Halfway Report Card (I couldn't wait)

[Ducky]

 

Here is my half season report card on the Jets. This is my opinion and not trying to start arguments only discussion. I didn’t think waiting two more games was going to change my mind much…

Chevy        C

Gets marks for not making any rash decisions while Trouba was sitting out. His draft picks and young players acquired via draft are doing well overall and he is not spending near the cap either. Loses points for the D depth. 

Maurice     C

Gets points for integrating a LOT of youth onto the team and keeping the team near .500 with a ton of injuries and below average goaltending. Has sat the right players when team has been healthy. Loses points for poor PK and team STILL takes too many penalties. There is something I can’t put my finger on but they are having horrible 2^nd periods usually after strong first periods. Overplays Buff and should lean a bit more on Trouba and Morrissey.

Forwards

Dano      C

Dano started off on fire and cooled rapidly. Needs to be more consistent and has a history of staying on the ice too long.

Little          B

One of the highest marks I am handing out Has played consistent after getting back from injury. His injury was the one the team took the hardest. Good two way center that consistently puts up points and makes few mistakes.

Wheeler      B

Has tried all season and is coming on in the points lately. Has played with rookies and does anything that is asked without bitching. He handles the media better than I thought he would.

Perreault     C-

Started slowly and got hurt AGAIN. Excellent on the PP and can play on the top two lines which saves him from a D. Always finishes check. Very inconsistent this year and at times has been invisible. Floundered when playing on the bottom 6. Has to pick his game up.

Scheif         B-

Scheif has been MIA for periods again this year and must be playing hurt or sick. Lots of points keep him from a C+. Another player that has been invisible some games this year. Another player that needs to pick up his game.

Ehlers         B+

Still needs work in his own zone but he is really coming into his own and has been the most consistent forward this year. If he scored more, grade would easily be an A. High skill at high speed.

Staf            C-         

Staf goes away for a long periods of time and he is almost invisible if not making NZ or DZ mistakes. His scoring has dropped and if he were scoring at this pace for the whole half season without injuries he would have a D.

Laine   B

An 18 year old on pace for 40 goals and one of the best passers on the team. Has to improve his D game and maybe his NZ game but seems to be plenty smart and I have no doubt we have a superstar in the making. As cool as a cucumber with the puck and a shot that most players can only dream of. I am not going to compare him to Bossy but if he keeps this up for a few seasons, the comparison will be inevitable.  

Lowry        C 

He has recovered quite well from a poor start and didn’t play all that well away from Armia. Good on the PK and has  a good stick. Needs more of an attitude to go along with that size. Opposing players should be looking their shoulders if he is on the ice. The MLA line has been the best line for the Jets for a few games before and after injuries. If Armia and Matthias had stayed healthy and the line stayed together he would probably be getting a higher mark.  

Burmi         D

His game has nose dived and now he has been sent down. His days as a Jet are probably finished. 

Thorbs        C-

Another player that does everything that is asked of him without bitching and plays his ass off. Thing is, he isn’t talented enough to be on an NHL roster. 

Copp          C+

Copp hasn’t looked out of place but needs to show more offence. Very good defensively. Needs to show the team that sending him down was a mistake.

Armia         B-

Not many games because of injury but was playing the best of his short career before injury. Regularly sets up his linemates for high percentage chances. Good positioning in the D zone, good pker and he has soft hands and is a good passer. Needs to start to put goals in the net. Was drafted as a scorer and has yet to show it. Has to stay healthy.

Petan          C+

Nic was a bit of a disappointment last year but went down and worked on his game. Did the same this year after TC and has played well since being called up. Has to show management he can put up points AND be responsible defensively and so far is doing a pretty good job of it. My biggest surprise (with Morrissey) of the season.

Matthias          C

Another injured player for a big part of the first half. Has played well on the MLA line but needs to score a bit more. A really good forechecker and two-way player. Good on the PK.

Kyle Connor   C-

Couldn’t find an offensive touch after TC and struggled defensively. I thought his game was improving when he was sent down but what do I know? I still see him as a big part of the team’s offence going forward.

Brandon Tanev C+

Surprised that he made the team but he brings it every shift. Not the best hands but is hard on the forecheck. A good 9-10 minute 4^th line LWer.

 

Defencemen

Buff           C-

Has been below par most games this year. Trying to do too much when down? Too many minutes? STILL takes selfish, untimely penalties. A lot of the Jets’ offense starts with him and better defensively than most people give him credit for. 

Trouba        B-

Much more consistent than last year and is on pace for a 35 point year if 82 games were played. Given more time in offensive situations and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get 45-50 points a season. Has a mean streak that every D man should have.  

Myers          C

Not sure if I should have graded him but here goes. Started poorly but started to play really well and has been injured for the majority of the season.

Enstrom       C

Toby has been off his game since returning from Sweden where it is rumoured his fiancé has cancer. Still the best passer on the D and possibly the team. A calming influence most nights on the D and has paired well with Trouba.

