Devils could use a real third line center

[Bleedred]

Wasn't Henrique on their line when Poni scored the OT winner against the Flyers?

 

[hlaverty06]

Josefson hasn't been given a chance at 3rd line C this year though. We've had CBGB there all year. Why can't we just roll 4 lines? It will make our team better. Barch has done a fine job as the resident goon, but he's not needed every game. He's averaged 50 games per year in his career. He's an interchangeable part that we can throw in, and out of the lineup. He brings no offense whatsoever.

Lokti will have to be shifted with Patty like yesterday to get any points, and Butler will have to try and get production on the PP. That line is doing **** even strength with Barch in the lineup.

Fact-Barch scored on a breakaway last year

 

[apice3*]

Fact-Barch scored on a breakaway last year

Eric Boulton scored a hat trick against us the year before we signed him.

 

[Zippy316]

Look at the potential full line-up, and no doubt Josefson is going to come back. Pretty obvious they do NOT want a legit 3rd line at the moment, I know Zubrus is injured.

Poni-TZ-IK
Elias-Henrique-Clarkson
Zubrus-Loktionov-Butler
Carter-Josefson/Gionta-Bernier

There's maybe a slight lack of top end forward but the depth looks solid. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Butler being a very good 2nd liner with some linemates like Henrique and Elias.

Zubrus-Loktionov-Clarkson would be one hell of a 3rd line. (yeah I firmly believe Andrei is a good player)

With Carter out, I want to see:

Ponikarovski-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Elias-Loktionov-Butler
Matteau-Henrique-Clarkson
Barch-Gionta-Bernier

I want to see them try to balance the lines. Give some young guys a chance and see if they wind up having any chemistry, with the veterans. It allows us to balance our scoring out.

 

[Bleedred]

Eric Boulton scored a hat trick against us the year before we signed him.

Haha. One of Barch's goals last year was a 6 hole softy on Moose.

 

[JackHughes86]

i think we will be fine with zubrus

 

[The Wumpus]

Eric Boulton scored a hat trick against us the year before we signed him.

I still don't believe that happened, even though I watched it happen.

But maybe it means Lou will trade for Tavares now.

 

[Edmonton East]

How about the Devils could use a first line winger?

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Havlat for Zidlicky!

 

[TaiMaiShu]

Havlat would be nice but Sharks defense is better and deeper than ours.

 

[Zippy316]

Havlat would be nice but Sharks defense is better and deeper than ours.

Exactly.

Same reason I realize we aren't getting Raymond.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Havlat would be nice but Sharks defense is better and deeper than ours.

Cmon, they wouldn't take an enigma named Tallinder?

 

[kiwidevil]

Speaking of behindthenet.ca, Josefson's PDO is among the worst in the entire league. Reports of his struggles have been greatly exaggerated.

I have no idea what PDO means, but what I can tell you from watching hockey is that Josefson looks scared out there at both ends of the ice. Do you have a 'confidence meter' stat, based on blood pressure and positive brain waves?

 

[Saugus]

Gionta might be playing in a third line role, but he's no third-line center. I think all of us want to see CBGB go back to the 4th line.

It's where they belong. I'm grateful for how they came together out of nowhere and helped propel us to the Final, but they are a fourth line for sure.

Speaking of behindthenet.ca, Josefson's PDO is among the worst in the entire league. Reports of his struggles have been greatly exaggerated.

So he was getting unlucky too. Poor guy.

 

[rtr1105]

Isn't Gio a natural winger? I know he plays center, but isn't he a natural winger?

 

[Unknown Caller]

Speaking of behindthenet.ca, Josefson's PDO is among the worst in the entire league. Reports of his struggles have been greatly exaggerated.

According to my eyesight, Josefson was playing like hot garbage.

 

[aboriginal]

id love filppula, but that wont happen.

 

[DevilsAnimal*]

I think the Devils are just a Zubrus away from having CBGB go back to being the fourth line with Zubrus-Loktionov-Butler as the third.

Pwni-Zubrus-Matteau

 

[Emperoreddy]

CBGB is the best 4th line in hockey. They are an okay 3rd line and they've held their own, but they will do a ton more damage as 4th liners.

This, those guys are doing well in the role we have handed them in the regular season, but match up wise they will just own 4th lines when put back in that role. Get Zubs down there with JJ/Loki and Butler and that is a third line without having to go shopping.

 

[MountainGoat]

wish we signed Prust this past offseason, he's the one Ranger player I could stand watching, the perfect example of a 3rd liner

 

[Bleedred]

wish we signed Prust this past offseason, he's the one Ranger player I could stand watching, the perfect example of a 3rd liner

Ewww. He's way overpaid though.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Isn't Gio a natural winger? I know he plays center, but isn't he a natural winger?

Gionta is a natural winger. I believe he started playing center several years after joining the Lowell Devils.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

wish we signed Prust this past offseason, he's the one Ranger player I could stand watching, the perfect example of a 3rd liner

Prust is barely better than Ryan Carter, and makes 3x as much. No thanks.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

According to my eyesight, Josefson was playing like hot garbage.

I think your eyesight might be exaggerating a bit.

Josefson has not been good, but it's important to remember that he has had really bad puck luck. If a couple bounces go his way, and he has say 2g and 3a, way less people are probably criticizing his play.

Our eyes are imperfect analytical tools. We must be very mindful of how players are actually playing in the short term, rather than the results of their play (goals, assists, etc.).

For instance - Steve Bernier. He hasn't really played any better than last season (still has an aenmic shot rate, the only difference is a 21.1% shooting percentage versus a 4.5% shooting percentage), however he was in the right place at the right time against the Islanders a couple weeks ago and potted an empty netter. Production will cure all ills, regardless if someone hasn't improved or is playing worse.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

According to my eyesight, Josefson was playing like hot garbage.

"Eyesight" is what told half of twitter last season that Fayne was the worst defenseman on the Devils. Forgive me if I don't trust anyone's eyesight anymore.