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Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-start-season-with-familiar-special- teams-woes-451167023.html?k=U9WcHs

Jets seek more from special teams Working on scoring with man advantage

By: Mike McIntyre

They spent much of the off-season talking about the need to improve their special teams if they want to be a legitimate playoff contender.

But the power play and kill have come limping out of the gate for the Jets. While they’ve managed to string together a 3-2-0 start — thanks mainly to some strong five-on- five play and some stellar goaltending the last three games, all wins — they’re certainly playing with fire if things don’t improve.

The Jets are currently second-worst in the NHL when short-handed, killing off 71.4 per cent of all penalties (15 for 21). Their power play isn’t much better, going just 2-for-19 so far. The 10.5 per cent success rate is 23rd overall in the league.

"We can do everything a little faster, not force too many things. Try and just get the pucks to the net, get some traffic and just put it in from there," forward said Monday of the power play. "When we try and do too much, that’s when it’s not working. So we’re going to have to try and just play simple and get pucks to the net."

The Jets now face the additional hurdle of losing forward Mathieu Perreault for an extended period time. He’s a big part of the power play. But his linemate, Bryan Little, believes improvement is coming even if the statistics haven’t shown it yet.

"So far, even when we haven’t been scoring, we’ve been getting a lot of good chances and moving the puck around really well, which for long points of the stretch last year, we (had a tough time) even getting the puck set up, let alone moving it around and getting chances," said Little. "I like what I see. I think it’s just a matter of time before we get some luck around the net."

Head coach has been tinkering with his special teams, including using offensive players such as and to kill penalties. The original plan was to give most of that work to bottom-six forwards, but surrendering four power-play goals in the first two games prompted changes.

"I’m confident with the direction the PK is going. There was a pretty major shift," Maurice said Monday. "It’s a tradeoff. I know when I’m running those guys to kill penalties they don’t have quite the same jump on the power play. We gotta get our PK down. We gave up four in the first two games, which is unacceptable."

Matt Hendricks has yet to play in the regular season due to injury, and he’s expected to be a key penalty killer this year. Maurice is hopeful that giving up only two short-handed goals in the past three games is a sign the Jets are trending in the right direction.

As for the power play, Maurice said it’s about getting more pucks to the net. Much of Monday’s practice was spent working on that. Missing Dustin Byfuglien for two of the first five games, and net-front presence Adam Lowry for the last game, didn’t help, either.

"There’s lots of things. At the end of it I’ll just say that we started to move the puck an awful lot slower on the power play than we did, and that was the focus (Monday), getting back to that speed," said Maurice.

In addition to their not-so-special teams, Winnipeg is also functioning right now with almost nothing in the way of bottom-six scoring.

A short-handed by and a short-handed assist by Andrew Copp are the only points accumulated by bottom-six forwards so far this season.

Lowry, Shawn Matthias, Marko Dano, Joel Armia and Nic Petan are all still looking for their first contributions to the scoresheet.

"Defence is an important, critical piece to what we’re doing. But we still think we can score an awful lot of goals. For, let’s say the bottom-six guys, they need to find a way to play a game that’s slightly different than the top six. Get pucks to the net," said Maurice. "We’re working on getting the other two lines to do that as well. But they’re not going to snap it around the same way, they’re not going to generate the same kind of offence. Those guys gotta get to a pretty meat-and-potatoes style of hockey and get pucks to the net." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/perreaults-pain-is-young-star-connors- gain-451193483.html

Perreault's pain is young star Connor's gain Injury bug bites Jets

By: Mike McIntyre

Mathieu Perreault’s latest bad break represents a golden opportunity for .

The skilled young forward was called up Monday from the Moose to replace Perreault in the lineup.

Perreault suffered a lower-body injury while blocking a late in the second period of Saturday night’s game against the and is expected to miss up to a month. It’s yet another blow for Perreault, who can’t seem to stay healthy for an extended period of time.

Connor, 20, will step right into the lineup by taking Perreault’s spot on a line with Bryan Little and Patrik Laine.

"They’re both really great players. I think I can bring some speed to the table and I think our playmaking ability, I think we can all move the puck around and have the ability to finish. It’s going to be exciting and I’m looking forward to it," Connor said following Monday’s Jets practice.

Connor, 20, has three goals and two assists in four games with the Moose this season. He skated in 20 games with the Jets last season, putting up two goals and three assists.

"It’s been good. I’ve thought I’ve been playing well, I’ve been skating well down there. As a team, too, I think we’ve been playing good hockey, so that helps everybody," Connor said.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said losing Perreault — a player he called part of the "fabric of the team" — to injury once again is a product of how hard he plays the game.

"We really need what he brings because he finds a way to get on the puck, knock things down, keep it there," Maurice said. "But we’ve got some young guys that are playing in the minors that maybe two years ago would have started here. So they come with a little more bite and a little more determination they didn’t get handed a job. So we think we have the pieces here to survive an injury like this."

The first opportunity goes to Connor.

