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We are not yet in June, but it’s already been a long offseason for the Winnipeg Jets. That’s what happens when a team goes for the President’s Trophy one year to missing the playoffs entirely the next year. There’s too much time to ruminate. Next season feels so far away yet the playoffs still have a couple weeks until a new champion lifts the Stanley Cup.
Nevertheless, there’s plenty to discuss: former Jets, future Jets (the NHL Draft is a few weeks away), and More.
Former Jets: Ehlers delivers for Canes
If it weren’t for the 2-goal performance from Nikolaj Ehlers in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final, the series would have a very different complexion. Instead, the Carolina Hurricanes won that match and went on take Game Three in Montreal. Now leading the series, two games to one, the Hurricanes are in a strong position in the series.
Win Game Three, and they have a commanding three games to one lead in the series (and 11-1 record in these playoffs). I don’t think even the most diehard Montreal Canadiens fan would like the Habs’ chances of pulling off a comeback in that scenario. Lose Game Three and Hurricanes still have a best-of-three scenario with home ice advantage restored.
Ehlers did not figure in the scoring in Game Four. Nevertheless, he’s already made an impact. It was great to see the longtime Jet playing well this deep into the playoffs. In his last few years with the Jets, coaches and management often took heat for Ehlers’ lack of playing time in crucial moments. He had a perennial spot on the second line without promotion to the top line.
However, in his first full season with the Hurricanes, Ehlers played an average of 16:36 minutes per game. That’s second-line territory. Meanwhile, in the playoffs, he is currently playing on the Canes’ third line. He’s centered by Jordan Staal. Although Ehlers is playing well, it should be pointed out that his usage is no more ideal for him than what is was in his last few years with the Jets.
Jets still need to address secondary scoring
When Ehlers departed the Jets last summer, it was a very valid question if the rest of the roster would be able to make-up for the secondary scoring Ehlers provided outside the Jets top-line. The answer was no.
The primary reason the Jets fell from Presidents Trophy winners to outside the playoff line was the lack of secondary scoring. Cole Perfetti never took that big leap offensively many of us were expecting. Free agent signings Jonathon Toews, Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson all proved to be too old and/or too slow to make plays with the needed pace.
Prospects need to step up
The easiest solution to address the Jets’ middle-six scoring woes would be for some of the forward prospects to step-up and assert themselves within the Jets’ top nine. In-house solutions do not rip open other holes in the lineup. Likewise, they don’t exhaust extra cap dollars because the money is already budgeted.
For Winnipeg, it is pivotal for players such as Brad Lambert, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow and trade deadline acquisition Isak Rosen
to step-up and let their play show that they belong in the Jets’ top six to nine group. All of these prospects are former 1st round picks that have spent time in the AHL. Now it is up to them to come to training camp in shape and put on performances that solidify their spots on the one of the scoring lines. Nowadays in the NHL, teams need contributions from at least three of their lines.
Home › Forums › Jets Hangar: Ehlers, Prospects and More
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