GDT: #18 New Jersey Devils at Calgary Flames: Lion King Edition

[MoonDragn]

I honestly believe many have difficultly distinguishing good play from bad play, specifically when it comes to defensemen. Throw a developing player into that equation and I think the critique becomes unreasonable.

Merrill did not have a "bad" game against Calgary...unless you want to get on him for the delay of game penalty. Furthermore, he was very good in the Pittsburgh, Vancouver and both Chicago games.

I'm not sure if it is people not understanding what they are seeing or just wanting to see something else?

I agree with you. On most nights Merrill has been very consistent. Sure he occasionally makes a mistake, but so does our top pairing.

I don't think he's our worse D-man.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't appreciate when people call out other poster's "hockey knowledge" with subtle little jabs like was just done, to be quite honest.

Merrill has NOT been good lately. you can say hes been consistent, sure. consistently not good. he turns the puck over at will in the defensive end and looks like he is skating in mud half the time.

 

[Unknown Caller]

I don't appreciate when people call out other poster's "hockey knowledge" with subtle little jabs like was just done, to be quite honest.

Merrill has NOT been good lately. you can say hes been consistent, sure. consistently not good. he turns the puck over at will in the defensive end and looks like he is skating in mud half the time.

Yeah, Merrill has been awful this year and he wasn't good last year. Had a great rookie year and has regressed since.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I don't appreciate when people call out other poster's "hockey knowledge" with subtle little jabs like was just done, to be quite honest.

Merrill has NOT been good lately. you can say hes been consistent, sure. consistently not good. he turns the puck over at will in the defensive end and looks like he is skating in mud half the time.

I agree with you about all of the above, though I'm not as militant about Merrill.

I think some of it is a result of people hoping he would take that next step at both ends of the ice, but his offensive game never really developed. That being the case, you would like to see him be more assertive in the defensive zone. He always seems like he's reacting. He's a solid top-4 defenseman, but he's hardly made himself untouchable.

 

[JimEIV]

Yeah, Merrill has been awful this year and he wasn't good last year. Had a great rookie year and has regressed since.

Awful at what?

No one has a worse Goals Against per 60 on the team than John Moore and I read thread after thread how wonderful he is...And it is far and away the the worse by more than a 1/4 of goal per 60 minutes. Severson and Merrill are both ahead of him.

Every single Dman has a worse GA/60 when they play with Moore. In some instances it is 2/1 better were away from Moore.

Moore faces about the same competition as Merrill - and is giving up .58 GA/60 more compared to Merrill.

I've seen nothing but praises for Moore on these boards and Merrill has been far and away the better defender.

And guess who the worse player on the team is in giving up shots???? You got it Moore is horrific at 30.86 shots/60 NO ONE IS Worse on the entire team by a lot. Merrill is 26.04 Shots against per 60.

SCHLEMKO, DAVID - 21.75
GREENE, ANDY - 23.07
LARSSON, ADAM - 23.2
MERRILL, JON - 26.04
SEVERSON, DAMON - 28.42
MOORE, JOHN - 30.86

 

[Richer's Ghost]

just don't use NHL.com's data for these arguments - their data is full of garbage and may be leading you down a dead end.

 

[JimEIV]

just don't use NHL.com's data for these arguments - their data is full of garbage and may be leading you down a dead end.

I'm using http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...=50&teamid=18&type=goals&sort=A60&sortdir=ASC

Both On-Ice Goal and Shot stats


Here are the Goals Against per 60

1 GREENE, ANDY New_Jersey 0.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM New_Jersey 0.95
3 GELINAS, ERIC New_Jersey 1.68
4 SCHLEMKO, DAVID New_Jersey 1.75
5 MERRILL, JON New_Jersey 2.2
6 SEVERSON, DAMON New_Jersey 2.52
7 MOORE, JOHN New_Jersey 2.78

 

[JimEIV]

So if Merrill has been awful, we need to cut John Moore Quickly.

 

[JimEIV]

Cory must quake in his skates when John Moore is on the ice.


SV% while on
1 GREENE, ANDY 95.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM 95.9
3 SCHLEMKO, DAVID 91.95
4 MERRILL, JON 91.57
5 SEVERSON, DAMON 91.15
6 MOORE, JOHN 90.98

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Merrill hasn't been that good lately. He started out well, however, his play has slipped. Don't know why he gets a pass by the fans and coaching staff.

