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Pre-season, the Laine thing, Buff-life |
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The game was far from interesting, in fact it was down right boring. Highlights? Well there weren't many for the Jets unless you consider extended offensive zone pressure and some break out passes as noteworthy. Yes it was that kind of game thankfully there was something else to talk about during it as other than Poolman and Luotu there were far from many highlights.
That 'it' is the article from Finnish media which appeared in a sports publication with an interview with Laine. The kid has issues. At least that's how many Jets fans are taking it and there appears to be little context into what the many translations meant. Credit to Rick Ralph of TSN 1290 who brought this forward.
So Laine's point is that he wants to be given a chance with better line mates and basically usage. Let's read into what that means- drop Wheeler and move Laine up to play with Scheifele and who- Ehlers or Connor?
Through two season 2017-2019 here's what those combinations looked like
Laine Connor Scheifele
CF% 49 FF% 43.24 GF% 50 SF% 40.32 xGF% 36.99 SCF% 37.84 TOI at 5v5 47:52
Laine Ehlers Scheifele
CF% 50 FF% 49.18 GF% 50 SF% 47.73 xGF% 49.46 SCF% 59.38 TOI at 5v5 40:18
What about a variable though?
Perreault Little Laine
CF% 53.13% FF% 50.92 GF% 60 SF% 51.69 xGF% 54.90 SCF% 55.10 TOI at 5v5 107:58
Where the comments with Laine become hard is he may not even understand what works for him, but in fairness maybe the coaches don't either. This is why some hard scouting on past film with the various combinations needs to be done and perhaps with Laine so he can learn too as this is not all some one else's fault. Laine may be a generation shooting talent, and is adept at handling he puck in ways few are but there are issues with his game. His reads, his positioning, his speed and his physical play. Many of those things were said about Scheifele too and he worked on them, Laine needs to do the same.
However the team needs to see where the best options for success is to use his talent as does Laine- it's not simply give me the top line with Scheifele. He gets first unit PP minutes and has been out as much as anyone to ties games up when down a goal. He gets his chances, but what is holding him back is likely much different than what the coach sees and that needs to be bridged.
However there are roster changes coming and perhaps this combination needs some review.
Ehlers Copp Laine
CF% 59 FF% 58.11 GF% 62.5 SF% 58.18 xGF% 54.91 SCF% 60.98 TOI at 5v5 56:10.
There are combination and tools to use but Laine has to be here to try them and he may not understand what works best until he gets here.
As for Buff the most obvious rumour about his leave from the team was all but confirmed when Bob MacKenzie tweeted that it might be about him considering his love to play and possibly retiring- you all saw the tweet. This immediately became the confirmed speculated reason by many local scribes. It's not a shock at the news but that the reality of it happening is, well very real.
A defence without Buff would be a knife to the heart for the Jets and their fans. He has been anchor on this team and basically the most popular Jet since the Thrasher arrived in Winnipeg. No one will forget his hit on the first pre-season game in 2011 to set the stage. If his departure becomes permanent the Jets will have lost the entire right side of their defence from last season. Trouba, Myers and now Buff possibly being gone, that is an utter catastrophe but there could be solutions.
Without Buff on the roster and neither Laine or Connor signed the Jets are below the salary cap and they will need defense and soon. The salary space opens up possibilities and depending on the player would the Jets be open to trading the 2020 first right now to fill that very large hole?
What about offer sheets to force a trade? They could use the cap space to go after a Point or Tkachuk but is that even likely? Would there be strategy to force a trade? Calgary has cap issues too and the Jets have space. They could make the offer to take back some players to help calgary afford Tkachuk could that be done elsewhere?
It won't be easy for Cheveldayoff, he's not going to find anyone looking to help him at this point but he might find a team that still needs to sort out their own issues and there are couple. Weaponize the cap space, use this as a reset point as the Jets are still holding many good pieces at a young age and make a shrewd deal. That's the objective.
Before the off-season started many said it would be the Summer of Chevy. With three days left before the autumn solstice and temperatures soaring in Winnipeg it looks like summer really just started for Chevy as now he has another major problem to figure out.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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