"Now he gets a chance. And it’s a top-six chance and he’s going to have to work really hard to keep that. We’ve got other players there that want that opportunity, too. So he has to perform," said Maurice. "He doesn’t have to put pucks in the net. He has to show that he’s getting chances, but that’s not the big one. He’s going to play on that line, you’re drawing the other team’s better players, you’re drawing the other team’s better defence. So he needs to be able to play at that level."

Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov was absent from practice Monday after taking a big hit Saturday and leaving the game early. Maurice said he could miss up to two weeks. Rookie is expected to take his spot in the lineup. Ben Chiarot is also an option, having yet to appear in a game this season.

Third-line centre Adam Lowry was also held out of practice after missing Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury. He won’t be available for tonight’s home game against the but could be ready for Friday’s game against the visiting , said Maurice.

Centre Matt Hendricks skated Monday in a yellow non-contact jersey and could be available by the end of the week. He is still working his way back from a lower-body injury suffered during the pre-season.

● ● ●

He’s one of the hottest goaltenders in the league but Connor Hellebuyck will be parked on the bench for tonight’s game against Columbus.

Steve Mason will get the start against the team that drafted him, looking to bounce back from two rough outings to begin his tenure with the Jets after signing a two-year deal that pays him US$4.1 million per season.

"The guy’s a good goaltender and based on our schedule we can’t leave him out any longer. I don’t want to. I want him back in the net," Maurice said Monday.

Mason was pulled in the Jets’ home opener against the Maple Leafs after giving up five goals, then was on the wrong end of a 6-3 game against the Flames in a few nights later.

Hellebuyck started the last three games, going 3-0 and stopping 95 of the 100 shots he faced.

After Friday’s game against the Wild, the Jets will have five days off until they play back-to-back games in Columbus and Pittsburgh.

● ● ●

Nikolaj Ehlers is opening plenty of eyes around the NHL these days and the league has taken notice, naming the flashy Jets forward as the league’s first star of the week.

Ehlers, 20, had five goals and two assists in three games last week, which were all wins for the Jets.

"It’s pretty cool. It’s something I can be proud of. But it’s only one week. We have many weeks to go. So I want to try and keep this going, keep getting better. The team has been doing well the past three games, so it definitely feels good and is something I can be proud of," Ehlers said Monday.

He’s formed a terrific top-line trio with captain Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, which Maurice said may be the fastest line in the league.

"Confident player right now, big smile on his face when he’s playing the game, that’s usually when he’s at his best.

"And that line has had some moments of really powerful hockey," said Maurice.

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/16/jets-call-up-connor-from-moose

Jets call up Connor from Moose Perreault out for a month after being hurt against the Hurricanes

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

The Winnipeg Jets' three-game win streak has been smacked with a dose of adversity.

Second-line winger Mathieu Perreault is out some four weeks after he was hurt blocking a shot in Saturday's 2-1 win over Carolina.

Unlike in their first couple of years, the Jets can replace Perreault's talent, as 2015 first-round draft pick Kyle Connor makes the quick trip up the hall from the AHL's .

But Perreault is more than just a tenacious skater with a crafty stick and soft set of hands.

“Matty's kind of crept into the fabric of the team,” head coach Paul Maurice said as the Jets returned to practice, Monday. “We need what he brings, because he finds a way to get on the puck, knock things down, keep it there. An important piece to that second power play unit.”

The very way Perreault got hurt, blocking a shot, speaks volumes about his value.

“It's tough to replace a guy like that,” his centre, Bryan Little, said. “I enjoy playing with him and how hard he works... he's going to be missed.”

It's not like being without Perreault is new territory, though.

In five full NHL seasons, not counting the lockout year – the last three with the Jets -- Perreault has never played more than 71 games.

Usually, he's between 60 and 70. Last year he played 65.

That's either an extended run of bad luck, or simply a product of the way he plays.

“He took one for the team,” Nik Ehlers said of Perreault's latest trip to sick bay. “It was a shot that was going for the net. He plays so hard. He gets down in the corners. It's everything. Tries to get every shot blocked. And just works his butt off every single game.”

The Jets can't expect the same combination of offence, tenacity and veteran savvy from Connor, but he'll give it a go, beginning Tuesday, at home against Columbus.

“We’ve got some young guys that are playing in the minors that maybe two years ago would have started here,” Maurice said. “So they come with a little more bite and a little more determination. They didn’t get handed a job.

“So we think we have the pieces here to survive an injury like this.”

After a pre-season that can best be described as mediocre, the 20-year-old Connor scored three goals and five points in his first four games down on the farm.

“He did it the right way,” Maurice said. “I would think he was very disappointed, as they all are. But turns around and now he gets a chance. And it’s a top-six chance and he’s going to have to work really hard to keep that.

“We’ve got other players there that want that opportunity, too. So he has to perform.”

Not sulking after a demotion is always a good start.

“It wasn’t a goal of mine,” Connor said of starting the season in the AHL. “But it happens for a reason and you can’t dwell on it.

Three goals in four games, even in the minors, has to help ease the sting.

