The Jets are taking a plane soon to Calgary for the first of their last two pre-season games, both against the Flames. Once again it's not a huge issue in regards to the overall future of the team this season but as Paul Maurice answered today about what he wants to see in his young players "Consistency," fans should look for that in regards to the system.
So what is there to see?
Ladd Petan Frolik Kane Scheifele Ehlers Lowry Perreault Halischuk Tangradi Slater Thorburn
Stu Trouba Clitsome Bogo Pardy Ellerby Morrissey
Hutchinson Taylor
The line-up is getting to be a bit more veteran heavy each outing with the trio of Petan, Ehlers and Lowry now getting the bulk of work for prospects. It makes sense and it's what needs to happen if the system changes are going to take hold with this group.
One aspect of tonight that I thin is interesting is adding Ehlers to Kane and Scheifele. This is a kid who is going north-south, east-west and at sometimes in and out on the ice something vastly different from playing with Wheeler and Scheifele. In fact having him is akin to putting a player such as Wellwood or Burmistrov back with Kane- two players he found a lot of success with the first two Jets seasons.
So why not try Petan between them and move Scheifele up with Ladd and Frolik? This is one combo I hope we see tonight at some point as by my eye-test I see Petan as a better puck distributor for Kane than Scheifele. It's not that 55 cannot get Kane the puck but does he possess the hands and vision of Petan- I'm not so sure. Granted it's all but certain Petan is sent back to junior and giving Kane and Scheifele more time to get the chemistry rolling makes sense. But there is the future too.
At what point do the Jets look to maximize the investment in their highest paid forward?
Whether Paul Maurice is aware of Kane's success with his two former teammates is not known but is it worth giving the potential superstar options, more importantly options for him as the coach? I'd say yes, and tonight might be an ideal time, if not the last time to do so.
Which brings about something else to do with Evander Kane- what do fans expect him to do this season?
Today on TSN 1290 it was said again that they expect 'Kane to have a monster year'. I hope he does but I also thought it might be fun to adopt a 'realist' attitude and approach it this way.
Just heard it again so I'm going to play pessimist- what makes people think Evander Kane is going to have a huge year?
— Peter Tessier (@Teddier) October 2, 2014The following are the answers to that question...
@Teddier i would have guess, that its because they have him playing with wheeler and scheifele
— Paul Poirier (@PaulPoirier3) October 2, 2014@Teddier I think he is independently good and doesn't have to rely on others for success like some do
— Ryan Wilson (@GunnerStaal) October 2, 2014@Teddier a new coach who doesn't seem to have issues with him like the last one did, and having real legitimate talent on a line with him.
— Joel VanKoughnet (@JoelVank) October 2, 2014The always-sublime Ryan Blight chimed in:
@Teddier He won't have an Olli Jokinen-shaped anchor hanging around his neck this year...
— Ryan Blight (@arby_18) October 2, 2014@Teddier Pessimist or realist?The predicted 40-50 points is not earth shattering.How many more yrs of potential are we going to talk about ?
— Birdman (@Birdman2403) October 2, 2014@Teddier With Kane what we have seen so far is what we have.Hard hitting, fast skating, miss the net or hit the post most of the time
— Gary Zanewich (@zany57) October 2, 2014Kane simply draws out something harsher from people than other players not named Pavelec. However none of those comments are wrong nor are they entirely right, at least as I see it. The key to Kane's game has always been getting him the puck at the right time and once he lost the puck distribution options he had in years 1 and 2 in Winnipeg production dropped off.
Does that change with having Perreault and an emerging Scheifele? Head coach Paul Maurice recently said of Perreault, "well he's able to play with anyone," when talking about who the new centre fits with. If, and it's a big 'if', Kane is dependant on puck distribution taking a few shifts with Petan at centre is worth a change tonight, at least as it relates to the longterm.
Take a look at where Kane scored his goals from in the last 4 seasons.
The frame below shows last season versus 2010-11 where the total goals were 18 and 19 in each season.
This frame shows 2011-12 and 2012-13
What's interesting to me is that Kane's season last year was disappointing but maybe because he was not allowed to shoot from the centre or right side of the ice. All his goals came from the left side exclusively. Compare it to the previous three seasons including the one where he scored 30 and the trend is obvious. Kane was not getting to the net or the puck at the net nearly enough.
The leftwinger has said he believes he can score 50 goals but he's not going to do it alone. It's to the team's advantage if he does reach that plateau so using a bit of time tonight to see him with a player similar to the ones who helped him tow seasons ago is worth the effort right?