Devils Team Discussion (team/player news and notes) ‎2015 offseason VI

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I wish Loktionov had stuck around a bit. A fast, supporting team that works well in transition would've been right up his alley. I think that poor kid had tons of potential to be a fantastic middle-6 center on a good team and Deboer completely ruined him. He's technically still available and looking to come back to the NHL, but I'm probably like one of four Devils fans on the planet that would give him another shot (which is ok).

Keeping or dropping Loktionov obviously wasn't gonna be some make-or-break move, but I think he's a perfect example of how this team had the wrong long-term mindset under Deboer.

 

[Bleedred]

I wish Loktionov had stuck around a bit. A fast, supporting team that works well in transition would've been right up his alley. I think that poor kid had tons of potential to be a fantastic middle-6 center on a good team and Deboer completely ruined him. He's technically still available and looking to come back to the NHL, but I'm probably like one of four Devils fans on the planet that would give him another shot (which is ok).

Keeping or dropping Loktionov obviously wasn't gonna be some make-or-break move, but I think he's a perfect example of how this team had the wrong long-term mindset under Deboer.

I don't think he was that bad, I was never betting on him reaching 50 points in a season though.

I don't think he should be a center though, he was really bad on faceoffs and didn't wanna play wing. It wasn't as much of a problem when we were a good possession team. Now we're a sucky possession team and still suck at faceoffs like we have for years now.

I would definitely say he was a casualty of Dumbeor though. I'm already fearing for who he's gonna ruin in San Jose.

I actually didn't think Loktionov was bad. The sad part was he almost matched his point production with us in 48 games, in just 20 games with Carolina after the trade. He had 12 points in 48 games with us that season, then 10 in 20 with Carolina.

I'm not quite sure why Carolina didn't qualify him, or was it only because of the major injury he sustained at the world championships that year? I thought they said even before that tournament that they weren't qualifying him though?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Honestly I think if Loktionov was named Gord Wilson he would've been qualified. There was always some knock on him as "soft" but I never saw it. He took hits to make plays, was one of the best Devils through the neutral zone, really underrated defensively... I think after Semin really wore out his welcome that year, the team didn't want to hold on to another Russian with a questionable reputation. Getting traded away from a defense-first team with no young players while they were looking for help down the stretch probably didn't help the optics.

 

[Bleedred]

Honestly I think if Loktionov was named Gord Wilson he would've been qualified. There was always some knock on him as "soft" but I never saw it. He took hits to make plays, was one of the best Devils through the neutral zone, really underrated defensively... I think after Semin really wore out his welcome that year, the team didn't want to hold on to another Russian with a questionable reputation. Getting traded away from a defense-first team with no young players while they were looking for help down the stretch probably didn't help the optics.

Well Carolina is already one of the worst run organizations in the league, so I won't even try to figure out why they wouldn't qualify the guy.

I didn't think the guy was that bad. There were a couple people here that thought he was awful, then you had a couple people that thought he was a 50 point player.

I wouldn't have minded seeing him post Dumboer. I think if Josefson was able to show some improvement after he was gone, Loktionov would have been able to as well. As much as I hated Damien big nose at the end there, I wouldn't have minded at least giving him a shot to see what he was post DeBoer.

 

[MadDevil]

Loktionov couldn't cut it in three different organizations. Brunner wasn't wanted by anybody last year. They're not NHL players, and I doubt it has anything to do with coaching.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Loktionov couldn't cut it in three different organizations. Brunner wasn't wanted by anybody last year. They're not NHL players, and I doubt it has anything to do with coaching.

The same people that didn't want Loki or Brunner gave out the Clarkson contract, the Engelland contract, traded a first round pick a few months of Paul Gaustad, chose not to buy out Mike Richards, gave a HUGE extension to a 32 year old Kesler and then signed Shane O'Brien, really I could go on and on and on with all the terribly and obviously dumb things that hockey GMs have done in just the past 2 or 3 years. These people are far from infallible and should not be anyone's basis for was or was not a good idea in the NHL.

The guy who thought Loktionov couldn't hack it (despite some of the best on-ice results on the team in very limited minutes) is the guy that wrote Salvador and Zubrus's name on the lineup card in permanent marker last season, and the guy who'd choose Tim Sestito time and time again over...literally any other possible option. The guy who didn't want Loktionov to stick around in Carolina lost his job. The only team to employ Loktionov and like him was the Kings, and they're the only functional team mentioned in this whole bunch. They shipped him out because he wasn't a good wing option, they were loaded at center, and he was supposedly bolting for Russia as soon as his contract ran out.

 

[MadDevil]

Or maybe Loktionov just isn't that good and he's playing in the KHL for a reason? Nah, that can't be it. Clearly the Devils were just too damn stupid to see how good he is.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Loktionov couldn't cut it in three different organizations. Brunner wasn't wanted by anybody last year. They're not NHL players, and I doubt it has anything to do with coaching.

said this exact thing all along.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Loktionov got an unfair shake.

He has 34 points in 96 games since 12-13. That's a 29 point average over 82 games. Meanwhile, he averaged like 12 minutes per night. His ESP/60 over that time frame was around 1.40, which is way better someone like Josefson. There were also some passing and zone exit stats tracked at ILWT that had Loktionov as one of the best transition players on our team.

