I just get so frustrated with Ehlers. I see him having tools to be an amazing player whom could really use his amazing skating for the benefit of his line thoroughly. But then time after time I get so disappointed when he just keep hanging to the puck when he would clearly have an option for a short quick pass. He should really start trying give and go passes, but I practically never see him even trying anything like that. Even though he is an excellent skater, he is unfortunately very easy for the opponents to defend, because he always does the same thing, brings the puck well to the offensive zone, but then instead of trying at that point a quick pass or a give and go, he instead starts almost every single time his running around in the corner or around the whole offensive zone, and it practically never leads into anything very dangerous. It’s just so frustrating, when I see him having the great potential, but then he just keeps doing the same thing over and over again, and his line gets really not much use from it after all.
And no, I’m not claiming that Laine has been any better for Ehlers. Neither of them just can’t create any real quality scoring chances to each others. I have been very much trying to see this happening, but it just does not happen. It did when they played with Scheifele last season, but after that they have been like missing the glue that kept them at least somehow connected. I liked Ehlers with Scheifele and Wheeler. Also he has been pretty good with Scheifele and Laine. But I haven’t liked him in any other combinations really. I just think that he desperately needs at least one playmaker with him in his line, just like Laine. And unfortunately neither him nor Laine can do efficiently playmaking at the moment to each others.