“I think if you score at any level it gives you a boost of confidence,” Connor said. “So even there, it definitely helps.”

Five pounds heavier than last season, at 182, Connor brings one thing to his line that Little and Patrik Laine simply don't have.

“Speed,” Maurice said. “That's the big piece he can add to that line. Patrik's such a great shooter. Bryan's a really quick player. What Perreault did well, he got in and he got on it... and Kyle should be able to add that.”

He also adds some wet-behind-the-ears, giving Little wingers that are 19 and 20.

The centre downplayed any added responsibility he'll have to take on, but you can bet his coach will be relying on him to keep the kids locked into Job 1, which is defence, despite all their offensive skills.

“And that’s why Bryan in some ways is the right guy,” Maurice said. “An easier way just to balance it out would have been to move Nik Ehlers to that line... but I just can’t. I wouldn’t want to take that (first line) apart right now, that line’s been so dominant. So Bryan’s played with young players and Bryan wants it. He’s just a good pro, a smart pro.”

And one who's beyond simply looking to pad his stats.

“I’m glad he’s got a long-term deal, to be honest with you,” Maurice said. “So he’s not thinking about driving numbers, he’s thinking about winning hockey games. He’s the right guy to work with those two kids.”

Taking one for the team

Hockey players are encouraged to block shots, take one for the team, as they say.

But how do you convince them it's still a good idea if they see a teammate go down doing that very thing?

Jets coach Paul Maurice fielded that question, Monday, after delivering news that Mathieu Perreault was out four weeks with a leg injury.

“Well there’s a funny story about how that shot had to get blocked,” Maurice began. “So control that puck maybe in the offensive zone and we’re not blocking shots in our own.”

A check of the video of Saturday's game against Carolina shows Perreault made a bad pass on an offensive rush earlier on the same shift that he got hurt.

The Hurricanes got a scoring chance off the turnover, and kept the play in the Jets zone for a full minute.

An exhausted Perreault couldn't get the puck out, finally dropping to block a point shot that went off his knee, costing him a month of the season.

The play happened late in the second period of the Jets' 2-1 win. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/16/mason-gets-another-chance-in-jets-net

Mason gets another chance in Jets net

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

He's oh-oh-for-two, his team on a three-game win streak without him.

But Winnipeg Jets goalie Steve Mason will lug his bloated statistics into the crease for Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“You want to play every game, but right now the team's been on a roll,” Mason said of his tenure on the bench. “So you work hard in practice and make sure that when you get an opportunity you're as ready as can be.”

Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice says he's going with Mason over the undefeated Connor Hellebuyck because he doesn't think the veteran has played that poorly and he doesn't want him inactive for too long.

The Jets' next game is Friday, followed by a five-day break without one.

“His game, in the second game, there were outstanding saves -- he played well,” Maurice said. “I don’t think we judged our goaltender by how he played in those two games as being the deciding factor for us. The guy’s a good goaltender.

“And based on our schedule we can’t leave him out any longer. I don’t want to. I want him back in the net.”

Signed as a free agent in the summer -- his two-year deal pays him $4.1 million per season, nearly double the salary of Hellebuyck -- Mason has a 6.53 goals-against-average and .831 save percentage in two games, 7-2 and 6-3 losses.

His numbers coincide with his team's early defensive lapses, something the Jets have gone a long way to clearing up since Hellebuyck got the net.

“We've definitely started trending in the right direction,” Mason said. “Anytime there's less running around in our own zone and things are more contained and controlled, it simplifies things. We've done a good job of that, recently.”

Nobody seems to be pretending three games means they've got it figured out, though.

“We’re always trying to get better defensively and help our goalies out a bit more,” Bryan Little said. “We can’t rely on Helle to have unbelievable games for us every night.”

Mason, meanwhile, has tried to find his game in practice, which he acknowledged isn't quite like live action.

Tuesday will mark 10 days since his last game.

“There's a fine line,” he said, of how long is too long to sit. “But at the end of the day, that's up to Paul to manage that. And he's got a pretty good feel for things.”

SICK BAY UPDATE While Mathieu Perreault's injury got most of the attention, Maurice also revealed defenceman Dmitry Kulikov is expected to be out no more than two weeks.

That news caused fewer ripples, probably because the Jets already had a trusted replacement waiting in the wings, in 24-year-old rookie Tucker Poolman.

Poolman is expected to slide right into Kulikov's place on the left side, next to Tyler Myers.

Poolman played two games when Dustin Byfuglien was sidelined, averaging more than 14 minutes of ice time in two wins.

As for third-line centre Adam Lowry, Maurice said he'll likely miss one more game, possibly two.

The coach had a similar time line for forward Adam Hendricks, who's been hurt since the end of the pre-season.

THE GREAT DANE Nik Ehlers has lead the Jets offensively, with five goals and a pair of assists during their three- game win streak.

That was enough to be named the NHL's first star of the week.

“It's pretty cool,” Ehlers said. “But it's only one week. We have many weeks to go. So I want to try and keep this going, keep getting better. The team has been doing well the past three games, so it definitely feels good and is something I can be proud of.”

