Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part V

[NjDevsRR]

 

[Devils Lurker]

Get Crouse if you cant get Meier without Mercer. Cant get Crouse get Barbashev. Cant get Barbashev get Boeser.

If that all fails just offer Pastrnak 11m

 

[JimEIV]

Obviously there are still large males being born in Europe. But in the past you would have the big grinding Swiss Army knife guys coming over from Europe.

Zubrus, Ponikarovskiy, Fedetenko, Antropov, even Brylin. Middle-6 forwards from Europe used to carve out roles as low-event defensive guys who were good at board work and grinding. Jack of all trades/master of none players who relied on fundamentals and physicality. But that play style has been replaced by guys who make a living by skating and shooting.

Kuokkanen was kind of a throwback to that classic European grinder style and it just doesn’t have a place in the game today. Teams don’t want boring zero-sum players with little talent taking up space in the middle-6. Those roster spots tend to be given to young ELC players trying to climb the roster or specialists.

Like Zetterlund?

 

[Alaskanice]

I really just think San Jose realizes they have the best player on the market. They are probably asking Carolina for Jarvis and the Devils for Mercer and will negotiate when both teams don't want to give up those players.

This couldn’t be more true. Many posters here keep saying that Meier is okay or nice. Timo IS the best player. Yes, he’s the best, right now, exactly why you need him.
Of course, we want a player that we know can play in the NHL not possibly.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

Get Crouse if you cant get Meier without Mercer. Cant get Crouse get Barbashev. Cant get Barbashev get Boeser.

If that all fails just offer Pastrnak 11m

Ya, I'm sure he can't wait to leave Boston

 

[Guadana]

This couldn’t be more true. Many posters here keep saying that Meier is okay or nice. Timo IS the best player. Yes, he’s the best, right now, exactly why you need him.
Of course, we want a player that we know can play in the NHL not possibly.

It`s okay to ask. You just don`t get them. Like we can`t get Meier for B prospects

 

[AfroThunder396]

Like Zetterlund?

Zetterlund is a small and skilled player who happens to have a great motor. He is not a big, slow, low event grinder. He's much closer to Tatar than he is to Zubrus or Brylin.

 

[JimEIV]

Zetterlund is a small and skilled player who happens to have a great motor. He is not a big, slow, low event grinder. He's much closer to Tatar than he is to Zubrus or Brylin.

Small skilled? Lol. He's literally the biggest forward we have at 220.

And he's not particularly skilled.

 

[Devils Lurker]

Ya, I'm sure he can't wait to leave Boston

Going out party this year

 

[Saugus]

Zetterlund is a small and skilled player who happens to have a great motor. He is not a big, slow, low event grinder. He's much closer to Tatar than he is to Zubrus or Brylin.

Zetterlund is, however, built like a goddam dump truck, which is probably where the comparison comes from.

He's a smaller guy who can play a more physical style because of his build. As you say, he has a great motor and a willingness to put it on net, and that is where his value as a player comes from.

 

[Devils731]

Zetterlund is a small and skilled player who happens to have a great motor. He is not a big, slow, low event grinder. He's much closer to Tatar than he is to Zubrus or Brylin.

Zetterlund is a monster. Multiple times this year players have tried to hit him and been bounced to the ice.

 

[glenwo2]

 

[Devils731]

If Zetterlund was 6’00”, 220 lbs, and Canadian instead of 5’11”, 220 lbs, and Euro then he would be talked about as a big dude who knocks guys to the ice.

People end up focusing way too much on height when discussing size.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

Really weird when you analyze that, it shows great character and it can also be a recipe for disaster

 

[AfroThunder396]

Small skilled? Lol. He's literally the biggest forward we have at 220

He's the heaviest forward but he's listed as only one inch taller than Bratt and Tatar. They have him officially at 5'11" but that's pretty generous.

Either way, he's clearly not a grinder. He's at nearly half a point per game as a rookie with inconsistent ice time and no PP usage. This is after years of being the leading scorer in Albany. The whole point was that stylistically these sort of filler players have changed over the years to be more skills-based and less grinding-based.

 

[Devils731]

Having 2 guys on the cover is probably a good omen for the future; not that it’s a surprise.

 

[JimEIV]

Zetterlund threw a reverse hit the other night ...I don't remember who it was against, I think it was Montreal, but it was in the open ice in the left circle and I remember thinking I don't remember a forward hitting like that in a long time.

 

[GameSeven]

 

[Better Call Sal]

Gorgeous.

 

[Nubmer6]

Zetterlund is, however, built like a goddam dump truck, which is probably where the comparison comes from.

 

[JimEIV]

He's the heaviest forward but he's listed as only one inch taller than Bratt and Tatar. They have him officially at 5'11" but that's pretty generous.

Either way, he's clearly not a grinder. He's at nearly half a point per game as a rookie with inconsistent ice time and no PP usage. This is after years of being the leading scorer in Albany. The whole point was that stylistically these sort of filler players have changed over the years to be more skills-based and less grinding-based.

Zetterlund was a grinder in Albany and had one break out year with Utica....I saw it live and up close...but he was a 3rd liner with a booming shot in Albany.

If you made a skill chart with Jack at the top and Wood at the bottom Zetterlund would be somewhere slightly above McLeod.

 

[glenwo2]

Really weird when you analyze that, it shows great character and it can also be a recipe for disaster

yeah...I mean if you think about it, the playoffs are going to be far tougher to make any sort of comeback, imo.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Gorgeous.

I just want someone in the NHL to try the camo set:

 

[Hisch13r]

I wish he went with something more stylized than just the logo for the forehead but other than that it’s an incredible set

 

[Devs3cups]

Having 2 guys on the cover is probably a good omen for the future; not that it’s a surprise.

This cover is f***ing beautiful. Wow.

Had the whole cover last year with Luke, Jack, Dawson and Holtz on it.

2 of the 7 guys on this year’s cover are ours. Future is bright.