#2 Devils Forward in 2013

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Not this season.

Loktionov played in 28 games and had 8 goals with 13 total points. He was a healthy scratch towards the end of the season. He played no PK time.

Ilya Kovalchuk played 37 games and had 11 goals with 31 total points. Played signficiant PK time.

Not even a contest who was more valuable.

If your criteria is something along the lines of "performance relative to expectations", then fine, but anyone thinking Loktionov's absence would hurt the team more than Kovy's is delusional.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

He score 2 pp goals this season playing the full two minutes for about 2/3 of the season... that is almost a joke.

Edit: And if he is considered the QB of the PP and the PP is one of the worst in the league is it on him?

I see your edit.

You must be kidding I guess. You sure are aware how much goals our PP scored without him, are you ?

 

[Bleedred]

Loktionov played in 28 games and had 8 goals with 13 total points. He was a healthy scratch towards the end of the season. He played no PK time.

Ilya Kovalchuk played 37 games and had 11 goals with 31 total points. Played signficiant PK time.

Not even a contest who was more valuable.

If your criteria is something along the lines of "performance relative to expectations", then fine, but anyone thinking Loktionov's absence would hurt the team more than Kovy's is delusional.

Agreed with almost everything you said, but Loktionov should not have been a healthy scratch. Maybe the first time, but not the second. No way he should have been scratched in favor of the one trick Poni in that last game of the season after scoring the only goal of the game against the Rangers the week before.

 

[JimEIV]

Nobody scored more points than Loktionov from the time he got into the lineup. PK time is irrelevant, especially in the case of a rookie not getting any.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Nobody scored more points than Loktionov from the time he got into the lineup. PK time is irrelevant, especially in the case of a rookie not getting any.

And Kovalchuk was injured for a significant portion of that time, so how is that a relevant stat for comparison?

 

[JimEIV]

I see your edit.

You must be kidding I guess. You sure are aware how much goals our PP scored without him, are you ?

What was the percentage with and without him, I don't know... but it couldn't have that different because the Devils were at the bottom nearly all year.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

What was the percentage with and without him, I don't know... but it couldn't have that different because the Devils were at the bottom nearly all year.

Fact is at the start of the season our PP% was pretty decent because were cashing on most of our 5 on 3 opportunities. And you'll probably disagree but Kovalchuk's maybe a top 5 NHL player in those 2 men advantage.
I was saying it already: 5 on 3 situations are not supposed to be automatic goals. A lot of teams around the league have consistent trouble to get the job done with a 2men advantage. We sure didn't score a lot of 5 on 3 goals once IK hit the IR.


I believe Kovalchuk's the backbone of the Devils PP, but what am I going to do, I'm just a fanboy.

 

[JimEIV]

Fact is at the start of the season our PP% was pretty decent because were cashing on most of or 5 on 3 opportunities. And you'll probably disagree but Kovalchuk's maybe a top 5 NHL player in those 2 men advantage.
I was saying it already: 5 on 3 situations are not supposed to be automatic goals. A lot of teams around the league have consistent trouble to get the job done with a 2men advantage. We sure didn't score a lot of 5 on 3 goals once IK hit the IR.


I believe Kovalchuk's the backbone of the Devils PP, but what am I going to do, I'm just a fanboy.

The question remains...how good is the backbone of the PP when the PP has been one of the worst...really his entire time here and not just this year...

I'm not really understanding the point. The Devils PP is one of the major reasons they lose games on a nightly basis...so the backbone, the QB, the guy that plays the full 2 minutes what is his responsibility in that?

 

[Desert Devil]

Kovalchuk. He had a down year but it was a weird year for everyone and he was hurt for nearly a quarter of it. He was still good regardless of his relative lack of production.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

The question remains...how good is the backbone of the PP when the PP has been one of the worst...really his entire time here and not just this year...

I'm not really understanding the point. The Devils PP is one of the major reasons they lose games on a nightly basis...so the backbone, the QB, the guy that plays the full 2 minutes what is his responsibility in that?

Well everything is relative. And Hockey remains a team sport even with the special teams. Kovalchuk's certainly not the second coming of the Messiah. But as bad as our PP is with Kovalchuk distributing the puck, it still looked way better than our PP without him. I mean, did we even score a PP goal without him ? Maybe yes, but that's a dead serious question.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Kovalchuk is far more valuable to this team than Loktionov.

"Who is more valuable overall" and "who was better for 48 games this season" are two different questions.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

"Who is more valuable overall" and "who was better for 48 games this season" are two different questions.

yep and when the question was rank the forwards for 2013... it's the latter being asked.