Playing on a line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, Ehlers' seven points leads the team.

“My start wasn't good,” Ehlers said. “But the last three games I've taken a step from the first two. I've played more the game that I played in the pre-season, which I was happy with. I've been playing simple, fast, hard, getting pucks to the net. And the guys I'm playing with are doing pretty well, too.”

It took Ehlers 31 games, until Dec. 10, to get five goals last season.

“Like the rest of the hockey team, the first two he didn’t look anything like the training camp he had,” Maurice said. “He got right back on it. Confident player right now, big smile on his face when he’s playing the game -- that’s usually when he’s at his best.”

STILL NOT SPECIAL While improving their special teams was a priority, the stats suggest the Jets haven't: they rank 29th on the penalty kill, 23rd on the power play.

“I completely changed the way we run the bench on our penalty kill when I started to use Scheifele and Wheeler and players I hadn’t wanted to,” Maurice said. “But with the injuries we had to Hendricks and then Lowry, we’ve needed to. It’s a trade off. When I’m running those guys to kill penalties they don’t have quite the same jump on the power play.

“We gotta get our PK down... we’re trending in the right direction.”

HELP FROM BELOW The fact the Jets have yet to get an even-strength goal from their bottom two lines is not lost on Maurice.

“That was the theme of today,” the coach said of practice. “Those guys gotta get to a pretty meat and potatoes style of hockey and get pucks to the net.” http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/16/jets-vs-blue-jackets

Winnipeg Jets vs Columbus Blue Jackets

7 p.m., Bell-MTS Place; TV: TSN-3; Radio: TSN 1290

THE BIG MATCHUP

The Big-3 vs the Columbus D No doubt Blue Jackets coach will try to get his top defensive pairing of and out against the Jets' top line of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Nik Ehlers. Winnipeg's Big-3 have been a handful for most teams so far, and can tilt the ice in the Jets' favour almost singlehandedly.

KEYS TO THE GAME

More solid goaltending Steve Mason gets the call, and he'll have to provide a similar steadying influence as Connor Hellebuyck has the last three games. The Jets seem to feed off that and don't get rattled the way they did in Mason's two starts, 7-2 and 6-3 losses to Toronto and Calgary, respectively.

Bottom-six scoring Winnipeg still doesn't have a single, even-strength point from its third and fourth lines, combined. People like Shawn Matthias, who's had a bunch of chances, and the talented Nic Petan have to start contributing on the stats sheet, because two lines can't carry any team.

Work from the farmhand Kyle Connor comes up from the AHL to fill in for the injured Mathieu Perreault, and he's best to keep it simple and clean instead of trying to score a hat trick to prove he belongs. There's no easier way for a rookie to lose a coach's confidence than by making defensive mistakes or turnovers. As Paul Maurice said, there are others down on the farm waiting for their chance, too.

Foot on the gas The 4-1 Blue Jackets have been starting slow and finishing fast, so an early lead could mean little if the Jets don't finish. Columbus came back from a pair of two-goal deficits to beat Minnesota in , Saturday, their second extra-time win of the season.

Stay out of the box The Blue Jackets' power play isn't exactly humming along through five games, but neither is the Jets penalty kill. With Mason trying to regain his feet in goal, limiting Columbus to a couple of man-advantage situations is probably a good idea for the Jets.

The Athletic Winnipeg https://theathletic.com//129042/2017/10/16/the-huge-disparity-between-jets-top-six-and-bottom- six-forwards-is-holding-the-team-back/?redirected=1

The huge disparity between Jets' top six and bottom six forwards is holding the team back

By Murat Ates

Paul Maurice has made his plans for Winnipeg’s forwards known from the first day of camp.

“They're all good players,” Paul Maurice said way back in September. “How they fit becomes more important, and what else do they do besides sit on the bench and play the odd five-on-five shift. Can they jump in and help you on the power play or can they kill penalties? That's a really important piece.”

In short: if you play forward for the Winnipeg Jets and your name is not Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Mathieu Perreault, Bryan Little, or Patrik Laine, you are a role player.

In an age where the distinction between top and bottom six forwards is becoming increasingly blurred, Maurice has stayed firm – his actions consistent with his words.

Here are Winnipeg’s forwards sorted by even strength time on ice per game so far this season.

Are you surprised? Of course not.

You know Maurice writes down his lines and then he plays them as written. Without fail, some combination of Scheifele/Wheeler/Ehlers/Little/Perreault/Laine become Winnipeg’s first and second lines, Lowry centres the third, and the rest of the forwards get mixed up as Maurice sees fit. This is the formula and you know it well.

But does it work?

At the end of training camp, we discussed Kyle Connor’s demotion and I described Winnipeg’s dependence on its top six forwards. In short, last season there was a huge difference in results between Winnipeg’s top two lines and the rest of their forwards. The Jets’ top sixwas very good, their bottom six was very bad, and the sum of those parts was good to place Winnipeg 27th in 5-on-5 shot attempts.

Given that Maurice has yet to change his ways, today we’ll explore this disparity in a little more detail.

