It wasn't just ugly, that would be hiding the truth, or hiding from reality. It was worse and by now it's high time people accept some basic realities around this team but more importantly the head coach.

This team is stifled under his limited and stubborn views and habits. He cannot see the forest from the trees and he's letting his team hang out to dry. They are lost. They don't see light on the ice and are adhering to his system which has not become painfully obvious to most rival coaches.

The Jets want teams to give them space so they can take their perfect shots. However, what happens is that the system and approach Maurice uses means if those shots are not there then there are no shots taken.

His lines were made up in the early part of the season and adjusted due to injury but he's never made another adjustment. He's never changed anything and now the players have no idea how to get out of their plight.

Things that should be automatic to them in play and action are slow and mistake laden. Teams are feeding off them because they can't breakout well nor can they control much in the offensive zone and their cycle and rotation rarely allows for penetration in the slot.

Tonight the players stood around waiting for a team mate to do something while the Avs just did what they needed to do. It results in a 7-1 win for them and hopefully enough alarm bells went off in the coaching staff's minds to warrant changes.

Wins and goaltending mask a lot of problems and it's easy to say the Jets have a slump the problem is they've been slumping for two months it's just that they've manage to earn enough points while not playing very good hockey.

Let's roll through some obvious changes that could be made.

Split Wheeler and Scheifele- teams know how to contain them and what their habits are.

Reunite the TLC line- the most dominant line for the Jets last year has been sidelined so that Appleton and Lemieux are supported by Copp. Streaks are a hell of thing because I sure don't hear much love for Lemieux now that he isn't scoring.

Move Perreault to a place where he can assists skilled scoring players- what value does he bring to Lowry and Tanev when they are not scoring?

Actually who is scoring right now? Isn't that the issue? They Jets managed to get by for 1/3 of the season and lethal PP and some great goaltending from Brossoit and now that goaltending is average and the PP has gone into the witness protection program what is there to replace it?

Nothing and that's on Maurice. He's the architect, and the one responsible for digging out of this hole. Maybe that's the problem instead of giving his team a ladder to get out he's giving them a shovel and they clearly don't know what to do.

Fans will look to the trade deadline and the thoughts of Mark Stone arriving as a hometown savior but given the fundamental issues with this team will it matter?

Yes this is pessimistic but the results speak for themselves and this team has been mostly a mirage, a trick that has been figured out and now many in the league can see beyond the false front.

Negative- yes this is a very negative piece. Panic- there's no panic just a realistic look of a team sliding away from what it can be all because a coach is unable to make necessary adjustments. It would be nice if some one would ask him why?

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