Devils 2020-21 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XIV

[Jason MacIsaac]

Bahl has been added to the Taxi Squad.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[JimEIV]

Johnsson has been very disappointing so far. I expected him to bring some "jam" to at least try to replace Coleman, but he's been totally ineffective and invisible.

I do wonder if the extended off-season hit the NHL regulars harder than it did the kids. Johnsson, Palmieri and Gusev have all looked below-par, if not downright bad.

Probably...I'd imagine it was a much greater disturbance to the routines of NHL regulars.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Gusev hasn't done anything to be a liability (from what I can remember), he just hasn't done anything offensively either. He has enough proven skill to deserve a chance with better linemates. Zacha has never done anything and Johnsson...who knows.

That being said, yea I wouldn't re-sign him either if he's asking for like 9mil or something stupid but I doubt he'd ask for that much. He hasn't done anything to deserve that much.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’m not sure that Gusev gets much term or money unless he absolutely catches fire. How much can you really prove in 50 something games?

 

[R8Devs]

Don't want to separate Boqvist from the Zajac line but without Nico here it could be a chance to see how well he can do at the center position and then also putting Gusev with Zajac/Wood could help him get going. Same with the Johnsson/Sharangovich switch to get Johnsson going while also easing up the pressure on Sharangovich

Johnsson-Hughes-Palmieri
Wood-Zajac-Gusev
Sharangovich-Boqvist-Zacha
Kuokkanen-McLeod-Bastian

 

[Guttersniped]

Boqvist has reminded me of the early part of Josefson’s career and not in a bad way. He is a very smart player. Just have to hope the offense comes.

I would like to see him with Nico at some point.

Was it Bo being immediately crushed by a Ranger and gingerly making his way to the bench at the game? Oh wait, you said in not in a bad way, never mind.

 

[Nubmer6]

 

[JimEIV]

I wonder when we see a second goalie start? 2nd Islander game?

 

[Blender]

I wonder when we see a second goalie start? 2nd Islander game?

Buffalo back to back is my guess.

 

[My3Sons]

Isn't there a difference between being invisible but playing a simple overly safe responsible game that doesn't lead to penalties or bad chances against even if offense is inhibited and being noticeable for bad play that leads to chances against while still not making any offensive contribution? I think some guys like Boquist and McLeod fit into the first category from what I've watched, while some other guys maybe a bit too much of the second category. It's definitely a work in progress not only from incorporating so many young guys into the lineup but adding a new coach and system as well. If the young players develop that's most important and some of that will take time and maybe some growing pains along the way. Writing off Kuokannen as a bad player after three games would be unfair even if he hasn't been very good. Same with Boquist although he's looked pretty good in multiple facets of the game to me even if his confidence is not there yet to allow him to create more offense. We still need to have patience to let this play out.

 

[Zippy316]

I think even worse than not producing points is not producing shots. Gusev is 2nd(10) on team in shots and Zacha(6) is 5th.

Johnsson with 1 shot and Kuokanen with 0 is unacceptable and Boqvist with 2 is skirting the edge.

This is just a poor judge of anything. Half of those Gusev shots were him spinning around and flailing the puck on net with next to zero chance of scoring.

Boqvist has looked phenomenal on a checking line with Zajac, shutting down plays in the defensive and neutral zone frequently against top lines. Kuokkanen has been a big part of McLeod-Bastian’s ability to look noticeable.

Johnsson has admittedly looked very mediocre so far. Then again, Zacha is coasting around like he does most of the time and Gusev has his own faults to overcome. Not the easiest position to start out as, but he hasn’t done himself any favors with his training camp either.

 

[Barry Tallackson]

I understand that Senn and Bahl swapped.. but does someone have to be sent down for Comrie? Or was there an available roster spot?

 

[JimEIV]

This is just a poor judge of anything. Half of those Gusev shots were him spinning around and flailing the puck on net with next to zero chance of scoring.

Boqvist has looked phenomenal on a checking line with Zajac, shutting down plays in the defensive and neutral zone frequently against top lines. Kuokkanen has been a big part of McLeod-Bastian’s ability to look noticeable.

Johnsson has admittedly looked very mediocre so far. Then again, Zacha is coasting around like he does most of the time and Gusev has his own faults to overcome. Not the easiest position to start out as, but he hasn’t done himself any favors with his training camp either.

Take away half of Gusev shots and he's still in the top half of the team with more shots than Boqvist and Johnsson combined.

What's poor judging is believing that you are seeing something that doesn't exist...Boqvist hasn't played poorly in fact I would say he's much improved from last season but he's still doing very little. Phenomenal is a ludicrous way to describe Boqvist's performance and Kuokanen has been even more nonexistent.