How meaningful is the disparity between Winnipeg’s two lines and its depth?

Exactly how substantial of a role do Winnipeg’s depth players play compared to other NHL teams?

And, most importantly: what can Winnipeg do to improve its results as a team?

Part I: Every Jets Game is Secretly Two Games in Disguise

The first thing I want to do is establish that there is, in fact, a difference in results between Winnipeg’s top six forwards and the rest of its team.

To accomplish this, I sorted every 2016-2017 NHL team’s forwards by 5-on-5 ice time per game and used this to establish Top 6 vs. Depth Forwards for each team.

Selection criteria: Forwards in this data set needed to play more than 200 5-on-5 minutes and at least 20 games for their team. “Top 6” refers to only the six most used forwards (EV TOI/game). “Depth” refers to everybody else who met my selection criteria – IE anywhere from seven to 11 more forwards, depending on the team.

Here are last season’s teams sorted by Top 6 Shot Attempt % at 5-on-5:

Winnipeg is tied for 14th and shown 16th from the left – they’re a middle-of-the-pack team by this metric.

It’s interesting to look at where other teams rank. Notice that while teams that did well in the standings are generally on the left of this chart, this isn’t always the case. In fact, four of the NHL’s top five teams (Pittsburgh, Chicago, Columbus, and Minnesota) rank behind Winnipeg. Even Washington, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last season places ninth on this chart.

Clearly your Top 6 doesn’t have to lead the league in Shot Attempts % to win games. Pittsburgh’s use of a Top 9 is well known. Have you read Tyler Dellow’s 16 Questions About the Eastern Conference? If not, have a look at what Columbus did with its fourth line last season – the results are impressive.

Let’s also look at the same chart sorted by Depth Forwards Shot Attempts %:

Winnipeg falls way off the pack here – all of the way to 24th – while all five of the league’s best teams rank inside the top 13. Depth matters and, based on appearances here, Winnipeg doesn’t have it.

One more chart before more discussion – here are last teams sorted by the size of the difference between their Top 6 SAT % and Depth Forwards SAT %:

This illustrates the size of the gap between Winnipeg’s Top 6 and its Depth Forwards – it’s a big one. But what do the teams who lead this chart have in common?

Looking at the top 10 teams, the answers are mixed. •Massive overreliance on one or two players. This applies to (McDavid/Draisaitl), the Islanders (Tavares), Detroit (primarily Zetterberg, but also Tatar/Nyquist), and Colorado (MacKinnon/Landeskog). •Being a legitimately very good team. This applies to Boston (Top 6 ranked 1/30, Depth ranked 3rd), Nashville (Top 6 ranked 3/30, Depth ranked 12th), •Having similar problems to Winnipeg – a decent Top 6 and a weak bottom end. In this case, Florida (Top 6 ranked 5/30, Depth ranked 18th) and Calgary (6/30 and 17th) keep Winnipeg company. •Finally, one of these teams makes it into the top 10 through a surprising devotion to playing grit throughout the bottom six (Anaheim, I’m looking at you.)

Clearly, winning requires the best results total – the teams with the smallest differences between top 6 and Depth are also mixed between great depth (Washington is a great example) and teams that were simply awful from top to bottom (Buffalo, Arizona, .)

For our purposes, then, the point isn’t that Winnipeg needs to close the gap between its Top 6 and depth – it’s that it needs both of them to be better.

If the Top 6 is average and the Depth is bad, why do “both” need to improve?

When you start zooming into why Winnipeg’s Top 6 looks so good and its bottom six look so bad, things get interesting.

Above, I showed that Maurice religiously prioritizes ice time in favour of the same six skaters: Ehlers, Scheifele, Wheeler, Perreault, Little, and Laine. Let me follow that up by showing you the other stats categories that these players dominate:

Corsi:

Note: Matt Hendricks’ numbers here and in the charts that follow are from his time as an Edmonton Oiler.

Everything is as expected. Winnipeg’s Top 6 leads CF% in order, with the only exception being Patrik Laine, an 18-year-old rookie. Wheeler is especially impressive.

Conclusion: Winnipeg’s Top 6 is good! Its Depth Forwards are bad!

Quality of Competition:

Interesting. Over the course of a full season, Maurice uses his Top 6 power vs. power. Some of this is unavoidable (if only because they play the most often) but the distinction is clear.

Conclusion: Winnipeg’s Top 6 is very good! Its Depth Forwards are very bad!

Zone Start:

With the caveat that 55 percent is not particularly severe, look how Winnipeg’s Top 6 forwards lead the team in Offensive Zone Start %.

Of course they do. These players are Winnipeg’s most dangerous weapons, plus an offensively minded rookie in Nic Petan. I like that Laine leads the way and I would also argue that this is good strategy going forward assuming Maurice keeps his lines as they are. Finally, I’ve heard criticism of how Maurice handled Petan last year and, to be honest, I don’t mind the sheltering one bit.

Conclusion: Winnipeg’s Top 6 and its Depth Forwards are good and bad in part because of the type of ice time they are given.

