Roster in 2017/18 - Part II

[Mortimer Snerd]

My current thinking:

Laine - Scheifele - Ehlers (wing switch intentional)
Connor* - Little - Wheeler
Perreault* - Petan - Armia (* can switch if it isn't working)
Copp - Lowry - Dano
Matthias, Hendricks

Enstrom - Byfuglien
Morrissey - Trouba
Kulikov - Myers
Poolman

Hellebuyck
Mason


With the inevitable injuries, Roslovic can come in and Dano can move up the lineup

Why?

They have pretty much adapted to the change. Laine gets to play left side on the PP. They can cross back and forth freely with possession in the O zone. Both passing and defensive play come easier on the conventional sides.

I think the time for this move and for the debate about it has passed.

 

[nobody important]

guy guy guy
guy guy guy
guy guy guy
Hendricks guy guy

guy guy
guy guy
guy guy

If you're right, that would mean guy is destined for the Moose. That would be disappointing.

 

[bennylundholm]

How about to Columbus

Mason
Helle

Morissey Trouba
Kulikhov Buff
Enstrom Myers

Perreault Scheif Wheeler
Ehlers Little Laine
Connor Copp Roslovic
Mathias Lowry Armia

 

[jetsforever]

Why?

They have pretty much adapted to the change. Laine gets to play left side on the PP. They are can cross back and forth freely with possession in the O zone. Both passing and defensive play come easier on the conventional sides.

I think the time for this move and for the debate about it has passed.

Fair enough, IIRC they both played well on the off-side before coming to Winnipeg so I'm curious to see how it would work together. Very easy to switch though, I'm totally fine with ESL as well.

 

[10Ducky10]

Ehlers Scheif Laine
Perreault Little Wheeler
Connor Lowry Armia
Matthias Copp Dano

Tanev Hendricks upstairs

Trouba Morrissey
Buff Kulikov
Myers Toby

Chiarot upstairs

Mason/Helle

Petan to the A with Roslovic..

Yup, this is really close to what Maurice will have opening night... he played Connor Lowry Armia at the end of last season.

I think Hendricks sees 35-40 games...mainly because of injuries.

 

[mazmin]

Mason
Helle

Morissey Trouba
Kulikhov Buff
Enstrom Myers

Perreault Scheif Wheeler
Ehlers Little Laine
Connor Copp Roslovic
Mathias Lowry Armia

I'm down (on the corner) with that CCR line!

 

[jetsjetsjets]

My current thinking:

Laine - Scheifele - Ehlers (wing switch intentional)
Connor* - Little - Wheeler
Perreault* - Petan - Armia (* can switch if it isn't working)
Copp - Lowry - Dano
Matthias, Hendricks

Enstrom - Byfuglien
Morrissey - Trouba
Kulikov - Myers
Poolman

Hellebuyck
Mason


With the inevitable injuries, Roslovic can come in and Dano can move up the lineup

This is pretty much my lineup too. Maybe with Ehlers/Laine switching back, Copp/Matthias are interchangeable, and the Trouba line getting the same minutes as Buff or more. Mason will probably get more starts.

 

[DatDude44]

Blues fan here, jets are my sleeper team in the west, what do u guys think of:

Top6:
Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Laine

3rd line of possibly:
Dano-Perrault-Armia
Perrault-Copp-Armia
Perrault-Copp-Dano

then:
Lowry-Copp-Tanev
Matthias-Lowry-Tanev
Copp-Lowry-Matthias

idk lol. I feel like if you guys had a bottom 6 that plays a little heavier it may help, but it's not bad imo.

I think you guys have greatly improved your D-core and even tho mason wouldn't be considered a top elite goalie imo, having him and hellebuyck in a tandem pushing each other a la halak-Elliott and then Allen-Elliott in STL may be very helpful for this season.

