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Myers, Morrissey, Vesalainen & Ice Time

November 15, 2018, 7:25 PM ET [24 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Myers, Morrissey, Vesalainen & Ice Time

Well maybe not in that order, so by now almost every one is away of Josh Morrissey's $8400 fine from the Department of Player Safety based on their belief that Morrissey had either interfered or committed unsportsmanlike conduct on his play with TJ Oshie.




At least that's what they said with Mattheson on Florida when he did much more to Elias Patterson. Take a look at the two hits.








So here's the difference, Oshie had not made Morrissey look like a pylon 10 seconds earlier, the play was in the same sequence and Petterson did not wrap his arm around Morrissey. For Morrissey to pull off the wall Oshie had to release and as you can see he did not. Morrissey is not, 'not guilty' because look he didn't do anything to prevent Oshie from hitting the ice. That being said, should Oshie not also have had a penalty for holding onto Morrissey for no reason whatsoever?

The fine seems fair in the sense that Morrissey is not suspended but the bigger issue is because the same event happened with different outcomes- what's right? Leave it to the DoPS to make a mess of consistency but that's what it has done. Either he did the same thing and it's the same penalty or he didn't, but this is a 'sort of' moment. So he gets a 'sort of' fine with what message?

The Capitals had the extra attacker and Morrissey should have simply allowed Oshie to tie him up and keep him out of the play? Is that not interference? Around it goes but don't look for the NHL too clarify anything.

Oh Myers. Oh my.




How many times has a critique of Myers reading a play happened in this space? Too many and this is why he simply cannot read plays well and proves that deficiency over and over again.

News today came that Kristian Vesalainen has used the option in his contract to leave the Jets AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose and go back to Europe. There's probably no coincidence that his rights were traded from the KHL to Jokerit in Finland. Take form this what you want but this kid wants to play and either he's going to do it on his terms or on his terms. This is likely not surprising to many but it is unfortunate as he now loses the benefit of being called up and also learning the NA game with the same system his AHL coach uses as the NHL one.

Last nights game was a bit of a snoozer in terms of events and action but the Jets won. The won the shot battle, the scoring battle, and the game, and while this teams is showing signs of turning the corner to the style of play it showed last year there are still curious situation like ice time.

Perreault- 9:24 total and 8:33 at 5v5
Roslovic- 5:52 total and the same
Petan- 4:21 total and the same

While Petan and Roslovic will not see special teams in a game that tight can Mathieu Perreault not be used more? The line blender came out again as Paul Maurice tried to jump start his team after a lethargic first period and where did Perreault go? He had time with Little and Connor as well as Petan and Roslovic but when looking at the shift chart it happened all over the place.

Something is not right with the trust issues that Paul Maurice is known to have. Remember how much faith he had in Matt Hendricks last year no matter who the team played or in what situation? One has to wonder is it's only a matter of time before recently acquired Logan Shaw makes an appearance in the same role? Shaw is the kind of gritty 4th line role player Maurice loves simply because he can get frustrated trying to get players to fit into roles they are not suited too. Is Maurice waiting for the chance to have Perreault turn Shaw into threat on the bottom line?

What's clear is that this bottom three, in any combination, is not working the way the coach wants it too- whatever that might be. Rather than recreating the roles and options for the skilled players that exist it appears Maurice will grind them down so he can replace with something he wants. IF you follow anyone from Maurice's days in Carolina they will explain this is part of his tenure, don't ask what comes next.

Given the uptick in play from most of the team and the lethal power play the Jets might be okay for a bit but if they are going to be the dangerous team of last year the coach has to change to make that fourth line work. Now what are the chances of that happening?
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