JN AirMail: The Plan With Petan

It’s Monday which means it is AirMail day in Jets Nation! This week it’s yours truly along with Cam, Tony, Brian and Kyle who all chime in with answers to some pressing Jets questions including the status of Nic Petan and how the Jets will handle the pressure of a 10 game home stand as well as what they will do when it looks like Mark Scheifele will be ready to go again.

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And away we go!

Art M: Here’s the thing, I don’t think Paul Maurice really had that much faith in him to begin with to even have the chance to lose it. The other part of the issue is that the chances they have given Petan (and you can argue about the quality of them or what have you) he really hasn’t seized any opportunity to prove he can play at an NHL level. Right now he’s trade bait. He’s a means to an end for the Jets in terms of offering a package deal to either get a rental for a playoff push or an upgrade – and honestly when you look at guys like Mason Appleton and Kristian Vesalainen who are coming up fast through the system.. May as well sell on Petan while it’s high.

Cam: I think Petan is not going to see a “real” shot in Winnipeg. Last season he showed some promise, in a small sample size, on the second line with Blake Wheeler. But, as soon as a vet came back healthy (Bryan Little) Petan was bumped down. Petan has never been put in a position to succeed and as a result, we have only seen flashes of what he can do at the NHL level.

Tony: This is an easy yet hard question to answer. The easy part is: No, Petan will not get a chance in Winnipeg to play with skilled players in a more offensive role. I agree with Art that Petan has never been a Maurice guy and that will just sometimes happen between a coach and player no matter the team. Where we differ in opinion with Art is if Petan ever “seized the moment”. Here is an interesting breakdown of Petan’s time with the Jets…

When Petan is away from dump and chase type player (For example a Chris Thorburn or Brandon Tanev type) and playing with more skilled, controlled zone entry type players, here are his numbers:

These are all good NHL numbers.

When playing with dump and chase players:

So for most of his playing time, Petan has had better than average on ice results. To me that’s a player that at 22 years old should get another look, because with his AHL scoring numbers he’s trending to be a good middle six scoring forward and I don’t see the Jets getting that kind of value for him on the trade market.

Brian: I’m going to try by best to avoid repetition here, even though Art, Cam, and Tony all seemingly share my same sentiment about Petan. Firstly, I will go on record to say that I love the guy. The way he plays, skates, and scores. I have had the chance to see him doing great things down with the Moose this season live and in person, and I must say I have been thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately, at this point it appears that he won’t get the chance to showcase on an NHL roster what he can do with players with offensive talent. If he does end up getting traded, I hope he gets a chance to play with the players he should, and to show everyone that he deserved that shot in a more tenured role that wasn’t on the 4th line with dump and chasers.

Art M: I think Maurice’s “system” or what he wants his team to focus on helps a little. I do feel like Maurice has a bit better read on his team’s strengths this year and is using them more efficiently than he did last season. That said I think the consistent play can also be chalked up to the Jets from the top line to their depth in the bottom six being a year older and a year wiser.

Cam: Yeah, I agree with Art. The young players from last year are still there, as depth, and have continued their development as NHLers.

Brian: When you have an absurdly talented team, whenever a hole opens, someone seems to step in to fill it. The Jets have a ridiculous amount of talent both on the team and in the system, and when a player goes down, this year it seems like an opportunity to see what players can do, rather than a panic button press immediately.

Kyle: There is definitely a bit of both with regards to the depth and the system. The thing that I really like is that the Moose and the Jets seem to be on the same page systems-wise. When Roslovic first got called up Maurice highlighted a few times where he made the perfect on-ice decision because it was something that the Moose did exactly the same. When you have a system that is developed and run efficiently by both clubs, it allows for a seamless transition when guys are out of the lineup. I have seen this in my own experience with various high school teams. JV and Senior teams that run the same types of systems and styles tend to be more consistent with their development.

Art M: These guys know what comes with playing in a hockey-mad Canadian market. Again, I go back to this team being a year wiser, knowing what to expect a bit more and not going into panic mode when things go south. In other words, no worries.

Brian: As Art said, this team is a year wiser. I’ve noticed this season that this team has shown more resiliency than teams of the past. Their ability to bounce back after adversity this season can and will prove valuable in a situation like this. Bring on the home stand.

Cam: I think playing an extended homestand will be really good for the Jets. Even if things do not go as well planned, being at home should allow the team to be better rested physically and mentally. These are also professional athletes that have many supports as a team…I think they’ll be fine.

Kyle: I think there is some danger there. With how good this team has been in Winnipeg so far this year, if there are a few losses in a row, it could start to weigh on their minds. Sometimes being on the road can help clear distractions if things aren’t going well. In this case, there is no real worry because of how well the team has played so far, but going on a losing streak at home is never a good feeling.

Art M: Play Scheifele when he’s medically cleared and feels ready to go. Simple as that. I’m sure Mark will be chomping at the bit to get back into games, but I think he’s mature enough as well now to understand that he has to think playoffs and rushing back to the lineup in early February and risking re-injury is a stupid idea.

Cam: Even if the Jets were 2-8-2 I my answer would be the same. He needs to be patient with this injury because there could be longterm implications for himself as a person and as a player if he rushed back. The Jets are surviving without him and will continue to do so.

Brian: Medical clearance or nothing. If he doesn’t feel 100%, I wouldn’t risk putting him in. No rushing, but I don’t think it’s necessary to wait any longer than you need to. Once he’s cleared to go, let him go. Also, when you’re talking about a guy like Scheifele, he doesn’t exactly seem like the type of guy who would go against team guidance and play when he isn’t ready. He knows he’s ridiculously important to this team, and he doesn’t want to hurt them by trying to push his body when he shouldn’t.

Tony: No reason to limit scheifele if he is medically cleared but I do think a little reduction in his ice time could help him. Playing 21mins a game is too much.

Kyle: I agree with Tony. The only thing that might happen is a minute restriction for a couple of games until the speed and pace is back. Coming off a long term injury can be difficult because the speed and intensity is not replicated in practice. Giving a player a few minutes less of ice time would help get the conditioning back, the speed back,and also get the reactions and focus back into the game with the least amount of negative impact.