Figures this warrants a discussion outside of the roster building and post mortem thread.
My scale for reference:
A: Way exceeded expectations
B: exceeded expectations
C: met expectations
D: below expectations
F: failure
I: Incomplete. Think they were injured
Ouuu, I like this, going to go with my easiest rankings first, then maybe group guys in a range together:
Shesterkin: A-. Without him, each and every game could have had 3 extra Devils goals. That said, he allowed guys to get in his head a little, ultimately costing the team with the Game 3 penalty (yes, Meier should have been called but Shesterkin blockered him in back of head 4 times out of frustration, taking THE penalty), and gave up a very weak GWG in Game 4 right after we tied it up.
Kreider: B+. Prior to Game 7, this would have been an A-. Even then, he was great in Games 1-3...but after those 5 goals, the only one he scored went off his shinpad in Game 6. He did have two nice assists that game though, and without that performance from him, there may not have been a Game 7.
Panarin: F-(------).
Zibanejad: I/D-. Gotta be injured, the alternative if so fragile mentally he disappears...which I don't want to believe. Only reason he's not an F is Game 6, and the fact he kills penalties.
Tarasenko: C+. Was key to early series start. Disappeared far to often (the whole core did) for a guy who was brought in as a "proven playoff performer".
Kane: I/C-. Kane had a vintage Game 2 performance, had jump in Games 6&7, but otherwise was pretty useless and un-noteworthy. Playing on one hip is not his fault, but we knew that upon acquiring him. Would be open to him getting his hip fixxed vis surgery and signing him to a "hometown discount" LTIR deal.
Chytil: D.
Kakko: C+/B-. Despite the lack of poijts/scoring, I though he looked good all series. High overall play was nice to see, but hard to say he exeeded expectations when the points didn't follow when we could have used them as our big guns shot blanks.
Lafreniere & Trocheck: F.
Goodrow, Vesey & Motte: C-. Had good ozone cycle time, but when stars failed, would have been nice to see them step up more often with a big goal.
Fox: I/D. Another guy I neglect to believe doesn't have a somewhat signifcant injury, and its not new...it was noticeable in back half of season. If he wasn't the only reason this isn't an F is his Games 1&2. Also, could have been a C- instead if not for his horrendous Game 7.
Lindgren & Mikkola: C. They're stay at home D men, as advertised. Didn't notice either to standout as great or terrible, which is a good thing.
Miller: F. Miller has so much talent, but man was he horrible as a puck mover post spit-gate, and especially in playoffs and specifcially a game against Buffalo (I think it was) late in season when he was direct cause of 2 goals and multiple prime chances against. Got to figure it out mentally, cannot be so weak like Mika.
Trouba: C+. The plus is for the hit on Meier. If that was laid in Period 1 of Game 5, maybe we wake up and win the series in 6. Too late.
Schneider: B. Best hockey of the season was in playoffs for the kid. Aside from that random spurt where he scored 5 goals in 15 games or something. But thats not his job, his role and job is to do exactly what he did in these playoffs. Some Trouba-lite-esque hits.
