent down (unless he busts the doors down). Not sure if he'll go to Moose or europe but either way he's likely to get WJC time as well.

 

[redneckjabronie]

Cut and paste from a description of Joel Armia 3 years ago...minus the age.

JK, his forecheck and good stick have not really kept him ahead of Dano or Lemieux probably. His offensive skill and ability to produce will be what gets him on this team, he needs to bring what the other guys can't.

Agree. KV really didn't do anything special in camp to justify beating out the other guys. Forget any Laine comparison. Armia is a good one, a skilled 1st rounder who needed time to figure out the North American game, and if you want to make a stretch, so did Rantanen in Colorado. And Kyle Connor tore up the NCAA and needed AHL time, as did Roslovic. KV may have more upside but its just not at this moment.

Dano has played his way on to the roster, how long he remains is to be determined. Petan was the other frontrunner for a roster spot before camp but not sure how his absence and the personal matter changes things. Lemieux is close, he could easily remain an extra forward or could easily be returned to the Moose for a bit more development and his contract status. Regardless, all 3 are more ready and polished than KV right now.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Note, Minnesotans and Minneapolitans in particular, hate when people use the term "Minny".

Seriously, it's a thing

Thanks, always good to know how to get under the skin of opposing teams' fans.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Whether or not "it should be barred" isn't the issue, really; there's no doubt that it's a negative characteristic to be openly derisive of a teammate in the middle of a game. Like by negative, I mean "hurts more than it helps".

Surely a Laine fan can appreciate how Blake Wheeler treated him when Laine did the snipe-plus-celly into his own net; he supported Laine and tried to bolster his confidence, rather than give him dirty looks and the ol' Dr. Phil "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" routine.

Well, we don't really know what Wheeler said to him on the bench, do we? The arm around the shoulder said supportive, but he could have been saying, "Ha ha, keep doing that and you'll never get my spot on the top line, rookie!".

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I heard it from within the organization before the trade deadline but it wasn’t someone involved with Moose so I take it with salt.

As we all know, **** can happen in any workspace and **** can be fixed and moved past... so who knows.

Well, at least until track suits get involved. Then it's pretty much a line has been crossed and there's no going back.

 

[Romang67]

The reason you likely thought Morrow was a righty is because both Boston & Montreal played him on his off-side.

He's spend his career in the press box and every time he's answered the call it's been filling in for an injured RD. It's been speculated on other forums that some of his statistical shortcomings are due to this.

In all likelihood, after Buff, Myers & Trouba, he's played more at RD at the NHL level than the rest of our defensemen combined.

Certainly interesting. I'd love to see some stats on that.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Seems like the Jets have more NHL players than NHL roster spots this year which is always a good thing. Ves, Dano, Lemieux, and possibly Petan could all play in the show. I am hoping for Ehlers Roslovic Dano that could be good.

Griffith, Suess and Everberg have also looked like they could play in the NHL.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I think this is largely accurate, Ehlers said himself just the other day that he needs to shoot more, regardless of who he is playing with. He's a shooter, no doubt.

I hope he paid close attention to Zucker's goal. Show the forehand, roof the backhand. Pretty sure there is a book on Ehlers that says 'don't worry about his backhand, he won't use it'. Well, forehand/backhand isn't the point. Make a move on a goalie on a breakaway. Don't just shoot it at him.

Niko should have had 4-5 more goals last year just on breakaways alone. Was it just bad luck? Or is he doing it wrong?

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I'm assuming with Vesa that we'll give him 9 games to start the season, healthy scratch him for one or two so he can make the trip to Finland. Then he'll be sent down (unless he busts the doors down). Not sure if he'll go to Moose or europe but either way he's likely to get WJC time as well.

I don't think he is ready, even for a 9 game trial. I would rather they send him down and give him his 9 games in 2-3 callups later on. I think he will be a different player with 20 AHL games under his belt.

 

[Ducky10]

I hope he paid close attention to Zucker's goal. Show the forehand, roof the backhand. Pretty sure there is a book on Ehlers that says 'don't worry about his backhand, he won't use it'. Well, forehand/backhand isn't the point. Make a move on a goalie on a breakaway. Don't just shoot it at him.

Niko should have had 4-5 more goals last year just on breakaways alone. Was it just bad luck? Or is he doing it wrong?

Bit of both in reality. He probably missed out on 4-5 goals last year by a combined total of 6 inches. Margin for error is pretty tight.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I don't think he is ready, even for a 9 game trial. I would rather they send him down and give him his 9 games in 2-3 callups later on. I think he will be a different player with 20 AHL games under his belt.

Will KV have to be protected from the Seattle Poachers (yes, that's my name for the team ) if he plays in the NHL this year?

 

[Jack722]

I don't think he is ready, even for a 9 game trial. I would rather they send him down and give him his 9 games in 2-3 callups later on. I think he will be a different player with 20 AHL games under his belt.

Totally agree. Let him get used to the rink size and gain some confidence and then use that in his next callup.

 

[lomiller1]

This isn't junior anymore. Heard anything lately? Sounds like you've got him labelled no matter what.

There were posts here last year from someone sitting behind the bench at a Moose game recounting the verbal abuse Lemieux was directing at the teammate who took his spot on a line when he was benched for several shifts.

