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3-2 Loss with Vet Roster Means Questions

September 19, 2017, 10:16 AM ET [27 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The preseason is no time to judge right? That's why it's there, to get the kinks out and evaluate so as not to make definitive statements about a team- isn't that what fans are to believe?

Last night the Jets put a roster on the ice against the Wild's AHL team aside from the mandatory few vets and they came up with a 3-2 loss.

Wheeler, Scheifele, Laine, Perreault, Little, Ehlers, Byfuglien, Enstrom, Lowry were all there ready to start feeding on the Wild. In fact when Paul Maurice was asked about the roster for the first preseason game he stated that having missed the playoffs last year meant there was no time to wait, that the team had to enter the season ready to play.

Well the special teams were certainly in mid-season form as we've come to know them. Is that a positive?

For some it will be because the stark, brutal truth was right there in front of the maybe 12,000 in attendance and those watching on TV; there is a problem with the Jets special teams. The Jets and the Wild both had plenty of time to practice their special teams as the officials crackdown on stick work, particularly slashing was called with a level of gusto not seen before. Then there was the face-off infractions and basically any tricky-tacky penalty that could be found. If that's the way it's going to be then fine, fans should have no issue with it but you better get your special teams in tip-top shape.


The good news was that Patrik Laine still has his cannon for a shot. Ehlers can still enter the offensive zone with grace and efficiency. Buff still is Buff with the good outweighing the bad. Perreault is still his shifty self and undervalued by so many.

The bad news was this is a team that is still confused, scared, or simply oblivious to the discipline required for special teams. Far too many breakdowns on the PK and the level of overthinking on the PP is as clear as the water in an alpine lake.

There were good moments as evidenced by Buff's pass to Laine and Wheeler's work controlling and passing the puck on the half wall but far too often the players in front are out of sync with what's happening up top with the puck. If Maurice wants to use Lowry and Armia in that situation that's fine but those players have to actually battle in front of the net and take position not simply show up and hope the others guys get it there. On it goes.. just like last year.

The PK is just as confusing and this strange man-coverage the team plays never seems to work as assignments get lost, formation collapses at the wrong time and too many players are watching the play. It sounds familiar does't it? All too familiar really.

It's game one and training camp just started so why the harsh criticism?

The simple answer is that we've seen this show before. It's basically a bad CD stuck in a car stereo on repeat, playing over and over again and no one seems to want to actually fix it.

Zone entries on the PP are maybe the one thing that could do wonders to change the outcome of the PP yet if it's not Ehlers or Perreault things are mess. In realty that issue exists at even strength too and again, just like last season.

Was anyone enamoured with Logan Stanley? Tall and with reach the player catches many looks but his skill is a bit lacking and his skating is abhorrent. If the NHL truly does get it's penalties in order and the game opens up to more speed Stanley will not be described as a pylon, he'll be a manhole cover, basically non-existent.

So here we are, the first game and the same questions are sitting, actually glaring right at the coaches and fans again. The only positive there is that with more games to play this preseason and Maurice apparently wanting to get the team 'going' soon he'll have time to work on his units and tactics. That being said if the tactics aren't changing why would they start to work now after three seasons of trying to implement them?

It won't always be this bad will it? Probably not but it certainly will be painful if the right things to change are not identified and that's the biggest fear again because the problems are so obvious, again.
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