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We Got Rutuu


Daniel

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Simply, where does he fit on this team? Is he going to push Zubrus to center?

 

He fits on the 3rd line.  The player we traded (Loktionov) is more suited for a top 2 center role with skilled wingers.  The Devils were using him on the 3rd line with grinder wingers.  And Lokti isn't gonna bump Zajac and Elias from the top 2 center positions.  So Ruutu is a guy who fits better on the 3rd line than Loktionov.

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He fits on the 3rd line.  The player we traded (Loktionov) is more suited for a top 2 center role with skilled wingers.  The Devils were using him on the 3rd line with grinder wingers.  And Lokti isn't gonna bump Zajac and Elias from the top 2 center positions.  So Ruutu is a guy who fits better on the 3rd line than Loktionov.

 

I agree that Ruutu is a 3rd liner, but he's a winger and Lokti is a center. We're going to do some major realignment to fit him in, which I'm not sure is beneficial to this team with this few games left in the season.

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He fits on the 3rd line.  The player we traded (Loktionov) is more suited for a top 2 center role with skilled wingers.  The Devils were using him on the 3rd line with grinder wingers.  And Lokti isn't gonna bump Zajac and Elias from the top 2 center positions.  So Ruutu is a guy who fits better on the 3rd line than Loktionov.

Since when is Ryder a "grinder"? It was the 3rd line but by no means was Loktionov with the likes of Gionta or Carter. Loktionov's most common linemates 5v5 were with Ryder (144:08), Zubrus (126:40), Brunner (124:11), Jagr (111:51), Bernier (103:02), and Clowe (87:22). Loktionov was also given the most favorable zone starts on the team so he wasn't be used in a defensive role at all.

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I agree that Ruutu is a 3rd liner, but he's a winger and Lokti is a center. We're going to do some major realignment to fit him in, which I'm not sure is beneficial to this team with this few games left in the season.

 

Ruutu can play center.  But he is more suited for the wing.  Regarding breaking up the lines, I think the only line we shouldn't touch is the 2nd line of Henrique - Elias - Brunner.  I think the way Clowe is playing, he deserves a shot on the first line with Zajac and Jagr.  For the 3rd line, go with Ruutu - Zubrus - Ryder.

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Since when is Ryder a "grinder"? It was the 3rd line but by no means was Loktionov with the likes of Gionta or Carter. Loktionov's most common linemates 5v5 were with Ryder (144:08), Zubrus (126:40), Brunner (124:11), Jagr (111:51), Bernier (103:02), and Clowe (87:22). Loktionov was also given the most favorable zone starts on the team so he wasn't be used in a defensive role at all.

 

It was still a 3rd line though.  He needs to be a 2nd line center in order to be good.  He never had skilled linemates here to be successful.

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Ruutu can play center.  But he is more suited for the wing.  Regarding breaking up the lines, I think the only line we shouldn't touch is the 2nd line of Henrique - Elias - Brunner.  I think the way Clowe is playing, he deserves a shot on the first line with Zajac and Jagr.  For the 3rd line, go with Ruutu - Zubrus - Ryder.

 

I'm skeptical about Zubs at center. I liked Zubs-Zajs-Jags. They had excellent zone possession. Clowe and Ryder seem to match up well together; I wouldn't want to break them up. I'd rather slide Yayo into the center role. That's why I don't really get really get where Ruutu fits. Pete will never change the 4th line. And I think the top 3 lines are set if Yayo replaces Lokti.

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It was still a 3rd line though.  He needs to be a 2nd line center in order to be good.  He never had skilled linemates here to be successful.

So 3rd line automatically equals grind line? I hardly call playing with the likes of Ryder, Zubrus, Brunner, and Jagr, his 4 most common linemates, as playing with guys that aren't skilled.

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So 3rd line automatically equals grind line? I hardly call playing with the likes of Ryder, Zubrus, Brunner, and Jagr, his 4 most common linemates, as playing with guys that aren't skilled.

 

I have no problem with his new linemates, but is it too late in the season to make such a dramatic change?

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So 3rd line automatically equals grind line? I hardly call playing with the likes of Ryder, Zubrus, Brunner, and Jagr, his 4 most common linemates, as playing with guys that aren't skilled.

 

Problem is, he hasn't been producing enough to justify playing with our skilled guys, and he hasn't played a lot with Brunner and Jagr.  The bottom line is he doesn't really have a place on this team.  He's best used in a top 6 role with skilled linemates.  And there's nobody in our top 6 that's gonna get bumped.  There's a reason why he was being healthy scratched all the time, and why he wasn't happy being here.  The problem for him is, that Carolina won't be able to use him in a top 6 role either. But at least he'll get more playing time there.