Chiarot        D

Has played well below expectations. Here are some fancy stat numbers for him....”the worst Relative Corsi of all the defensemen who have played > 200 mins in this league this season. He has the 4th worse RelCorsi of all D men over 300 mins in the last 6 years. He has the 11th worst RelCorsi of all NHL D men since Corsi data started being collected (~9 years)”.  He is not an NHL grade D man. He should not get a qualifying offer next year unless it is to go to the Moose as our 8^th D man. 

Stuart          D

Stu is Stu and I am not going to beat this dead horse.

Postma        C-

Not many games played where I wasn’t worried when he was on the ice especially if his D mate was Chiarot. Not sure who is worse but I would say an 8^th D man.

Morrissey        B+

Along with Petan, the biggest surprise for me this year. Has learned the pro game on the farm and stepped right into a top pairing role. He will qb the PP one day and a LOT of this team’s O will come from him. What has really surprised me is his D play alongside Buff. I’ll be more than happy to see him on our blueline for the next 10 years.

Goalies

Hutch          D

Has had a couple of really good games but has sucked overall. His sv% is brutal and I really don’t think he is a capable NHL backup. Should be sent dwon to the farm. 

Helle           C

I really wanted to give him C- but the team in front of him is doing him any favors most nights. His rebounds have been a sore point since I first saw him play and he doesn’t seem to have improved in that area. Seems to have good positioning and doesn’t let a loss bother him.

 

Did I forget anyone? I just went over it and realized I forgot about that Laine guy.

 

 

[Goalie]

Sure. Why not. 

Chevy - B+ . Signed scheif long term. Waited out Trouba. The players the Jets have drafted and developed have been their best. Lack of trades?  Yup but basically been none all year 

Maurice - F. His roster decisions are stupidity at times. His line shuffling borders on insanity.  His love of struggling vets. Lack of discipline poor PK and PP all fall on the coach.  

Goalies 

Hutch D - He's the vet. He needs to show it. Needs to be more consistent 

Helle C+ almost B. 1 of the best 5 on 5 goalies in the league. Top 10 actually.  Pretty consistent. Has struggled at times but he's a rookie in the nhl... it happens.  

Buff - B+ Don't think he's been as bad as people say. Producing points. Soft in the D zone 

TROUBA - B. Has looked better more recently but definitely had some struggles early on 

Morrissey - A. For a rookie he's been our best D man. Playing with Buff who is all over the ice at times (that's buff tho). Very good defensively and 1 of maybe 2 d men (trouba being the other) who can actually make an accurate pass 

Enstrom - C. Meh really. He is what he is. 

Postma Chiarot Stuart - F. Bottom line...They aren't NHL calibre D men 

Myers - NA 

FORWARDS 

Scheif - B +. He's a defensively responsible 2 way center playing hurt and with a rookie and sophomore. He's been very good 

Little - B.  He's good when healthy 

Lowry - B-. Gotta admit he's been pretty good. Perhaps he's found who he is as a player 

Petan - C +  he's been okay 

Laine - A. He's 18. He's been one of our best players 

Wheeler B. Nice guy. Tries hard. Looks hurt. Carries his line at times. 

Armia - NA. Hurt to long but I like what I've seen.  Needs to find some finish tho 

Dano. - B. likes his gam . Perfect bottom 6 guy. It's a shame hes out 6 to 9 weeks 

Stafford - F. Fail. He's been awful 

Ehlers - A. Our best most consistent point producer. Electric really 

Perreault - C. Fail at center. Much better on the wing. Like PLW actually 

Matthias - C. He is what he is.  

Copp - B. Pleasant surprise 

Tanev. - C. Hard worker. Strong forechecker. Ideal 4th liner 

The rest Aka Burmi Thorburn and whoever else I missed... NA or F. Basically they don't belong in the NHL anymore

 

 

[Goalie]

What's failing the Jets isn't 1 player. It's not 1 or 2 guys. It's their lack of discipline.  It's their poor PK. It's their garbage PP. Fix the PP and PK and we are a very good team actually.  Problem is... the coach can't and hasn't been able to do that anytime in his coaching career. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

I'll wait until after Game 42 and the 5(?) game losing streak.

[Mark F]

thanks for the breakdowns guys

Laine does remind me of Bossy now that you mention it. Good point!

What's Meyers 6' 5 and around 210 pounds?

Too willowy to take the pounding? 

Sometimes the Jets do resemble the Blackhawks, when they take over the game completely, spend long periods in the other teams end, endlessly bombarding the goalie. Happened a couple of games ago. No idea what exactly triggers that.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Mark F

[BomberBall]

3 hours ago, Mark F said:

thanks for the breakdowns guys

Laine does remind me of Bossy now that you mention it. Good point!

What's Meyers 6' 5 and around 210 pounds?

Too willowy to take the pounding? 

Sometimes the Jets do resemble the Blackhawks, when they take over the game completely, spend long periods in the other teams end, endlessly bombarding the goalie. Happened a couple of games ago. No idea what exactly triggers that.

He's 6'8" and 230 lbs, actually.

[Floyd]

http://jetsnation.ca/2017/1/6/behind-the-numbers-how-is-each-jet-performing-at-even-strength

Interesting analysis of Jets...  Wheeler has not lost a step... Armia looking real good... Stafford sucks.

Buff is a rover not a defenceman...