I struggle to understand why someone like Josefson gets so many chances and seems to have "top six potential" to some, when Loktionov has heavily out produced him and brings similar speed and defensive acumen.

The only reason he wasn't qualified by Carolina was because he had a bad shoulder injury in the WCs.

Not saying Loktionov is the answer or anything, I just struggle to understand how someone with decent production with the Devils given the circumstances and a solid all-around game, with speed, gets so crapped on by a lot of the posters here. Many of these same people want to give Josefson more chances in the top nine.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/showplayer.php?pid=1250&withagainst=true&season=2012-14&sit=5v5

Loktionov's WOWY numbers from 2012 to 2014. Pretty much every single player had a better Corsi with Loktionov than without.

 

[R8Devs]

Josefson really hasn't consistently played in the top 9 since his rookie year. He's been 4th line or injured or scratched most of the time. I don't see an issue With him playing 3rd or 4th line going forward.

I do feel Loktionov and the Devils could have had a better story but what can you do. It's not that big of an issue however considering the bigger issues on this team.

 

[Zippy316]

Loktionov and Josefson were my two favorite players during Loktionov's time here.

I do really think Loktionov had the potential to be a pretty good player, but never got a fair chance. I think it's clear that you either fit in DeBoer's system or you don't -- if you don't, you're screwed.

 

[Cheddabombs]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=774958&navid=DL|NHL|home

Really enjoyed this piece on Santini, especially the part where Severson said they're pretty good friends. The potential our blueline has is incredible, just give it a few seasons.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I don't care about Zubrus for one more year. Go ahead and try to find me one single team that doesn't have a player that the vast majority of fans think is done and needs to be cast off into the sun. It's just one more year. One more year that the team isn't gonna be that good with or without him.

Just as long as he doesn't take a spot from a young guy. Let him spend his last year sitting in suite for all I care.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Just as long as he doesn't take a spot from a young guy. Let him spend his last year sitting in suite for all I care.

This is my biggest concern, as well. With all the young guys we have slated for camp in September, you've got to think there would be someone to nudge Zub out of the lineup.

If there's not, there's not. We'll see I guess. Let's table this

 

[Burner Account]

Again with Andrei "Scored a cool toe drag goal against the Flyers" Loktionov?

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I also don't understand the Loktionov love fest.

If he were even *decent*... the way some here talk about him, you'd think he's *pretty good*... an NHL GM would've taken a flyer already.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Even with Loktionov no where near the team he's still an off-season topic?

Oh the days of Loktionov v. Josefson, great times my friends. Let's not relive it though.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I would do bad things to get Nino Neiderreiter in a Devils jersey.

 

[Burner Account]

Let me attempt to settle the Josefson vs. Loktionov debate.

Josefson is bad.
Loktionov is terrible.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Let me attempt to settle the Josefson vs. Loktionov debate.

Josefson is bad.
Loktionov is terrible.

What about Loktionov is terrible?

He produced at a solid rate for his ice time, brought speed and defensive acumen to the team and was our best forward in transition.

ESP/60 since 2012:
Josefson - 0.56
Loktionov - 1.36

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

I also don't understand the Loktionov love fest.

If he were even *decent*... the way some here talk about him, you'd think he's *pretty good*... an NHL GM would've taken a flyer already.

I think some players, especially Russians, get maligned for no good reason.

Nikolai Zherdev should still be in the NHL. He was a beast in his last NHL season (8th in 10-11 in ESG/60). But because he appears "lazy", he's blacklisted. Same goes for Semin. Even though lazy play by those guys is still much better than the vast majority of NHL players.

Loktionov seemed particular. He expressed that he needed to play center. He didn't want to go down to the AHL again. A bit outspoken. Maybe that rubbed people the wrong way. His shoulder injury in the WC certainly didn't do him any favors.

The numbers don't lie though. Loktionov is an NHL quality player.

 

[Triumph]

What about Loktionov is terrible?

He produced at a solid rate for his ice time, brought speed and defensive acumen to the team and was our best forward in transition.

ESP/60 since 2012:
Josefson - 0.56
Loktionov - 1.36

Yeah, but where was Loktionov drafted? That's really what's important here.

DeBoer scratching Loktionov for no center at all on the 4th line, DeBoer playing Loktionov with Boucher and Sislo and they absolutely dominated other 4th lines, meanwhile Carter-Gionta-Bernier were being given 3rd line ice time and doing horrible - Loktionov struggled in the D zone at times but at least before his shoulder injury he was an NHL player. I get why NJ traded him, they probably weren't going to qualify him either, but sometimes you have to be able to look past a player's weaknesses to see all his strengths.

 

[NJDevs26]

Just as long as he doesn't take a spot from a young guy. Let him spend his last year sitting in suite for all I care.

I find it fascinating that people think we have no forward prospects yet still want to play young forwards for the sake of playing young forwards even if they're rushed or not any good.

If there's enough forwards who make a legit enough impression to make them eat the last year on Zubrus's contract that's wonderful news. But don't be surprised if that doesn't happen, or alarmed that it means Zubrus will be overplayed.

 

[Oneiro]

So circumstances can conspire against Loktionov, though the numbers say he's an "NHL quality player"?

And yet, without factoring in context, you can say that Quenneville/Black/etc. are likely to be middling prospects because their numbers say so?

Good to know.

To me the numbers are pretty simple: three NHL teams gave Loktionov a look. Three NHL teams said bye-bye.