2013 New Jersey Devils (Team News, Player Discussion - Part VI)

[foxboro24]

I think the thing that is really sticking on all our craw's at the moment is because of the logjam we have one of our better defenders sitting in the press box seemingly for no reason. Let complaining if its Tally or Volch or Sal in the box right now (should be Tally, someone has to sit and he has been and continues to be the oddman out.)

You are right about the top line, but Clarkson being red hot, more contributions from the blue line, and CBGB has evened the scoring out like you noted. Helps that our PP this year actually scores on occasion when it never scored ever last year. I think Poni should bring some stability to the top line. It was looking pretty good in the Philly game so it definitely has the potential to get going. Zajac needs to break his slump.

Actually we should be pretty happy that the team is still scoring at the same pace as last year when you have both our centers slumping right now (though hopefully that shorty Henrique pretty much made happen with his work even if Elias scored it breaks his slump)

I think we are all a little spoiled apparently. We are all criticizing the team when we are the best in the conference (myself included). We need to sit back and realize that even with certain guys slumping, we are still the best in the Eastern Conference. What is going to happen when we hit on all cylinders? It is going to be special to watch

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Did we just say we need a guy that gets their PP shots through and then list Greene?

What's so far-fetched about that? Zidlicky is near close to useless on our PP. When Greene was out there we actually had some decent chances.

 

[foxboro24]

What's so far-fetched about that? Zidlicky is near close to useless on our PP. When Greene was out there we actually had some decent chances.

Dude that is not even close to true. Zidlicki's shots may not make sense to the naked eye, but it is a strategy for the power play. Rebounds are one of the highest percentage goals, especially on the power play.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think we are all a little spoiled apparently. We are all criticizing the team when we are the best in the conference (myself included). We need to sit back and realize that even with certain guys slumping, we are still the best in the Eastern Conference. What is going to happen when we hit on all cylinders? It is going to be special to watch

To be fair we are actually 2nd in the conference. Tied with the Habs in points, but they have one more win. Still despite everything we are first in the Atlantic and we are about a third of the way through the season. That isn't bad at all.

 

[njdevil26]

Man some of you are way too hard on Zids. He's not the best defensively but he's the most daring offensive defenseman we've had in a while. He is third on the team in shots... and for a team that we complain passes to much, I like him there. I would like to see any of you try to get shots through four defenders and three or four of your own players to get to a goalie.

Something that doesn't translate well on television is how little space there actually is to work out there.

 

[The Devil In I]

What's so far-fetched about that? Zidlicky is near close to useless on our PP. When Greene was out there we actually had some decent chances.

That's definitely taking it too far. Even as the guy who started the Zidlicky on the PP talk here...he's our best dman with the puck. Just needs to cut back on his love for his slapshot.

Dude that is not even close to true. Zidlicki's shots may not make sense to the naked eye, but it is a strategy for the power play. Rebounds are one of the highest percentage goals, especially on the power play.

Shots off the glass don't generate rebounds haha.

 

[manilaNJ]

I think we are all a little spoiled apparently. We are all criticizing the team when we are the best in the conference (myself included). We need to sit back and realize that even with certain guys slumping, we are still the best in the Eastern Conference. What is going to happen when we hit on all cylinders? It is going to be special to watch

As was discussed yesterday, this team is playing nowhere close to solid. That's a given.
But what a lot of people are failing to realize that "utter slop" is the norm right now in the NHL. Teams are just starting to find their groove and in the process of finding ours... we've managed to pick up a lot of points along the way.

The good news is that the team isn't satisfied with the way they've been playing. They're not taking winning for granted. We're not going to see this kind of hockey for too much longer.

Zidlicky is near close to useless on our PP.

We've scored 14 PPGs. He's had a direct hand in 7 of them. Not including ones that he helped create but didn't get a point on.
I fail to see how that's useless.
We're really starting to get outlandish with these defensemen criticisms.

Actually we should be pretty happy that the team is still scoring at the same pace as last year when you have both our centers slumping right now

Word.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Dude that is not even close to true. Zidlicki's shots may not make sense to the naked eye, but it is a strategy for the power play. Rebounds are one of the highest percentage goals, especially on the power play.

I mean I understand the concept and it makes sense, but if his shots continue to just get blocked or miss the net, there's no chance to score on rebounds.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

I guess I'm just more inclined to give Larsson a shot out there on the point on the PP.

 

[njdevil26]

I actually love how much Zids shoots because it takes some attention off of Kovy.

So the defense isn't expecting as much when Kovy winds up.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Zidlicky has 45 shots on goal and 1 goal for a .022 shooting %. We all know only 1 in three of his shots even hits the net so that is really like .007 %.

