Diablo Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 http://www.faceoff.com/nhl/news/story.html...ews2185515.html Devils have evolved Breaking up A line one of the team's best moves By DARREN (N)Єverson Faceoff.com correspondent It's been eight months since the A Line was broken up for good, but we're still talking about it. That line was that good. And yet, splitting up the trio of Jason Arnott, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora -- the latter two of which will face each other for the first time Nov. 12 at the Meadowlands -- was one of the wiser moves the Devils have made of late. The overwhelming success of the A Line, a combination first put together by ex-Devils coach Robbie Ftorek, has much to do with the players Arnott, Elias and Sykora have become. Arnott was in the midst of a down season when the Devils acquired him from Edmonton in 1998. Elias and Sykora hadn't blossomed into top-line players yet. "When Arnie came here," Sykora said in 2001, "we felt we had a chance. We said, 'This is our time.'" They combined to score 73 goals during the 1998-99 season, 82 the season after that. They scored a combined 24 goals in the 2000 playoffs, in which the Devils won the Stanley Cup. And yet, the Devils -- who were 8-4 going into their game Nov. 12 against Sykora and the Mighty Ducks -- may be a stronger team now, with Arnott in Dallas and Sykora in Anaheim. The Devils have retained the most complete player of the three, and the team has moved on. The Devils began to do so last season in the wake of the 2001 Finals collapse against Colorado. As the team plummeted from first in the league in goals in 2000-01 to 20th last season, in part because Arnott, Elias and Sykora all suffered a significant decrease in production from the season before, Arnott was traded to the Stars along with Randy McKay at the trading deadline for Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner. Sykora, after a disappointing first-round playoff series against Carolina in which he had a right ankle injury and one assist, was dealt to the Ducks in July for, principally, Oleg Tverdovsky and Jeff Friesen. Regardless of whether the 36-year-old Nieuwendyk, a potential free agent, returns as a Devil next season or not, the Devils have gained a skilled defenseman in Tverdovsky, a hard-working all-around winger in Langenbrunner and a speedy forward in Friesen who, in the right environment, can score 60-70 points like Sykora. They have a center in waiting in Elias, who can play there or on the wing. And the Devils are no longer reliant on one line combination. On Nov. 5, after the Devils lost at home to the Flames, it was evident that Elias misses playing with Sykora and Arnott. "I don't know if I'll ever get the same feeling that I had with Jason and Sykkie," Elias said. "I played with those two guys for two and a half years. So far I'm still looking for it." Once he does -- and he will, with his talent -- the Devils will truly be better off. GARDEN STATE REUNION: While Elias was looking forward to seeing Sykora at the Meadowlands, Jeff Friesen was anticipating his first game as a Devil against his former team. But it didn't stir the same feelings as did playing against San Jose, Friesen's first team. For one, Friesen was a Duck for only a little more than one season. And for another, he felt fortunate to be traded out of Anaheim to a winning team. "It was just totally different from San Jose," Friesen said. "I think that was just a big shock. The whole atmosphere there -- San Jose, if you lost, it was just death. It was life or death whether you won or lost. There, if you lost, you just put your helmet in your stall and if you got mad, people would look at you and say to you, 'Why are you mad?' "That's not everybody, but it's certain guys. If you get a few guys doing it that way, guys start going their separate ways and forming cliques. If you keep losing, nobody really comes together." Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky, whom the Devils also acquired in the Sykora trade, were frustrated while with the Ducks, who were coached last season by current general manager Bryan Murray. "Bryan was the coach," Friesen said. "He has a way of believing; I have a way of believing as well. The coach is always the boss, but every now and then you run into a coach that doesn't believe in you, and it's tough to believe in him. You try to work hard, but if you're not rewarded, you get frustrated. I think that things just didn't work out for both me and Ollie, with our relationship with our head coach. We probably were two of the more frustrated people last year." THE LINES: With Jay Pandolfo out with a groin injury, Pat Burns juggled the lines Nov. 9 against Edmonton for the first time in weeks. Pandolfo will likely replace rookie Christian Berglund in the lineup, but not alongside Elias and Scott Gomez. Christian Berglund-Scott Gomez-Patrik Elias. Jeff Friesen-Joe Nieuwendyk-Brian Gionta. Sergei Brylin-John Madden-Jamie Langenbrunner. Jim McKenzie-Mike Danton-Turner Stevenson. Extra forwards: Steve Guolla, Jay Pandolfo (injured). Scott Stevens-Brian Rafalski. Colin White-Scott Niedermayer. Ken Daneyko-Oleg Tverdovsky. Extra defenseman: Tommy Albelin. Power play: Berglund-Gomez-Elias, Friesen-Nieuwendyk-Gionta. Penalty kill: Elias-Nieuwendyk, Madden-Langenbrunner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devspage Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 I feel like I've done a lot of defending of these deals here, at AOL and NHL.com, so I'm just gonna provide this important message: No, no, no. Berglund needs to play!!! In my world, you get rewarded for being the best player on the ice during a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted November 12, 2002 Author Share Posted November 12, 2002 I agree DP granted Pando is good at killing penalties. But, other than that this team really doesn't look any better with him in the lineup. Langenbrunner and Gionta are both capable of filling in at the pk and I believe Berglund if given the chance also can do the job. Berglund looked very hungry Saturday and his anxiety to do well didn't cause him to self destruct. He stepped in and was a great contributer on the ice going into the crease and setting up shop unlike many of his teamates. I am anxious to see how this team will preform when they are running on all cylanders (with berglund in the lineup). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risky Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Berglund is going to be the next Elias/Sykora from our Junior system for this team. He needs ice time. BOOK IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devspage Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Well I wasn't really meaning that it had to be Pando sitting. I think both Stevenson and McKenzie probably don't need to play every day, especially when we're promoting offense and certainly not against the Ducks. It's not a dig against them -- I'm big fans of them both, just looking for offense like the rest of us... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zamode Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 I like those lines with the exception of Friesen on 2nd--bump him and put Brylin there. I am eager to see Berglund hopefully get into a good groove of some sort to stick in the lineup. Hopefully PunkAss won't be overly itchy for any fights. I have to say, Sarge18's avatar is kinda scary, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devspage Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Uh, I was thinking the same thing about the avatar, Zam. But I hesitated to say cause I like the kid. (And Sarge too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge18 Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 I agree with Zam on the lines. I want to see what Friesen can do playing with Madden and Langenbrunner. Yeah so what if my avatar is kinda scary, its not like Berglund isnt or anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackjack Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 hmm, Friesen-Madden-Langenbrunner could be one of the best third lines in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellofan17 Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Hey!!! Don't call my boy scary!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddDog Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Yeah so what if my avatar is kinda scary, its not like Berglund isnt or anything He looks like some evil Viking serial killer in your avatar, Sarge I don't think he seems that scary in real life, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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