While Ehlers sits seventh in the National Hockey League in shots on goal with 85 (tied with Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel), Maurice would like to see more of those shots come from spots closer to the net - and therefore, a more high-danger spot.
"I've just found him to be outside the game more than inside this year," Maurice said of Ehlers, who goes into Friday's game against the New Jersey Devils with six goals and 13 points. "When you rip a few - and he has beat goalies from distance - you have a tendency to do that more. He's cut in and taken that shot, he's missed it, and he's scored some goals. You gravitate to that. We're working on it."
The full line rushes on Thursday looked like this:
Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Copp-Dubois-Ehlers
Stastny-Lowry-Vesalainen
Harkins-Toninato-Svechnikov
Nash
Morrissey-Schmidt
Dillon-Pionk
Stanley-DeMelo
While Thursday's practice wasn't specifically designed to build quickness back into the Jets game, it's hard to ignore what the two days away from the rink meant to the group.
The Jets played eight games in eight different time zones. It was a stretch that tested them physically, but also mentally, as the offensively gifted group struggled to bury their chances, especially over the past five games.
Josh Morrissey averages 22:22 of ice time per night, the most on the team, and he feels the two days away from the rink were beneficial.
"I think sometimes maybe there's fatigue involved that would cause you not to be as quick," said Morrissey. "When pucks are going to the net and when we have players going to the net, it allows us to get puck recovery and then play a fast-paced game as opposed to staying on the outside and maybe slowing things down. That's what we're trying to focus on right now."
Pucks to the net was a central theme as the Jets prepare for the home stand to continue tomorrow night.
The Jets are averaging more than 32 shots per game, and fired 45 in the 1-0 setback to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday.
But there is a fine line between quantity and quality. It's a line the Jets are learning to walk.
"We had 26 'C' chances and we have to figure out a way to turn those into B's and A's," Maurice said, referencing Monday's game. "That's what we dealt with today. I don't feel we're very far from playing the very best hockey we've ever played here."
Part of playing their best hockey also relies on the power play finding its groove.
Maurice made changes to the power play units as well, with the team going 2-for-34 since November 6. Leading scorer Kyle Connor moved from the goal line spot to the left circle on his unit with Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Neal Pionk, with Pierre-Luc Dubois going to the goal line.