GDT: New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: Special Sauce

[Devils Trap]

Zubrus and Zajac were matched up against Stamkos's line last night and Stamkos had ZERO 5vs5 shots on goal

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Zubrus and Zajac were matched up against Stamkos's line last night and Stamkos had ZERO 5vs5 shots on goal

Stamkos isn't a big shots guy believe it or not. He averages about 3 a game. He's an elite skater and an elite finisher. 25% S%. Last year he was at around 3 shots per game again and 18% of those went in.

I think that line was the worst line defensively last night. Not so much Zubrus and Zajac but moreso Brunner. I think Brunner holds back those two defensively just as much as Zajac holds him back offensively. Just a bad match.

 

[livewell68]

Seems to be dancing around players with ease to me. Where do you get the slow from?

Exactly. I have been saying it all along, Jagr's issues when coming back from the KHL were 1. He was too heavy for the new league at 240 + lbs (now he is below 230), he was being moved around a lot from 1st to 2nd to 3rd lines and last season he looked to have gotten some of his magic back with Dallas (was on pace for 34 goals and 70 Pts with Dallas) before being shipped to Boston where the chemistry experience never worked.

Jagr has always been about confidence, even at age 41, if he has his confidence which now it looks like he has judging from the interview then the sky's the limit for Jagr.

I think if he stays healthy, the Devils could have 2 70 + Pts scorers in Jagr and Elias.

 

[livewell68]

Stamkos isn't a big shots guy believe it or not. He averages about 3 a game. He's an elite skater and an elite finisher. 25% S%. Last year he was at around 3 shots per game again and 18% of those went in.

I think that line was the worst line defensively last night. Not so much Zubrus and Zajac but moreso Brunner. I think Brunner holds back those two defensively just as much as Zajac holds him back offensively. Just a bad match.

Having St. Louis setting him up on almost every goal doesn't hurt does it?

Both Stamkos and St. Louis are great players but they wouldn't be putting up nearly as many goals and points if they were split or played on different teams.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Having St. Louis setting him up on almost every goal doesn't hurt does it?

Both Stamkos and St. Louis are great players but they wouldn't be putting up nearly as many goals and points if they were split or played on different teams.

I think if you're creating the perfect center you'd end up with Steven Stamkos. Perfect combination of size, strength, speed, creativity, finish, and intelligence. I think that even without St. Louis he would still be in the conversation for best player in the game (I think he is).

Stamkos wouldn't be potting them at a 1/4 rate but he would still over at around 15-18%. My point was simply that holding Stamkos to 0 even strength shots isn't an accomplishment really. That's not the game he plays. He's a skate deep into your zone, create havoc, and find an open guy kind of center. On the PP he will try and score moreso than ES.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

That's still an accomplishment. Stamkos was 12th in shots last season and 5th in 11-12. He doesn't play the same shooting game of an Ovechkin, but he still is among the league leaders in shots.

 

[Ripshot 43]

The TB coach is the most anonymous in the league.
I would not be able to tell you his name last night for a million bucks.

I know what you mean. He was their AHL coach that led them to the championship win 2 years ago. He has been with a lot of their young talent coming up for a few years so it will help with their transition from the minors to the big league. He even brought up their entire top line last year to play together this year in the NHL which allowed them to put Drouin back in juniors and Brett Connoly to the AHL, along with others. He seems like a good coach for having a good team system, very unlike Boucher who was shortly successful for his gimikie system (1-3-1 was it?).

 

[Emperoreddy]

Can we talk about how much better Henrique is starting to look out there? Starting to look like the Henrique of old. Also what has gotten into Greene...wow!

Larsson is looking like a kid who should never be scratched again.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Can we talk about how much better Henrique is starting to look out there? Starting to look like the Henrique of old. Also what has gotten into Greene...wow!

Larsson is looking like a kid who should never be scratched again.

Henrique has looked like the best center on our team the last 3 games.

 

[Devils Trap]

Henrique has looked like the best center on our team the last 3 games.

