95Crash Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) How fun has this guy been to watch this postseason! I guess we can say the same about the whole four line, but man, Gionta in particular has been especially surprising. NEWARK — A compact man with curly black hair and a beard clomped through the Devils’ dressing room on skates after practice Saturday, stashing his black helmet in his locker before moving on to the next episode of his improbable and rollicking springtime adventure.“How can you not enjoy this? It’s the Stanley Cup playoffs,” the man, Stephen Gionta, said. “This is every kid’s dream. If you can’t enjoy it, I don’t know what you can enjoy.” Five weeks ago, Gionta, a 28-year-old forward, was polishing off his fifth full season with the Devils’ top farm team. He has been in the minors so long that he played for the Albany River Rats and then the Lowell Devils, who became the Albany Devils. Career in the Minors Is Interrupted by the Devils’ Push for the Stanley Cup Edited May 17, 2012 by 95Crash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justdo3043 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 lov it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheprodigy Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The way he's been playing, it makes you wonder if he shouldn't have gotten a legitimate shot at a 4th line role sooner. He's a perfect fit on that line - quick enough to be a pest on the forecheck, tough enough to give and receive hits, and good enough hands to score dirty goals around the net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 He could probably lose a leg over the summer and still be a lock for the roster next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeCups Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 He could probably lose a leg over the summer and still be a lock for the roster next season. +1. I absolutely LOVE our 4th line right now. I do not see how Little Gio is not a full timer in Jersey next season....he got his big break in the last game of the season and he made the most of it. He scored a goal and solidified his spot for the playoffs. At this point, he should have solidified his spot on the 2012-2013 (Stanley Cup Defending Champion?) NEW JERSEY DEVILS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 safe to say janssen is not resigning here next summer... i'd be thrilled to see Boulton being bought out or sent down too even if he's so cheap it doesnt really matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrydevil Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 That whole line has been effective for weeks. Steve Bernier was terrific in both Ranger games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The way he's been playing, it makes you wonder if he shouldn't have gotten a legitimate shot at a 4th line role sooner. He's a perfect fit on that line - quick enough to be a pest on the forecheck, tough enough to give and receive hits, and good enough hands to score dirty goals around the net. He was given a shot at it last year - I know I repress those games also. He's been a great story and plays the Devils' forecheck game the way they want - still think it will be difficult for him to make the roster next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedArmy8 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Love the other Gio! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouse Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 He was given a shot at it last year - I know I repress those games also. He's been a great story and plays the Devils' forecheck game the way they want - still think it will be difficult for him to make the roster next season. I don't see him failing to make the roster. It's up to him to make it stick and prove that this run wasn't a fluke, but he's been great, he's cheap, and the alternatives are less than stellar, unless they go outside the organization, which I don't see them doing with him already here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroGravityFat Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The gio's are the tiniest giants i have ever watched. Amazing Rudy action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I NEVER would have thought stephen gionta would be on our playoff roster playing significant minutes. Hes been great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Rattlehead18 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 As good as he's been. He's the odd man out when josefson returns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) As good as he's been. He's the odd man out when josefson returns Team could just go with a rotation of the 3 fourth liners and josefson to try to keep them a little fresher than everyone else. Sykora probably has to watch his back as well, if Josefson gets in and plays well Edited May 17, 2012 by Devils731 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeCups Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 As good as he's been. He's the odd man out when josefson returns I do not see Josefson going into the lineup for anyone anytime soon. As long as the team is playing well there is no need to tinker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouse Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I do not see Josefson going into the lineup for anyone anytime soon. As long as the team is playing well there is no need to tinker! This. Josefson doesn't add much. He doesn't play with the energy or physicality of the 4th liners. Since those guys are also scoring at a very good clip, I see no need to add him. He's good to have ready if there's an injury, or somebody needs a breather, but don't mess with a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Team could just go with a rotation of the 3 fourth liners and josefson to try to keep them a little fresher than everyone else. Sykora probably has to watch his back as well, if Josefson gets in and plays well I can't see Josefson adding much to the lineup this late in the playoffs. While I believe he has a bright future in the league, we're talking about a guy with 69 career NHL games over two years and 0 playoff experience. This is a different animal, and it might take him a whole bunch of games to get going in the regular season let alone the playoffs. Only going to be harder now. The 4th line has been solid, but if they advance to the finals, I wouldn't be shocked if he got a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbrian Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 JJ brings a great 1 to 3rd line presence . Hes not going to be all the physical and not a real puck getter, but he has very good hockey smarts. And on thing he does bring to the table is Face-offs durring the season he was 51.1% not to bad for this team that stinks in faceoffs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeCups Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Bottom line with the way the team is clicking now, it would be asinine to put him in..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubie#8 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Gionta brings grit, defense, and offensive capabilities. Jojo will be weak when he comes back and even at full strength he provides no grit. He got runover every Ranger game this year. Gio is perfect right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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