Around the NHL [Jets re-sign Little/Wheeler/Bogosian]

[Hunter Gathers]

one season removed from nearly 80 pts. His linemate Zubrus was injured most of the season.

Yes. Zubrus makes Elias who he is.

 

[Kershaw]

Yes. Zubrus makes Elias who he is.

They made a helluva duo the past 6 years together.

 

[darko]

Do Devils have to forfeit their next year's 1st rounder?

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Devils were an excellent possession team, even watching them will tell you that. But, they have no finishers outside of Kovalchuk, so all of that possession generally means very little, and when they were in their own end, it was an adventure, especially with a 41 year/39 year old in net.

I think with Schneider they're a bottom-10 team instead of a bottom-5 team.

 

[Kershaw]

Devils were an excellent possession team, even watching them will tell you that. But, they have no finishers outside of Kovalchuk, so all of that possession generally means very little, and when they were in their own end, it was an adventure, especially with a 41 year/39 year old in net.

I think with Schneider they're a bottom-10 team instead of a bottom-5 team.

They were the 9th worst team in hockey standings wise, by no means a bottom 5 team any point in the season. Possession times means a lot as mentioned before as top teams are usually the ones that have the best possession ratings.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

They were the 9th worst team in hockey standings wise, by no means a bottom 5 team any point in the season. Possession times means a lot as mentioned before as top teams are usually the ones that have the best possession ratings.

Top teams usually score goals and have someone better than Andy Greene as their top d man.

No offense, but your argument is silly. NJD is not even close to contender status with the way their roster is constructed right now. Schnieder is an upgrade in goal but they still can't score and lets not forget hes was just traded by a team that had a pretty good defense to a team that may not have a single top 4 defender (Greene is a #5 for me, but thats debatable.) Couple that with a trade to what is going to be a much better division than the NW and I think its safe to say that his numbers will take a dip.

Either way, NJD are an aging team with limited in house options ready to help. Financial restrictions will probably keep them from doing much via UFA, and they don't have a whole lot of tradeable assets. They haven't come close to replacing Parise and unless you think Tedenby will magically stop sucking, they won't have that problem solved by next season.

Make all the excuses you want for what went down last year, but unlucky teams don't go on 10 game losing streaks, bad teams do.

 

[wolfgaze]

Clarksson going to test free agency and sign elsewhere?

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Devils' defense is still a friggin catastrophe.

 

[MartyOwns]

Devils' defense is still a friggin catastrophe.

fewest shots allowed, stocked defensive prosp....ehhh never mind

 

[SKNJD9]

Clarksson going to test free agency and sign elsewhere?

We hope so. I really want no part of the 5-5.5 some team is gonna offer him in UFA.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Devils were an excellent possession team, even watching them will tell you that. But, they have no finishers outside of Kovalchuk, so all of that possession generally means very little, and when they were in their own end, it was an adventure, especially with a 41 year/39 year old in net.

I think with Schneider they're a bottom-10 team instead of a bottom-5 team.

Bingo. We can have a team full of Marcel Hossas and post AMAZING possession stats yet still not score ****. That's why statsurfing is so gosh darn useless. You can't see how inept the shooters are outside of a select few. There is a stat for every argument I always say.

It's why I get so damn annoyed at Kershaw trying to do everything in his power to disparage the Rangers and prop up the Devils/Islanders at every chance he gets. It's obnoxiuos. "OH LEMME CITE THIS STAT GUYZ TO SHOW U WHY TEH RANGERZ ARE AWFUL AND TEH DEBBILS ARE OMGAMAZING!!!" It's painfully obvious that is going on with that and more people need to realize it.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Devils were an excellent possession team, even watching them will tell you that. But, they have no finishers outside of Kovalchuk, so all of that possession generally means very little, and when they were in their own end, it was an adventure, especially with a 41 year/39 year old in net.

I think with Schneider they're a bottom-10 team instead of a bottom-5 team.

Every year we say this and they somehow overachieve (or we dont give the makeup of the team enough credit) and they make the playoffs (except last year)

While it was a great deal for the Devils in getting Schneider, they passed up a solid top 10 pick in a deep top-end draft (theyll make it seem like there wasnt as good of a crop on the table at 9, but there will be an impact player in that area looking back 3-4 years from now for sure).

They wont have a first rounder next year either so that really puts them behind the 8-ball in stocking their farm with top-level talent.

