Devils 2018-19 Team Discussion (news and notes) Part III

[Blender]

Going back to the #'s last year Wood is a bit of an unfair comparison given he's at the top of the list in terms of all sorts of individual metrics.


Zacha's #'s although less then, were not far off the pace of Nico's, aside from goals and points, but that can certainly be partly attributable to playing with Hall.

But I think the question now is this year, and if you take away the Washington game, he's been a non factor. The Washington game, which showed what he is capable of, only makes his other games more frustrating.

I think people forget that Zacha did start with Hall last season out of training camp. It didn't work and Nico was performing better, so they switched things up.

Zacha just isn't aggressive enough, and until he fixes that mental side of his game he's not going to score more.

 

[JimEIV]

I think people forget that Zacha did start with Hall last season out of training camp. It didn't work and Nico was performing better, so they switched things up.

Zacha just isn't aggressive enough, and until he fixes that mental side of his game he's not going to score more.

He's simply not going to score to the satisfaction of his critics from the 3rd line with no PP time... It just isn't going to happen.

He was rolling in the first 2 games, the staff never rewarded him with PP time.

No reward for good but plenty of punishment for bad...He was -2 against San Jose and they practically benched him...

He went from 21 shifts and 15:25 against Washington to 15 shifts and 11:13 in the very next game. He makes a mistake defensively and he is the dog house...what kind of player do you think that is going to produce?

The last game he played 18:33 essentially taking Zajac's role as the #1 PK center with 4:18 of PK time to lead all the forwards. They are thrusting him into a shutdown role. And in a day when we lost the faceoff battle by 27 to 73% he managed to win 43% of his draws.

It seems pretty obvious what is happening here to me.

 

[haak84]

Man Hall is only shooting 4.8%. That is going to even out sooner or later.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Man Hall is only shooting 4.8%. That is going to even out sooner or later.

4.8 better than PZ at least

 

[JimEIV]

4.8 better than PZ at least

Maybe we can base his next contract on Pavel Zacha?

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

He went from 21 shifts and 15:25 against Washington to 15 shifts and 11:13 in the very next game. He makes a mistake defensively and he is the dog house...what kind of player do you think that is going to produce?

The last game he played 18:33 essentially taking Zajac's role as the #1 PK center with 4:18 of PK time to lead all the forwards. They are thrusting him into a shutdown role. And in a day when we lost the faceoff battle by 27 to 73% he managed to win 43% of his draws.

Your first paragraph is compelling; albeit having nothing to show for it, Zacha played a great game against Washington. He was incredibly active on both sides of the puck, and generated high-quality scoring chances for himself and his line mates. Considering his history of confidence issues, that game should have been a pivotal building block, and it evidently wasn't treated as such by the staff.

I'm confused by your second paragraph. Who, exactly, should have been "thrusted" into the gaping shutdown void left by Zajac? It seems reasonable to default to Zacha when your top shutdown center is out with injury.

 

[Triumph]

A: Much of the Washington game was a blowout - it's difficult to glean anything from the ice time given in that game

B: Johansson-Zacha-Noesen was atrocious against San Jose, that's why that line got less ice time. Zacha was probably the best guy on that line that day but they were all not great.

 

[devilsblood]

He went from 21 shifts and 15:25 against Washington to 15 shifts and 11:13 in the very next game. He makes a mistake defensively and he is the dog house...what kind of player do you think that is going to produce?

The last game he played 18:33 essentially taking Zajac's role as the #1 PK center with 4:18 of PK time to lead all the forwards. They are thrusting him into a shutdown role. And in a day when we lost the faceoff battle by 27 to 73% he managed to win 43% of his draws.

It seems pretty obvious what is happening here to me.

His most common linemates yesterday were Hall and Palms. Some dog house.

 

[BahlDeep]

Zacha is getting all the blame but MJ has been just as irrelevant on that line

 

[JimEIV]

Your first paragraph is compelling; albeit having nothing to show for it, Zacha played a great game against Washington. He was incredibly active on both sides of the puck, and generated high-quality scoring chances for himself and his line mates. Considering his history of confidence issues, that game should have been a pivotal building block, and it evidently wasn't treated as such by the staff.

