Travis Zajac to miss 8-10 weeks.

[DevsMan84]

You could be right, but it just seems like there is always someone important out of the lineup. I think its my frustration talking more than anything.

Well really when you think about our injuries are not really terrible. In 08-09 we lost Brodeur for over 1/2 the season and that was the first time he has been out for more than a game or 2 since he first started, so that is not bad.

Also Parise's injury was after 5 or so seasons without anything serious either.

Elias is up and down but it looks like his groin is finally healed so really I expect him to play pretty much every game like he did last year.

Rolston was injured for a bit too a few years back with that ankle sprain but he didn't do much of anything when healthy too so no huge loss.

Really when you step back and look at it, we have not really had a bad time with injures on the whole.

Yeah thats what happens when Salvador is out for a whole season.

I really didn;t miss Salvador much last season and we did fine without him.

[Quinn01]

I really didn;t miss Salvador much last season and we did fine without him.

I actually respect him as a player. I think if he were fully healthy he could make somewhat of an impact as far as D goes. Never the less, I was just being sarcastic.

[Triumph]

You could be right, but it just seems like there is always someone important out of the lineup. I think its my frustration talking more than anything.

NJ has gone into the playoffs as a healthy team the last 5 years they made the playoffs. They lost Salvador and Langenbrunner in 08-09 during the playoffs. I think Colin White got injured in both 06-07 and 05-06.

Having a healthy team is obviously more important than where a team finishes, but I don't think Devils fans can be that upset about injuries. They have lost a key member of the team for the bulk of the season over the last 3 years, and now it looks like 4 years. But they haven't had to go through something like Pittsburgh last season, for instance.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Triumph

[Devilsfan118]

x - Elias - x

x - relatively unproven -

x - unproven - x

...

[Daniel]

If he's healthy enough, I don't see the harm in giving it a shot with Drury on a one year $1 million deal, unless it's a matter of improving the balance sheet.

[maxpower]

Drury can't skate. The role demands someone who can skate and play defense and not be a total mongo offensively.

I think the first requirement (especially if they're going to be a dump/possession team), means that none of the W/C's on the team can do this effectively. This has the potential to be a big-ass screwjob because it seems to me the timetable is extremely optimistic.

[Triumph]

If he's healthy enough, I don't see the harm in giving it a shot with Drury on a one year $1 million deal, unless it's a matter of improving the balance sheet.

if the team got fully healthy, drury isn't good enough to play on it. that's a problem. and, as has been pointed out, a $1M contract doesn't actually cost $1m.

[NJDevs4978]

if the team got fully healthy, drury isn't good enough to play on it. that's a problem. and, as has been pointed out, a $1M contract doesn't actually cost $1m.

It's a 450k difference between that and the minimum-salaried guy you would have on the roster to replace Zajac anyway. Maybe Drury's finished but the Devils really need to do something now. As it stands with Zajac probably missing half the season and needing a while to get back into game shape, the Devils are a borderline playoff team at best. And another borderline/non playoff season isn't exactly going to help our cause in keeping Zach.

Edited August 18, 2011 by NJDevs4978

[Mitico12]

I see Drury signing on Long Island. The Devils will try out a youngster at center and Henrique/Joseffson will be the go-to guys here.

We now don't have a bonafide #1 center which is quite scary.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

I think Kyle Wellwood would be a nice cheap option in camp.

[Triumph]

It's a 450k difference between that and the minimum-salaried guy you would have on the roster to replace Zajac anyway. Maybe Drury's finished but the Devils really need to do something now. As it stands with Zajac probably missing half the season and needing a while to get back into game shape, the Devils are a borderline playoff team at best. And another borderline/non playoff season isn't exactly going to help our cause in keeping Zach.

what do the devils need? the devils can use zubrus. they can use steckel. they can use henrique. all of these are more palatable options than signing an 88 year old guy who cannot stay healthy.

a borderline playoff team at best? c'mon. zajac missing half the year costs 2 wins tops. and that's not counting the fact that most teams are going to have injuries that impact them.

[maxpower]

The Devils need a C who can play 20 minutes, keep up with opposing teams' best players defensively, kill penalties, not give up goals, and not be a total loss offensively.

Good luck. You're underselling him especially since they have no real good solid options. Short of Parise and Kovalchuk crashing into each other and giving each other serious concussions, this is about the worst injury they could take.

Especially since who knows how the D is going to be off the drop. Now the middle is potentially weak too.

