Zach Parise

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

What do you call NJ's situation, I see only Madden and Gomez ahead of him on the depth charts. I would say he is 2nd in terms on defense behind Madden and 2nd behind Gomez in terms of offense.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

Actually AHL is much for confidence, bulking up, learning defense, 2 of the 3 Parise has in great shape, he can bulk up over this year (he is already 186). Age is not a flaw in talent, I want you to list a talent flaw or a game played flaw he has.

[insanity_gallops]

What do you call NJ's situation, I see only Madden and Gomez ahead of him on the depth charts. I would say he is 2nd in terms on defense behind Madden and 2nd behind Gomez in terms of offense.

Whoa, whoa.

Second in defense behind Madden? I'd think he's in a bit of a line, defensively, behind Madden: Pandolfo, Brylin, Stevenson, Elias, Langenbrunner, even Larionov and Gionta are more defensively sound than Parise right now. Why? Because they all have NHL experience. Defense at college and defense at the pros is entirely different.

As for depth at center, there's Gomez, Madden, Rupp, Brylin (theoretically), Rasmussen, and Larionov ahead of him for center positions. Not to mention Foster, should he beat away the injury bug.

[Derek21]

This thread is asinine. How can people argue that Parise won't be in NJ next year, like it's some impossibility? If he's ready to play with the big boys, he'll be here, forget about where he was drafted. An assumption that Lou will want him to play AHL hockey is based on what? How many AHL games did Scott Gomez play?

Nice post Jerry. I don't see why there's so much debate over one of your own prospects. Obviously, he's very good. I agree with you 100% on the Gomez point.

Jason loves his prospects. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Being optimistic about a team's future is nice. Maybe some of his ideas aren't happening now but it's no reason to mock him.

[NJDevs4978]

Jerry, if you re-read the thread, you'll see that no one actually argued that Parise will not make the squad next year.

Actually there were quite a few posts that dismissed it out of hand. I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand, but I wouldn't actively campaign for it (Parise making the team) either until we know more about what kind of a player he is; i.e. more experience.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

You mean under 20? We never had a prospect that complete from europe, they all had problems with their game. Even Elias wasn't an overall good player while inm europe. If we drafted Milan Michalek (much like Parise with less offense) Im say Lou would have signed him and gave him a shot at the NHL. He is also trying for a NHL spot.

[MissionHockey]

Thank you, I would also like to state that Parise's defense is 10 times the level Gomez's was and Parise is a more well rounded offensive weapon. Parise is also clutch.

I've heard that once Parise fully developes fully that will make Scott Gomez expendable. I just hope the Devils system doesn't choke him as badly as it does Elias or Gomez.

[Sarge18]

The real reason that Parise will not be signed for next year. The impending lockout. If things are looking grim for a strike Lou will let him play another year in school so he can still play.

[Weekes Head]

Guys, don't let things get out of hand. I don't want to have to lock this thread.

[Jerrydevil]

Oh yeah, Hasan, I completely agree. The Devils don't throw young players to the wolves, nor should they. I remember the 1999 camp. Gomez clearly earned a spot on the team and he did take advantage of the situation

[NJDevs4978]

Jason loves his prospects. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Being optimistic about a team's future is nice. Maybe some of his ideas aren't happening now but it's no reason to mock him.

Well, we are all optomistic about the team's future. We all raved about the Parise pick when Lou made it. That doesn't mean we should have to want him or every other prospect to automatically play.

[Triumph]

It is very unlikely, given past history of Lou and company. I think even Guerin spent a half-season in the AHL, Rolston spent a few, and Elias spent 2 as well.

There is never a need to rush prospects. We're not like the Rangers.. our roster is always capable of motion. We can always trade someone if Parise is impressive enough. But to hand him a 2nd line role, before camp.. he'd have to be one hell of a player, or the Devils would have to be one hell of a bad team. Even Gomez, the perpetually cited aberration, was pretty weak in his first playoffs.

[MissionHockey]

I really want to see this line at some point of the season

Elias Gomez Berglund

It's worth a shot sinse he has at least some better skills than Marshall. I don't think Marshall will stay on the top line forever anyway.

[Derek21]

The real reason that Parise will not be signed for next year. The impending lockout. If things are looking grim for a strike Lou will let him play another year in school so he can still play.

Good point Sarge. It kinda puts a damper on things.

[Weekes Head]

Personally, I just don't see why just because there's a good report on the kid, it means he has to be in the lineup the first change we get. That doesn't mean the player isn't good, or doesn't have a shot in the future, but why rush things? It's never been the Devils priority to rush players EVER before, so why pluck a kid right out of school and throw him into the big leagues?

I just don't get where all this anger is coming from, though (from a few of you). I mean, wow.

[nj96]

I don't think Marshall will stay on the top line forever anyway.