I'm confused by your second paragraph. Who, exactly, should have been "thrusted" into the gaping shutdown void left by Zajac? It seems reasonable to default to Zacha when your top shutdown center is out with injury.

Isn't that why we got Boyle? His usage hasn't really changed all that much in the last 5 games. Wouldn't it make sense to use Coleman in the center role as opposed to wing? Hey you know that Quenneville has played a lot of center...but they forced Rooney into the lineup based on what? His 2 big assist in 5 games in Binghamton? Bizarre.



And everyone keeps yelling that Johansson is a play maker that needs a finisher...does it make sense to pair him with a center that has 2 to 1 assist to goals throughout his career in Zacha? Wouldn't you want to get Palmieri with Johansson on the second line to distribute the scoring and get another line going?


I think this staff is really dumb and plays favorites in the absolute worst way

 

[Billdo]

When Bratt comes back I think I'd like to see them break up the top line. Maybe try something like

Hall-Nico-Bratt
Johansson-Zacha-Palmieri
Wood-Coleman-Noesen
Boyle-Dea-Stafford

 

[devilsblood]

Zacha is getting all the blame but MJ has been just as irrelevant on that line

Ya, very true, but we just don't have as much invested in Mojo as a team or a fanbase.

But he is not making much of a case for himself going into his free agency.

 

[JimEIV]

His most common linemates yesterday were Hall and Palms. Some dog house.

It was barely even an entire period.

 

[devilsblood]

It was barely even an entire period.

Hall played 7:55 with Nico. 7:15 with Zacha. He basically split his ice time with those 2 centers.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

My thoughts is probably that Shero has some regrets on the offseason he just had. He probably put too much faith on kids stepping up, when the reality is they are not ready and we needed another 1 or 2 accomplished veterans on this team that can play 2nd and 3rd line to replace Maroon and Grabner.

where was this post 3 days ago when we were 4-0?

oh thats right.

 

[Triumph]

Isn't that why we got Boyle? His usage hasn't really changed all that much in the last 5 games. Wouldn't it make sense to use Coleman in the center role as opposed to wing? Hey you know that Quenneville has played a lot of center...but they forced Rooney into the lineup based on what? His 2 big assist in 5 games in Binghamton? Bizarre.



And everyone keeps yelling that Johansson is a play maker that needs a finisher...does it make sense to pair him with a center that has 2 to 1 assist to goals throughout his career in Zacha? Wouldn't you want to get Palmieri with Johansson on the second line to distribute the scoring and get another line going?


I think this staff is really dumb and plays favorites in the absolute worst way

Yes, it's definitely the staff that plays favorites in the absolute worst way.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

they really should put Zacha on the PP to get him to think more offensively IMO.

 

[JimEIV]

Yes, it's definitely the staff that plays favorites in the absolute worst way.

Let me tell you about my great ideas...

I am going to take a defensive dman with 80 some odd NHL games experience over the last 5 years and put him on the first pair ...

No wait, it gets better...

now I going to sit a defensive Dman with about 80 some odd games of experience for half a season plus the beging of this season for Ben f***ing Lovejoy.

No there is more.... I am going to send Quenneville our leading scorer in the AHL for the last two years back to Binghamton for Kevin f***ing Rooney... Mainly because I certainly need a spot available for a midget named D that I plucked off waivers from my old club so that is not negotiable.

 

[BahlDeep]

Let me tell you about my great ideas...

I am going to take a defensive dman with 80 some odd NHL games experience over the last 5 years and put him on the first pair ...

No wait, it gets better...

now I going to sit a defensive Dman with about 80 some odd games of experience for half a season plus the beging of this season for Ben ****ing Lovejoy.

