Devils 2021-22 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XII

[Forge]

Zacha has essentially run out of excuses. There’s no reason for him to be the passenger he is. He’s now gotten chances on every special teams and finds his way being the odd man out. He’s next to Nico who has been having a solid year yet Zacha looks pedestrian.

I’d give Kuokkanen the benefit of the doubt. It’s his sophomore year which players almost always struggle. He’s also on a cheap deal for one more year, so he’s affordable. He’s also been a regular member on the PK which has rebounded very well.

Just on his QO alone, Zacha is probably going to get around 2.8-3 next year. Devils are going to start running out of cap space if they keep giving these middling forwards that much with the new extensions to the big guys.

Zacha should just flat out be gone at the deadline this year if we can move him. I don't even have much of a reason to qualify him at this point in time (outside of the fact that we have money and "it won't hurt") . I don't even care if it's futures coming back. I just don't see a future for Zacha.

 

[RSeen]

Zacha should just flat out be gone at the deadline this year if we can move him. I don't even have much of a reason to qualify him at this point in time (outside of the fact that we have money and "it won't hurt") . I don't even care if it's futures coming back. I just don't see a future for Zacha.

I would only qualify him for the purpose of trading his rights.

He absolutely has no place on this team going forward. He is not a top 6 player and I do not want to see him on any of Hughes, Nico or Mercer's line next year and beyond.

 

[Triumph]

In the 8 games since the NHL stopped down over Christmas:

Nico (7 GP): 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points, 23 shots on goal, 62% Corsi, 58% xG
Jack (8 GP): 4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points, 34 shots on goal, 55% Corsi, 63% xG

The goalies can't stop a beachball. These guys are playing the best hockey of their careers.

 

[JrFischer54]

Zacha should just flat out be gone at the deadline this year if we can move him. I don't even have much of a reason to qualify him at this point in time (outside of the fact that we have money and "it won't hurt") . I don't even care if it's futures coming back. I just don't see a future for Zacha.

finally the rest of you coming aboard on Zacha. Guy has been a bum since he’s been drafted. He will be playing in euro in 4 years book it


Correction him and shara will be playing against each other in the Gagarin cup

 

[Lou is God]

Boy, the schedule makers didn't go us any favors giving us two home night games during a busy NFL playoffs weekend, I think we'll get a decent crowd tomorrow night but the Kings game on Sunday? Going up against the highly anticipated Bills-Chiefs game? Add on to that the vaccine mandate which I'm sure is hurting ticket sales and a West Coast team, I'm afraid it's going to resemble more of a preseason crowd of several thousand.

It would have been better to have both games as matinees, but problem with that is the Canes play tonight so they can't play a matinee the next day so it's a night game thus making the Kings game a night game as well.

 

[JimEIV]

Nico is on pace for a career high in points even after a rough shooting stretch and is a significantly improved player defensively while Jack is a point per game player at age 20 while doing electric things every night. What the hell are you talking about, exactly?

LOL career high, yeah ...He's on pace for 55 points in 77 games.... Let's throw a party for that Whopping .07 above career average.

.07 is 6 points over 82 if you didn't care to do the math.

 

[JrFischer54]

Boy, the schedule makers didn't go us any favors giving us two home night games during a busy NFL playoffs weekend, I think we'll get a decent crowd tomorrow night but the Kings game on Sunday? Going up against the highly anticipated Bills-Chiefs game? Add on to that the vaccine mandate which I'm sure is hurting ticket sales and a West Coast team, I'm afraid it's going to resemble more of a preseason crowd of several thousand.

It would have been better to have both games as matinees, but problem with that is the Canes play tonight so they can't play a matinee the next day so it's a night game thus making the Kings game a night game as well.

having a shit team for 8 years is what’s hurting ticket sales. I have little doubt if this team was at the top of the conference playing exciting offensive hockey they would draw. There are so many more devils fans now then there was 20 years ago who have the ability to go and spend on a game by themselves

 

[JrFischer54]

LOL career high, yeah ...He's on pace for 55 points in 77 games.... Let's throw a party for that Whopping .07 above career average.

Let’s just be happy if mr glass survives a full season. That alone is an accomplishment

 

[Buck Dancer]

In the 8 games since the NHL stopped down over Christmas:

Nico (7 GP): 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points, 23 shots on goal, 62% Corsi, 58% xG
Jack (8 GP): 4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points, 34 shots on goal, 55% Corsi, 63% xG

The goalies can't stop a beachball. These guys are playing the best hockey of their careers.

If it was that easy to explain as to why we're not winning games, hockey wouldn't be a difficult sport to analyze but we all know that isn't the case.

Blackwood isn't playing great, nobody is denying that but that's several other things that we as a team aren't doing well at all and it's those little things that are killing us.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Nico's CF% this season is 24th amongst centers with +300 minutes, better than MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Giroux, Aho, Crosby, Point, Couturier, Schiefele, Pavelski, Kopitar, Tavares, O'Reilly, Marchessault, Zegras, Pettersen, Kuznetsov, Barzal, Horvat, and Hertl.

He has 11 points (6 goals) in his last 14 games, which is astonishing considering that his primary linemate has only 4 points in 17 games over the same stretch.

 

[Bleedred]

Zacha has essentially run out of excuses. There’s no reason for him to be the passenger he is. He’s now gotten chances on every special teams and finds his way being the odd man out. He’s next to Nico who has been having a solid year yet Zacha looks pedestrian.

