Well fellas,
Good news;
Ehlers looked awesome!!!!

overall The D were not horrible but...see below

Bad news;
Hellybuyck was horrible, .839 save percentage will not win any games

Bietto is also horrible and shouldn’t play agin

Get Kulikov off top pair
- Ross77

If Hellebuyck turns in a .905 game, Jets win. .905 x 31 shots (last shot #32 into the empty net) = 28.05 saves. . That's 3 goals against. 905 is not asking or expecting too much from a goalie, pretty average - (minus)

.838 ain't going to cut it. I am not listening to debate about a young defence and an 18 year old kid and his first game and what ever else, the goalie needs to be at least average in consistency.

Looking forward to Broissoit tomorrow.

If Hellebuyck turns in a .905 game, Jets win. .905 x 31 shots (last shot #32 into the empty net) = 28.05 saves. . That's 3 goals against. 905 is not asking or expecting too much from a goalie, pretty average - (minus)

.838 ain't going to cut it. I am not listening to debate about a young defence and an 18 year old kid and his first game and what ever else, the goalie needs to be at least average in consistency.

Looking forward to Broissoit tomorrow.
- CharlieDog

Did you see helly’s Post game? I have no words!!!!

Very entertaining hockey game. I’m looking forward to an exciting season. The Jets are back so here we go!

Well that put a big fat exclamation point on how much Buff and Trouba are missed.

Well that put a big fat exclamation point on how much Buff and Trouba are missed.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Ok, definatley they are missed. Can a minimum leaque average Hellebuyck please show up? Is the 2017 / 2018 Hellebuyck just a blip?

Three times I have watched Helle this year and his play is well below average. Of all our goalies in pre-season and now game one, our #1 looks awful, definatley a #2 or worse. 38 year old Lunquist gave Helle a tutorial last night.

Brossoit, you are up. If I am the coach and Brossoit gives me anything close to average, he is my man until he falters. Helle, your seat is at the end of the bench.

Well that put a big fat exclamation point on how much Buff and Trouba are missed.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Yes. Helle was terrible. Jets defence look very suspect. We need Buff.

I know it's his first game but its not going to change the fact that Heinola is too slow . Faster lines and players like Rantanen, McDavid, Gaudreau, etc are going to blow by him and opposing coaches are going to have a field day. I just don't see him staying here past nine games.

Yes. Helle was terrible. Jets defence look very suspect. We need Buff.

I know it's his first game but its not going to change the fact that Heinola is too slow . Faster lines and players like Rantanen, McDavid, Gaudreau, etc are going to blow by him and opposing coaches are going to have a field day. I just don't see him staying here past nine games.
- jetsnation

I didn’t like bietto or Kulikov, thought the rest of the D were fine. When Hele plays like that it wouldn’t have mattered if Buff, Trouba, Myers were in front of him. We are not winning.

Like I said though, buffs coming back by November

Well that put a big fat exclamation point on how much Buff and Trouba are missed.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Ah, did you not see who they played. Trouba might have put up a couple of points but he got dominated on the defensive side.

I didn’t like bietto or Kulikov, thought the rest of the D were fine. When Hele plays like that it wouldn’t have mattered if Buff, Trouba, Myers were in front of him. We are not winning.

Like I said though, buffs coming back by November
- Ross77

Hope you correct about Buf coming back.

And totally agree that the team goes no where with sub average goaltending. You are not going to outscore your competition night after night to make up for sub average goaltending.

Maurice still overplaying Scheifele (24 minutes). It's game one you would think you could even out ice time a bit.
Might as well right off Roslovic playing next year for the Jets, he will demand a trade or play overseas before signing another contract with the Jets.

Exciting game. Jets dominated majority of it. Defense and goaltending on both sides very suspect

Maurice still overplaying Scheifele (24 minutes). It's game one you would think you could even out ice time a bit.
Might as well right off Roslovic playing next year for the Jets, he will demand a trade or play overseas before signing another contract with the Jets.
- BWJumper

The problem is and always has been, he won’t more evenly divide the talent through four lines and play the fourth more.

I see Roslovic traded in season

At this point why not just flip him for Puljo and let both have a fresh start

Well that put a big fat exclamation point on how much Buff and Trouba are missed.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

I think the 2017-18 Hellebyuck is missed more!

The problem is and always has been, he won’t more evenly divide the talent through four lines and play the fourth more.

