Player Discussion: The Drama of Mark Scheifele in Two Acts

[Channelcat]

So he's playing with nagging injuries but still gets the most or second most amount of ice time every friggin game, makes no sense!

Yes, I dont buy the "hurt" excuse. Soft maybe, but not hurt.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I'm convinced he's playing hurt.

What injury would keep him from playing defensively? Other than brain cramps.

 

[LowLefty]

1st / 2nd line blender - coming soon.

 

[Neuf]

1st / 2nd line blender - coming soon.

Ah, the ol'left wing switcheroo

 

[LowLefty]

Ah, the ol'left wing switcheroo

That would be my guess

 

[Ducky10]

Just making sure he gets to the post season healthy .

I'm not worried about Scheif at all tbh.

 

[surixon]

Just to be clear - I have never at any time suggested that Scheifele`s game has gone down the tubes- only that it has changed from where he was as a center well over two years ago. I believe that he gained some differing insights from other elite players when at the World Cup and began incorporating them into his own game. The cumulative result of those changes over the last 2 years is the player we see today - basically an elite finisher that looks to his teammates to drive the play.

I agree with this. It's why the lines with him and wheeler and one of Laine/Conner don't work. Too many finishers and Wheeler isn't good enough to drive play any longer.

Perhaps we are seeing growing pains and Mark alters his game to be more of the play driver he was two years ago.

 

[Channelcat]

Ah, the ol'left wing switcheroo

 

[NotCommitted]

That would be my guess

IMO that would be a bit weird message to send to Laine at the moment.

EDIT: and I realize that would totally not be the purpose of it at all, but it gets weird for the youngsters if the coaching seemingly has no plan or predictability on what they want to do. It's like "hey, let's just keep throwing young wingers around until we find one that for whatever reason gets our 14mil leading vets going"

 

[Trinity]

Seriously, do Scheifele and Wheeler have compromising pictures of Maurice sitting on the toilet? It is ridiculous Maurice refuses to split those two up...

 

[LowLefty]

IMO that would be a bit weird message to send to Laine at the moment.

EDIT: and I realize that would totally not be the purpose of it at all, but it gets weird for the youngsters if the coaching seemingly has no plan or predictability on what they want to do. It's like "hey, let's just keep throwing young wingers around until we find one that for whatever reason gets our 14mil leading vets going"

Nothing weird at looking at the options.

Maybe Laine plays better with Hayes?
I'm surprised they haven't already at least tried it.

Laine appears to prefer an O game off the rush - so does Ehlers and Hayes from what I've seen.
Scheif and Wheels seems to prefer gaining the zone and working a cycle (or dump / chase / cycle).

Give it a shot - why not?

 

[NotCommitted]

Nothing weird at looking at the options.

Maybe Laine plays better with Hayes?
I'm surprised they haven't already at least tried it.

Laine appears to prefer an O game off the rush - so does Ehlers and Hayes from what I've seen.
Scheif and Wheels seems to prefer gaining the zone and working a cycle (or dump / chase / cycle).

Give it a shot - why not?

But the issue hasn't been how Laine is playing, from what Maurice says it sounds like he's doing exactly what the coaching wants him to be doing and a good job at that.

Actually I would really love to see Laine - Hayes - Ehlers, the way Ehlers and Hayes are finding each other I think that line could be dynamite and get Laine into a role that's more natural for him. But the thing is CHE is a very good line and I would also hate to see it broken apart, especially since I never thought CSW was that good a 1st line and this season they have been both out-scored and out-corsied - that line has been given plenty of shot and it's just not that good. Even last season IMO it was worse than HFjets would lead one to believe. The swap would send a bad message to both Laine and Connor, for Laine because he finally after two years gets a look in the 1st, does everything that's asked of him and still can't stick, and for Connor because he's finally in a line that's playing really well together, and then the coach wants him back to carrying Scheifele and Wheeler - and the problem with that is this far Ehlers has been the only LW really capable of doing that, though Laine is trying very hard atm.

At some point Scheifele and Wheeler need to look in the mirror and improve their play, instead of expecting the coach to find them an LW to carry them. Ehlers was great in that because he has really found his defensive game and is fast enough he doesn't need to cheat to be there to drive offense as well. I dislike the idea Scheifele and Wheeler should need a player like that to play effective hockey. There's more to the game than points and goals, your #1C and captain #1RW should play a complete game.