 

[Spock]

Bit of both in reality. He probably missed out on 4-5 goals last year by a combined total of 6 inches. Margin for error is pretty tight.

Bear in mind: the game of inches goes both ways.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Will KV have to be protected from the Seattle Poachers (yes, that's my name for the team ) if he plays in the NHL this year?

Depends when they actually start play. The XD would presumably be held the spring before, like last time. IIRC, if they play in the 2020/2021 season he would still be exempt. If they come in a year later, he would not be. Last I heard, 2020/2021 is the earliest their arena could be ready.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Totally agree. Let him get used to the rink size and gain some confidence and then use that in his next callup.

The rink size has to have an impact on 'time and space'. I believe Liiga uses a smaller rink than other Euro leagues do but still quite a bit bigger than NA ice. That's a big part of why I think he should stay in NA.

Watching him play, it looks to me like that is his problem right now. That and trying to show the coaching staff that he is a responsible, 2 way player. I don't really think it will take him very long to adjust but it should be easier against AHL competition.

 

[Jack722]

The rink size has to have an impact on 'time and space'. I believe Liiga uses a smaller rink than other Euro leagues do but still quite a bit bigger than NA ice. That's a big part of why I think he should stay in NA.

I'd think it would affect everything; every decision and risk you take, when to cheat when to hang back which passes to make etc.

It must be even more true at pro level where every person out there is pretty much equally talented and the margins are so tight... every cm of space counts and until you know how to earn a couple of cm here and there, you have far less opportunities to make your impact.

 

[voyageur]

_____________________________________________________

Very good post Voyageur - I pretty much agree with all of it. In a nutshell, I don't think Vesa or Niku are ready yet. I wasn't really impressed with Vesalainen ?- maybe I'm missing something. One thing for sure is --if he goes back to Europe, he'll likely hurt his career, and will miss a callup. He should play with the Moose, as that's where the Jet's will call up players from, plus he'll play on a smaller ice surface.

Just wondering what you think of Joe Morrow --you like him ?? or not ?? and also the new backup Brossoit --you think he's any good-impressed ?? Be interesting to read your comments on these 2 guys. I personally like them both.

I'm not against keeping Vesalainen on the team. He has the tool in the tool box, but reminds me a bit of a 19 year old Connor, just not up to the pace yet. I think he is a better I option than Lemieux or Dano for top 6 injury replacement with the right leaders surrounding him. But Ehlers is likely 1st, Roslovic 2nd. Hopefully we don't have too many stretches with 2 from our top 6 missing. I expect to see all of Lemieux, Dano, Vesalainen and Griffith in the final game, then we'll see how it goes. I still think Lemieux has the edge. I hope he gets the 2nd PP time. In the grease (crease).

As for Morrow, I think certain players profit from certain coaches. Morrow found a team, coach, and system that fits his style of play. Being physical helped move him above Toby last year. Probably the front runner for #6, playing his offside with Kulikov, but I think he also showed he can play well with Buff, which allows Maurice to tweak the d pairings to a more familiar group if Myers struggles on his off side, with harder matchups.

Would not mind seeing Morrow on the 2nd PP, he can blast it from the point and skates real well to retrieve pucks. Has some wth moments though, so it's hard to say. I think Myers is still the front runner for that spot, depends on minutes though. If the top 4 is in the 45-47 minute range, may want to give them a break.

 

[Ducky10]

Bear in mind: the game of inches goes both ways.

Logically

 

[Wizard204]

Will KV have to be protected from the Seattle Poachers (yes, that's my name for the team ) if he plays in the NHL this year?

Even if he plays in the A it doesn’t affect his protected status as the expansion draft goes by pro seasons played and not contract status. Just a thing to consider about the draft.

 

[AlphaLackey]

Well, we don't really know what Wheeler said to him on the bench, do we? The arm around the shoulder said supportive, but he could have been saying, "Ha ha, keep doing that and you'll never get my spot on the top line, rookie!".

"Do that again, and I'm gonna shit in your Wheaties, and you're gonna be eating it, buddy! The whole bowl!"

*Laine hangs head sadly*

 

[Mud Turtle]

I hope he paid close attention to Zucker's goal. Show the forehand, roof the backhand. Pretty sure there is a book on Ehlers that says 'don't worry about his backhand, he won't use it'. Well, forehand/backhand isn't the point. Make a move on a goalie on a breakaway. Don't just shoot it at him.

Niko should have had 4-5 more goals last year just on breakaways alone. Was it just bad luck? Or is he doing it wrong?

He had a great backhand move on breakaways in junior. One of his strengths if I remember correctly. Backhand 5 hole worked so often that I thought he’d be prolific on breakaways in the NHL.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

He had a great backhand move on breakaways in junior. One of his strengths if I remember correctly. Backhand 5 hole worked so often that I thought he’d be prolific on breakaways in the NHL.

Like I said, it isn't really about forehand/backhand, not really. It is about how he doesn't appear to try much of anything on those breakaways. I find myself yelling at the TV, "make a move". It is like the old "I know that you think I'm going to do X, but you know that I know and I know that you know that I know", etc, etc. So he decides to fool them by doing exactly what they expect. Or, so it appears.

Whatever, Niko could benefit by watching video of that goal.