GDT: That Ain't The Friggin' Christmas Star Gris: Stars @ Devils, 7 PM, MSG+

[haak84]

Boyle has been such a huge pickup. On pace for 26 goals and he just dominates at times.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's not the right time to pick on Zacha cause he has been better since he hit rock bottom with that turnover against the Rangers that I thought would bench him forever. But yes the production needs to start amping up, I don't want to hear about posts or .1 second, eventually the production has to follow for a supposed top six talent.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Zacha has been much better the past few games. 2 assists in the past 3-4 games and missed a goal last night by 0.1 seconds.

not sure why the need to complain about him now to be honest.

 

[Devils731]

Zacha has been much better the past few games. 2 assists in the past 3-4 games and missed a goal last night by 0.1 seconds.

not sure why the need to complain about him now to be honest.

I can’t speak for everyone else but the complaints come because it seems like Zacha could still do so much more. He looks to have the abilities, his vision, his shot, and his size, to be a guy who controls a game.

For example, of good and bad, I like that’s he’s been demanding the puck on the PP and shooting it; I dislike that he seems disinterested in winning pucks along the boards.

 

[JimEIV]

It's not the right time to pick on Zacha cause he has been better since
.

Just my personal opinion but I think it's best to criticize at times when a player isn't that bad. I actually hate the spur of the moment criticisms based on one silly play...

I personally think I can look at Zacha's 25 games this season more objectively after a relatively decent game as opposed to a not so great game...and I also think that dumping on a player at a weak moment is how ridiculous narratives begin.

Last year when Severson fell behind the net (I still maintain that was interference) it lead to criticisms when sometimes it really wasn't warranted.

So now Zacha has just put a few good games together, he's approaching 100 NHL games played (96 currently)... I think that is a perfect time to take a barometer on how he is developing.

 

[OmNomNom]

Sevo didn't fall behind the net, Michael Matheson is just a beast

 

[njdevils19]

With Zacha it seems to be not as much about progression of his previous play as it is him either getting it or not. He hasn't even allowed himself the chance to show what skill he has, which while all on him, makes it hard to assess.

Some players don't have nice bell curves to their careers. If it is mental for him, he might have a huge turn at some point or none at all. As for production in particular, he could have had a bunch of points recently. Woulda coulda shoulda I know but if you score 0.1 second late that means you beat a goalie clean. The shot shows what he can do whether it counted on the scoreboard or not.

 

[Brick City]

I slogged a ridiculous drive double the usual time from my office to make the second and third and was well worth it. What a fun, if crazy, game to be at.

Love the fan base getting on the Boyle train. And Cory put on a clinic, good stuff.

 

[JimEIV]

Zacha scores that goal last night and absolutely nothing changes regarding his development or what he has or hasn't achieved so far in career.

If he got it, it would put him at 3 for the year, 11 for his 96 game career.

Things need to turn around fast for Zacha and just playing a good game is not enough.

 

[Nubmer6]

I still hold out hope for Zacha. He's our only real power forward, and they typically take longer to develop.

It's amazing how well he played in the pre-season, which gives me hope. Sadly, he's barely shown even a flash of that in the regular season. I feel like it's just a lack of confidence and he can get over it.

 

[My3Sons]

I can’t speak for everyone else but the complaints come because it seems like Zacha could still do so much more. He looks to have the abilities, his vision, his shot, and his size, to be a guy who controls a game.

For example, of good and bad, I like that’s he’s been demanding the puck on the PP and shooting it; I dislike that he seems disinterested in winning pucks along the boards.

I agree he looks like he has another gear in reserve and he doesn't outwardly show the emotion you'd expect given the way he played the preseason in certain areas. The play last night where he took the elbow in the chops before he pushed the Stars player in the back was something of an example. The expression on his face suggested to me he was surprised by the play. Along the boards there are lots of little chippy plays and he's been in the league enough to know that is the case. Still he is improving and playing better than earlier in the season and NJ can expect more improvement.

 

[BahlDeep]

Just my personal opinion but I think it's best to criticize at times when a player isn't that bad. I actually hate the spur of the moment criticisms based on one silly play...

I personally think I can look at Zacha's 25 games this season more objectively after a relatively decent game as opposed to a not so great game...and I also think that dumping on a player at a weak moment is how ridiculous narratives begin.

Last year when Severson fell behind the net (I still maintain that was interference) it lead to criticisms when sometimes it really wasn't warranted.

So now Zacha has just put a few good games together, he's approaching 100 NHL games played (96 currently)... I think that is a perfect time to take a barometer on how he is developing.

Zacha needs to stay in the line up no matter what. Let the kid find his mojo and we will have an excellent 2nd line center at the very least.

Severson is beasting up. I'm loving his game. Same for Santini

 

[devilsblood]

I'm very disappointed with Zacha. Not going to sugarcoat it. I was expecting a 40 point all situation player this season and he really is nowhere close to that.