Id argue best forward in the last few games. Up there with the Czechs

 

[Status Quo*]

I know what you mean. He was their AHL coach that led them to the championship win 2 years ago. He has been with a lot of their young talent coming up for a few years so it will help with their transition from the minors to the big league. He even brought up their entire top line last year to play together this year in the NHL which allowed them to put Drouin back in juniors and Brett Connoly to the AHL, along with others. He seems like a good coach for having a good team system, very unlike Boucher who was shortly successful for his gimikie system (1-3-1 was it?).

"YOU DO NOT SPEAK ILL OF 1-3-1. IT'S WORKS EFFECTIVELY, YOU SIMPLETON"

 

[Emperoreddy]

Id argue best forward in the last few games. Up there with the Czechs

Argue Jagr still has been our best, but ya Henrique has been playing very very well. Clutch faceoff win to end the game too

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Id argue best forward in the last few games. Up there with the Czechs

I agree. I really hope he takes that next step and solidifies himself as our franchise forward. We really could use one.

Also Henrique is surprisingly fast. He doesn't turn the jets on often but when he does he rarely gets caught on a rush.

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

Henrique has looked like the best center on our team the last 3 games.

I stand by my statement that he will be our new Parise when he gets his mojo back and is on a roll. I think he's as talented, if not more talented than the guy who left to Minny.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Devils are beginning to improve on faceoffs:

Against Tampa - 56.6%
Against Boston - 53.3%

The Devils aren't going to be a good faceoff team with their current lineup, but it would be nice if they're closer to 47-48% than 43%.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

I stand by my statement that he will be our new Parise when he gets his mojo back and is on a roll. I think he's as talented, if not more talented than the guy who left to Minny.

I think he's about half the player Zach was here. He's got quite the way to go but he's on his way and has room for growth.

Zach was on another level.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Comparing Henrique to Parise is ludicrous at this point.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Devils are beginning to improve on faceoffs:

Against Tampa - 56.6%
Against Boston - 53.3%

The Devils aren't going to be a good faceoff team with their current lineup, but it would be nice if they're closer to 47-48% than 43%.

I wonder what our faceoff percentage would be without Gio?

Also some goofy faceoff numbers from NHL.com

Loktionov (18-11-62.1%)
Loktionov (25-42-37.3%)
(W-L-Percentage) / Home vs Road

Gionta also has a higher face-off% than Rico and Elias.

Our top 4: Zubrus, Zajac, Loktionov, Gionta

 

[EliasFTW]

If were are comparing Henrique to former Devils i would start with Mad Dog.

 

[Wingman77]

Madden is who I've liked to associate Henrique with as well

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Henrique is not and never ever will be anywhere near Zach's level. He's a second line guy on an OK team and a 3rd line guy on a good team. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Zach is a first liner on any team.

 

[Devils Trap]

If he keeps progressing i see Adam becoming a Zach type talent for sure

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

If were are comparing Henrique to former Devils i would start with Mad Dog.

Don't see it. Mad Dog had another gear. Henrique doesn't have that. Henrique is developing into his own kind of player. Can't think of a Devil that is quite like him.

It's easy to forget how elite he was on special teams. Maybe Niewundyk when he was here offensively? Even then he was like 60% in the circle or something insane when he was here.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Henrique is not and never ever will be anywhere near Zach's level. He's a second line guy on an OK team and a 3rd line guy on a good team. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Zach is a first liner on any team.

On what team is Henrique a 3rd liner? An olympic team? Parise is a star/feature forward (at least during the regular season, not the playoffs). He's the best forward on a team. Currently, Henrique is a good first liner or a great second liner, and he's only 23 years old.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Henrique is not and never ever will be anywhere near Zach's level. He's a second line guy on an OK team and a 3rd line guy on a good team. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Zach is a first liner on any team.

Captain of his national team, all-world winger. Grinded like nobody business. You have the motor of a John Madden in a player that bleeds skill.

He was the perfect Devil if there ever was one.