 

[JimEIV]

Merrill hasn't been that good lately. He started out well, however, his play has slipped. Don't know why he gets a pass by the fans and coaching staff.

Cause he's been better defensively than Moore and Severson...By a lot.

He hasn't generated any offense at all. His shots and the differentials aren't good. But in his own end he has been pretty decent.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Merrill will be the first to admit that he's played poorly this season.

We know he should be better, but he's been quite bad this season so far.

 

[hutter]

Cause he's been better defensively than Moore and Severson...By a lot.

He hasn't generated any offense at all. His shots and the differentials aren't good. But in his own end he has been pretty decent.

Agreed with all of this. People fail to see how Moore relies upon Merrill carrying him in the defensive end.

 

[JimEIV]

Merrill will be the first to admit that he's played poorly this season.

We know he should be better, but he's been quite bad this season so far.

Holy crap? The numbers are right in front of you. Merrill has been right in the middle of the pack defensively.


SV% while on
1 GREENE, ANDY 95.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM 95.9
3 SCHLEMKO, DAVID 91.95
4 MERRILL, JON 91.57
5 SEVERSON, DAMON 91.15
6 MOORE, JOHN 90.98


Goals Against per 60
1 GREENE, ANDY New_Jersey 0.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM New_Jersey 0.95
3 GELINAS, ERIC New_Jersey 1.68
4 SCHLEMKO, DAVID New_Jersey 1.75
5 MERRILL, JON New_Jersey 2.2
6 SEVERSON, DAMON New_Jersey 2.52
7 MOORE, JOHN New_Jersey 2.78


Shots Against per 60
SCHLEMKO, DAVID - 21.75
GREENE, ANDY - 23.07
LARSSON, ADAM - 23.2
MERRILL, JON - 26.04
SEVERSON, DAMON - 28.42
MOORE, JOHN - 30.86


Where Merrill is doing poorly is generating offense. Shots For/60 he is dead last. Goals For/60 he is dead last


Shots For per 60
MOORE, JOHN 27.61
SEVERSON, DAMON 26.41
SCHLEMKO, DAVID 23.75
GELINAS, ERIC 23.56
GREENE, ANDY 23.26
LARSSON, ADAM 22.82
MERRILL, JON 21.65


Goals For per 60
SEVERSON, DAMON 2.52
MOORE, JOHN 2.09
SCHLEMKO, DAVID 2
GELINAS, ERIC 1.68
LARSSON, ADAM 1.14
GREENE, ANDY 1.13
MERRILL, JON 0.94


But even though Merrill hasn't been very good offensively, look at the numbers, He is pretty much doing the same thing as Greene/Larsson.

 

[goonybird]

I can't wait til the next game.

Here, let's just agree we hope everything goes just swell.

 

[NJDevs26]

Merrill hasn't been that good lately. He started out well, however, his play has slipped. Don't know why he gets a pass by the fans and coaching staff.

Have you read this board the last two weeks? He sure ain't getting a pass from the fans. As far as the staff, well what are they supposed to do play Gelinas over Merrill? That's basically what it's come down to lately cause the other five ain't sitting. Then it becomes just arguing over which one-dimensional guy you prefer, the one-dimensional defensive guy that has only been okay defensively or the one-dimensional offensive guy that has only been okay offensively. Personally when you're a defenseman I'd rather have the one-dimensional defensive guy. Conversely if we were talking forwards I'd prefer the one-dimensional offensive guy.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Merrill hasn't played his best this year but it's not as bad as I'm led to believe reading some of these comments. I feel like once a player is in the "doghouse" people will immediately point out the bad things he's doing on the (and magnify them to be bigger mistakes than they really are), and ignore the good things he's doing.

 

[NJDevs26]

Merrill hasn't played his best this year but it's not as bad as I'm led to believe reading some of these comments. I feel like once a player is in the "doghouse" people will immediately point out the bad things he's doing on the (and magnify them to be bigger mistakes than they really are), and ignore the good things he's doing.

Yeah pretty much this. Although in the case of Merrill it would help if he was at least contributing offensively...Gelinas gets much more of a break than Merrill for being far worse defensively cause people love the shot. People are so starved for offense they inherently give the offensive guys (Gelinas, Brunner, Tedenby, Tlusty now) more of a pass than other guys that don't add to the offense - unless it's Josefson.

