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FLIGHT PLAN: CSF #2 Effective Forward Lines |
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follow me here: @teddier
In my review of the Jets from April and what was needed going forward for improvement for the Jets was this Critical Success Factor: Develop effective forward line hierarchy.
It’s the same start to most issues facing the Jets and this will not be the last time you read it in this space but the Jets faced an upward battle with a new coach, GM and ownership as they went through a summer at near break-neck speed to organize for the 2011-12 season.
What happened was a coach who had to learn about his team and it’s player’s strengths and weaknesses almost on the fly. Along with helping them manage the ups and downs of relocation and a new corporate culture, the months of June, July and August were just not enough time.
The Jets, for most of the season, had a rotating cast of forwards with the only consistent line from early on being the GST line of Glass, Slater and Thorburn. The top line of Ladd, Little and Wheeler came together but it took time for it to become a cohesive and reliable first line. By NHL standards though some would call it a 1b or a 2a as it is questionable as to whether it matches up to the best in the league.
The second line, as it shows on the Jets website right now is that of Kane, Burmistrov and Miettinen. The team’s leading goal scorer is Kane and he is partnered with a developing Russian possessing incredible raw skills but still learning the nuances of the NHL-level game. The other wing is a waiver-wire pick up coming from the KHL or current UFA player Kyle Wellwood. Wellwood would slot in either in centre or Wing depending if coach Noel would have Burmistrov on the second line or the fourth line.
Add in Nik Antropov to the mix as either a 4th line centre or at one point the second line centre between Kane and Burmistrov and it’s fairly easy to see the team is patchwork in areas. Against some opponents players moved lines but only in very few instances were there consistent lines for the majority of the season and that was the first line and the third line. That situation is not nearly ideal as evidenced by long stretches of inconsistent play this past season.
So where does the solution to the forward line hierarchy lie? First and foremost would be to ensure the GST line returns in full by signing Glass and Slater. While Claude Noel has allegedly described the GST line as closer to a fourth line, can its value to the Winnipeg Jets be overlooked or under appreciated? Probably not, and if GM Kevin Chevaldayoff is striving to create consistency the heart and soul of the last season’s team needs to return.
The debate will be can it be improved or does shoring up the 4th line help the GST line and the team more? With no young player coming into the team who is guaranteed to make an impact (apologies to Mark Scheifele) adding to the fourth may be addition by subtraction.
If the Jets can ice two lines who can play a hard nosed defensive style to support the top lines having players like Nik Antropov as a 4th line centre can stop. While Antropov potted 15 goals he is woefully misplaced on the lower lines, where he spent much time this season. There is almost no defensive side to his game and his physical play makes the Sedins look like grinders. There is one more year on his contract and it may be better to ride it out or hope for a period of amnesty in any collective bargaining negotiations this summer.
Vancouver possesses two player who could be of value to the Jets, that being Malhotra and Paulsson. Both of whom could fit well with Antti Miettinen on the fourth line providing stable veteran presence and true defensive prowess particularly with zone starts. Paulsson is a UFA and Malhotra has one year left a 2.5 million.
Who comes in on the other side? It could be Spencer Machacek who would provide size and strength. Machacek was good for the Jets late in the season but so was Ben Maxwell and either of these players could make an impact and tough decision for Noel and Chevy come training camp.
With a top line of:
Ladd Little Wheeler
A third line of:
Glass Slater Thorburn
A possible fourth line of:
Maxwell/Machacek Antropov Miettinen (as it stands now)
What becomes of Tim Stapleton and the possibility of Cormier coming up?
The key to improvement may be on the second line with that of Kane Burmistrov and bringing up Antropov, again? It’s not likely in my opinion and the reality of bad contracts for underperforming players rears it’s head.
What does not change is the Jets need consistency and the forward lines are the key area where consistency needs to be set. Chevy has his work cut out for him this off season to take the scoring talent of Evander Kane (30 goals) and the raw skills of Burmistrov and find the missing piece which compliments them.
The pieces on the bottom two lines can be moved, added and subtracted but at the end of the day the fourth line was not a line which was tough to play against and that has to change. The improvement for the Jets will come from ensuring the opposition does not have any easy lines to match up with in the game, particularly in defensive zone starts. This is why players such as Paulsson and Malhotra could be far more valuable to the Jets than what they have now.
The bigger question is the second line. It needs help and it probably needs to come from outside of organization. The strategic question then becomes about time lines. Is it better to wait another season and develop from within or can a short to medium term fix be obtained? The answer to that question may lie at the draft and what moves Chevy makes, or doesn’t.
A proper heirachy is essential to the Jets success this upcoming season. It has to be better than last off season’s patchwork assembly, albeit one that almost worked well. However, when considering contract statuses and the readiness of youth there are more questions than answers for the Jets. Consistency is a hard thing to achieve in the NHL, the best teams have it and if the Jets want to be one of the best they have to find it. How they go about finding it will be seen in the coming weeks as it’s about to get very interesting.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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