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

[SteveCangialosi123]

grabner would be just fine here. he has speed, a good shot, is pretty much a sniper and could prob improve his overall game here. oh no he sucks **** him let's get another barch.

Hahahahaha...I agree I've seen him play plenty he's a difference maker. Not a prototypical devil but he could help us. According to isles fans hes one of their better PKers so how bad could he be defensively..

 

[Bleedred]

If Grabner could bury more of those PK breakaways then we would score almost every other PK with him on the team.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Let's just get Iginla and be done with it. If anything, please don't make me watch him finish his career on Crosby's wing...

 

[Emperoreddy]

Let's just get Iginla and be done with it. If anything, please don't make me watch him finish his career on Crosby's wing...

F that, if he won't come here let him stay up north and out west. Want no wart of Iggy in Pitt or Boston.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Let's just get Iginla and be done with it. If anything, please don't make me watch him finish his career on Crosby's wing...

I just proposed this in the trade speculation thread. Makes too much sense for Lou to not give it a shot. Wonder what the price would be?

 

[GameSeven]

“We want to try and bury the teams below us as quickly as possible,” DeBoer said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s Philadelphia or it’s Florida or anybody else. You can an opportunity to separate yourself from the teams below you, you want to take full advantage of that. It’s all about getting points right now. It’s not necessarily about the opponent. It’s about putting points on the board and trying to solidify a spot in the top eight.”

That's refreshingly frank talk from our head coach. Granted, we've not been a dominant position to be so assertive in nearly a month, but a few wins and some confidence can be stepping stones to getting some swagger back on this team. The lines and pairings looked exceptional last game. Here's hoping for a repeat performance tonight and a continuing buildup from there.

 

[Riseonfire]

Hahahahaha...I agree I've seen him play plenty he's a difference maker. Not a prototypical devil but he could help us. According to isles fans hes one of their better PKers so how bad could he be defensively..

On Grabner: He's being underrated here. His defense is good. Great positioning and knows how to close off a passing lane. Every PPer KNOWS when Grabner is on the ice, and has to second guess passes across the blue-line.

His breakaway struggles are documented because he gets more breakaways than anyone else in the league. Obviously I'd like to see him score more on them, but we'll take them for what it is.

He's been playing like his rookie season this year. Strong in all 3 zones, good shooting decisions and speed to burn. Easily the fastest player in the league by more than a few steps.

He's been the Isles 3rd best forward this season behind JT and MM. Unfortunately, he won't be traded. Certainly not to a division rival.

 

[Rhodes 81]

i would take grabner in a heartbeat. yeah he floats, but just like kovy he can be solid defensively when he wants to be, and our team could make him want to be. and lord knows i'll take anyone with speed on this team. he's always noticeable on the pk too.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

That's refreshingly frank talk from our head coach. Granted, we've not been a dominant position to be so assertive in nearly a month, but a few wins and some confidence can be stepping stones to getting some swagger back on this team. The lines and pairings looked exceptional last game. Here's hoping for a repeat performance tonight and a continuing buildup from there.

Tonight is going to be difficult. But the devils really need to keep winning. Too many teams knocking on the door below them.

 

[apice3*]

Hahahahaha...I agree I've seen him play plenty he's a difference maker. Not a prototypical devil but he could help us. According to isles fans hes one of their better PKers so how bad could he be defensively..

His presence is more intimidating than what he actually does, IMO. Teams hesitate to throw the D to D pass because he is going to jump it 99% of the time. It's a mental thing more than anything. That's where he makes his living. And still he can't bury half the SH breakaways he gets.

His time on the PK is high risk high reward, and that's not something that our PK needs at all.

Isles won't deal him to us, and personally I'm fine with it. I want Jagr but there are plenty of consolation prizes possibly available that are more appealing than Grabner.

Edit: Wasn't DeBoer coaching Florida when they waived him?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

His presence is more intimidating than what he actually does, IMO. Teams hesitate to throw the D to D pass because he is going to jump it 99% of the time. It's a mental thing more than anything. That's where he makes his living. And still he can't bury half the SH breakaways he gets.

His time on the PK is high risk high reward, and that's not something that our PK needs at all.

Isles won't deal him to us, and personally I'm fine with it. I want Jagr but there are plenty of consolation prizes possibly available that are more appealing than Grabner.

