2013 New Jersey Devils (Team News, Player Discussion - Part V)

[Volodya Krutov]

I gotta say, I've read many of your posts and you seem like one of the most classy and reasonable out of all of us here. I like you. Thank you for your posts. =]

I am honored. Thank you.

 

[onefatsurfer]

What is it that you guys are seeing that's telling you he's not going to have any offense to his game? I've seen some solid chances from him that he just hasn't been able to put in. Looks more snakebitten to me...

 

[glenwo2]

...and finally looked re-energized and happy.

I swear...

If i didn't have my current Avy, I would've taken this one.

 

[Getzo5]

Somewhere in Moscow, Zharkov is nodding his head.

 

[onefatsurfer]

Somewhere in Moscow, Zharkov is nodding his head.

Zharkov didn't look to me like he had the kinds of chances that Josefson has had this far along in their careers. Zharkov also had 0 goals in his first 49 games, while Josefson had 3 goals in his first, injury shortened season...

 

[Getzo5]

I was just joking. But you have a point there, Josefson is getting better chances, he just hasn`t buried one yet. I think he will, I`m just not sure if training is what should help him. I think his shot is OK, the problem is somewhere in his thought process.

 

[onefatsurfer]

I think he has high school boy syndrome. Wants to score so bad that any time he gets a decent opportunity, he messes up his shot and ends up not getting it in.

Once he finally gets one in, I think he'll score more often.

 

[Bleedred]

He gets played there all the time late in games when DeBoer doesn't trust Matteau enough defensively.

I'm talking about for the whole game. I still think Matteau on the 1st line is weak. Josefson isn't much better there, but it's one or the other at this point unless you move Butler up.

 

[glenwo2]

Would Matteau fare better on the 2nd line, Bleedred?

 

[Scott04]

I thought it was interesting when the Skelleftea fan poster brought up the point that their breakout scheme is different from ours. Larsson has actually been trained since juniors to make that risky cross crease pass instead of going up the boards like we want him to. He'll have to unlearn that.

See, I'm torn on the issue. Its really a situational thing. When he attempts that pass, and it ends up missing, or even getting picked off, then yes, I would agree about teaching him to make the safe play. There are times where I wish he would just make the safe play, send it up the boards, and be done with the play. And sometimes he does make the smart play in the defensive zone. But by the same token, I love the vision he has, and that he attempts (and often can complete) those long passes towards the attacking zone. That's huge for our offensive potential. Everyone gets caught up with the whole "puck moving defenseman" in the sense of carrying the puck up the ice. But with some of the passes he can make, it achieves a similar impact. I like that he has a sense for contributing to the offense from the opposite blue line. It definitely makes for an exciting play. And depending on who is on the ice at the time (like if it is Kovy's line for instance), it can be very effective. I wouldn't say he needs to "unlearn" it. But I think as he gets more experience and becomes more of a veteran in the league, he will refine the feel for when to go for such plays and when to make the smart play. Should make for a nice balance and really round out his game. I have total confidence in his ability to learn and develop on the defensive end with the coaching staff we have in place. I just don't want him to lose that offensive vision/sense.

 

[Scott04]

I'm talking about for the whole game. I still think Matteau on the 1st line is weak. Josefson isn't much better there, but it's one or the other at this point unless you move Butler up.

Would Matteau fare better on the 2nd line, Bleedred?

I like Matteau for the type of player he is on that line. I just don't know if he's developed enough yet to make the impact we need on it. A physical forward compliments Kovy/Zajac perfectly. Matteau just may need some work to fully fill the role and make his presence felt. Personally, I wouldn't like him added in on the second line unless it resulted in moving Clarkson up to what has been Zubrus' spot on the first line. I am curious to see how Butler would work with Kovy/Zajac, but I'm not sure if that's what I would guess is the "answer" to the situation.

 

[Bleedred]

Would Matteau fare better on the 2nd line, Bleedred?

No cause that line has been our best, and most consistent. Wouldn't wanna break that up. I'd like to put CBGB back to the 4th, and put Matteau on the 3rd with Josefson. Maybe try Loktionov out on the first if he can play wing, or start Butler there.

I honestly wished Matteau would go back to juniors, and we'd see where he was this Summer. I don't think he's developed enough yet as others have said. I really think he would have went back soon enough if not for Zubrus going down. Now that a year is burned off I'm not sure if I see him going back. Especially with the season ending in the QMJHL in about 6 weeks.

 

[Saugus]

What is it that you guys are seeing that's telling you he's not going to have any offense to his game? I've seen some solid chances from him that he just hasn't been able to put in. Looks more snakebitten to me...

He is snakebitten, but there is no denying that his shot is pretty weak. Still, that never stopped Parise. Yayo will never be a great scorer, but he will probably pot a respectable number.

 

[apice3*]

Josefson is 21 years old with 80 games under his belt. 20 points, is a +9, and is one of the top 3 PK-ers on a defensive franchise.

Why are so many people down on that? I think Henrique has spoiled a lot of you.