My new nickname for Zidlicky is 007. And with that pathetic stat, we have a license to grill [him].

His 41 games in Minnesota before they permanently benched him he had 50 shots with no goals for a 0.00% This trend will not improve much if any. Like Don't Pass points out, he should be looking to pass or start shooting for the middle of the net and keep them down.

And what about rebounds and deflections ? Zidlicky has more assists than Zajac and Henrique have combined for 29 games.

Not cool.

 

[MauDevils]

We are leading the league with 5, 5 on 3 goals. Which is why our PP % looks so much better than it really is.

Larsson has been taking smart shots and setting up plays every time he has it at the point. Last night one of his 2 shots ended up tying the game...and yet we see Zidlicky rushed out again for the second 5 on 3 after the first was a disaster (0 sog).

Andy Greene has 2 less PP points than Zidlicky in a littler over half of the PP time and a sliver of the 5 on 3 time.

 

[manilaNJ]

We are leading the league with 5, 5 on 3 goals. Which is why our PP % looks so much better than it really is.

Larsson has been taking smart shots and setting up plays every time he has it at the point. Last night one of his 2 shots ended up tying the game...and yet we see Zidlicky rushed out again for the second 5 on 3 after the first was a disaster (0 sog).

But.... it worked. A goal was scored.

Larsson will get his powerplay time. It will come eventually.
But this was a kid who couldn't handle the workload of heavy minutes and a long season last year. It showed in his play that an 82 game season was taking it's toll.
Upping his minutes off the bat in a condensed season isn't going to do him any better.

Pete is taking his time, easing Larsson into the role as opposed to throwing him to the wolves again. It's a strategy I'm more than ok with.
Patience is necessary with a young defensemen, a luxury we didn't have last year but are graced with this time around.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

We are leading the league with 5, 5 on 3 goals. Which is why our PP % looks so much better than it really is.

Larsson has been taking smart shots and setting up plays every time he has it at the point. Last night one of his 2 shots ended up tying the game...and yet we see Zidlicky rushed out again for the second 5 on 3 after the first was a disaster (0 sog).

Andy Greene has 2 less PP points than Zidlicky in a littler over half of the PP time and a sliver of the 5 on 3 time.

We scored 5 goals out of 7:24 mins at 5on3.
Toronto scored 3 out of 8:39 mins.
Rangers scored 1 out of 7:04 mins
Pitts scored 3 out of 7:17 mins
LA scored 1 out of 6:46 mins


We are not the only one to get 5on3 time but with Kovalchuk and Elias you've got 2 very good 5on3 PP specialists. Can't blame them for that. And Zids is doing exactly what the coaches want him to do. Getting shots on goals.

 

[foxboro24]

I guess I'm just more inclined to give Larsson a shot out there on the point on the PP.

Let's get him out there on the PK....that is the bigger travesty right now

 

[apice3*]

The PP wthout Zidlicky is incredibly stagnant. Not sure if any of the Zids haters realize that

 

[Classic Devil]

Zidlicky has seven powerplay points on a team that has scored fourteen power play points. He's had a hand in half our powerplay goals.

 

[NJDevs26]

Zidlicky has seven powerplay points on a team that has scored fourteen power play points. He's had a hand in half our powerplay goals.

Odds are Zidlicky's been out there more than half of our power play time though lol.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Zidlicky is great on the PP. He does good stuff, moves the puck and that's a gem to have on a team. Always is

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Larsson needs to start seeing some PP time. He is so smart with the puck and has the most deflectable shot I've seen a Devil have since Rafalski. Nearly every time the kid shoots we get a great opportunity. He's also sound defensively enough to handle being the only defenseman out there, is a master at keeping pucks in the zone, and has the poise of a veteran. I don't see the downside?

 

[CerebralGenesis]

What's so far-fetched about that? Zidlicky is near close to useless on our PP. When Greene was out there we actually had some decent chances.

Oh the short memories or revisionist histories.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I mean I understand the concept and it makes sense, but if his shots continue to just get blocked or miss the net, there's no chance to score on rebounds.

Since we're discussing things like that that don't have a real impact, how many shots has Greene put on net on the PP? I'd wager 2. There is more to the PP than that.

 

[MauDevils]

Odds are Zidlicky's been out there more than half of our power play time though lol.

65%

Andy Greene is at 37% with only 2 fewer PP points and the same amount of PPG and barely any 5 on 3 time (which he scored his goal on). We are only 15% on 5 on 4 conversions.

I'll give it some time. Once our 5 on 3 luck dries up it will be more obvious.

 

[engy]

The problem with zid is that he shoots to score not setup anything or create a rebound attempt

 

[foxboro24]

The problem with zid is that he shoots to score not setup anything or create a rebound attempt

That just isn't true