The only guy that they have that has a snowballs chance in hell of working this out is Josefson and he's played 20-30 games in the league. Outside options are junk or having to overpay in a trade to fill the gap.

Edited August 18, 2011 by maxpower

[Triumph]

The Devils need a C who can play 20 minutes, keep up with opposing teams' best players defensively, kill penalties, not give up goals, and not be a total loss offensively.

they do need this, and they won't get it. that's why i said the whole '-2 wins' thing. yeah, they're going to drop some points in the standings as a result.

Good luck. You're underselling him especially since they have no real good solid options. Short of Parise and Kovalchuk crashing into each other and giving each other serious concussions, this is about the worst injury they could take.

agreed, but it's not for the entire season.

Outside options are junk or having to overpay in a trade to fill the gap.

and these are all terrible ideas. you fill a gap when a player is going to be out for the remainder of the season. i wouldn't be opposed to bringing someone like kyle wellwood in on a tryout contract, but the devils don't need to go and get someone to replace zajac because that's impossible.

[NJDevs4978]

what do the devils need? the devils can use zubrus. they can use steckel. they can use henrique. all of these are more palatable options than signing an 88 year old guy who cannot stay healthy.

a borderline playoff team at best? c'mon. zajac missing half the year costs 2 wins tops. and that's not counting the fact that most teams are going to have injuries that impact them.

Yeah two wins tops, with a D throwing out three rookies and an offense that was worst in the league. Marty and Hedberg better be well-rested in the first half. Please, in this league the difference between 98-100 and 90-92 points is miniscule, players less important than Zajac can make a difference, especially since odds are this isn't the last major injury we'll have or that Zajac won't be back when they say he will.

Edited August 18, 2011 by NJDevs4978

[Triumph]

Yeah two wins tops, with a D throwing out three rookies and . Marty and Hedberg better be well-rested in the first half. Please, in this league the difference between 98-100 and 90-92 points is miniscule, , especially since

3 rookies? It could very easily be 1. I'm not sure where you're getting your information.

an offense that was worst in the league

But we all know that's not going to happen again. Blah blah shooting percentage.

players less important than Zajac can make a difference

I don't see your point here. This is true. But honestly, how many wins a year over replacement do you think Zajac is worth? I think 4 is a tad high, but I'm willing to believe that. And that's not even acknowledging that the Devils won't be replacing Zajac with a 'replacement player', probably.

odds are this isn't the last major injury we'll have or that Zajac won't be back when they say he will.

Right, well Pronger's already scheduled to miss training camp and who knows where Crosby is going to be at when October rolls around. But boo-hoo, poor Devils, season over.

[sundstrom]

zajac is about the worst possible option to get hurt. if he's back by any time in november, this is manageable. i expect it to be mid to late december which means that josefson has to be dynamite. there wasn't a whole lot of margin for error with this team in the first place and losing zajac for more than 25 games may just be that entire margin.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

The Devils need a C who can play 20 minutes, keep up with opposing teams' best players defensively, kill penalties, not give up goals, and not be a total loss offensively.

Two words: Sergei Brylin.

[Triumph]

zajac is about the worst possible option to get hurt. if he's back by any time in november, this is manageable. i expect it to be mid to late december which means that josefson has to be dynamite. there wasn't a whole lot of margin for error with this team in the first place and losing zajac for more than 25 games may just be that entire margin.

how many points in the standings do you think travis zajac is worth over 30-40 games?

Edited August 18, 2011 by Triumph

[NJDevs4978]

3 rookies? It could very easily be 1. I'm not sure where you're getting your information.

But we all know that's not going to happen again. Blah blah shooting percentage.

I don't see your point here. This is true. But honestly, how many wins a year over replacement do you think Zajac is worth? I think 4 is a tad high, but I'm willing to believe that. And that's not even acknowledging that the Devils won't be replacing Zajac with a 'replacement player', probably.

Right, well Pronger's already scheduled to miss training camp and who knows where Crosby is going to be at when October rolls around. But boo-hoo, poor Devils, season over.

Wins over replacement means you're plugging in an average player. Unless we bring in someone it'll likely be a below-average player.

Okay, two and a half rookies, since Fayne's a second-year player but he hash't played a full season yet. Any combination of Fayne, Tao, Urbom and Larsson will have less than 82 games of NHL experience between them.

And the Flyers and Pens are still better than us without those players. Especially since Pronger isn't missing any real time yet.