 

[Emperoreddy]

He's only played 79 games total in his entire tenure as a Devil.

10 pts in 28 games during the blackhole of a season in 10-11.
9 pts in 41 games in his last season that was littered with injuries.
1 pt in 10 games without having real, or stable, linemates.

I'm convinced he could have a lot more points this season if he had real linemates to set up. Nothing is more frustrating than watching him give a nice feed to one of Barch/Cam/whoever... with 0% chance that the person on the receiving end will put it in the net.

I think we can afford to be patient with him for just a while longer - and let him mature a bit before writing him off as perpetually stonehanded.

The Loki acquisition sparked it, but I think it would be beneficial for him to play wing instead to help keep his mind on shooting at the net more.

THIS 1000x. Need to be just a little patient here.

 

[JK3]

So is Darche's window pretty much closing here? I wonder how much longer this will go on till things shake out but I guess he doesn't have any choice.

 

[Bleedred]

Did Darche practice today? He said something the other day, and I forgot exactly what it was. I was getting the vibe though that he didn't wanna wait more than another week or two if he didn't get a contract.

While I don't think he'd be useless, I still don't think he'd be of much use. Unless he was rotated in, and out of the lineup with Barch. That's if Matteau had gone back too.

 

[Mgd31]

Don't see why we can't just sign Darche and send Barch to the wolves

 

[Semak]

The kid is young. He had a two or three game period where he was absolutely everywhere, had great chances and played a complete game and then they demoted him to the 4th line and he disappeared.

I don't expect anything of him with Barch as his linemate. When CBG goes back to being the 4th line, Josefson will put up some points.

Josefson has enough hockey IQ to someday become a playmaking top 6-center. Furthermore he can always practice shooting. Durability is probably his biggest obstacle.

Yayo's playing great on the PK and has shown some good smarts and play making ability when he gets to play with some skilled guys. I don't have a big problem with him other than I wish he would bury the ****ing puck already! He's had some glorious chances to no avail.

I always saw Yayo as a 10g - 30/35 assist player. Hopefully he's more but that production coupled with his defensive play is fine by me.

No, a kid isn't at an elite level defensively like Bergeron or Zajac yet. He's 21.

The goals will come, but the point of me offering up that information is to show that despite his lack of offense... his coaches trust him to play in all areas and in tough situations. And he's succeeding.

When you play with crap and you're forced to hold up your line defensively.. things like bad clears are going to happen. I think 90% of the team struggles to clear the zone when they get hemmed in. Marty isn't going to stop them all.

And what else is there? A bad bounce off his stick? That happened to Tallinder and Larsson, too. It happens and it's unfortunate but the kid isn't a welcome mat in front of the net by any means.

I'm honestly, and I mean genuinely curious as to what some of you are seeing so unpromising in this 21 year old's game.

Other than the limp shot he has right now, but that regressed with every injury and has the ability to get some confidence back in it again.

He gets played there all the time late in games when DeBoer doesn't trust Matteau enough defensively.

I think he has high school boy syndrome. Wants to score so bad that any time he gets a decent opportunity, he messes up his shot and ends up not getting it in.

Once he finally gets one in, I think he'll score more often.

So, everyone said what I wanted to say, so, carry on folks. Good work. At least I know now the source of the voices in my head now.

When I look at a guy like Larsson it makes me think about what it takes to make it in the NHL. Most young players with talent and potential come in and try to play faster than the game due to excitement, exuberance and just plain wanting to show they belong. The ones that sticks are the ones that after that initial energy surge is gone can use whatever particular skill set they have (IQ, size, O skills, D skills, etc.) to play at the mean talent level of the NHL and become good average players. Others who can play above and beyond the mean are the very good/great players. All stuff we know.

What I like about Larsson, something I haven't seen since the days of Niedermayer(yes, they are different players, just talking about learning curb here) is that right now Larsson because of his patient almost methodical demeanor, he plays slower than the game and not yet consistently at or above the mean. That's why we see some of those passes getting intercepted by meer inches, instead going to a teammate or out of the zone. But as we've seen the last few games, that patient game of his is coming and soon those passes that just get intercepted are going to start finding the openings by inches and frustrating opponents and not the fans. I think he's going to be a subtle pass, 2nd/3rd assists machine. Exciting to watch.

 

[kiwidevil]

 

[NjDevsRR]

Andy is a very underrated hitter. He destroyed Crosby and Ovechkin last year.

Death and destruction at 5 secs.

 

[Bleedred]

I'll love Volch forever if he can give a hit to Crosby like he did to Malkin last weekend. Another observation I've found in the last 3 times we've played the Pens. We are afraid to touch Crosby. I can't blame them, because if you touch him you're automatically vilified. I'm still a little weirded out with Bryce's ''We're gonna take it easy on him'' comment from last year.

 

[Welcome2Hell]

Thanks for the Larsson feedback I was actually at 2 of the games but too drunk to pay attention to details

 

[apice3*]

Game is in 10.5 hours and we have no GDT yet.

Loss.

 

[Bleedred]

Paging Slammer!