20 years old or not he's approaching 100 NHL games and his stat line is about the same as Reid Boucher's

3 points in his last 6. Hopefully he can build on that.

Need's to pot one.

 

[Oneiro]

I remember some were projecting Zacha to be a Milan Michalek level player and (obviously prior to our Nico luck) I thought to myself how disastrous that would be. Now we're lucky if he turns out to be Michalek level.

I didn't get to watch last night's game, FYI.

 

[BahlDeep]

I remember some were projecting Zacha to be a Milan Michalek level player and (obviously prior to our Nico luck) I thought to myself how disastrous that would be. Now we're lucky if he turns out to be Michalek level.

I didn't get to watch last night's game, FYI.

Michalek was a solid player, injuries destroyed his careef

 

[glenwo2]

Hope The 3-Chin'ed Monster gets his 800th win tonight.

Fixed.

 

[Patrik26]

I slogged a ridiculous drive double the usual time from my office to make the second and third and was well worth it. What a fun, if crazy, game to be at.

Love the fan base getting on the Boyle train. And Cory put on a clinic, good stuff.

It took us 2 hours for a usual 1 hour drive. I heard that from more than a couple of fans. But as you say, well worth being there.

 

[Blackjack]

Just my personal opinion but I think it's best to criticize at times when a player isn't that bad. I actually hate the spur of the moment criticisms based on one silly play...

I personally think I can look at Zacha's 25 games this season more objectively after a relatively decent game as opposed to a not so great game...and I also think that dumping on a player at a weak moment is how ridiculous narratives begin.

Last year when Severson fell behind the net (I still maintain that was interference) it lead to criticisms when sometimes it really wasn't warranted.

So now Zacha has just put a few good games together, he's approaching 100 NHL games played (96 currently)... I think that is a perfect time to take a barometer on how he is developing.

With all respect, that makes no sense. Zacha’s struggles have been discussed ad nauseum here. It’s not “dumping on him” to say he played poorly if he plays poorly. But waiting until he plays well, and then reminding everyone how terrible he’s was earlier? I’d say that’s dumping on him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I’m pretty close to getting a Boyle player tee

 

[JimEIV]

With all respect, that makes no sense. Zacha’s struggles have been discussed ad nauseum here. It’s not “dumping on him” to say he played poorly if he plays poorly. But waiting until he plays well, and then reminding everyone how terrible he’s was earlier? I’d say that’s dumping on him.

If you are looking at it simply as a random time frame, perhaps...but I'm talking about reviewing his first 100 NHL games and not allowing small time frames to influence the opinion.

I prefer to look at chunks of time for young players not a good or crappy night or even week. We are almost to Christmas and have played roughly 40% of this season... Zacha has a significant body of work now with major milestones fast approaching (halfway point of the season and 100 NHL games). To me it makes much more sense to criticize/analyze now based on nearly a season and half of play and not a couple of good or bad nights. And I think it's best to review when a player is not slumping because it taints the opinion too much in my view.

 

[Blackjack]

100 games and the halfway mark of the season are both arbitrary milestones. They don’t hold any special significance. We could see that Zacha was struggling 5, 10, and 15 games into the season, there was no need to wait until now to say it. Brushing off his last few games as “a couple of good or bad nights” doesn’t make any sense because we’re hoping for and looking for dramatic improvements out of him. So yes, it’s possible that this is just a couple of good games, but it’s also possible that these are the early signs of him responding to the coaching and development work.

This is different from Ben Lovejoy having a couple of strong games, where it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that that’s not the start of a long term improvement, because 33 year olds don’t do that.

How is this difficult to understand?

 

[Blackjack]

Ohhh and the way Severson has been playing the last 3 games is rapidly approaching elite level.

I prefer to look at chunks of time for young players not a good or crappy night or even week.

 

[Devilswede]

Zacha was a 6th overall pick for crying out loud! I can't believe some people are acting like he's playing well and producing like he's supposed to. He was not a 3rd or 4th round pick. 6th OVERALL!!

Sure, players develop differently and all that. But Zacha was considered one of the most NHL- ready at the time of the draft. What has happened ever since? He has become one of the biggest busts in years, with the likes of Griffin Reinhart, Dal Colle etc.

Maybe he will become a player, maybe not. There are no signs of him showing us that he will live up to the expectations of the player we thought we were getting. Period.

 

[Bleedred]

He has become one of the biggest busts in years, with the likes of Griffin Reinhart, Dal Colle etc.

 

[JimEIV]

Severson is in his 4th year. I don't really think a 4th year pro that has played 234 games equates to a 96 game player when trying to evaluate development.

But please, don't let me stop your nuanced minutia fun time, go ahead... I think it's cute.