Part I Summary:

In any given Jets game, there are actually two games at play: Winnipeg’s best forwards vs. their opposition’s best forwards, with slightly favourable zone starts – which Winnipeg wins – and Winnipeg’s worst forwards vs. their opposition’s worst forwards, with unfavourable zone starts – which Winnipeg loses.

As such, a very important part of what you think about Winnipeg’s Top 6 vs. its Depth Forwards at this point will be the relative importance you place on Zone Starts vs. Quality of Competition.

(For deep dives on the overall importance of Zone Starts, look at this research by Matt Cane at plusplusplus.com or this article that Eric Tulsky wrote at NHL Numbers. They come to slightly different conclusions; an oversimplified takeaway may be that Zone Starts matter a little and matter the most at the extremes.)

NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-now-ehlers-on-quick-start/t-277350912/c-53558203 (VIDEO LINK)

NHL Now: Ehlers on quick start

Nikolaj Ehlers joins NHL Now to talk about the Winnipeg Jets forward being named the number one star of the week https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-jets-kyle-connor-expected-to-make-season-debut- tuesday/c-291980286

Connor gets chance in Jets' top six with injury to Perreault 20-year-old forward to skate on second line with Little, Laine against Blue Jackets on Tuesday by Scott Billeck / NHL.com Correspondent

WINNIPEG -- Forward Kyle Connor is expected to make his season debut in a top-six role for the Winnipeg Jets against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-O, NHL.TV).

Connor was recalled from Manitoba of the on Monday after the Jets placed forward Mathieu Perreault on injured reserve.

Perreault sustained a lower-body injury in a 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

"It's a great opportunity every time you step on the ice," Connor said after practice at Bell MTS Iceplex on Monday. "Every shift, you have to go out there and prove yourself and play the best you can.

"It's always exciting [getting back into the lineup] and, for me, just trying to play the same game I've been playing since the start of the year."

Connor had five points (three goals, two assists) in four games for Manitoba.

The 20-year-old, selected in the first round (No. 17) of the 2015 NHL Draft, was among Winnipeg's final cuts at the end of training camp.

"It wasn't a goal of mine, but it happens for a reason and you can't dwell on it," Connor said about being sent down to the AHL. "You have to look forward and try to improve."

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Connor responded well after his demotion.

"I think he went down and played hard, practiced hard," Maurice said. "I talked to [Manitoba coach ] just about every day about where those guys are at. So he did it the right way.

"I would think he was very disappointed, as they all are. But [he] turns around and now he gets a chance. And it's a top-six chance and he's going to have to work really hard to keep that. We've got other players there that want that opportunity too. So he has to perform. He doesn't have to put pucks in the net. He has to show that he's getting chances, but that's not the big one. He's going to play on that line, you're drawing the other team's better players, you're drawing the other team's better defense. So he needs to be able to play at that level."

Connor will skate at left wing on the second line with center Bryan Little and right wing Patrik Laine.

"They're both really great players," Connor said. "I think I can bring some speed to the table and I think our playmaking ability, I think we can all move the puck around and have the ability to finish. It's going to be exciting and I'm looking forward to it."

Maurice is looking to replace speed with speed on Winnipeg's second line in Perreault's absence, a role he said Connor can fit seamlessly.

"That's the big piece he can add to that line," Maurice said. "Patrik's such a great shooter, Bryan's a really quick player. What Perreault did well is he got in and he got on it. He was quick enough to get in there to create some offensive zone time and allow those guys time to do the things they do well. And Kyle should be able to add that."

Connor had five points (two goals, three assists) in 20 games for the Jets last season. He was sent down on Dec. 9 and recalled for Winnipeg's final game on April 8, when he scored in a 2-1 win against the St. Louis Blues.

Sporting News http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/nhl-first-star-of-week-honors-something-proud-of-for- winnipeg-jets-nikolaj-ehlers-hat-trick/x2dltwgc2cin1l2qfb9qjmvwd

First star honors 'something to be proud of' for Jets' Ehlers

By Scott Billeck

Being named the NHL’s top player over the past seven days wasn’t at the forefront of Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers' mind at the beginning of last week.

Instead, the 21-year-old was still wondering where he misplaced his offence and why his team had just suffered two embarrassing defeats, while seemingly losing sight of successes they found, at least offensively, during their preseason schedule.

“My start (to the regular season) wasn't good,” Ehlers said on Monday at Bell MTS Iceplex. “But the last three games I've taken a step from the first two. I've played more the game that I played in the pre-season, which I was happy with. I've been playing simple, fast, hard, getting pucks to the net. And the guys I'm playing with are doing pretty well, too.”

Indeed, just before practice began for the Jets, Ehlers was named the NHL’s first star of the week, an honour saved for a player who exceeds all others. And Ehlers certainly did that over the past seven days.

With two forgettable games under his belt, Ehlers found his rhythm in a 5-2 win over the a week ago. Ehlers scored a natural hat trick and added an assist to help the Jets to their first win of the season after a dismal 0-2-0 start.