Edited August 18, 2011 by NJDevs4978

[sundstrom]

how many points in the standings do you think travis zajac is worth over 30-40 games?

this, i believe, is really tough to quantify. could other guys step up and mask his absence? of course - look at pittsburgh w/o crosby and malkin. but it's asking a lot.

6-8 points in the standings, i'd think.

[Triumph]

this, i believe, is really tough to quantify. could other guys step up and mask his absence? of course - look at pittsburgh w/o crosby and malkin. but it's asking a lot.

6-8 points in the standings, i'd think.

i agree it's tough, but 6-8 points? so you think travis zajac's contribution to the devils over a full season is between 12 and 16 points? the devils should be a 130 point team, then, and zajac shouldn't be a concern.

you have to remember that even a team of replacement level players will win 10 to 15 games over an 82 game season. so there's that - let's call it between 20 and 30 points, although i think i'm being stingy here, as teams like the early 90s senators and 70s capitals had players well below replacement and didn't have the shootout/loser point. so then if the devils are to be an 100 point team, you think zajac takes up that much of why they win? anywhere from 1/6th to slightly above 1/4th of NJ's winning is attributed to zajac? i can't buy that zajac is a 6-8 win player (or, really, that anyone is - maybe crosby or ovechkin)

has: and fraser and corrente and salvador all don't count now? also wins above replacement is not about average players. it's about 'replacement players' - a theoretical player who is freely available off waivers or off the street. the player who gets into the lineup as a result of zajac's injury will be much better than a replacement player.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Triumph

[NJDevs4978]

has: and fraser and corrente and salvador all don't count now? also wins above replacement is not about average players. it's about 'replacement players' - a theoretical player who is freely available off waivers or off the street. the player who gets into the lineup will be much better than a replacement player.

If you believe in Salvador coming back, staying in the lineup for any length of time and being what he was three years ago then you also believe in the tooth fairy. He wasn't even that good toward the end of two seasons ago and now he's had a full season off. Corrente, please...he's probably had more games in the NHL as a forward than a defenseman and looked better at forward if anything but he'd be another rookie because I don't think he's had 25 games in the NHL, at least not on D. If Fraser's playing on a regular basis that's a bad sign, because he isn't any good and that'd also prove there was no reason beyond finances to jettison White.

It's also not just a matter of what you're replacing Zajac with, it's not just replacing one position the way it is in baseball. You're juggling all the lines, and in some cases positions. And he's not going to be the real Zajac right away when (if) he does come back. Plus you're not getting the real Parise off the bat either since he's played one game in eleven months.

Edited August 18, 2011 by NJDevs4978

[DaneykoIsGod]

Losing Zajac for a while sucks, but this is why it's good to have Zubrus around.

[Triumph]

If you believe in Salvador coming back, staying in the lineup for any length of time and being what he was three years ago then you also believe in the tooth fairy. He wasn't even that good toward the end of two seasons ago and now he's had a full season off. Corrente, please...he's probably had more games in the NHL as a forward than a defenseman and looked better at forward if anything but he'd be another rookie because I don't think he's had 25 games in the NHL, at least not on D. If Fraser's playing on a regular basis that's a bad sign, because he isn't any good and that'd also prove there was no reason beyond finances to jettison White.

i don't think salvador is going to be good or last particularly long, but can he be as good as anssi salmela? sure he can.

It's also not just a matter of what you're replacing Zajac with, it's not just replacing one position the way it is in baseball. You're juggling all the lines, and in some cases positions.

Your point? The negatives get spread around, but the concept is still the same.

And he's not going to be the real Zajac right away when (if) he does come back. Plus you're not getting the real Parise off the bat either since he's played one game in eleven months.

and you know this because? parise will have played in exhibition games. he's a top level player. i don't expect much of a decline unless it's going to be a permanent decline.

[Derlique]

Does this injury suck? Fvck yeah, it does. You could argue this guy is the most important player to us because of the system we play and because he is our best natural center. But I hate the extreme negativity our fanbase has. Think about it, in the last three years (aside from Kovalchuk), literally all of our best players have missed significant time. I'm talking about Brodeur, Parise, Martin, Volchenkov, Rolston ( ) and Zubrus.

If our team is as good as we think it is, we will be fine. Are we better with Zajac? Of course, without question. However, with injuries come opportunity. You never know, Henrique could become the next Couture, Zubrus could step up and become an awesome option, Josefson could step up etc etc.