 

[JimEIV]

Well everything is relative. And Hockey remains a team sport even with the special teams. Kovalchuk's certainly not the second coming of the Messiah. But as bad as our PP is with Kovalchuk distributing the puck, it still looked way better than our PP without him. I mean, did we even score a PP goal without him ? Maybe yes, but that's a dead serious question.

Did you see this tweet?

TGfireandice: Ovechkin had 16 PPG in 48 games playing same role Kovalchuk had with Devils. Kovalchuk had 19 total PPG in 2 years Oates ran NJ PP

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Did you see this tweet?

TGfireandice: Ovechkin had 16 PPG in 48 games playing same role Kovalchuk had with Devils. Kovalchuk had 19 total PPG in 2 years Oates ran NJ PP

TG pulling a Chere ?

Kovalchuk's nowhere close and never been close to the goal scorer Prime Ovechkin is. I'd be stunned if you find a single Devil fans that argue this.

 

[JimEIV]

Sure Ovechkin is a better goal scorer (although I would argue that Kovalchuk is a better shooter) but 16 vs 2? You gotta expect more, a lot more.

 

[apice3*]

PP wise:
Ovechkin > Kovy
Green > Zidlicky
Backstrom > Zajac
Ribiero = Elias

It's not a matter of Ovechkin vs Kovy. It's Capitals vs Devils, and they are flat out better on the PP from top to bottom.

 

[Zippy316]

Did you see this tweet?

TGfireandice: Ovechkin had 16 PPG in 48 games playing same role Kovalchuk had with Devils. Kovalchuk had 19 total PPG in 2 years Oates ran NJ PP

TG pulling a Chere ?

Kovalchuk's nowhere close and never been close to the goal scorer Prime Ovechkin is. I'd be stunned if you find a single Devil fans that argue this.

Sure Ovechkin is a better goal scorer (although I would argue that Kovalchuk is a better shooter) but 16 vs 2? You gotta expect more, a lot more.

Ovechkin has Green and Backstrom

Kovalchuk has Zidlicky or Greene and Patrik Elias.

Green opens up so much room on that powerplay. If we had anyone remotely close to the creativity and skill of Backstrom and Green on our power play, we'd see the same.

Our team is too much grinding and not enough skill. On the power play, it shows.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Sure Ovechkin is a better goal scorer (although I would argue that Kovalchuk is a better shooter) but 16 vs 2? You gotta expect more, a lot more.

Of course you do. No matter how we spin it Kovalchuk's season has not been great. Not even recalling a single Kovy beast mode game. Hopefully he'll be in a better shape next season.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Personally, he gets a lot of PP points so it's good but I'm not a big fan of Elias on the PP, I mean for a player with usually such a high hockey intelligence.

 

[MountainGoat]

2. Loki, he better be back next season or else...
3. Bernier
4. Clarkson
5. Kovy

 

[devilsblood]

Loktionov played in 28 games and had 8 goals with 13 total points. He was a healthy scratch towards the end of the season. He played no PK time.

Ilya Kovalchuk played 37 games and had 11 goals with 31 total points. Played signficiant PK time.

Not even a contest who was more valuable.

If your criteria is something along the lines of "performance relative to expectations", then fine, but anyone thinking Loktionov's absence would hurt the team more than Kovy's is delusional.

Agree, Kovy by a wide margin. Kovylove totally ignoring assists? And are SH goals worth less?

And I don't always love Kovy's hustle, and also think Deboer plays him way too many minutes, but he is clearly the answer to this question.

 

[devilsblood]

Ovechkin has Green and Backstrom

Kovalchuk has Zidlicky or Greene and Patrik Elias.

Green opens up so much room on that powerplay. If we had anyone remotely close to the creativity and skill of Backstrom and Green on our power play, we'd see the same.

Our team is too much grinding and not enough skill. On the power play, it shows.

Does Elias not have skill? Did Parise not have skill?

 

[Zubrus Coffee Maker]

Kovy. i'm surprised he didnt get #1 after we lost the 10 games he was out

 

[Vilgraining]

Elias and Kovy are our only 2 good offensive players. Kovy having a bad year is still the second best forward we have, which shows you how bad the other forwards are on this team.
Henrique needs to be #2 on this list next year behind Kovy (and just ahead of Elias) for the Devils to be good next year

 

[DatBoyJPP]

2. Loki, he better be back next season or else...
3. Bernier
4. Clarkson
5. Kovy

There is no way to justify Clarkson above Kovy