All in all, if you guys stay healthy, i think you could sneak into the playoffs.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Fair enough, IIRC they both played well on the off-side before coming to Winnipeg so I'm curious to see how it would work together. Very easy to switch though, I'm totally fine with ESL as well.

I wanted to see them play their accustomed sides initially as well. If for no other reason, I thought it would make the transition to the NHL easier. I've changed my mind on that. Being handicapped on the defensive side of the play would just make it harder.

Ehlers in particular seems to have completed the switch. Laine probably will this year. I think he is well on the way already.

Once they have made the adjustment there is no longer any reason to switch them back. It is an advantage to have the flexibility to move them if injury creates a need.

I don't know about Dano. For whatever reason he does not seem to be making the change as successfully. We are short 1 bottom 6 RW. Maybe in his case it would be best to leave him on his preferred side. I don't know that PMo is ready to accept that yet.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Blues fan here, jets are my sleeper team in the west, what do u guys think of:

Top6:
Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Laine

3rd line of possibly:
Dano-Perrault-Armia
Perrault-Copp-Armia
Perrault-Copp-Dano

then:
Lowry-Copp-Tanev
Matthias-Lowry-Tanev
Copp-Lowry-Matthias

idk lol. I feel like if you guys had a bottom 6 that plays a little heavier it may help, but it's not bad imo.

I think you guys have greatly improved your D-core and even tho mason wouldn't be considered a top elite goalie imo, having him and hellebuyck in a tandem pushing each other a la halak-Elliott and then Allen-Elliott in STL may be very helpful for this season.

All in all, if you guys stay healthy, i think you could sneak into the playoffs.

There is debate about whether Wheeler should play with Scheifele or with Little. If Wheeler is with Scheif then, obviously Laine is with Little.

There has also been discussion about the possible advantages of playing Connor with Little instead of on the 3rd line.

I don't think we see both Laine and Connor on the same line. That is too much inexperience for Little to carry.

My top 6 would be:
Ehlers - Scheifele - Laine
Connor - Little - Wheeler

3rd line would have Perreault and Armia on the wings. C could be any of Petan, Roslovic, Copp or Lowry. Lowry would be at least adequate at 3C but I would give the others a chance at winning the job before giving it to him. They have higher potential.

4th line would be either:
Mattias - Lowry/Copp - Dano or
Copp - Lowry - Matthias/Dano

I think you may be underrating Mason a bit. We are also better placed to absorb some injuries with more depth everywhere. I wouldn't use the word 'sneak' when rating our playoff chances. This is a legitimate playoff team with no qualifiers. The wildcards are coaching and the balance among the top 6 teams in the Central Div. Any of the 6 could win the division and any could miss the playoffs.

The competitiveness of the Central is going to make for a very interesting season.

 

[puck stoppa]

Not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere but Perreault mentions in the Sun article that he's going to be a winger. I know most of us felt he would but some people had him as third line centre.

 

[puck stoppa]

Not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere but Perreault mentions in the Sun article that he's going to be a winger. I know most of us felt he would but some people had him as third line centre.

Said his injury was from taking draws his whole life.

 

[garret9]

I think the narrative that Perreault was a poor centre was wrong, but I do think Perreault is an exceptional winger so I'm 110% fine with that.

but garret, that is a mathematically impossible percentage for that context!

 

[puck stoppa]

I think the narrative that Perreault was a poor centre was wrong, but I do think Perreault is an exceptional winger so I'm 110% fine with that.

but garret, that is a mathematically impossible percentage for that context!

I think he's gonna start top six. I have Connor there but I see Pmo starting Connor on third line with Lowry Armia, not what I'd like to see but that's what I think happens. I'd go

Laine Scheif ehlers
Connor Litts wheels
Perreault Petan armia
Copp Lowry Dano

 

[garret9]

I think PoMo starts Connor on the third line as well.
He has a history of sheltering rookies with QoC rather than QoT... (my personal theory is the opposite is better)

 

[KingBogo]

I think the narrative that Perreault was a poor centre was wrong, but I do think Perreault is an exceptional winger so I'm 110% fine with that.

but garret, that is a mathematically impossible percentage for that context!

