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Jets Final Grades- 4th Line (with coach's comments) |
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Jets Final Grades- 4th Line
It’s time to play coach and do the exit interviews with the players and give them grades. These are not easily done nor are they an exact science. While this approach has been used across many media members with the Jets this one will attempt to be a bit more thorough about why the player has received the grade they did and how they get a better grade.
One aspect about grading players that is different than how we traditionally assign grades is that no two players are alike. Giving player Y on the top line a grade of A does not mean that Player X on the bottom line cannot get the same grade. Why would they be considered the same when they are vastly different?
It’s time to make like Drake and start from the bottom.
The 4th line(rs): Petan, Tanev, Thorburn, Matthias
Nic Petan- C+
While much argument has come around Petan’s usage role on the team has it actually been considered in his grade before? Petan played in all sorts of roles, and lines but mainly was a 4th liner with rotating line mates although he did get power play time. Petan is a player who has been looked at as a driver of play. While fans think of Petan as a 4th liner he only played 460 minutes of even strength ice time but his most usual forwards were Thorburn, Wheeler and Stafford. His CF% was 48.4 at evens.
Interestingly Matthias played 9 less games than Petan and had 70 more minutes. Petan had chances on the PP having 114 minutes of time on the season, just behind Bryan Little but far back of Lowry, Laine or Ehlers. Petan suffered from a low 4.74% on-ice shooting percentage when he was playing which hurt his PD) dropping from 101 to 95.8 this season but upon a closer look that’s more save percentage driven.
What’s interesting is that Petan’s even strength points/60 rate was nearly in half with double the minutes compared to last season.
What the coach says: “Nic I know this has been an odd season for you. We tried to put you in situations that were a benefit to your skill set while also giving you roles to learn and develop the less naturally inclined elements of you game. What concerns me most is you trying to over think and play certain elements of the offensive side of your game. Come back ready to work on the defensive zone game and transition and things should improve. More minutes, better line mates. Just think about this- no more Thorburn next year, unless Chevy punks us both.”
Brandon Tanev C+
He is an eye-test dream. All over the ice and hustling everywhere yet getting very little positive results. He played 11 minutes less than Petan but doubled his goal production with 2. Tanev played most of his even minutes with Lowry, Thorburn and Copp and did little to help them from a possession stand point. Basically, most players on the Jets are better without Tanev on their wing. The problem with Tanev, and like many Jets prospects, is they become over-hyped by the fan base, for whatever reason and Tanev is no different. He’s a fringe NHL player and that might be all he ever is and there’s no reason to have expected more. In that regard you could give him a B or A because he matches up to what he is.
What the coach says “Brandon, you’re a nice kid but have you thought about other career options? Your sense of the game has to be better and your board work needs to improve. The zone exits are a struggle and while you work hard you have to be more stable in your approach to the tactics we employ. Have a great summer and we look forward to seeing you at Moose training camp in the fall”.
Chris Thoburn B
Thorburn played 399 even strength minutes with 2 goals and 1 assist. He got slaughtered by the opposition when he was on the ice but Thorburn did everything he was asked. He had a role and he embraced it. It’s not his fault he plays where he does and when he does. He did everything that you would want a player to do, put forth your best effort every shift, every game. Oh yeah, go get your face smashed in once in a while too.
Thorburn is what he is and to that extent he gets a B. He’s just not that great a fighter anymore so that drops his grade as does the fact that Thorburn just isn’t as good at being Thorburn anymore. That affects his grade too. It’s unlikely we see Thorburn in Jets colours again and in some ways that’s a bit sad aside from being the correct course of action.
What the coach says: “Chris you’ve been a stalwart for this franchise for years and it shows. You’re coming to the end of the line here and I want to be the first one to help you out the door. This is the next step of your life. Take this package, all the answers you are looking for are in it. The sooner you accept this reality and review your options the sooner you can get on with the next chapter of your life. Oh, one more thing, might wanna trim that beard now that you’re a regular Joe.”
Shawn Matthias B
This was one of the key depth signings by Kevin Cheveldayoff this past offseason. Matthias, an effective role player, as the type of signing some part of the fans based wanted to see happen with more frequency. He played 530 even strength minutes usually along side Armia and and Lowry. At some points that was the third line although at the start of the season Matthias was starting on the 4th line.
It’s hard to complain about his offensive input as he had 7 of his 8 goals at 5v5 and all of his assists, which weren’t a lot. His individual shooting percentage was 14% while overall he had a reasonable 7.51% on ice rate and his third highest career on ice save % at .928. For a role player did Matthias cost the Jets much in terms of developing their other youth? Probably not and he was not a black hole of possession, although he was not a bed of roses either. Attractive for his size, as is Lowry, it remains to be seen if he used it for any advantage as would be hoped. Remember, size still matters in the NHL. Matthias was a WYSIWYG player and while he did not disppoint the modest expectations that should have been set, he may have come close to exceeding them had he not been injured. If he had a tagline it would be “mildly better than Tanev and with moar size”.
What the coach says: “It sucked losing you and getting you only 45 games this year Shawn. Once I saw that I could trust you on the fourth line I knew it made sense to move you up given the chance than a Petan or Dano. You’re coming back next year and I expect you to be a leader on this team because your big, chiseled big. If you can keep working on offence while learning that defensive play happens in our end that would be great. Hope the surgery helped”.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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