Swede Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/...-30-gomez_x.htm No more coasting for Gomez By Gary Graves, USA TODAY Scott Gomez admits to being initially spoiled by early career success, which can happen when you're a rookie hoisting the Stanley Cup and playing on a team capable of winning a few more. Four years later and nearly a season after winning Cup No. 2, the New Jersey Devils center realizes how hard it was to get there. More important, Gomez realized he must play a bigger role in maintaining continuity. His 12 goals are nice, but he's getting just as much satisfaction scrambling defenses by feeding wingers Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta, which has come to be known as the "Deviled Egg" line. "I've played with good wingers like Alexander Mogilny (now with Toronto), so I've learned a lot," said Gomez, whose seven assists in the last four games starting play Tuesday have given him a career-best 54, three more than when he was named the league's top rookie in 1999-2000. "It definitely demonstrates the importance of chemistry. You know where each one's going and what each one's going to do, and that makes it easier on me. We're starting to get that chemistry with Gionta back." The line was initially formed about a month ago but started thriving after Gionta returned March 20 after a puck to the face shelved him for seven games. Elias, ninth in NHL scoring with 37 goals and 76 points, has three goals and 10 points since then. Gionta, meanwhile, has scored twice with an assist. "We've played together for a while, and the more time you spend the more you know you're going to get something," Elias said. Over the last week New Jersey has climbed a spot to fifth in the Eastern Conference and is within two points of Atlantic Division leader Philadelphia, putting the Devils in sight of home-ice advantage for at least the first round. Alaska-born Gomez said his linemates have given him the confidence to carry the puck more and take some risks, knowing they're close by to support him. He said he has also tried to improve his defense and to create more turnovers. The stretch run, meanwhile, has created urgency among the Devils to do the things necessary to return to their usual spot in the Finals. Considering Gomez has been there in three out of his first four NHL seasons, it's understandable why he views it a given. And why he's playing a bigger part in getting back. "That's all you want," he said. "Every playoff run I've been on (except 2001-02), we've gone to the Finals and it's all you expect. Once you get a taste, nothing else fulfills it because winning the Cup is everything. You realize what it takes because some guys go their whole careers without a Cup, so two is awesome." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice dog Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Gomer Rules!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Isn't it interesting how all of the trade Gomer, and trade Nieds posters are misteriously silent. Gomer for COnroy... what b.s. Nieds for a power winger/center.... even more b.s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'd still do a lot of the trades rumored around Gomez if that will make you feel better. -Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'd still do a lot of the trades rumored around Gomez if that will make you feel better.-Scott Fair enough... I appreciate your honesty. Who would you trade him for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Well it all depends on which rumors were true. I mean he has been rumored from people like Iginla and Lecavalier to player like Conroy. I'd definitely do the first 2 guys and wouldn't do the latter. I'd probably would have given serious thought to Marleau also. -Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redruM Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'd probably do Lecav... but would have to seriously think about the other 2... Sometimes the poisen you know is better then the poisne you don;t.... Other than a few defensive lapses Gomez has been gtreat this year, and I'm sure you'd get those same lapses out of any of the three that were mentioned.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 We have to give credit to Burns for making him more aggressive. He did the same for Thornton as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risky Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I like Gomez a lot, but he still has no shot. Ah, well, keep him paired with Elias. Maybe Suglobov will turn into the RW sniper Gomez has needed since Mogs left. Glad to see him back up in the 70 pt range, though. That certainly is good for the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I don't care about his shot.. I'm just glad he USES it.. it's been a big difference in the old predictable "two steps over the blue line, drop to Elias and gee the whole team knows it's coming" to a versatile center who also now has 12 goals... it's made that line WAY more dangerous, and just in my opinion they've done well REGARDLESS of who's the third guy on the line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 All he needed was someone to tell him to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDF Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I like Gomer b/c he seems like one of those great NHL personality guys. GO EGGS!!! GO DEVILS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Actually for the future I would rather develop a Parise/Suglobov pairing then Gomez/Suglobov. The best offense NJ ever had was the 2000 year where we had two 1st lines. I only think Gionta will get better with this line. In Albany it seemed Suglobov has played his best with Adrian Foster. They were both scoring at the crazy pace when both were healthy together. Ftorek had them together in the last game untill Suglobov got ejected for hitting from behind. For the future there will be many combinations that NJ could use, this is the most talent we have had in prospects since mid 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Gomez does have a shot....thats the problem, he doesn't use it near enough. I love his slapshot, its extreamly hard and he rarley misses the net with it. Problem is he allways shoots at the chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 (edited) I'l just make a new post to take place of the double. *JasonMacIsaac starts Danceing* Edited March 30, 2004 by Jas0nMacIsaac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 You know what, msweet, you keep calling out the people who wanted, past tense, to trade Niedermayer, so I'll finally respond. If Niedermayer kept up his play of the beginning of last year, where he was inconsistent, then I'd still want him traded. He stepped up his game incredibly in the final 2 rounds of the playoffs, and has kept that going this season. I haven't seen him take one game off this year, and he has finally become the #1 defenseman we've thought he could be for the last 4 years. So no, I don't do a deal with Niedermayer for a power forward and 3rd/4th defenseman anymore. But Niedermayer was 29, and I wasn't sure if he was ever going to develop into the possible Norris Trophy winner we saw in 98, and in flashes ever since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 The point was, it was obvious to me, that given the chance, the need, the opportunity, Nieds was going to be the league's best. Even they way he played back "then," if we had traded him, I'm not sure we'd have one a single Cup.... except 95 maybe.. IMHO, it always was a big mistake to trade him. Now the answer is crystal clear. Ditto for Gomer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I don't really see the sense in calling anyone out. They know what they thought. People can change their minds, there's no rule against it. So they wanted to pull the trigger, it's not illegal. We're just fans. Some of us are trigger-pulling fans, but we all just want them to win whatever our mind-set. And we don't have who they wanted in return we don't know how that would all factor out. Maybe Conroy and Friesen would have been a dynamic duo, who knows? It couldn't be better than Gomez-Elias, but that Flames team has been growing role players like we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'm forever going to feel Nieds was robbed of the Conn Smythe last season. Couldn't have asked for anything more from him through all 4 rounds and unlike Giguere, Niedermayer's play didn't rapidly fall off in the finals. Strictly from a consistently excellent standpoint, he was truly sensational in the Devils cup run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'm forever going to feel Nieds was robbed of the Conn Smythe last season. Couldn't have asked for anything more from him through all 4 rounds and unlike Giguere, Niedermayer's play didn't rapidly fall off in the finals. Strictly from a consistently excellent standpoint, he was truly sensational in the Devils cup run. I think so too. And that's even with Marty's shutout record. But it did seem veeeeeery NHL for them to give it to... what was his name again? Weekes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 I think so too. And that's even with Marty's shutout record. But it did seem veeeeeery NHL for them to give it to... what was his name again? Weekes? Naah, I think you have gotten them mixed up... it was Jim Carey... right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sockeye Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 On Sportscenter last night they said Gomez has the most points in the NHL since the Allstar break 9-30-39. That's sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 And Elias has the most goals!!!! Quite the little pair of producers we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 we've now improved from being a "team that can't score" to a "team that can't score except for Elias and Gomez" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Don't forget Larionov, Crasher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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