 

[Nubmer6]

This is just a poor judge of anything. Half of those Gusev shots were him spinning around and flailing the puck on net with next to zero chance of scoring.

Yes, however even getting those opportunities means he's getting into the right positions. I'm not too worried about Gusev. He just needs to get his timing down. It'll come.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Random thought but remember when Severson broke into the league and he was the talk of HF boards for a bit but always got shouted down by Toronto fans claiming Stuart Percy was better. That aged well.

 

[Guttersniped]

Shara looked kind of meh last game, but he is still putting up some points and playing aight. Might hit a bit of a brick wall I feel like, but he just needs to keep on moving and working hard like he did the first game and a half.

It’s asking a lot to put him on the 1st line with a lot of minutes and then have him on special teams. His minutes were tough too because he was on the PK against a powerhouse PP for a long time.

As I mentioned in a different post, Palmieri had 15 minutes of PK time in 65 games last season and he hasn’t done it much for years. Other than Zajac and Zacha, the PK was Coleman, Rooney, Anderson and Nico last season so it does have to be rebuilt to a certain degree.

Player	ES	SH	PP
Palmieri	11:03	5:19	:49
Sharagovich	12:50	4:29	1:11
Zacha	9:30	3:54	:57
Zajac	13:44	3:45	0:00
McLeod	11:08	1:42	0:14
Bastian	12:10	0:17	0:14

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

This from the TOI - Devils Official Game Report available on NHL Game Center if anyone is wondering.

 

[SKNJD9]

Start Wedgewood vs the Isles and let Comrie back up. Mack deserves a true day off

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I understand that Senn and Bahl swapped.. but does someone have to be sent down for Comrie? Or was there an available roster spot?

I believe there was an open roster spot already

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Start Wedgewood vs the Isles and let Comrie back up. Mack deserves a true day off

nah, I think you gotta ride Blackwood right now

they get 2 full days off again after tomorrow night so he'll get his rest

 

[Steelman]

What if they put back together Bratt-Zacha-Gusev from last year ??? (to get Zacha and Gusev going)

Sharangovich - Hughes - Boqvist/Bastian??
Johnsson - Hischier - Palmieri
Wood - Zajac - Bastian/Boqvist??
Bratt - Zacha - Gusev

Mcleod/Kuokkanen

 

[R8Devs]

lol yeah I see that but I was saying that in terms of getting certain guys going. In my head I think right now you can't split Wood-Zajac and Hughes-Palmieri and wanted to keep the 4th line in tact. So that's where I was going with it.

Also this quote from Lindy in regards to that Zacha line:
“We know we’re going to need all four lines,” Ruff said. “We are going to need all 12 forwards. That’s on me to make it work. Maybe I can move one forward off that line and the line will go better. I’ve already talked about options, but if you look at the schedule, we need everyone going. You can’t play with three lines.”
Goals, puck-handling and toughness: Jack Hughes has arrived for the Devils

 

[SKNJD9]

nah, I think you gotta ride Blackwood right now

they get 2 full days off again after tomorrow night so he'll get his rest

I dont think comrie would of been called up if the plan was to start mack tomorrow

 

[Steelman]

Gusev hasn't done anything to be a liability (from what I can remember), he just hasn't done anything offensively either. He has enough proven skill to deserve a chance with better linemates. Zacha has never done anything and Johnsson...who knows.

That being said, yea I wouldn't re-sign him either if he's asking for like 9mil or something stupid but I doubt he'd ask for that much. He hasn't done anything to deserve that much.

Gusev is weak on the puck, weak on the forecheck, slow and weak defensively, he will be expendable next year with the possibility of Mercer, Holtz, Foote making the team and the emergence of 1 of Bastian, Boqvist, Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Merkley, Matlsev.

Palmeiri is a must re-sign in my opinion, brings alot to the game and secondary scoring. 6x6 works for me (preferrably less term though).

 

[Blackjack]

Gusev is weak on the puck, weak on the forecheck, slow and weak defensively, he will be expendable next year with the possibility of Mercer, Holtz, Foote making the team and the emergence of 1 of Bastian, Boqvist, Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Merkley, Matlsev.

Palmeiri is a must re-sign in my opinion, brings alot to the game and secondary scoring. 6x6 works for me (preferrably less term though).

Gusev is a supremely talented player that produced tons of offense in the KHL, but he really needs to turn it around quickly. If he doesn't produce a ppg or close to it this season, I'd be fine moving on. Terrible disappointment so far.