It appears that MP also attributes some of his back problems on playing center. From a Winnipeg Sun article:

Perreault finished strong following a slow start, but he also battled a variety of injuries – including a back issue that initially reared its ugly heard early in the campaign and lingered throughout.

“I think it came from playing centre and taking a lot of draws, with the twisting motion. It’s an injury from taking so many faceoffs over the years since I was five,†said Perreault. “I took care of it pretty much all summer, it’s one of those things where I have to stay on it. I’ve been skating all summer and working out, I haven’t felt anything, so it should be good.â

 

[Mud Turtle]

I think he's gonna start top six. I have Connor there but I see Pmo starting Connor on third line with Lowry Armia, not what I'd like to see but that's what I think happens. I'd go

Laine Scheif ehlers
Connor Litts wheels
Perreault Petan armia
Copp Lowry Dano

My exact lineup as well.

 

[KingBogo]

My exact lineup as well.

I'm hopeful for Petan, and that he takes the next step forward. If he can start driving possession with his skill level he would make an outstanding 3rd line center. This would be huge for us to become truly competitive. If he doesn't his opportunities close quickly after this season and he moves on from his ELC.

 

[ATLbound]

I have a few lineups I like and I don't think any will be what PM goes with

Ehlers Scheifele Laine
Connor Little Wheeler
Perreault Petan Armia/Dano
Copp Lowry Armia/Dano
Matthias/Hendricks

Ehlers Scheifele Wheeler
Perreault Little Laine
Connor- Lowry Dano
Matthias Copp Armia
Hendricks

Or


I like Wheeler ans Little together. I also like Connor with them because Wheeler and Little are a good pair to help Connor produce. And that gives us a strong scoring 3rd line, which is also why I like Petan and Perreault on it with Amry or Dano. I also liked Little and Laine together and I would prefer Perreault with them over Connor. Ehlers and Little together is a no no and never worked out.

My PM prediction

Ehlers- Scheif Laine
Perreault Little Wheeler
Connor- Lowry- Armia
Matthias Copp Dano

 

[Howard Chuck]

Why?

They have pretty much adapted to the change. Laine gets to play left side on the PP. They can cross back and forth freely with possession in the O zone. Both passing and defensive play come easier on the conventional sides.

I think the time for this move and for the debate about it has passed.

For you perhaps. Not for some of us. Just because Laine is talented enough to make the best of any position, doesn't mean we shouldn't maximize his abilities.

He was very obviously more effective while playing LW.

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

For you perhaps. Not for some of us. Just because Laine is talented enough to make the best of any position, doesn't mean we shouldn't maximize his abilities.

He was very obviously more effective while playing LW.

How often did he play LW last season?

I don't recall it happening often, hence the near 82 games of complaining about this.

 

[bumblebeeman]

If I remember correctly, this time last year few people here thought Morissey would be ready for the NHL, after a somewhat meh AHL season. I wonder if there will be someone that we don't suspect that has an amazing camp and wins a big role with the team?

I guess the thing with JoMo was there was a hole at LHD that he could step into with Trouba holding out/not wanting to play the left side, and maybe that opportunity won't exist this year.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

For you perhaps. Not for some of us. Just because Laine is talented enough to make the best of any position, doesn't mean we shouldn't maximize his abilities.

He was very obviously more effective while playing LW.

I'm not debating that - although it is debatable. He obviously was better offensively there. Defensively? Not so much. But that is beside the point, at least my point.

My point is that the issue disappears once he has successfully converted to the right side. We have already seen this process completed with Ehlers, IMO.

The advantage of playing his 'off-side', left, is that he has his stick in better shooting position in the O zone. No one disputes that advantage. The thing is that it is always available. Wingers cross over all the time as the play dictates and frequently get to that 'off-side' in the O zone.