I’d give Kuokkanen the benefit of the doubt. It’s his sophomore year which players almost always struggle. He’s also on a cheap deal for one more year, so he’s affordable. He’s also been a regular member on the PK which has rebounded very well.

Just on his QO alone, Zacha is probably going to get around 2.8-3 next year. Devils are going to start running out of cap space if they keep giving these middling forwards that much with the new extensions to the big guys.

That’s precisely my rationale for getting rid of Zacha. He isn’t worth much more than $3 million and we shouldn’t really be giving him what he’s worth.

I’d only give him a one year deal. It takes him right to UFA.

 

[Lou is God]

having a shit team for 8 years is what’s hurting ticket sales. I have little doubt if this team was at the top of the conference playing exciting offensive hockey they would draw. There are so many more devils fans now then there was 20 years ago who have the ability to go and spend on a game by themselves

Jesus Christ you're the most negative poster in here, you need to change your avatar to Glum:

 

[NJDfan86]

If it was that easy to explain as to why we're not winning games, hockey wouldn't be a difficult sport to analyze but we all know that isn't the case.

Blackwood isn't playing great, nobody is denying that but that's several other things that we as a team aren't doing well at all and it's those little things that are killing us.

This is like saying that someone who had diabetes, high blood pressure, and a gunshot wound to the chest had a bunch of things killing them.

The cause of death for the Devils this year is goal tending. They probably aren't a playoff team with great goaltending but the progress in the other areas would be more apparent if its wasn't as abysmal as it has been

 

[Darkauron]

Quinn Hughes is gonna request a trade to the Devils cuz he doesn’t like the Canucks’ new analytics hire.

Not that Hughes conversation

 

[Oneiro]

Love to see the guy that took a victory lap over Zacha's first five games digging into Nico and Jack.

Never a single word about 37 who's getting fed top line minutes and doing nothing with it.

 

[My3Sons]

LOL career high, yeah ...He's on pace for 55 points in 77 games.... Let's throw a party for that Whopping .07 above career average.

.07 is 6 points over 82 if you didn't care to do the math.

Meh, you know he's been better since the slow start. I'm not sure if my math is correct but it looks like he's got 20 points in his past 25 games playing largely with underperforming wingers. That's a pretty solid season if he maintains that pace or improves just a bit.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

LOL career high, yeah ...He's on pace for 55 points in 77 games.... Let's throw a party for that Whopping .07 above career average.

.07 is 6 points over 82 if you didn't care to do the math.

He is now carrying his own line with excellent results. He has to play with bums like Pavel Zacha. There is no MVP or even a Palmieri to lean on. He played a terrific game with a PTO and waiver wire pickup a few games ago.

Even minor progression over the next few seasons makes him one of the best 2Cs in hockey. If you think he hasn’t improved over the last few seasons, you’ll never get it.

 

[JimEIV]

Meh, you know he's been better since the slow start. I'm not sure if my math is correct but it looks like he's got 20 points in his past 25 games playing largely with underperforming wingers. That's a pretty solid season if he maintains that pace or improves just a bit.

He did the same in 2019-2020 when had 14 points in 15 games At the end of December 2019 after the Hall Trade....That was the "real Nico"... not the one That had 4 points in the final 12 games of the same season.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

He did the same in 2019-2020 when had 14 points in 15 games At the end of December 2019 after the Hall Trade....That was the "real Nico" not the one That had 4 points in the final 12 games of the same season.

I wonder if there are other stats you can look at to see if the player is generating or suppressing chances at a higher rate? But that takes the fun out of it. You keep doing you and make sweeping conclusions based on counting stats in small samples.

 

[My3Sons]

He did the same in 2019-2020 when had 14 points in 15 games At the end of December 2019 after the Hall Trade....That was the "real Nico" not the one That had 4 points in the final 12 games of the same season.

Maybe. Hopefully he keeps it up.

 

[JimEIV]

Maybe. Hopefully he keeps it up.

These guys all seem to start to put up points when were down a dozen or so points from the 8th seed.

 

[My3Sons]

These guys all seem to start to put up points when were down a dozen or so points from the 8th seed.

They are kids ranging from 20-23 who are being tasked with making chicken salad from chicken poop. They are starting to get their footing now. It's hardly ideal but it beats them never finding their footing. You are only talking about three forwards out of twelve that are making much of a difference right now.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

LOL career high, yeah ...He's on pace for 55 points in 77 games.... Let's throw a party for that Whopping .07 above career average.

.07 is 6 points over 82 if you didn't care to do the math.

A 60 point pace while anchoring the best defensive line in the NHL despite being flanked by trash all season? There was a time not long ago when that would describe a quintessential “Devils Forward.”

You used to have an appreciate for players who played Devils hockey. Now all you care about are points and goals.

 

[Oneiro]

Wouldn't mind any of the nitpicking of the top two if there was an even hand. You have a No. 6 overall doing nothing for 20 games but yeah, let's light up the PPG player. Pure desperation.

Oh yeah, this one was funny enough to bookmark for the eventual regression that took place:
"Zacha’s 4 goals in 5 games and 5 points in 5 is certainly unsustainable….he’s feeding off much better players in Nico and Bratt."

 

[Triumph]

He is now carrying his own line with excellent results. He has to play with bums like Pavel Zacha. There is no MVP or even a Palmieri to lean on. He played a terrific game with a PTO and waiver wire pickup a few games ago.

Even minor progression over the next few seasons makes him one of the best 2Cs in hockey. If you think he hasn’t improved over the last few seasons, you’ll never get it.

The thing is that Nico really didn't improve at all in 19-20 and 20-21. But this season is very clearly a level above those.