Prospect Info: Ville Heinola, LD, Finland (20th Overall)

[stonec]

We had 10x the back end last year and were still poor defensively. Coaching is 100% the issue.

I feel bad because I know it'll take a bad season to see Maurice gone... But it needs to happen.

Yep it will take a bad season to get a coach fired, which is what it should, there is no reason to start changing coaches willy-nilly. Looking at selective stats you will find any team performing poorly in some aspect, however, what matters is the winning record. The other Canadian teams are all doing worse than Winnipeg over the last couple of seasons and it's not even close.

 

[LowLefty]

We had 10x the back end last year and were still poor defensively. Coaching is 100% the issue.

I feel bad because I know it'll take a bad season to see Maurice gone... But it needs to happen.

Our D is a tire fire - could it have been a bit better? Sure, in hindsight but I'd point at the GM for leaving us with so little to work with entering the season - we've got 18 yr olds, waiver pick ups and cast offs to choose from - how much better could it really be?
And then Buff is the wild card -he would make a huge difference at this point.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Our D is a tire fire - could it have been a bit better? Sure, in hindsight but I'd point at the GM for leaving us with so little to work with entering the season - we've got 18 yr olds, waiver pick ups and cast offs to choose from - how much better could it really be?
And then Buff is the wild card -he would make a huge difference at this point.

With what we have we'd still be great if Niku and Heinola were played over Betito the job of gm is to give no options if he doesn't use them that's on the coach.
Mo Niku
Heinola Pionk
Kulikov Poolman
Looks like a really good D. They give up a lot but score a lot. I thought Stanley had a better ps than Biteto.

 

[heilongjetsfan]

Would love to see Heinola tried out on pp1. I don't know if I like Morrissey in that role if we're going 4F 1D. His lateral movement on the line seems to be lacking. There have been a lot of pucks that he's just not quite getting to at the line.

Maybe it's happening with Pionk too, but we've been giving up an egregious number of short-handed chances.

 

[ijuka]

Kulikov is so much worse than Heinola. But Kulikov makes 5mil so I guess he has a free pass to play.

 

[LowLefty]

With what we have we'd still be great if Niku and Heinola were played over Betito the job of gm is to give no options if he doesn't use them that's on the coach.
Mo Niku
Heinola Pionk
Kulikov Poolman
Looks like a really good D. They give up a lot but score a lot. I thought Stanley had a better ps than Biteto.

This is not a really good D - sorry
Regardless, Niku is injured and Heinola is not going to bring you to the promised land - at least not yet. I like him a lot but honestly can't see him being a difference maker.
So you have one player that you could slot in over an existing one - not worth a debate

 

[BB88]

I always say, confidence is everything for young players.

Good job Maurice with trying to destroy his.

 

[Duke749]

This is not a coaching thread. This is a thread about Ville Heinola. Stay on topic.

 

[PhilJets]

Heinola needs to play.

Him Pionk, Niku and Morrissey are good with the forwarss with creating offense.

The 1st 3 are not very good defensively yet but that is the same with Bietto Dhalstorm.

With the puck movers atleast we know we they can at least create scoring chances for the team

 

[RageQuit77]

Had to post this 117 years old map here for buffing up the process of planning for Jets' defensive lines.

Before it gets too old for that purpose.

 

[ps241]

I would counter that the D we have are doing a fine job down there and it's the forwards that are causing extra time defending in our zone.

You can't teach size, and like it or not the NHL still uses physicality to drive possession and momentum.

Our forwards really struggled defensively last season. That is on coaching and leadership and talent. Our top six really lack defensive talent too. When Copp is playing #2 centre we have at least one guy who is great defensively.

This season I have seen a better effort level than last year for our forwards but we are pretty inconsistent. Sometimes it can take about 20 games for teams to tighten up structure wise. It’s one of the reasons scoring is always higher at the start of season in the NHL IMO.

I don’t hate on our D core at all. In fact I think they are actually overachieving. However I think it’s import to factor in that the payroll for our D core is incredibly low for a reason. Kuli is our top money earner and despite that crazy overpay our entire 7 man roster makes $13.3 million. That is basically the same as Doughty or Karlsson. It’s a hard working scrappy group but they are largely 5-8 types pedigree wise once you get past Josh. I have enjoyed Pionk though and he may just round into a solid #4 but I will need to see him preform over a much larger sample size. Early returns are very positive compared to my expectations.

