Devils' Depth Chart

[Triumph]

figured this might be helpful. note that these aren't exactly rankings or anything like that - the NHL contracts are at the top, the two-way contracts are at the bottom.

Left Wing (10):

Ilya Kovalchuk

Zach Parise

Patrik Elias

Brian Rolston

Pierre-Luc Letourneau Leblond (2 way)

Patrick Davis (2 way)

Chad Wiseman (2 way)

Alex Vasuynov (2 way)

Mattias Tedenby (2 way)

J.S. Berube (2 way)

Center (9):

Travis Zajac

Jason Arnott

Rod Pelley

Tim Sestito (2 way)

Michael Swift (2 way)

Jacob Josefson (2 way)

David McIntyre (2 way)

Adam Henrique (2 way)

Kory Nagy (2 way)

Right Wing (7):

Jamie Langenbrunner

Dainius Zubrus

David Clarkson

Vladimir Zharkov (2 way)

Nick Palmieri (2 way)

Nathan Perkovich (2 way)

Brad Mills (2 way)

Other Forwards (2):

Darcy Zajac (AHL)

Matt Lombardi (AHL)

Defensemen (16):

Anton Volchenkov

Colin White

Andy Greene

Henrik Tallinder

Bryce Salvador

Rob Davison

Anssi Salmela

Mark Fraser

Tyler Eckford (2 way)

Matt Taormina (2 way)

Matt Corrente (2 way)

Alex Urbom (2 way)

Dan Kelly (2 way)

Harry Young (2 way)

Olivier Magnan (2 way)

Eric Gelinas (QMJHL)

Goalie (4):

Martin Brodeur

Johan Hedberg

Jeff Frazee (2 way)

Mike McKenna (2 way)

As I see it, the Devils need to trade someone on defense, or waive someone. They have 15 defensemen whom they either qualified or are signed to play for either Albany or New Jersey - only Harry Young could conceivably be sent to the ECHL. Perhaps they let Urbom stay in junior hockey, even though that seems to make little sense.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Triumph
Added Kovalchuk!

[sundstrom]

i think there is no doubt that not only is at least one of those defensemen off the list, another one will be brought in via trade or UFA signing. i suppose lou might give eckford/taormira/salmella/urbom the chance to be this year's andy greene (while amazingly thinking that andy greene will become last year's paul martin).

[DaneykoIsGod]

Thanks for writing this all out. I tried to slap a forward depth chart together in another thread and got a headache from it.

I still think that if Josefson doesn't make the team/Lou doesn't sign a scrapheap center, Zubrus mans the 3rd line pivot. The problem with that is that we're even less deep at RW than we are at C. It would also be a waste of talent since Zubes is arguably our best RW but only our third-best C.

As ben00rs has been saying, Josefson might make the team out of necessity. And even that doesn't thrill me because he'd likely have Rolston on his left side. I hate the idea of our promising rookie center breaking in with the antithesis of hustle and heart on his wing.

Edited July 15, 2010 by DaneykoIsGod

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

I don't agree with any of the rankings. It seems you value experience over the more realistic rankings.

[Triumph]

I don't agree with any of the rankings. It seems you value experience over the more realistic rankings.

"note that these aren't exactly rankings or anything like that - the NHL contracts are at the top, the two-way contracts are at the bottom."

thanks jason.

[Triumph]

i think there is no doubt that not only is at least one of those defensemen off the list, another one will be brought in via trade or UFA signing. i suppose lou might give eckford/taormira/salmella/urbom the chance to be this year's andy greene (while amazingly thinking that andy greene will become last year's paul martin).

the question is, can henrik tallinder replicate paul martin's even strength production? while his production wouldn't mirror it in means, could he actually prevent shots against and help shots for? difficult question, obviously, but i think it can come reasonably close. unfortunately behindthenet.ca is not responding to my queries, but henrik's fenwick the last three years is:

2009-10: 49.8% (team: 50.1%) zone start: 49.0%, 2nd lowest among sabre defensemen, QUALCOMP, 2nd highest among sabre defensemen, QUALTEAM 2nd highest

2008-09: 48.8% (team: 49.4%) zone start: 48.9%, 4th highest among sabre D, QUALCOMP, 3rd highest, QUALTEAM, 5th highest