It was a sign of things to come for Ehlers.

He would net two more goals in as many games, including the game-deciding tally in a 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, giving him five goals, two assists and a pair of game-winners in the three-game span.

“It's pretty cool. It's something I can be proud of,” Ehlers said. “But it's only one week. We have many weeks to go. So I want to try and keep this going, keep getting better. The team has been doing well the past three games, so it definitely feels good and is something I can be proud of.”

The same can be said for the Jets and their current three-game winning streak, with Ehlers’ play becoming symbolic of how the team rebooted itself.

“Our first two games are forgotten, but those were not very good,” Ehlers said. “That's not the way we played in pre-season. That's not the way we wanted to start off the year. And it wasn't the Winnipeg Jets. We got together and we knew what we had to do. We've gotten it done the past three games and it's something we want to keep doing.”

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said he sees a confident player when he looks at Ehlers.

“Happy for him. He had a great training camp,” Maurice said. “And he, like the rest of the hockey team, the first two he didn’t look anything like the training camp he had. He got right back on it. Confident player right now, big smile on his face when he’s playing the game, that’s usually when he’s at his best. And that line has had some moments of really powerful hockey.”

As for his teammates, well they’re just enjoying the ride.

"It’s really fun to watch him right now,” Bryan Little said. “I think it’s some of the best hockey he’s played in his career so far. I think he’s just getting started. The potential he has, the speed when he has the puck, he’s going to be a really big player for us. I think he’s starting to show how good he is.”

Global Winnipeg https://globalnews.ca/news/3805607/winnipeg-jets-place-mathieu-perreault-on-injured-reserve/

Winnipeg Jets place Mathieu Perreault on injured reserve

By Mitch Rosset and Russ Hobson

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets will be without Mathieu Perreault for the foreseeable future.

The forward was put on injured reserve Monday morning. Perreault was hurt during the Jets’ 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Perreault has a goal and two assists in five games this season. As per NHL rules, a player placed on injured reserve can’t suit up in a game for a minimum of seven days but Perreault is expected to be out up to four weeks.

“He’s gonna be missed.” Jets forward Bryan Little said. “It’s tough. He’s been playing well for us lately and it’s tough to replace a guy like that.”

To fill the void, the Jets called up forward Kyle Connor from the Manitoba Moose. In four AHL games this year, the 2015 first-round draft pick has three goals and two assists.

“It’s a good opportunity every time you step on the ice.” Connor said. “I thought I’ve been playing well, skating well down there.” Connor is expected to start on the Jets second line playing alongside Patrik Laine and Bryan Little.

“Speed. That’s the big piece that he can add to that line.” Maurice said. “Patrik is such a great shooter. Bryan’s a really quick player. What Perreault did well was, he got in and he got on it. He was quick enough to get in there and create some offensive zone time and allow those guys to do the things they do well and Kyle should be able to add that.”

Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov was also injured in the Jets’ win over the Hurricanes and could miss up to two weeks. The Jets continue a three game homestand on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

NBC Sports http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/10/16/with-perreault-out-four-weeks-jets-call-on-prospect-kyle- connor/

With Perreault out four weeks, Jets call on prospect Kyle Connor

By Cam Tucker

Kyle Connor has been a scorer just about everywhere he has played — the USHL, the University of Michigan, and the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League.

He’s only had a brief taste of life in the NHL, playing 20 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season, scoring two goals and five points.

The 2015 first-round pick hasn’t yet experienced the same success at the NHL level, although he’s about to get another opportunity with the Jets after getting recalled on Monday. The move comes after Winnipeg placed Mathieu Perreault on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss up to four weeks.

Perreault has yet to play a full 82-game schedule with the Jets because of injuries, but he’s been an important player when available, with consistent production and strong possession numbers. That said, the 20-year-old Connor is a promising prospect with the potential for significant upside, especially considering the role he should find himself in.

Per NHL.com on Monday, Connor skated on the wing with Bryan Little and sophomore scorer Patrik Laine. That, it would appear, is Winnipeg’s second line, which gives them a difficult top- six group of forwards — the top line consisting of the red-hot Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler — for the opposition to face.

“Speed. That’s the big piece that he can add to that line,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “Patrik’s such a great shooter. Bryan’s a really quick player. What Perreault did well was he got in and he got on it. He was quick enough to get in there to create some offensive zone time and allow those guys to do the things they do well and Kyle should be able to add that.”

The Jets have won three in a row, with Connor Hellebuyck giving them a trio of impressive performances in net. They host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, although according to Sara Orlesky of TSN, Steve Mason is expected to get the start.

TSN.ca http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/ehlers-continues-to-impress~1232963 (VIDEO LINK)

Ehlers continues to impress

Much like the rest of his team, it wasn't a great first couple of games to start the season for Nik Ehlers. But confidence has been growing over the last week for the third-year Jet, who now boasts a team-leading five goals and seven points. Sara Orlesky has more.