 

[JimEIV]

The thing is everyone on this team is upside down in the shot differential -- Only Greene and Schlemko are positives. And Greene is Barely a positive. So the Defensive aspect is MORE critical in my opinion.


SCHLEMKO, DAVID 23.75 21.75 52.2
GREENE, ANDY 23.26 23.07 50.2
_______________________________________________
LARSSON, ADAM 22.82 23.2 49.6
SEVERSON, DAMON 26.41 28.42 48.2
MOORE, JOHN 27.61 30.86 47.2 7
MERRILL, JON 21.65 26.04 45.4

 

[Sascha Goc]

I don't know about the rest of you guys who want to ship Merrill off at the site of one halfway decent forward but I think he hasn't been as bad as advertised on these boards and I really think if we hold onto him he will develop into a valuable defenseman later in his 20s the way Greene did.

 

[JimEIV]

I don't know about the rest of you guys who want to ship Merrill off at the site of one halfway decent forward but I think he hasn't been as bad as advertised on these boards and I really think if we hold onto him he will develop into a valuable defenseman later in his 20s the way Greene did.

It shouldn't take that long...might take that long to reach his full potential, but another 70 or so games and he will be in another phase of development.

Unfortunately Merrill has never had a consistent partner at any point of his entire career and he has never had a good partner at any stage of his career, but we should also remember that his "entire career" is 130 games.

And if you look at the shots, both for and against as well as the goals, both for and against, Merrill is not performing that far behind Greene and Larsson RIGHT NOW. As mind blowing as that might be to some.

 

[JimEIV]

And I think I found a trend because as long as I've been coming here there has been a Dman that had played solidly in his own zone that doesn't generate any offense that gets totally crapped on.... I've seen done to Paul Martin, Brad Lukowich, Colin White, Bryce Salvadore (when they were playing well) and there has always been various short term rumblings for different defenders in a more stay home role.

 

[MadDevil]

Greene didn't do much offensively to start his career either. In his first 3 seasons he had 25 points in 131 games. In his first 3 seasons, Merrill has 25 points in 132 games. And Greene was 24 years old his first season. Merrill was 21 his rookie year. I think they're pretty similar in the type of player they are, so I would say be patient with him. And yes, I know the same can be said for Gelinas, but I have more doubts about his mental game than I do Merrill's.

 

[Devilsfan992]

It shouldn't take that long...might take that long to reach his full potential, but another 70 or so games and he will be in another phase of development.

Unfortunately Merrill has never had a consistent partner at any point of his entire career and he has never had a good partner at any stage of his career, but we should also remember that his "entire career" is 130 games.

And if you look at the shots, both for and against as well as the goals, both for and against, Merrill is not performing that far behind Greene and Larsson RIGHT NOW. As mind blowing as that might be to some.

Not even close..

Goals Against per 60
1 GREENE, ANDY New_Jersey 0.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM New_Jersey 0.95
5 MERRILL, JON New_Jersey 2.2

Goals For per 60
LARSSON, ADAM 1.14
GREENE, ANDY 1.13
MERRILL, JON 0.94

Differential
Greene - .20 +
Larsson - .18 +
Merill - 1.26 -

 

[JimEIV]

Not even close..

Goals Against per 60
1 GREENE, ANDY New_Jersey 0.94
2 LARSSON, ADAM New_Jersey 0.95
5 MERRILL, JON New_Jersey 2.2

Goals For per 60
LARSSON, ADAM 1.14
GREENE, ANDY 1.13
MERRILL, JON 0.94

Differential
Greene - .20 +
Larsson - .18 +
Merill - 1.26 -

Look at everything combined. Shots against from Merrill to Larsson and Greene is 3. To Moore over 7.

Offensively Larsson and Greene are putting up 23 shots per game Merill 21. Goals for per 60 all 3 are right around 1. Those numbers are virtually identical.

Greene/Larsson are giving up less than a goal per 60 and Merrill over 2...yes that is a substantial difference, also Greene /Larsson are doing it against better competition....no question whatsoever in any of that. They are Cleary the best defensive pairing we have by alot....but in a shots for and against perspective Merrill is following Green/Larsson very closely in that defensive role. And he is clearly way above Moore and Severson.

What I will admit in all of this is Schlemko has been a lot better than I have given him credit for. But Moore is just horrible. He has made everyone he has played with worse.