2007-08: 51.0% (team: 50.3%) zone start: 49.1%, lowest among sabre D, QUALCOMP, highest, QUALTEAM 4th out of 7

so while it's working in small ranges as these things tend to do, his 2007-08 looks like a pretty good season. even so, last year he got the difficult minutes with tyler myers and was basically breaking even, which is pretty good.

while tomas kaberle may be a fine addition, anyone else pretty much stinks, and i don't see how they're getting anyone else in UFA or trade. i can see m.a. bergeron but he's basically brian rolston anyway - we'd need a distributor, not a trigger man. J.M. liles isn't a great idea either, i think taormina can do half the job at an eighth of the price.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Triumph

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

"note that these aren't exactly rankings or anything like that - the NHL contracts are at the top, the two-way contracts are at the bottom."

thanks jason.

Reading never really was my strong point. Why not actually create a depth chart that may be useful to people.

the question is, can henrik tallinder replicate paul martin's even strength production? while his production wouldn't mirror it in means, could he actually prevent shots against and help shots for? difficult question, obviously, but i think it can come reasonably close. unfortunately behindthenet.ca is not responding to my queries, but henrik's fenwick the last three years is:

2009-10: 49.8% (team: 50.1%)

2008-09: 48.8% (team: 49.4%)

2007-08: 51.0% (team: 50.3%)

and i'm pretty sure that tallinder was getting the most difficult minutes on the sabres, with around a 45% zone start (though i'm not sure and it's been a few days since i looked at it)

Why use fenwick, watch a Sabre game. Tallinder and Myers played against the opponents top lines every game from 25 on. Your smarter then this, use stats with a grain of salt. Hockey has far too many variables.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[Triumph]

Reading never really was my strong point. Why not actually create a depth chart that may be useful to people.

because these things change minute by minute according to the HF crowd. if henrique scores a goal in a rookie scrimmage, he's above sestito now. and so forth. it's much more sensible to do it this way because contract situations often dictate player movements.

Why use fenwick, watch a Sabre game. Tallinder and Myers played against the opponents top lines every game from 25 on. Your smarter then this, use stats with a grain of salt. Hockey has far too many variables.

because it's very easy to mistake a good year defensively with a lucky year.

[JohnnyP.]

what the story with Cory Murphy?

Devils homepage roster - he is still there.

Neids is not there (buf), Kovy is not there (m.i.a.) ..... but Murph is???

[stevestevens]

what the story with Cory Murphy?

Devils homepage roster - he is still there.

Neids is not there (buf), Kovy is not there (m.i.a.) ..... but Murph is???

Murphy is no longerwith the team. I think he went to the Swiss league.

[msweet]

Ken Klee is still on the the NewJerseyDevils.com website

...err... I mean Martin Skoula and he signed with the KHL a month ago

There is no rhyme or reason to the devils website roster... other than when Lou gets pvssed over someone leaving the team... Paul Martin was off the site in 6 milliseconds after he signed with Pitts

You think that is one thing they would be on top of so people would see it as a source for for information and go there

On another note, you think they would rush to assign UFA signings numbers so fans could go out and buy jerseys while the news is hot... marketing 101

[msweet]

It is clear we will sign a veteran center somewhere along the way

Lou is on a mission to have us match up against Philly.... our 3rd line is going to be a joke

Center (9):

Travis Zajac

Jason Arnott

Rod Pelley

Tim Sestito (2 way)

Michael Swift (2 way)

Jacob Josefson (2 way)

David McIntyre (2 way)

Adam Henrique (2 way)

Kory Nagy (2 way)

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

Ken Klee is still on the the NewJerseyDevils.com website

...err... I mean Martin Skoula and he signed with the KHL a month ago

There is no rhyme or reason to the devils website roster... other than when Lou gets pvssed over someone leaving the team... Paul Martin was off the site in 6 milliseconds after he signed with Pitts

You think that is one thing they would be on top of so people would see it as a source for for information and go there

On another note, you think they would rush to assign UFA signings numbers so fans could go out and buy jerseys while the news is hot... marketing 101

Old school business does not believe in marketing.

[DaneykoIsGod]

On another note, you think they would rush to assign UFA signings numbers so fans could go out and buy jerseys while the news is hot... marketing 101

With how few numbers the Devils actually allow players to wear, they have to wait for all the offseason dust to settle I suppose. No sense giving 2 to Volchenkov now when Salvador will be traded in a month and leave 24 open.

