Winnipeg Forwards

[Blues_fan1000]

I get that Schiefele and Laine had solid starts, but the rest of the forward groups seem stuck in the mudd. For a team that was so potent on offense last year, what is going on here? Wheeler and Connor just seem lost in the sauce and are a combined -17! Is the fantasy relevance going to rebound or did it just fall off the cliff with the departure of 90% of the defense corps?

[SeaDawg]

I suspect the departure of so many regular dmen has upset the chemistry on the team, both on and off the ice. On the ice, I'm sure the forwards are still trying to feel out the new dmen and perhaps the transition game is suffering.

Off the ice, this is a team that had issues in the dressing room last year. The very public contract holdouts and comments (mostly by Laine and his camp), the poor start to the season, and the departure of so many veteran dmen, probably hasn't improved the mood this year.

The defense was always going to be an issue, especially if Byfuglien officially retires. I heard/read recently that he seems to be leaning towards returning to the lineup, which will help the team turn things around. They are loaded with talent, and once/if Byfuglien returns, the team will be in a better position to see the gaps in the lineup and address some of the issues via trade. I'm sure they don't want to make any major deals until they know for certain what is happening with Byfuglien.

[ross10019]

I get that Schiefele and Laine had solid starts, but the rest of the forward groups seem stuck in the mudd. For a team that was so potent on offense last year, what is going on here? Wheeler and Connor just seem lost in the sauce and are a combined -17! Is the fantasy relevance going to rebound or did it just fall off the cliff with the departure of 90% of the defense corps?

Ehlers is doing nicely...

6 goals / 13 pts in 13, with 43 SOG and only -2 (great compared to others)

[FrozenInferno]

What are we expecting from Wheeler this year? Is this the year he drops off drastically?