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We know the Henrique line is staying put until production drops, which hopefully isn't soon. Unlikely they want to mess with the top line again. The only thing I can see is him centering the Newfies. I'll have to see his game a bit before I can really gauge what I think his role is going to be. I guess they can move Zubrus down to center Clowe and Ryder. But again, I don't know enough about Ruutu. I can't imagine there being drastic line shifting, especially with the way the team's been playing. I'd assume at first they'd slip him in somewhere they see him working without causing huge ripples in the lineup. So, I'll assume him in between Clowe and Ryder for at least tomorrow.

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Problem is, he hasn't been producing enough to justify playing with our skilled guys, and he hasn't played a lot with Brunner and Jagr.  The bottom line is he doesn't really have a place on this team.  He's best used in a top 6 role with skilled linemates.  And there's nobody in our top 6 that's gonna get bumped.  There's a reason why he was being healthy scratched all the time, and why he wasn't happy being here.  The problem for him is, that Carolina won't be able to use him in a top 6 role either. But at least he'll get more playing time there.

Loktionov didn't play a lot with Brunner and Jagr which is why they were his 3rd and 4th most common linemates...roughly 23.62% of his 5v5 time with Brunner and 21.33% with Jagr. Totally didn't play with them or any other skilled guys.
 
At the Olympic break Loktionov was the Devils 2nd most accurate passer, had the 2nd highest percentage of passes that resulted in a shot attempt, and had the 2nd best zone exit with possession percentage, along with being near the top in CF%. Offensively he was pulling his weight without a doubt. Obviously DeBoer didn't trust him defensively which is why they moved him.
 
This isn't a video game where lines 1 and 2 are "scoring", 3 "checking", and a 4th line. The Devils are pretty flexibile moving guys in different roles in the top 9 when they have to. I'm not trying to argue Loktionov vs. Ruutu just so we don't go there. I'm just pointing out that Loktionov wasn't playing with a bunch of nobodies.
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Loktionov didn't play a lot with Brunner and Jagr which is why they were his 3rd and 4th most common linemates...roughly 23.62% of his 5v5 time with Brunner and 21.33% with Jagr. Totally didn't play with them or any other skilled guys.
 
At the Olympic break Loktionov was the Devils 2nd most accurate passer, had the 2nd highest percentage of passes that resulted in a shot attempt, and had the 2nd best zone exit with possession percentage, along with being near the top in CF%. Offensively he was pulling his weight without a doubt. Obviously DeBoer didn't trust him defensively which is why they moved him.
 
This isn't a video game where lines 1 and 2 are "scoring", 3 "checking", and a 4th line. The Devils are pretty flexibile moving guys in different roles in the top 9 when they have to. I'm not trying to argue Loktionov vs. Ruutu just so we don't go there. I'm just pointing out that Loktionov wasn't playing with a bunch of nobodies.

 

He was averaging 12 minutes a game.  He needs to be in a top 6 role with more than 3rd line minutes to be effective.  That's his best chance at producing.  He was not gonna get that on this team.  And considering he's not a good winger, he needs to be a center.  He's most definitely not bumping Zajac and Elias.  Ruutu is a better fit for this team.  And overall he's better.

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He was averaging 12 minutes a game.  He needs to be in a top 6 role with more than 3rd line minutes to be effective.  That's his best chance at producing.  He was not gonna get that on this team.  And considering he's not a good winger, he needs to be a center.  He's most definitely not bumping Zajac and Elias.  Ruutu is a better fit for this team.  And overall he's better.

 

The reason he was only getting 12 minutes is because he hasn’t been used in all situations at Feisty pointed out, he is a niche player used almost exclusively in the opposition end. The other minutes he didn’t get were probably not going to be in situations where he would have had a chance to score anyway. All our guys in the top six play both ends of the ice incredibly well, if you can’t do that you are not going to get as many minutes.

 

Loktianov was given the minutes in the situations he was suited for, and still didn’t produce that much. Considering Gionta is used pretty much exclusively in defensive situations, has the same amount of average TOI per game and only has 3 less points than Lokti says it all.

Lokti was placed with players who suited his game, he just didn't do enough with his TOI.

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Loktianov was given the minutes in the situations he was suited for, and still didn’t produce that much

 

 

I'd disagree with that. He got less PP time (9% instead of 26%) and more SH time this year. Last year he played with Kovalchuk, this year primarily with Ryder. Yeah, he got (a lot) more o-zone starts but given how poor this team is at scoring 5v5, it's tough to hold his production against him (relative to the rest of the team). Hell, I think your statement works for 10 or 11 out of NJ's forwards. 

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