The MDZ Thread
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Net Front Presence
Harvester of Sorrow
- Oct 29, 2009
- 6,182
- 1
This.
Looks like he's taken huge steps during the off-season and lockout. Not only has his offense gotten better, he looks a lot better defensively too.
Great game last night, but prior to that a patchy start.
Very poor with the puck in his own defensive zone particularly around the end boards in our first few games, missed defensive assignments too. Fowards partly responsible for the horrendous breakout play but DZ shoulders some blame too.
Still has the capability to hit the long pass better than most, still can't shoot, always brings effort and plays tough, but doesn't always have enough concentration.
I'm certainly not 'eating crow' although I was never overly critical of Del Zotto in the first place. I look forward to seeing him continue his upward development trend as he approaches the 23-24 age range.
Very poor with the puck in his own defensive zone particularly around the end boards in our first few games, missed defensive assignments too. Fowards partly responsible for the horrendous breakout play but DZ shoulders some blame too.
Still has the capability to hit the long pass better than most, still can't shoot, always brings effort and plays tough, but doesn't always have enough concentration.
I'm certainly not 'eating crow' although I was never overly critical of Del Zotto in the first place. I look forward to seeing him continue his upward development trend as he approaches the 23-24 age range.
Made Dan
Registered User
I've really liked how he's playing. Confident, and with an edge too; throwing some elbows around and going after people who take cheap shots, but avoiding penalties in the process.
eco's bones
Registered User
He's getting better all the time. Arguably he could have had the second or third star last night. He definitely did a favor for his pal Boyle last night banking the shot off of him--maybe that will get him going.
He played consistently well last year but people still slagged him because he had two bad playoff games
Del Zotto seems like the kind of player people are always looking for things to be critical about
Made Dan
Registered User
Does anyone else think he looks a lot faster? Just seems like a more fluid skater than he was last year.
Going back to when he was a prospect he seemed like a very polarizing player. People either loved or hated him.
Kreider Typical
flex
- Apr 10, 2012
- 2,664
- 128
i always disliked him, but he's matured a lot. he looks confident out there. his mindset looks different. as long as he stays consistent he will easily be one of our best valued guys on the blue. now he just needs to work on that shot and he'll be golden
Maybe a bit. He's also been a pretty good straight line skater, but his pivoting is still kinda bad I think. He definitely has a weakness when it comes to defending against players coming at him with speed and going wide around him. If he has to pivot and try to stay with him he gets in trouble sometimes. Just takes him an extra bit of time to get turned around and back up to speed, compared to someone like McDonagh
I think he's playing more confident but also more relaxed...where he got into a ton of trouble in his sophomore year was that he acted like he could make any pass and that he needed to be making all these great plays with the puck. This year (and probably last year, but he seems better this year) he's making confident plays but he's not rushing things as and is waiting until the right time.
He can still probably clean up things in his own end but he's also trying to adjust to playing the right side
^ Have to agree with this
^ But also this
I will happily eat crow to see DZ play well consistently
Callafan24
Registered User
Very acute point, but to be fair Ryan McDonagh is as good a skater as any Dman in the league. MDZ has taken noticeable leaps in his offense and defense over the past year and a half. Add to that he's on a steal of a second contract and has finally looked poised playing on the right side with the shutdown Staal. Very fun to watch.
He has been very good.
Didn't want him at 3+ million yet. He signed a very good contract. And he looks very motivated. More mature so far. His next contract he's going to cash in. The sub 3 million now may help ever so slightly bring the next one down a little.
I want to see Del Zotto and Stralman at the point on the top PP unit.
On a hockey fashion note, I like that he's the only player on the roster that prefers black laces like I do. Lol
Didn't want him at 3+ million yet. He signed a very good contract. And he looks very motivated. More mature so far. His next contract he's going to cash in. The sub 3 million now may help ever so slightly bring the next one down a little.
I want to see Del Zotto and Stralman at the point on the top PP unit.
On a hockey fashion note, I like that he's the only player on the roster that prefers black laces like I do. Lol
haveandare
Registered User
DZ keep his mouth shut. Newport Sports did his contract. He probably could have forced the issue and gotten more. Like PK Subban. According to Torts,DZ had a very good 6 day camp. So far DZ has been very good. Playing both sides. He led the Rangers in icetime last night with 26:40.
we want cup
Registered User
And he deserved every second of it, too. Girardi and McD have had very disappointing starts. Staal has been alright, and had a great game last night.
MDZ's good play has partly made up for the less than stellar start by the rest of the D.
1. The powerplay as a whole has been (and continues to be) miserable for some time; isolating him is pretty silly.
2. Bringing up anything about last season makes no sense in a thread aimed at discussing how he has played so far this season. If you want to use that as an argument that he won't continue to play well or something to that effect then that would make some sense. But I fail to see why we should refuse to acknowledge how well he has played just because you didn't like certain aspects of his game last season.
3. Short of a handful of guys in the history of the NHL, every single defensemen has/had flaws or things to improve on.
Our fourth defensemen finished with over 40 points last season as a 21 year old, has four assists in five games so far this season, and our fanbase still finds ways to discredit his value to the team. We get it, he's not Ray Bourque. As soon as some of you can get over that fact and start appreciating Del Zotto - flaws and all- for what he is the sooner you'll stop having to take prozac just to watch a game.
Love his play so far and the fact that he has looked comfortable on the right allowing us to roll the big 4 as the top 2 pairs is huge
HFNYR always had a mob mentality when it comes to MDZ. Unfortunately, the media also spews out garbage on how he isn't a complete defender and how he should be traded along with X for Y star player.
Zats Muccarello
Grinder
He's been absolutely amazing both offensively and defensively. Even with his good play we continue to struggle on the powerplay though 
aemoreira1981
Registered User
Last season made me like MDZ a lot more. As for this season, his demand that a contract get done so that he could play makes me see him as a team-first guy, especially for a team with such a young blueline as the Rangers. Del Zotto could easily be a 2 or 3 on another team, but the Rangers' defense is that good.
That said, I still see MDZ as a second-pair D-man and PP quarterback.
That said, I still see MDZ as a second-pair D-man and PP quarterback.