The disadvantage comes in the other 2 zones, playing defensively without the puck and passing with it.

Playing the standard side you get the best of both worlds. You are on the best side in the D and N zones and cross over to be on the best side in the O zone.

The only drawback to making that switch is the temporary loss that takes place while the player adapts to the change. My contention is that we have completed that process with Ehlers and are at least halfway there with Laine.

I have to admit though that the thought crossed my mind that the switch of sides may have contributed to Ehlers' poor breakaway performance. It isn't obvious why that would matter but I think there might be a slightly different 'feel' or balance because of starting out differently. With such a fast paced event it could make a difference. The differences between picking the top corner and shooting it into the goalies crest are in the butterfly wing flapping range.

I was in favour of leaving him on his accustomed side from the start. Now that he is mostly through the transition I favour leaving him where he is.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

If I remember correctly, this time last year few people here thought Morissey would be ready for the NHL, after a somewhat meh AHL season. I wonder if there will be someone that we don't suspect that has an amazing camp and wins a big role with the team?

I guess the thing with JoMo was there was a hole at LHD that he could step into with Trouba holding out/not wanting to play the left side, and maybe that opportunity won't exist this year.

I don't remember it that way. I remember a lot of people thinking he would make the team, especially after having heard that Trouba was unhappy about playing left side.

I know I didn't expect him to play 1st pair or to be as solid defensively as he was, at least not to start the season. I did expect him to play in the top 6.

Edit: Forgot your thought in posting. I think most teams have 1 of those players most years. For the Jets this year Roslovic seems to be everybody's favourite hope for that. We also have a spot available at 4RW. Some dark horse could step in there. Possibly.

 

[voyageur]

I would like to see Maurice use a 4 line, 3 pairing team to get the most out of his players over the long haul. Keep fatigue and injury at bay.

Starts with fundamentals.

Scoring line 1
Ehlers-Scheif-Laine. These are your horses, capable of dictating the pace of the game. Should be used in offensive situations.

Defensive line 1/Scoring line 2
Connor-Little-Wheeler

Little and Wheeler have played against the league's best for years. Little is the go to defensive zone centre. Connor's speed gives this line an element of counter attack potential. Wheeler and Connor flying down the wings could give d-men nightmares.

Scoring line 3
Perreault-Lowry-Dano

Perreault is a gifted offensive player with some defensive warts. Lowry is a player who has offensive potential, and makes room for others on the ice. Dano is tenacious, pesky like the other two, with a playmaker like Perreault, he could achieve greater offensive output.

Checking line
Copp-Hendricks-Armia

Hendricks is the face off ace, flanked by two of the best defensive players on the team. Unlike previous years this is a 4th line that can be deployed effectively for 10 minutes per game.

Matthias and Tanev are good skating players who add a dimension of physicality.

Defense is no long sheltered by pairing. You can evenly spread out the ice time among all 3 pairings, likely

Kulikov-Buff
Morrissey-Trouba
Enstrom-Myers

Benny is in the PB more often than not.

I spread the ice time out through the special teams too.

PP1
Lowry
Scheifele
Ehlers
Laine
Trouba

PP2
Perreault
Little
Wheeler
Buff (roaming and getting to the net)
Kulikov

PK1
Armia
Hendricks

PK2
Wheeler
Little

PK3
Connor
Coop

With Lowry and Scheif chipping in.


All three defensive pairs can kill penalties...

I think Petan becomes insurance for Perreault. Roslovic can be developed to fill in for Little, and maybe graduates to the 3rd line RW if Dano falters.

Lemieux and Lipon see some action.

Defensively Nogier is a fill in for Myers. Melchiori has the experience to be a part time replacement for Toby, but the Jets may want to take a look at a player like Pouliot to add some depth to the left side d.

Mason and Hellebuyck platoon, with Comrie pushing from the 3 spot, and Hutch being a good minor league depth goalie.