No there is more.... I am going to send Quenneville our leading scorer in the AHL for the last two years back to Binghamton for Kevin ****ing Rooney... Mainly because I certainly need a spot available for a midget named D that I plucked off waivers from my old club so that is not negotiable.

Who do you want to put on the first pair Jim?

If you want to blame the defense yesterday, blame Greene on that awful pinch with 3 minute to go while the game was tied.

 

[Triumph]

Let me tell you about my great ideas...

I am going to take a defensive dman with 80 some odd NHL games experience over the last 5 years and put him on the first pair ...

Worked out okay so far. Mueller hasn't been great but hasn't been terrible. I wonder why you don't like him.

No wait, it gets better...

now I going to sit a defensive Dman with about 80 some odd games of experience for half a season plus the beging of this season for Ben ****ing Lovejoy.

Ben Lovejoy has been a solid 3rd pairing D since being given that job. I wonder why you like Santini and not Lovejoy even though Santini struggled even worse with Lovejoy's assignment when given it last season.

No there is more.... I am going to send Quenneville our leading scorer in the AHL for the last two years back to Binghamton for Kevin ****ing Rooney... Mainly because I certainly need a spot available for a midget named D that I plucked off waivers from my old club so that is not negotiable.

Dea has scored 3 goals since coming up which is more goals than Quenneville has in his NHL career. I wonder why you like Quenneville more than Dea even though Dea has shown more in these 6 games than Quenneville has in his NHL career.

Soon Quenneville and Santini and all the fringe guys drafted in 2015 or before will be gone. The fringe of the roster will just be people signed or drafted after that. It'll be difficult but you can adjust to hating them all like most of the board.

 

[MadDevil]

Who do you want to put on the first pair Jim?

If you want to blame the defense yesterday, blame Greene on that awful pinch with 3 minute to go while the game was tied.

Trade for Merrill.

 

[JimEIV]

Soon Quenneville and Santini and all the fringe guys drafted in 2015 or before will be gone. The fringe of the roster will just be people signed or drafted after that. It'll be difficult but you can adjust to hating them all like most of the board.

You were literally saying the exact same thing about the group that contained Coleman and Wood two years ago. You may have even used the exact words.

 

[Triumph]

You were literally saying the exact same thing about the group that contained Coleman and Wood two years ago. You may have even used the exact words.

Yeah, they're not fringe guys anymore, that will happen sometimes - players improve and become NHLers. You talked up a bunch of guys who are also fringe players now all around the league - Boucher, Blandisi, Pietila, etc. - and that will definitely always also happen. Quenneville's very likely to join them. I like him but he doesn't seem to do much at the NHL level.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Isn't that why we got Boyle? His usage hasn't really changed all that much in the last 5 games. Wouldn't it make sense to use Coleman in the center role as opposed to wing? Hey you know that Quenneville has played a lot of center...but they forced Rooney into the lineup based on what? His 2 big assist in 5 games in Binghamton? Bizarre.

You want Boyle to assume Zajac's role? Did I read that right?

And everyone keeps yelling that Johansson is a play maker that needs a finisher...does it make sense to pair him with a center that has 2 to 1 assist to goals throughout his career in Zacha? Wouldn't you want to get Palmieri with Johansson on the second line to distribute the scoring and get another line going?

Palmieri with Johansson isn't feasible until Bratt returns.

 

[JimEIV]

Yeah, they're not fringe guys anymore, that will happen sometimes - players improve and become NHLers. You talked up a bunch of guys who are also fringe players now all around the league - Boucher, Blandisi, Pietila, etc. - and that will definitely always also happen. Quenneville's very likely to join them. I like him but he doesn't seem to do much at the NHL level.

Boucher has 9 goals in 8 AHL games this season and Blandisi was just called up to Anaheim. Clock is certainly running out for them but when you add them to Wood, Coleman and Santini, a newly drafted Zacha, a fresh faced Severson ...that was the prospect pool at the time everyone was saying was crap.

I think the oft used phrase was "Worst prospect pool in the league". Hindsight really shows to how ridiculous that was.