176 replies to this topic

[SterioDesign]

it's Henrique's bday ! happy bday buddy ! 

[Steadevils]

Bobby Butler really has surprised me. I knew he had good hands and I knew he had a good shot. I did not know that he has speed as well. A couple more games like this one and he will earn an audition in the rotating game show of "Who want's to be a winger for Kovy"!

[DJ Eco]

I feel like this is definitely a bad Idea. He hasn't had much time, the team isn't exactly playing bad, and taking away the C could totally mess up the dynamic in the locker room. NJD just gave Sal the C and made a big deal about how right he was for the job, to revoke it now basically makes Sal, and the management look bad. Obviously Sal's morale would be shattered but also the teams morale as a whole would be shaken by doing something negative like this. I agree Sal hasn't been as consistent as he should be and he should be playing a bit better but Captain doesn't always have to be the person with the most skill. I can't see anything positive coming from taking away the C at this point.

 

 

^^^^ This is someone who gets it!

[Devils Pride 26]

Kovy's production is down largely to the god awful power play. The three high umbrella system is terrible with kovy and zidlicky as they make questionable at best decisions with the puck.

Work it low to Elias on the half board, he's the best distributor on the team. Plus it's easy to target and spy Kovy if the puck is always on his stick

[SterioDesign]

so just like that so far Clarkson is producing more than Zach for a way better price too lol

 

plus most of Zach's goals we're in losing causes. maybe one of them was really useful

[DJ Eco]

Kovy's production is down largely to the god awful power play. The three high umbrella system is terrible with kovy and zidlicky as they make questionable at best decisions with the puck.

Work it low to Elias on the half board, he's the best distributor on the team. Plus it's easy to target and spy Kovy if the puck is always on his stick

 

 

Agree! Our problem last year was that I think we were misusing Parise on the power play (he was always placed stationary to the side/back of the net). This year, we're misusing Kovy. If Kovy doesn't get 1 shot off during the entirety of the power play, it's safe to say the play's design is flawed, simple as that. Through no fault of his own, Kovy's time on the power play is mostly spent skating around with the puck and quarterbacking.

 

Maybe this PP design worked for Matt Shaw with the Sharks, considering the type of players they had, but we have one of the top 5 most dangerous slapshots in the league right here on our team, an emphasis NEEDS to be made to get Kovy positioned for one-timers. Matt Shaw needs to redraw the play because our PP could be so much more dangerous than it is now.

Edited by DJ Eco, 06 February 2013 - 09:57 AM.

[Triumph]

Agree! Our problem last year was that I think we were misusing Parise on the power play (he was always placed stationary to the side/back of the net). This year, we're misusing Kovy. If Kovy doesn't get 1 shot off during the entirety of the power play, it's safe to say the play's design is flawed, simple as that. Through no fault of his own, Kovy's time on the power play is mostly spent skating around with the puck and quarterbacking.
 
Maybe this PP design worked for Matt Shaw with the Sharks, considering the type of players they had, but we have one of the top 5 most dangerous slapshots in the league right here on our team, an emphasis NEEDS to be made to get Kovy positioned for one-timers. Matt Shaw needs to redraw the play because our PP could be so much more dangerous than it is now.

Matt Shaw had Brent Burns last year and has had Dan Boyle every year. He also had Joe Thornton, which I imagine changes how someone runs their power play.

If the power play's entire goal is to set up Kovalchuk, which at times it felt like it was last year, then it's not going to work very well. Kovalchuk will get his shots - for now, the power play is doing just fine, it's middle of the league in shots.

Elias along the half-board doesn't make much sense to me - Edmonton has run their power play through Hemsky this way, and it's been one of the worst power plays in the league for years. It takes serious talent to distribute from there, and Elias doesn't have the speed or shot or body to back off defenders like one would want to have the power play run through him from there.

Edited by Triumph, 06 February 2013 - 10:13 AM.

[DH26]

so just like that so far Clarkson is producing more than Zach for a way better price too lol

 

plus most of Zach's goals we're in losing causes. maybe one of them was really useful

 

If Clarkson's doing this all year, some dumb team will pay him waaaaay too much money like $5-6 so let's wait and see on the price till after this year lol. Logic would say eventually his luck would have to run out 

[NJDevs4978]

People need to get off this luck meme with Clarkson. There's nothing lucky about constantly being in good scoring position. His game has evolved a lot from the days where he only did Clarkarounds and toe-drags of doom.

