Coach has no nits to pick with Nik

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This article was published 20/01/2017 (3158 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice created a bit of a stir when he publicly shared his displeasure with the play of forward Nikolaj Ehlers after a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes Wednesday.

Maurice, who said he had been frustrated with the effort put forth by the 20-year-old winger of late, shifted Ehlers midway through the game to the fourth line with Nic Petan and Chris Thorburn and moved Andrew Copp to the first line alongside Mark Scheifele and Drew Stafford.

The move worked in the Jets’ favour, as Ehlers scored his 15th goal of the season.

The issue for many was not that Maurice had a problem with Ehlers’ play, but that he chose to send a message to him specifically, when perhaps a number of more veteran players on the team could have used the public wake-up call. The move was also surprising given Maurice doesn’t often air his grievances with players in the open.

Maurice was asked Friday to again explain his comments, particularly his motivation behind singling out Ehlers rather than a veteran such as defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who at times this season has struggled to reach the high expectations placed on such a premier player.

“I’ve got a really high opinion of this guy as a player,” Maurice said of Ehlers. “When I do that, I’m not down on him, but you’re not coaching every game for just that game. We need to get him back to a level he was at very recently and I just made adjustments in his game.

“The meetings have all been very nice and gentle and he gets it,” the coach said. “It goes to that: are you sending a message? No, because I don’t send one. I have a direct conversation with him about it to build his game. I don’t make that change and then just not talk to the guy because I’m mad at him.

“I made the change, we watched video, got ready for tomorrow and he’s back with Scheif and Staff.”

Later, Maurice was asked to answer the final part of the question regarding Byfuglien. Through a member of the Jets PR staff, Maurice said he’s had no problem with Byfuglien’s work ethic this season, and it’s hard to criticize decision-making when the game is played at such a high pace.

Either way, none of what Maurice said seemed to bother Ehlers.

“I didn’t play my best game. I haven’t played my best in the last couple of games and Paul needed to do something about it,” said Ehlers, whose dip in play may also be explained by the loss of linemate Patrik Laine to a concussion.

“I went down and I played with Thorby and Petey and they talked to me and they really got me going after that and I feel like I showed that in the third.”

Asked what he felt was missing from his game the last couple of matches, Ehlers said he had lacked speed, specifically when he was without the puck.

“It’s the most important thing in my game,” he said. “I haven’t used it as much and as well as I have been over the course of this season. I’ve got to use it more and I’ve got to get back to using it at the right time.”

With 40 points in 48 games this season, Ehlers is currently on pace to hit the 70-point mark.

Ehlers, who is in his second year with the Jets, has already matched his point total from last season when he collected 40 points in 48 games.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jeffkhamilton