While making the video, I re-watched four games a couple times and I've got to say, Marshall is one HELL of a passer! Even without the game winning assist in Game 7 against the Sens, he was extremely creative and accurate when it came to threading the needle. Mostly just big saves or missed shots kept the assists from him. Rewatch them if you can, you'd be suprised!

As for Parise, could he possibly get worse going to the AHL first? Lose his confidence? No! The only way is up! If he comes to the big team and gets pushed around (possibly injured) his confidence could be ruined. I say let him simmer in the AHL and get used to the bigger bodies, then unleash him on the NHL when Lou's timer goes off!

Just my thoughts...

-Dan

[Derek21]

Personally, I just don't see why just because there's a good report on the kid, it means he has to be in the lineup the first change we get. That doesn't mean the player isn't good, or doesn't have a shot in the future, but why rush things? It's never been the Devils priority to rush players EVER before, so why pluck a kid right out of school and throw him into the big leagues?

I just don't get where all this anger is coming from, though (from a few of you). I mean, wow.

Nice post RD. Very well said. I agree 100%!

[Triumph]

Agree with both sentiments nj96, Marshall's passing is underrated and the aspect of his game that allows him to stay on the top line. He has good vision for a player who plays his kind of game. He's exactly what that 1st line needed. I think Berglund could provide that element too.

[Jerrydevil]

It's never been the Devils priority to rush players EVER before, so why pluck a kid right out of school and throw him into the big leagues?

If a student is a genius at math, you put him in the calculus class, not in the geometry class with the rest of the bewildered sophomores.

In other words, if he's ready for the NHL, then he'll play. The reason why the Devils don't play 19 year olds is because it's rare to draft one that's ready to play effectively with the big boys. But they come along every so often. We don't usually draft high enough to get one.

[Weekes Head]

If a student is a genius at math, you put him in the calculus class, not in the geometry class with the rest of the bewildered sophomores.

In other words, if he's ready for the NHL, then he'll play. The reason why the Devils don't play 19 year olds is because it's rare to draft one that's ready to play effectively with the big boys. But they come along every so often. We don't usually draft high enough to get one.

Yeah, but I'd like to think that kid would have to work hard to get to that class. Still go through the steps, take all the tests and do all the homework to prove that he excels and belongs there.

I'm just saying that we can't really expect Parise to be the mega superstar from day one when he still needs to prove himself, prove his talent and prove that he's ready for the game, mentally and physically. He's young, yeah. But again, I ask, why rush something good? Of course, if he passes those tests, does all his homework and proves he does belong with the big boys, then go right ahead - put him above the rest.

That's all I'm saying.

[Jerrydevil]

You know as well as I do, Roughdraft, that the Devs don't hand players anything. No need to worry, there. I don't expect Parise to be a star. But he may become one anyway. Remember how cool it was that Gomez played in the All-Star game his first season? Maybe Parise will do the same. It's possible.

I'll also add this. If Minnesota automatically assigned Marian Gaborik to the AHL, there never would have been a run like the one they made last year. Sometimes these young'uns make a huge impact. Just like Gomez did his rookie year. Now we're waiting for Gomez to elevate his game! LOL!

[Weekes Head]

Of course there's always that player or two that can bounce right in and steal the show...but it's such a rarity that I can't come to expect very often. Sometimes it seems like Jason expects a lot of these players to come in and dazzle everyone's eyes before they're truly ready to take the spotlight.

Parise could definitely be an exception, but you just never can tell anymore, especially, like I said, when it's such a rarity anyways.

[westcoastdevfan]

We are talking about the Devils. Nothing is ever expected. So we will all have to wait and see.

[rbdf]

OK, obviously the kid has tons of talent and potential. BUT, college level is NOWHERE NEAR pro level. For starters, it's half the schedule, half the travel and half the maturity level. (which was part of gomers problem his rookie and soph. years, and he was 20).

You can't sit there and say he's better at this or that than someone who's been playing pro level for a few years because the games are entirely different.

Taking an 18 year old like Parise and putting him in at #2 center on Oct. 8 is like taking a 12 year old out of peewee/squirt/whatever league and putting him in Parise's place at college. Just look at the way the talent pool thins out from like a million skaters in pre-high school youth leagues, then fewer make it to highschool/juniors, even fewer to major junior/college, to echl, to ahl, to finally the nhl, where a grand total of the BEST 690 hockey players in the world reside.

Give him time to grow, learn the game, learn about himself, mature, and get better. Don't rush things. Look what happens to those that rush (Lecavalier was the next coming of gretz if I remember right - that's just one example of a player who would be so much better today, if his team had coached him, mentored him and waited until he was emotionally mature enough to deal with the pressure of playing at the top level of the world of hockey, let alone captaincy etc).

Oh, and as for sykora's draft spot, I still think he was drafted too high. He should have been 2nd round, injury or not.

[Derek21]

When the Devils drafted Gomez 27th overall in '98, he played for the Tri-City Americans in the WHL two years tearing it up in the final year. Would anyone say that the WHL is the caliber of playing collegiately?