[Chuck the Duck]

Great win last night.  The building was electric.  Henrique's goal was a laser.  Clarkie should have had the trick (I can't believe I'm typing that), and Marty was awesome.

 

They need to get shots on net on these odd man rushes, but all around it was a good game.  Very impressed with Larsson's play since he got into the lineup, and Butler looks like he's here to stay (perfect for a 3rd line role).  PP looks below average right now, but our PK is dangerous.  Love the all-out effort little Gio brings every game. 

[DJ Eco]

Also, Kovalchuk is quietly having an awful start to the season. If the Devils are 3-5-3 or something, there is a thread named "Kovalchuk Distracted with KHL?" with 250 replies giving definitive proof of the fact.

 

He'll pick it up, but eek.

 

 

Yeah, he is kind of floating under the radar, which is a good thing. Every hockey show is talking about whether or not Ovechkin should be considered an elite player; if our record were the same as the Caps', the spotlight of that discussion would be turning to Kovalchuk. He'll snap out of it and soon, he's not playing bad hockey and has been playing a great 2-way game, the opposite effect that I would have imagined from him coming back from the KHL.

 

It is worth mentioning though that on hindsight, I'm so glad he wasn't named captain. I was almost positive a few weeks ago that he would be our captain, and I'm glad I was wrong; not because I don't think he'd be a great captain or locker room presence (I think he would), but because of how the media and our fans would be talking about him during a slump like this. Many times for better and sometimes for worse, Kovy is an emotional player. When he is on the upswing of that emotional play, he has the workrate and skill to carry the team (and has). I'm glad the team is finding ways to win even during a time where he's not producing all that much.

 

And luckily, because we won, we get to see articles on NHL.com about Nash's slump and not Kovy's: http://www.nhl.com/i...id=nhl:topheads

Edited by DJ Eco, 06 February 2013 - 10:34 AM.

[njd3b1ink]

I always thought Clarkson could be a solid 20 goal/35-45 point player on our team but he is going way beyond that. I thought last years 30 goal breakout was a bit lucky, but this year so far has nothing to do with luck. He's making his own chances, beating goalies with clean shots. He could legitimately be a top 6 forward for a while. Maybe after being undrafted and staying in juniors a while made him take a bit longer to peak but man does he look good right now. I think he is a MUST re-sign at this point. Last year i thought they would resign him at around 3 and a half mil but if he keeps producing like this he is ganna be looking for 4 and a half mil at least. I think thats the most I would give him, but if he keeps this up he could be a big part of this team for many years. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

People need to get off this luck meme with Clarkson. There's nothing lucky about constantly being in good scoring position. His game has evolved a lot from the days where he only did Clarkarounds and toe-drags of doom.

 

Last year, it felt like he got some breaks on his way to 30 goals.  This year is definitely different, though there are two signs that point to him slowing up (not that anyone thinks he'll keep putting them in at a 7-goals-in-9 games pace).

 

First one is the outrageous amount of shots he put on goal in his first 6 GP...30 of them.  No way that was going to continue.

 

In his last 3 GP, he's put up 8 shots (2.66 per game, much closer to last year's career-high 2.85 per game), and scored on three of them (37.5%).  That won't continue either, nor will his 18.4% shooting% for the season. 

 

One thing he now seems to have is "a nose for the net".  If he stays healthy and plays in all 48 games, I don't see why he can't score 20...that's a 34-goal pace in a 82-game season.  But if he's still a secret after last season, he's not going to be for much longer...curious to see how teams start trying to shut him down. 

[nessus]

I wonder when that first line is going to find some chemistry. I really think it could be a good combo once they find out how to make it work.

[caron14]

when butler will have his chance

Edited by caron14, 06 February 2013 - 04:20 PM.

[capo]

when butler will have his chance

[EdgeControl]

larsson better lose that hip check move LOL  he attemped it again on hagelin and had to pullout quick as he got skated by, but got bailed out. good game otherwise !

fricken Nash took a flying leap at fayne and needs payback,   glad he choked multiple times

Greene is getting better at the point

kovy and zajac arent quite right, yet

kovy seems to have lost a step and is not as explosive as two years ago, still love the guy though

boyle may be 6'7" but volch had no trouble knocking down along the boards

del zotto falls asleep during play constantly lol

butler played a good two way game

good to see henriques hands are fine