I think Maurice is in a bit of pickle here, because IMO really the change that needs to be done is split Scheifele and Wheeler and it should've been done 3 months ago. Now he finally has a very good 2nd line, so to make any changes he needs to take into account not messing that up.

He could always go
Laine - Copp - Wheeler
Connor - Hayes - Ehlers
Scheifele - Little - Roslovic
whoever - Lowry - Tanev

That way he would still have good top-6 who could do 1A/1B, and Little could carry Scheifele defensively and hopefully teach him how to take face-offs.

This started as a 100% serious post but because of not enough sleep last night and a it's been a long day, it got a bit out of hand. Sorry about that, don't mind me. But there's a point in there anyway.

 

[NotCommitted]

To be clear I love Scheifele. Mostly I think it's been Wheeler dragging him down this season, but that's on coaching - I don't think Wheeler at his age is fit to play 22 minutes a night. Especially since he has the mentality of picking up the team on his back and carrying them - but that tends to not work out for him because he tries to do too much. Wheeler has looked immensly better since Laine got into that line, more back to his old self, hard working, fast winger with good vision. Btw I don't think that's really Laine's doing, I would put that mostly down to reduced ice time since Maurice finally has a good 2nd line he is confident in giving minutes to. I hope Scheifele hasn't been completely run to ground and he's just had a couple off-games.

Also Laine is playing different game than in the past, so we haven't really seen the Scheifele-Laine connection we've come to expect. I think the 1st line as it is should be given a bit more time, it's a new line formation with one player playing in quite a different role than he is used to I believe. Scheifele will start finding him and Laine will find better balance between being a worker bee and sniper.

EDIT: Besides, apart from the WSH game that line has looked pretty good already.

 

[tntkid]

Somebody get Scheifele a Snickers bar.

 

[HPsauce]

I'm convinced he's playing hurt.

Likely.

Although I don't know why they would do that with the playoffs nearing.

Maybe he's sick, I've heard the team had a flu bug going around

 

[PhilJets]

Scheifele is the most physically abuse Jet player from opponents right now and its not even close.


Coach might try once in awhile not to play him power vs power to ease the burden.
He will bounce back. He is too good.

Lets go Scheifele Jets need you down the stretch!!

 

[Tommigun]

It’s weird that Wheeler has been outplaying Scheifele as of lately. He has to be nicked up.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Gm0ney knows where it's at.

 

[ovythegiraffe]

It’s weird that Wheeler has been outplaying Scheifele as of lately. He has to be nicked up.

Feel like Wheeler has sparked again now that he's had pretty good chemistry with Laine. Scheifele just looks out of it in general. Maybe mental and physical fatigue. What has bothered me about his game for the past couple months is that there's been like no excitement and very little creativity. Just hasn't looked like he's been having much fun playing. Maybe it would be a good time to let him sit out a couple games.

 

[Slimy Sculpin]

Gm0ney knows where it's at.

I’ve only been to one game this year (Jets@Coyotes) and from where I was sitting, it was obvious that “Gmoney knows where it’s at”. I was pleasantly surprised at how defensively responsible (good) #29 was. He’s definitely trying very hard to be a solid two-way player.

 

[Tommigun]

1st / 2nd line blender - coming soon.

Knowing Maurice, he's not much for moving players up or down the lineup to get them going... Maybe he does an exception for Scheifele though, who knows.

 

[Tommigun]

Weird how many top-6 players have had slumps this year. First it was Ehlers, then Laine (x2), now Scheifele. Wheeler was also off a bit a while back but not really slumping.

I still think something's bothering Scheifele though, he's not 100%.

 

[Channelcat]

Seriously, do Scheifele and Wheeler have compromising pictures of Maurice sitting on the toilet? It is ridiculous Maurice refuses to split those two up...

It is for so many reasons. Especially when you consider that both players essentially bring the same things to the table.

 

[antiqueslivers]

I'd split schief and wheeler up for hell, 1 game just to let them both see something different. Let em stretch their legs in a sense.

 

[KB1971]

Weird how many top-6 players have had slumps this year. First it was Ehlers, then Laine (x2), now Scheifele. Wheeler was also off a bit a while back but not really slumping.

I'm having a hard time distinguishing slumps from hot streaks with Jets players. Is the player just hot every now and then, but the "normal" play is less than we think?

I think we over rate many of the Jets offensively.