I see Roslovic traded in season

At this point why not just flip him for Puljo and let both have a fresh start
- Ross77

This is what i have been saying since last year!

I am hoping that we use the cap savings from Byfuglien to finally get that second line center! I think that's needed more than Byfuglien. Unless he changes his position to become center.

That was the Laine I was hoping for since last November. He was engaged, skating, moving to open spaces. If he maintains this level of effort we will have ourselves a bargain at 6.75m.

Connor was good - bad decision to retrieve his stick allowing an open uncontested shot from the inside of the right circle. One bad mark on an otherwise good night. Connor/Copp/Laine showed some promise - hopefully they can develop a little chemistry and get on a roll.

Wheeler overcommitted and followed the point man down low resulting in an open shot from high slot and another goal. I don't think it was Sheifle's coverage, I have it as on Wheeler.

It was a good first game for Heinola. I agree with JetsNation that he is here for 9 or less games. He made mostly good decisions fairly quickly and was poised.

He hasn't got any love from this board but Bourque was good yesterday.

The only goal I didn't like was the one that went of Helle's right shoulder. Helle lost the puck but failed to battle to find it - he just kind of froze. Easy goal for Panarin

I am hoping that we use the cap savings from Byfuglien to finally get that second line center! I think that's needed more than Byfuglien. Unless he changes his position to become center.
- TheUltimateJet

I think Buff is coming back so I don't see cap space for another center without a trade. the only 2 pending UFA centers next year are Backstrom (pipe dream, will more than likely re sign in WSH, but also is getting up in age) and then RNH, he may hit free agency and id inquire

Yes, Wheeler is intense and wants to win.

What's wrong with that ?

Messier and Toews were/are much the same.

I am hoping that we use the cap savings from Byfuglien to finally get that second line center! I think that's needed more than Byfuglien. Unless he changes his position to become center.
- TheUltimateJet

you guys have 1 nhl dman.

is 2c really the priority?

you guys have 1 nhl dman.

is 2c really the priority?
- Tumbleweed

our D looked the same as yours, the difference was Helly sucked big time. just because you don't know, niku, Poolman, Heinola doesn't mean they are not NHL players or good, it just means you don't follow the Jets.

and seriously, ive seen the leafs third pair D and Ceci, they look exactly like Kulikov, Beaulieu and bietto for that matter. its ugly

our D looked the same as yours, the difference was Helly sucked big time. just because you don't know, niku, Poolman, Heinola doesn't mean they are not NHL players or good, it just means you don't follow the Jets.

and seriously, ive seen the leafs third pair D and Ceci, they look exactly like Kulikov, Beaulieu and bietto for that matter. its ugly
- Ross77

Was at a hockey draft last night so didn't catch much of game - basically just the highlights.

But glad to see/hear that Ehlers - and the whole top line - were flying. People rag on how much time they get, but do they check other team's top players? You play to win.

Also Laine played better than last year and that's a terrific sign and hope he can continue that. As I caught glimpses of game thought that the Jets played harder last night than at any time since last Dec - a huge positive.

Am hearing from everyone I talk to that Helle "sucked" and Jets need goal-tending. Perhaps they're right. But my only defense of Helle is that a goal-tender's biggest tool is confidence. How would anyone feel about stopping the puck with our current "d"? George Vezina might be shaky. Goalies lose their confidence and then can't stop a beach ball.

Heinola - nine or less games. Next year! But like I said at the start, limited viewing.

My gut feeling is that Buff is done - and that a forward (Roslovic+?) will be traded to upgrade the "d" and hopefully get a young prospect (centre) thrown in.

you guys have 1 nhl dman.

is 2c really the priority?
- Tumbleweed

I don't see the answer as that simple either. Sure if Buff retires cap space is available but that doesn't mean you can just pick up a 2C (or another solid D).

You still have to aquire a player that another team deems expendable or priced out of the market. Getting that player requires giving up more assets with no guarantee the player will perform or stay long term. Furthermore the asset you surrender is a permanent loss to your organization.

Names like Pulajarvi, Honka, McQuaid have all been floated as low cost/available aquisition targets - but why? Do they really improve the team (no)?

Sometimes the loss of a player to free agency, injury, retirement etc. is just that. It is a loss that you work to recover from while waiting for new talent to fill the gap whether by trade, FA or organically. Now is the wrong time of year to pitch for a player that is a difference maker because cost of acquisition is too high.

I think Buff will be back - biggest problem solved.