Ehlers, Connor give Maurice plenty of line-up possibilities

WINNIPEG - Opponents facing the Winnipeg Jets this season will have to make a choice - line match against Mark Scheifele's line with Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers, or Paul Stastny's line with Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine?
That choice won't be an easy one.
"When you play against teams that have two powerful offensive lines, you go into the game with an idea. But then you have to judge real quick which one is going," said head coach Paul Maurice.
"It'll be interesting to watch to see how that's matched."

Since the start of training camp, Maurice has kept those two forward lines intact.

For the majority of the 2019-20 season, it was Connor with Scheifele and Wheeler. It was a trio that saw both Connor and Scheifele average more than a point-per-game, tying for the team lead with 73 points in in 71 games. Wheeler wasn't far behind, with 65 points in 71 games - which includes a stint playing at centre shortly after Bryan Little's injury.
Despite all that success, Maurice said Connor had no reservations about playing with Laine and Stastny to start camp.
"It's not an issue for him," said Maurice. "He's going to tell you 'they're two phenomenal players. They're different than Scheif and Wheels, but I'm going to get my opportunities with either line.' I told him which line he was going on and he said 'that's great.'"
Another reason? Connor has played with Laine before. According to Natural Stat Trick, the duo played nearly 750 minutes of even strength time together in 2019-20. There is also a bit of history with Stastny, but Connor's focus this week has been working to build chemistry with his new centre.
"Getting to know Stastny, he's a smart player, he takes care of his body, he really pays attention to detail. It has been fun to learn from him and take everything I can," said Connor.
"I've got some familiarity with Patty. We had some great chemistry right from the get to last year. Even in past years, we've been together for a limited time."
Connor is coming off a career-high 38-goal season, his third consecutive campaign hitting the 30-goal mark.
That offence is as much about his speed and his quick hands as it is tenacity on the forecheck. Connor's ability in that department stands out to teammate Dylan DeMelo.
"For me the biggest thing I was impressed with was his ability to hunt pucks on the forecheck and back check, all over the ice," said DeMelo. "He just seems to be where the action is."
Like the rest of his teammates, Connor wants to be part of the solution when it comes to limiting the scoring chances the Jets give up. The group allowed 756 high-danger chances last season - the most in the NHL - so defending as a five-man unit is more of a priority in camp than offensive numbers at this point.
"I'm focused on the team goal. As a player I'm always looking to get better in every situation," said Connor. "Right now, we're talking about killing plays and being sound structurally five-on-five. That's where my mindset is."

Maurice has also seen growth in the game of Connor's fellow left-winger, Ehlers. The speedy Danish winger scored 25 goals in 2019-20 and, once again, was among the Jets leaders in shot attempt percentage at even strength.
He averaged 16:31 of ice time per game last season, his highest since 2016-17 (his second season in the NHL). Should he stay with Scheifele and Wheeler, Ehlers could see that number bump up a bit.
Playing with those two is something Ehlers has done on and off since his first year in the NHL. In fact, since entering the league in 2015-16, he's played with the Scheifele and Wheeler combo for parts of every season. The high point came in 2018-19 (391 even strength minutes) and the lowest was 2019-20 (94 minutes).
All this to say, chemistry won't be a problem.
"That chemistry is already there," said Ehlers. "We know what our game plan is as a line. It's going to be exciting for me to just go out there and skate as fast as I can, as much as I can, create space for those two guys and find holes."

In that spot, Ehlers would see the opposition's best - whether that's in terms of offensive talent or defensive ability - on a nightly basis. It's a challenge Maurice feels Ehlers is ready for.
"Nikolaj has made developments in his defensive game," said Maurice. "He's just older, he's more experienced. He understands how important it is in the defensive zone and what you do with the puck in the offensive zone, your risk profile based on who you're playing against.
"He's a more mature person, a more mature player. His numbers would say he's earned the right to play against the other team's best."
Also important? Keep the shooter's mentality that had him third on the team in shots on goal last year at 203.
"(Maurice) is right when he says I play my best hockey as a shooter," said Ehlers. "You're going to make your plays, but I play faster and I skate more when I play with that shooter's mentality. I felt like I did well last year, I want to be doing it more, obviously."
So, there are shooters on the line with Ehlers, Scheifele, and Wheeler - and more lethal shooters with Connor, Stastny, and Laine.
"(Stastny) has a pretty good shot. He's sneaky as well. I've seen it from the beginning of camp," said Connor. "Patty has been able to make plays and myself as well. It's more making the right play at the right time. If it's a shot, we all have to be shooters. If not, we all have that skill to make that play."
Take your pick.