Early game blog here because I will be on the road tomorrow traveling.
The most concerning thing about the loss to Dallas was that after the game Paul Maurice was asked about how his team can come out like Saturday night and then so flat like Monday. I believe the question was asked by Scott Billeck.
Maurice's answer was he did not know. It's these types of quotes, information and performances that has many questioning the team, it's coach and sometimes management. How does that answer come off as not concerning given the season last year, the clear under-performance since the dawn of 2019 and some of the many other underlying issues with the team?
Does "first in the Central' excuse the issues?
The Jets are a good team but they are not as good as last year and when they are not good they are rather worrisome- Monday night was all that, especially coming off Saturday's win. Given that the Jets are now with Kevin Hayes for a month is it time for Maurice to settle into lines and prepare for the post season?
To that idea Troy Westwood tweeted out this idea for forwards.
Eher Scheifele Wheeler Connor Hayes Laine Perreault Little Rsolovic Copp Lowry Tanev
Why not?
Why not run with that until it does not work and if that's a possibility it should start on Thursday agains the Islanders. The other thing that could happen is that the Jets could get Dustin Byfuglien back which would be a welcome relief as the big guy has been skating with the team now.
So given the possibility of Byfuglien returning- who comes out?
Beaulieu? Niku? Kulikov? Chairot?
Given that it's been a Chiarot Byfuglien pairing for some time it seems unlikely that Chiarot will be pulled so out of the other three who do you see as wanting to stay in?
Ideally I'd drop Kulikov and go like this, or switch Niku and Beaulieu.
Beaulieu Trouba Chiarot Byfuglien Niku Myers
Aside from roster decisions what else is there to ponder with the Jets and their two home games left before the final four games of the season on the road? Work on systems? Basically they can't do much and really the only thing to ponder is where the 'on/off' switch is because some one seems to be playing with it behind everyone's back.