Sportsnet.ca http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jets-ehlers-really-fun-watch-right-now/ (VIDEO LINK)

JETS’ EHLERS REALLY FUN TO WATCH RIGHT NOW

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/beyak-hellebuyck-gobbling-up-rebounds-1.886575

Beyak: Hellebuyck gobbling up rebounds

TSN Jets announcer joins the Afternoon Ride to discuss the Winnipeg Jets starting Steve Mason against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the three-win performance Connor Hellebuyck accumulated, how the Jets will adjust to Mathieu Perreault’s absence, and Dustin Byfuglien’s return. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/lebrun-jets-have-enviable-firepower-but-that-s-not- enough-to-win-1.886567

LeBrun: Jets have enviable firepower, but that’s not enough to win

TSN Hockey insider Pierre LeBrun joins the Afternoon Ride to discuss the Winnipeg Jets in the middle of a three-game win streak, saying the Jets have the scoring talent and know they need to improve their defensive structure & goaltending. LeBrun also explores hot starts for the Senators, Vegas Golden Knights, and Columbus Blue Jackets. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/vincent-i-like-the-mindset-of-the-team-1.886451

Vincent: I like the mindset of the team

Manitoba Moose head coach Pascal Vincent joins Kevin Olszewski on the Donvito Roundtable. They discuss Kyle Connor's call-up, the Moose's record to start the season, the play of Sami Niku and the performance from the goaltenders www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-lose-perreault-for-four-weeks/c-291979716 (INTERVIEWS INCLUDED)

Jets lose Perreault for four weeks Kyle Connor recalled from Manitoba Moose by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

WINNIPEG - Heading into practice on Monday, the big question revolved around the injury status of Mathieu Perreault and Dmitry Kulikov after both left Saturday's win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Head coach Paul Maurice had the update following the team's 60-minute skate, saying Kulikov had a "strong morning" and may be out "considerably less" time than the two weeks the team initially feared.

The news wasn't so good for Perreault.

"Mathieu is going to be four weeks we think. It's a big number," said Maurice. "We need what he brings, because he finds a way to get on the puck, knock things down, and keep it there. He's an important piece to that second power play unit.

"But we've got some young guys that are playing in the minors that maybe two years ago would have started here. They come with a little more bite and a little more determination. So we think we have the pieces here to survive an injury like this."

With Perreault out - and now on injured reserve - the Jets called up Kyle Connor, who has five points (three goals and two assists) in four games with the Manitoba Moose so far this season.

The 20-year-old Connor was plugged right into Perreault's spot on the wing with Bryan Little and Patrik Laine.

"It's always exciting. For me it's just trying to play the same game I've been playing since the start of the year," said Connor. "They're both really great players. I think I can bring some speed to the table. Our playmaking ability, I think we can all move the puck around and have the ability to finish. It's going to be exciting, I'm looking forward to it."

Little has spent time with Connor on the wing dating back to the preseason. He's also used to having younger players on the wing, after skating with Nikolaj Ehlers and Laine last season.

"Patrik, he's very mature for his age, and he's easy to talk to and play with, and I'm getting a feel for how to play with him," said Little. "Kyle is a great young player. He's easy to talk to, listens, and played some really good hockey for us when he was up with us last year. I'm not too worried about their age."

The full line rushes at Bell MTS Iceplex looked like this:

Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler

Connor-Little-Laine

Matthias-Copp-Tanev

Dano-Petan-Armia

Morrissey-Trouba

Enstrom-Byfuglien

Poolman-Myers

Maurice added that Adam Lowry (upper-body) and Matt Hendricks won't be in the line-up tomorrow night against Columbus, but are getting closer.

"The earliest would be Friday," said Maurice. "But I'm pretty confident that if they didn't play then, they'd be ready within the five day block after, and they'd be available after that."

Steve Mason will get his third start of the season tomorrow night, against the team that drafted him in the third round in 2006.

"I think his game in the second game, there were outstanding saves," said Maurice. "He wouldn't like some of the goals, but I don't think we judged our goaltender by how he played in those games as being the deciding factor for us.

"This guy is a good goaltender, and based on our schedule I can't leave him out any longer. I don't want to. I want him back in the net."

FIRST STAR Nikolaj Ehlers left this morning's team meeting with a smile on his face. It was at that time that head coach Paul Maurice informed the team that the 20-year-old had been named the NHL's First Star of the Week.

"It's pretty cool. The guys were congratulating me. It feels good. But it was a team effort," said Ehlers. "It's something I can be proud of, but it's only one week. We have many weeks to go. I want to try and keep this going, and keep getting better. The team has been doing well the past three games. It definitely feels good."

Ehlers had five goals - including a natural hat trick - and seven points over a three-game stretch last week. His seven points lead the team, while his five goals are good enough for a tie for fourth in the NHL.

"I'm happy for him," said Maurice, adding that it's not the hat trick that stands out for him. "There were two or three times in the third period where we needed to change gears against Carolina, and he came off the wall and put a puck to the net.

"When Nik shoots the puck before you think he's going to shoot the puck, that's when he's dangerous. It looks like he's got that attitude again with the puck."