[msweet]

With how few numbers the Devils actually allow players to wear, they have to wait for all the offseason dust to settle I suppose. No sense giving 2 to Volchenkov now when Salvador will be traded in a month and leave 24 open.

Marketing >>> Practical

they could make it happen

On June 4, 2010, Murphy returned to Switzerland signing a two-year contract with ZSC Lions of the NLA

After 11 years in the NHL on June 23, 2010, Skoula returned to Europe signing a one-year contract with Russian team Avangard Omsk of the KHL.

[Triumph]

because the fans are clamoring for volchenkov jerseys? how many other teams have assigned numbers to their free agents?

[msweet]

because the fans are clamoring for volchenkov jerseys? how many other teams have assigned numbers to their free agents?

don't know and who cares what the other teams do... success in marketing about leading and innovating... how about calling August 1st "New Jersey" day, celebrating new jerseys and the New Jersey Devils?

On that day all new player numbers are announced and your get a discount if you pre-order online jerseys...and maybe add in a ticket promotion with a bobble head of the player on the jersey

there's a 60 second marketing plan to do some business and draw attention in the summer....gotta have some imagination

[Neb00rs]

And even that doesn't thrill me because he'd likely have Rolston on his left side. I hate the idea of our promising rookie center breaking in with the antithesis of hustle and heart on his wing.

I would HATE this too. Josefsen's play would be badly altered playing with a slower, more handicapped player. Josefsen would have to adapt his play to find chemistry with Rolston. These kinds of beginnings for young players can throw their development off.

If Rolston stays, which is likely to happen, then there isn't much choice though. It's not the end of the world. Clarkson would be great for a first year Josefsen and the combination of the three of them might work out.

[JohnnyP.]

don't know and who cares what the other teams do... success in marketing about leading and innovating... how about calling August 1st "New Jersey" day, celebrating new jerseys and the New Jersey Devils?

On that day all new player numbers are announced and your get a discount if you pre-order online jerseys...and maybe add in a ticket promotion with a bobble head of the player on the jersey

there's a 60 second marketing plan to do some business and draw attention in the summer....gotta have some imagination

msweet - you gots some good idea's! - I agree

[CarpathianForest]

I've always like Sestito. Hopefully he gets more playing time.

[Daniel]

Am I the only one that thinks Tedenby is going to be a star and sooner rather than later? The guy can absolutely skate (as even outsiders like Hradek observed) and apparently plays with an edge. Especially if Kovy's gone, I think he makes the team this year.

If so, does a line of Tedenby-Arnott-Elias, moving Elias to right wing?

[Triumph]

Am I the only one that thinks Tedenby is going to be a star and sooner rather than later? The guy can absolutely skate (as even outsiders like Hradek observed) and apparently plays with an edge. Especially if Kovy's gone, I think he makes the team this year.

If so, does a line of Tedenby-Arnott-Elias, moving Elias to right wing?

tedenby has a host of problems with his game, according to observers - he doesn't play defense well, and he doesn't pass the puck enough. the second thing isn't a concern on new jersey where a pass is just a missed opportunity to shoot. people like to compare him to martin st. louis and mats naslund, but i get more of a max afinogenov/sergei berezin/brian gionta vibe to his game. i'll be very interested to see how he plays wherever he ends up (which could be new jersey, albany, or sweden).

Edited July 16, 2010 by Triumph

[CarpathianForest]

Am I the only one that thinks Tedenby is going to be a star and sooner rather than later? The guy can absolutely skate (as even outsiders like Hradek observed) and apparently plays with an edge. Especially if Kovy's gone, I think he makes the team this year.

If so, does a line of Tedenby-Arnott-Elias, moving Elias to right wing?

The TEA line. Black, red and green.

[Neb00rs]

Am I the only one that thinks Tedenby is going to be a star and sooner rather than later? The guy can absolutely skate (as even outsiders like Hradek observed) and apparently plays with an edge. Especially if Kovy's gone, I think he makes the team this year.

If so, does a line of Tedenby-Arnott-Elias, moving Elias to right wing?

I do not want to see Elias on the right side. He already has enough issues trying to find a groove and have a good season playing in his position.

[DaneykoIsGod]

The TEA line. Black, red and green.

Or the EAT line. They'll chew you up and spit you out. And possibly get Hep A in the process.

Edited July 16, 2010 by DaneykoIsGod