Forwards need to be better but my expectations of our collective team defensive game is really modest based on our cap allocation a and natural strengths and weaknesses. A Vezina level season by Helly would make It all look allot better though.

 

[Edgar Halliwax]

Heinola is clearly much more skilled than a few of the defencemen that played the last two games. I know he had a rough outing in his last game, but overall he's been very impressive. I'd be very disappointed if he isn't given a real chance to stick with the Jets. If he doesn't, then the Jets will be lying if they tell us their decisions are based on putting the best team on the ice this season.

 

[QnebO]

Jets seem to need him. Him missing, the game has way more hazard. Last games W was lucky. Only ehlers line did medicorely, others bad.

Thats what happens when the D cant calm the play and/ or make real opening game. Its just hazard.

 

[Howard Chuck]

I honestly think we missed Heinola's puck moving ability over the games he's been out. I thought the games he was in, we had much better puck retrieval and outlet passes with him in. His quick decision making got us out of our end numerous times.

I'm not a stats guy so I don't know what those say about him, but I think he helps tremendously. So did Niku.

It looks to me when Ville and Sami are out of the lineup, we are back to the slow puck retrieval of last year and getting hemmed in our zone.

Call me crazy, but I think Heinola's positives far outweigh his negatives when he's on the ice.

 

[Bob E]

I don’t think there is any chance PMo plays Morrissey, Pionk, Heinola and Niku in the lineup at the same time for any extended period of time.

He could do it here or there but never several games in a row. He likes size on d too much. Dahlstrom and Bitetto will play over much more skilled dmen.

So send Heinola back to Finland. Let him play rather than sit.

 

[boydkc]

IMO dahlstrom is better player atm. No problem with it.

Maybe ,but Bitetto is a completely shitty defenceman you are playing him over a Numminen/Housley potential Norris winning defenceman someday down the road?

 

[Duke749]

Maybe ,but Bitetto is a completely ****ty defenceman you are playing him over a Numminen/Housley potential Norris winning defenceman someday down the road?

We need to seriously pump the brakes here. The kid is 18 and we’ve barely seen anything of the kid.

 

[surixon]

I would agree that we are lacking puck movement atm and Heinola helps a lot there.

The issue is that puck retrieval and the break out was supposed to be one of the key pillars of our game this year. Not playing guys like Heinola and Niku when healthy really hurts us in that regard. Play to this teams strength which is offensive pressure. Don't try to turn this team into all out defensive team that struggles to move the puck.

 

[Board Bard]

I would agree that we are lacking puck movement atm and Heinola helps a lot there.

The issue is that puck retrieval and the break out was supposed to be one of the key pillars of our game this year. Not playing guys like Heinola and Niku when healthy really hurts us in that regard. Play to this teams strength which is offensive pressure. Don't try to turn this team into all out defensive team that struggles to move the puck.

Didn't Maurice say something like the bold? In which case, as a long time Jets viewer, you should have expected the opposite.

 

[surixon]

Didn't Maurice say something like the bold? In which case, as a long time Jets viewer, you should have expected the opposite.

Lol, true but they did spend a significant amount of time on it in the practices I went to. The issue is that Maurice has put players in the lineup that can't execute it well

 

[Hunter368]

We thinks he will be playing in the AHL or Finland this year. He had a good camp and handful of games and is well ahead of schedule for a guy picked 20th OA this year.

 

[Trinity]

Heinola is not playing because Maurice expects Buff back this season. Once Buff, Beaulieu and Niku are all up with the Jets, there is simply no room for Heinola.

 

[Mildan]

did he just sit 3 games?

 

[MardyBum]

Heinola is not playing because Maurice expects Buff back this season. Once Buff, Beaulieu and Niku are all up with the Jets, there is simply no room for Heinola.

Niku and Buff are RD, should have no effect on Heinola. If you're not going to play him, send him down to play in the AHL.

Yes, yes, the inane "he earns an NHL paycheque while up" which means absolutely nothing for his development. 18 year olds need to play games, not sit in the PB and "watch games from up top"

 

[gearmex]

Heinola plays tonight