Winnipeg Jets preseason is underway. And that means, we can overanalyze everything until our heads explode. We just want the bad taste of last season to dissipate. And the only way is more success.
The Winnipeg Jets top two lines are pretty well known. The first? Mark Schiefele in the middle, flanked by Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler. Pretty nice. Two dudes who can put up a point per game, and a rookie who netted more than 30 goals.
The second line might even be more well known, albeit a bit more in flex. In the middle? You’ll likely get Bryan Little, at least in the beginning. But on the wings? True Nords in Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers.
One is the heir apparent to the NHL’s top sniper designation, and the other is one of the faster players in the league. Don’t sleep on Ehlers, however, as he has plenty of skill. The Great Dane had 29 goals and 60 points last year.
It’s a good line. But it’s been noted that they don’t have to play together. On the whole, I’m against separating them. The two have great chemistry and could help improve whichever player centers the two.
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But if you’re going to experiment, now’s the time. Little didn’t seem to click a whole lot with the two last season, but he’s going to be given the first opportunity. Jack Roslovic is the obvious candidate.
He’s getting time at center and, hey, he might be more dynamic than Little. And that give you a really steady, albeit expensive, third line center. But he’ll have to earn it first. As for the splitting of Ehlers and Laine, what do you do?
Push Ehlers to the third line and use Perreault at the second? Gives you a more dynamic third line, and Perreault can fill in to any situation and make the best of it. He’s the Jets roster chameleon.
But you could put Laine on the top line, and make it unstoppable. But then, will the progress Ehlers and Connor have made stagnate? I can’t imagine things get easier for them. While they’re good players, you’re putting all the elite scoring on one line.
Perreault is filling in for Ehlers today, but that’s likely only because Ehlers isn’t there. You could swap Perreault, Ehlers and Connor. Ehlers at one, Connor at three, and Perreault at two. I don’t like it.
Look, Maurice is going to shuffle a bit here because he should. If he finds something special somewhere, stick with it. Maybe Kyle Connor and Bryan Little love playing together. Stranger things have happened.
Regular season time? Expect to see Ehelrs and Laine centered by Little. It’s not sexy, but it’ll do. If Little falters or Roslovic shows he deserves more time, let it rip. I’d love to see him centering those two before too long.
Maybe a Little, Perreault, Brendan Lemieux? Maybe swap out Kristian Vesalainen for Lemieux? More likely, Brandon Tanev. But still. The Jets have forwards galore.
It’s Paul Maurice’s job to find out what works best.