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.
I agree with the premise of spreading the wealth to conserve energy / health team wise.
Everyone likes scoring line 1 (Ehlers/Scheif/Laine) I'm sure we will see lots of this. I also know injuries and the blender will split them up for a portion of the games anyways.
D1 & scoring 2 (Connor/Lit/Wheels) looks great. But lets be clear, Connor has to earn this chance. Perreault was on fire to end the year and deserves to play with top players too. (A nice problem for the Jets to have).
Scoring 3 - (Perrault/Lowry/Dano) I think Armia starts here over Dano especially if Lowry is the center. Matty P drives play and if healthy could give the Jets a deadly 3rd line (for at least a stretch before he gets hurt
)
Checking 4 - (Copp/Hendricks/Armia) I think Dano will be here and I don't think if we're all healthy that Hendricks would be on the ice (unless he really shows well in the pre-season). Copp could still be the 4th line center, Matthias will have a say in one of the spots and if Roslovic makes the roster somewhere that would surely bump another player down to this line to disrupt this)
D - Agree that the Jets can deploy their #1 (Morrissey / Trouba), #2 (Kulikov/Buff), #2 (Enstrom/Myers) more evenly.
PP1 must have Laine & Scheif. Prefer not to see Lowry here. I want Trouba but think we get Buff.
PP2 Don't see Wheeler on the 2nd line (I'd like him in front of the net on PP1). Kulikov has not produced offense well from what I've read so no way... besides Trouba will be here, even then Morrissey and Meyers should get the spot before him (no????).
PK this is where we can cut Buff's ice down, hell even give his pair more 5v5 O zone starts. Morrissey / Trouba seems great on the PK and some combo of the other 3 (Myers, Kuli, Enstrom)
I wouldn't be surprised to see the Ehlers / Scheif / Wheeler line to start the season but expect a change as early as that first game. Not to put pressure on him but I really hope Laine can keep his Leaf magic going in the first game. I traded my season closer ticket for the home opener. Didn't want to miss this!