Edit: Wasn't DeBoer coaching Florida when they waived him?

I'd still take him I don't think it's happening tho. Jagr would be pretty cool although I'd rather someone with some speed. Jagr with Kovy or Elias would be insane tho.

 

[apice3*]

If we were to get Jagr, I would no longer hate on the "Kovy to LW" movement.

Kovy-Loki-Jagr would be awesome to watch

 

[MartyOwns]

i'm sure theyd have jagr play lw, so as to not disturb his nearly ppg production

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Edit: fail. This site sucks with the iPhone.

 

[Basement Cat]

If we got Jagr he would play with Elias and not Kovy, I think. Though on the PP they would be nasty.

 

[Zippy316]

If we got Jagr he would play with Elias and not Kovy, I think. Though on the PP they would be nasty.

I would love Jagr.

Zubrus-Loktionov-Kovalchuk
Elias-Henrique-Jagr
Ponikarovski-Zajac-Clarkson
Carter-Gionta-Bernier

Jagr likely wouldn't cost much either. He may not be the Jagr of old, but he definitely will bring a solid offensive presence. His offensive skills are still there.

 

[Zippy316]

i'm sure theyd have jagr play lw, so as to not disturb his nearly ppg production

If we acquire Jagr, we'd be doing it with clear neglect for the left wing/ right wing rule, because we'd have 4 lefties in the top nine and only two righties, someone will be playing the offwing regardless.

If we acquire Jagr:

Lefties---> Elias, Ponikarovski, Zubrus, Jagr
Righties---> Kovalchuk, Clarkson

 

[JK3]

i'm sure theyd have jagr play lw, so as to not disturb his nearly ppg production

I like your tenacity.

 

[Bleedred]

This is why I hate this righties on right, lefties on left thing. I don't mind it, but when it becomes mandatory I feel it could handcuff us.

Last year Zubrus played with Sykora and Elias on the right wing and he shoots left. That's the only one I can think of off the top of my head under Deboer.

 

[Zippy316]

This is why I hate this righties on right, lefties on left thing. I don't mind it, but when it becomes mandatory I feel it could handcuff us.

Last year Zubrus played with Sykora and Elias on the right wing and he shoots left. That's the only one I can think of off the top of my head under Deboer.

It's not mandatory.

But it's ideal. If we have four lefties and two righties, it's not like he's going to be playing fourth liners on the top two lines to keep it there. For neutral zone and defensive responsibilities, being a lefty on the left side and vice versa is crucial. However, it's not like it can't be done by a lefty on the right side and vice versa.

 

[Bleedred]

It's not mandatory.

But it's ideal. If we have four lefties and two righties, it's not like he's going to be playing fourth liners on the top two lines to keep it there. For neutral zone and defensive responsibilities, being a lefty on the left side and vice versa is crucial. However, it's not like it can't be done by a lefty on the right side and vice versa.

I can't really remember instances where he went against it other than the Sykora-Elias-Zubrus line. All were lefties.

 

[NJDevs26]

One of the good things coming up is this schedule stretches out a little bit from here in, no more seven game in eleven day stretches and only three back-to-backs after this weekend. We have one six in eleven stretch with a Florida trip, and trips to Boston and Buffalo spaced in between two home games, that's probably the most taxing part of the schedule left.

 

[apice3*]

Jagr wouldn't be converted to a LW.

RW - Kovy, Jagr, Clarkson
LW - Elias, Zubrus, Poni
C - Loki, Henrique, Zajac

4th line - CBGB

Pick and choose your preference. Pretty good lines no matter what combos.

 

[Emperoreddy]

One of the good things coming up is this schedule stretches out a little bit from here in, no more seven game in eleven day stretches and only three back-to-backs after this weekend. We have one six in eleven stretch with a Florida trip, and trips to Boston and Buffalo spaced in between two home games, that's probably the most taxing part of the schedule left.

Good because the tight schedule was definitely hurting us and maybe contributed a bit to the losing streak. We desperately needed a few days to rest and get a practice in but we just had none.

 

[apice3*]

I can't really remember instances where he went against it other than the Sykora-Elias-Zubrus line. All were lefties.

Parise - Elias - Zubrus
Kovy - Zajac - Palmieri

We've done it before. Any time you have a guy playing off wing, there's a decent chance you have the same shot handedness across the board.