Peter Tessier: Temper Expectations with Kyle Connor, but not too much. Kyle Connor has impressed in training camp and his game appearances but let's not get to far ahead of ourselves Jets fans.

Hi Peter,

Great article! I was thinking of Scheifele's first camp as well when Connor's name came up.

I expect Connor to be a top candidate for rookie of the year. Jets to be in playoff contention. Now if you can swing trouba for lindholm..

I expect Connor to be a top candidate for rookie of the year. Jets to be in playoff contention. Now if you can swing trouba for lindholm..
- mauryballstein

You are a good man/woman for suggesting this . I would love for that too happen

Big fan of Conner when he was at Michigan. I'm not sure how quickly he will get there, but firmly believe he is going to be a star in the league when he does.

Well said Pete! I would also add that in college he only plays half the games he would in junior or at the NHL level so the grind of the long season could also be a factor.

Give him the spot he earns, 2nd or 3rd line and PP time for sure!

If he holds up great, if you see a falloff protect the player and send him down. Based on his frame he doesn't look like a guy that will put the weight Scheifele put on so the size thing may be something to live with.

You cannot teach/coach hands or sniping and he seems to have a great touch

Have Laine-Little-Connor as your 2nd line... you just know these guys will score goals.

Ehlers - Scheifele - Wheeler
Laine - Little - Connor

By a lot of team standards this could be an impressive top 6 by the end of the year?

Ehlers - Scheifele - Wheeler
Laine - Little - Connor

By a lot of team standards this could be an impressive top 6 by the end of the year?
- jjonah

If not this year the next 5-10 years for sure

Most people are really underestimating the need for grit/sand on the roster!

Connor, Laine, Ehlers, Perrault, Little, Scheifele, Stafford, Copp and not much true toughness on the blue line (no we don't want Buff in the box).....

Fighting in the game or not, there are still dirty players and agitators so the Jets cannot be pushed around as teams will test the skill guys!

To jjonah

Who had grit on the Penguins? Crosby probably fit the bill the most. Who had grit on the Sharks? Wardo and Polak. Polak got cast off as soon as free agency hit. You're severely overestimating the need for grit in today's NHL. Which is almost none. Speed, skill, and puck possession wins games now.

No I'm not, you only need grit in regular season, I don't see how that is debateable?

Playoffs Thorburns of the world don't see the ice, I get it. Then your down to your Marchand's and Gallagher's running around.

When Laine, Connor or Ehlers is lying on the ice you may feed different

No I'm not, you only need grit in regular season, I don't see how that is debateable?

Playoffs Thorburns of the world don't see the ice, I get it. Then your down to your Marchand's and Gallagher's running around.

When Laine, Connor or Ehlers is lying on the ice you may feed different
- jjonah

You can't hit what you can't catch!!!!

I love how we are becoming a skilled squad

"Go back five years and the third line was Glass Slater Thorburn" Makes you wonder how we even won as many games as we did....Can anyone remember our 4th line from then?

Really, jjonah? When 6'4" 210lbs Laine is lying in the ice, even Byfuglien might be in trouble. That'll take one big, mean player to lay out a dude that size. Ehlers can handle himself too, just ask Tyson Barrie about that. Of our guys under age 22 and 6' or less (Ehlers, Morrissey, and Dano), all of them are aggressive and/or don't take crap from other teams. Ehlers dropped the gloves, I watched Dano punch Milan Lucic in the mouth when he got in Dano's face, and Morrissey has a reputation for being a scary open ice hitter. Not concerned at all.

Schiefele/Ehlers/Wheeler
Little/Laine/Armia
Perreault/Connor/Stafford
Copp/Matthias/Thorburn

Extras - Dano/Lowry
Trade bait - Burmistrov

One phone call away - Petan, Lemieux, Tanev, Kosmachuk, Lipon, Howden

To bennythehat

Love it. Only changes I'd make are Copp in the middle (He's a faceoff ace and the team said Matthais would play wing. Matthias was under 45% on the dot as well) and Thorburn an extra with Dano in his place.
Edit* never mind, just figured out you center first thing. Just the Dano/ Thorburn thing.

Most people are really underestimating the need for grit/sand on the roster!

Connor, Laine, Ehlers, Perrault, Little, Scheifele, Stafford, Copp and not much true toughness on the blue line (no we don't want Buff in the box).....

Fighting in the game or not, there are still dirty players and agitators so the Jets cannot be pushed around as teams will test the skill guys!
- jjonah

I agree with you, it's why I'm surprised when people pencil in Copp over Lowry. we definetly need some sandpaper in the lineup. The good news though is that if it does seem to be a problem I could see Lemieux and Lipon get called up as they play this style of game. I also think Foley in the system is a bit of a sand paper bottom 6 guy.

To Rexypoo...

Yes Dano and Thorburn can be changed up depending on the opposition. Of course, all of these lineups that we all love to post, assume that everyone is healthy.

Did Maurice not say the best players will play? Because that would pretty much make Thorburn a 14th forward. People have Copp over Lowry because Lowry is basically what he is at this point. He doesn't have the skill, speed, or top end potential that Copp does. He's also just not as good. This is the same reason I have guys like Dano and Armia higher up than a Matthais or Burmistrov. They're already better players, but the potential is what makes the difference. Armia has shown flashes of top tier skill. Dano has produced very well at the NHL level before (also an advanced stats beast). The best team the Jets can ice is one devoid of players who stick just because they're mean.

Did Maurice not say the best players will play? Because that would pretty much make Thorburn a 14th forward. People have Copp over Lowry because Lowry is basically what he is at this point. He doesn't have the skill, speed, or top end potential that Copp does. He's also just not as good. This is the same reason I have guys like Dano and Armia higher up than a Matthais or Burmistrov. They're already better players, but the potential is what makes the difference. Armia has shown flashes of top tier skill. Dano has produced very well at the NHL level before (also an advanced stats beast). The best team the Jets can ice is one devoid of players who stick just because they're mean.
- Rexypoo

when things dont work out like you are predicting, just be prepaired for a big ol' i told you so, i hope you can admit you were wrong before making excuses.

Its not a prediction. It's me saying what I would do and what Pomo should do. Unfortunately, salary and waiver status makes a difference. Otherwise Stuart and Pavelec would be bought out, Burmi would be moved to a more fitting team, and Lowry would be closer to being sent down than anyone else on the roster.
The team I would love to see:

Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Laine-Little-Stafford(moved at TDL)
Connor-Perreault-Dano
Matthais-Copp-Armia
Lowry-Thorburn

Chairot-Byfuglien
Enstrom-Myers
Morrissey-Postma
Melchiori(last chance)

Hellebuyck
Hutchinson

Call ups: Petan, Tanev, and Kichton.

Pavelec, Dano, Copp, Peluso among the cuts by the Jets......