So this I am happy about.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

fewest shots allowed, stocked defensive prosp....ehhh never mind

Stocked? By what definition? Santini is a nice prospect (I like him). Merrill is a huge question mark and the rest of the guys are players every team has. Hell, I'll take McI over Merrill any day of the week and Skjei over Santini (although this one is a lot closer). Allen, Noreau and Graves apparently make our D prospects stacked, too.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Every year we say this and they somehow overachieve (or we dont give the makeup of the team enough credit) and they make the playoffs (except last year)

And two years prior to that. They've missed the playoffs two out of the last three years. That time may very well have come.

 

[LetterJ]

Stocked? By what definition? Santini is a nice prospect (I like him). Merrill is a huge question mark and the rest of the guys are players every team has. Hell, I'll take McI over Merrill any day of the week and Skjei over Santini (although this one is a lot closer). Allen, Noreau and Graves apparently make our D prospects stacked, too.

I sure hope Skjei has more upside than that. After all, his skating is supposedly top notch for a guy his size. We drafted him #28 overall, whereas Santini went #42.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I sure hope Skjei has more upside than that. After all, his skating is supposedly top notch for a guy his size. We drafted him #28 overall, whereas Santini went #42.

Well, Skjei would probably have been a 2nd round pick in this draft. Right around (maybe a bit before) where Santini went. They are pretty comparable. Skjei has more upside, Santini is safer.

 

[JohnC]

Where's all the stat twisting when the Rangers need it?

 

[NYR Viper]

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 6m
Three years at $3.1 million per for Dainius Zubrus, as I reported last week. He just confirmed it.

Overpaid IMO

 

[FultonReed]

Do Devils have to forfeit their next year's 1st rounder?

yes. yes they do.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Overpaid IMO

By about 1M or so. Good for him, though.

 

[LetterJ]

Tragic story:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i...ticle-1.1386771?localLinksEnabled=false#bmb=1

Sometimes we forget about these guys once they are out of the limelight.

 

[Bluenote13]

Tragic story:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i...ticle-1.1386771?localLinksEnabled=false#bmb=1

Sometimes we forget about these guys once they are out of the limelight.

Yeah, that sucks for BB.

I was almost a teammate of his, way back in the early 90's.

 

[SKNJD9]

Rich Chere ‏@Ledger_NJDevils 3h
Devils are close to re-signing veteran forward Patrik Elias. It appears he will not test the market.

 

[nyranger61494]

Lou using a flip phone at the draft the biggest indication yet that the Devils are struggling financially?

 

[Kershaw]

Top teams usually score goals and have someone better than Andy Greene as their top d man.

No offense, but your argument is silly. NJD is not even close to contender status with the way their roster is constructed right now. Schnieder is an upgrade in goal but they still can't score and lets not forget hes was just traded by a team that had a pretty good defense to a team that may not have a single top 4 defender (Greene is a #5 for me, but thats debatable.) Couple that with a trade to what is going to be a much better division than the NW and I think its safe to say that his numbers will take a dip.

Either way, NJD are an aging team with limited in house options ready to help. Financial restrictions will probably keep them from doing much via UFA, and they don't have a whole lot of tradeable assets. They haven't come close to replacing Parise and unless you think Tedenby will magically stop sucking, they won't have that problem solved by next season.

Make all the excuses you want for what went down last year, but unlucky teams don't go on 10 game losing streaks, bad teams do.

The best defense is to prevent shots against. That is a combination of team defensive play from the forwards, goalies and defense. The goalie moving the puck out (like Marty) allows an easier transition offense. Their names on the backend aren't sexy at all, but they've gotten the job done for the most part post 2006 lockout as being top possession teams in the league. That's why they always were near the top of the standings for most of those years.

Bingo. We can have a team full of Marcel Hossas and post AMAZING possession stats yet still not score ****. That's why statsurfing is so gosh darn useless. You can't see how inept the shooters are outside of a select few. There is a stat for every argument I always say.

I don't ever recall Marcel Hossa being a good puck possession player, need to look up on that one.

Stat surfing is not useless at all. It gives some good objectivity on a player. Just because you can seem to grasp or understand it, does not mean it's useless.

It's why I get so damn annoyed at Kershaw trying to do everything in his power to disparage the Rangers and prop up the Devils/Islanders at every chance he gets. It's obnoxiuos. "OH LEMME CITE THIS STAT GUYZ TO SHOW U WHY TEH RANGERZ ARE AWFUL AND TEH DEBBILS ARE OMGAMAZING!!!" It's painfully obvious that is going on with that and more people need to realize it.

You literally have no idea what you're talking about. Please stop.