GDT: Aaaaaaaaaand we're back, Devils @ Senators, 7:30 PM, MSG+

[tr83]

He will be in a short time period. That is why I was against signing Hall to a long term deal. I had these visions of Hall being a boat anchor on a contract he was under performing while Nico and Jack are in their primes. A couple of tough seasons early in a players career are not necessarily a detriment. MacKinnon had years/teams worse than Nico has had. The key is having a good team around those players when they are in their primes.

Playing with Nico and Jack will be attractive to UFAs, which really helps to round out a team

 

[devilsblood]

eh, simmonds was free by the time the pass came. he had good position and made the wrong play by not covering his man and chasing the puck

Not so simple imo because if he were not interfered with, the proper play, again imo, was to attack the puck carrier.

Also consider that as a fwd he is rarely the only guy back chasing a 2-1, so factor in the no call and I can see why he didn't play it perfectly.

 

[devilsblood]

Absolutely horrendous in overtime. Worst player on ice bad. Only logical conclusion a reasonable person can have watching that period of play.

And if anyone disagrees, re-watch it (just speaking for OT).

Aight and that accounted for maybe 1-2 minutes of ice time.

8 Sog's overall.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Jack is somewhat of an unmitigated disaster defensively. His line is generally either pinned in the D zone, or he is generating a scoring chance. There are no "meh" shifts for him. It's either good or bad, and it's not about his linemates. It's generally all him, the good and the bad.

 

[Nubmer6]

Not so simple imo because if he were not interfered with, the proper play, again imo, was to attack the puck carrier.

Also consider that as a fwd he is rarely the only guy back chasing a 2-1, so factor in the no call and I can see why he didn't play it perfectly.

I disagree. The puck carrier was already covered if I remember correctly. Even if he wasn't, you need to trust your goaltender and cover the pass.

 

[devilsblood]

I disagree. The puck carrier was already covered if I remember correctly. Even if he wasn't, you need to trust your goaltender and cover the pass.

Puck carrier was not covered, and remained uncovered, if Simmonds is not held up he most likely breaks up the play just inside the blue line and we are talking about what a nice defensive play he made.

 

[devilsblood]

Jack is somewhat of an unmitigated disaster defensively. His line is generally either pinned in the D zone, or he is generating a scoring chance. There are no "meh" shifts for him. It's either good or bad, and it's not about his linemates. It's generally all him, the good and the bad.

I think his transition D is deceptively good. But once the opposition gains possession in our defensive zone he struggles.

 

[tr83]

I think his transition D is deceptively good. But once the opposition gains possession in our defensive zone he struggles.

Jack is small and is going to have trouble physically battling for pucks in the D-zone, so he's at a tremendous disadvantage. It might be a reason Simmonds and Wood are on a line with him despite their offensive abilities.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Jack is small and is going to have trouble physically battling for pucks in the D-zone, so he's at a tremendous disadvantage. It might be a reason Simmonds and Wood are on a line with him despite their offensive abilities.

He doesn't just lose physical battles. He is terrible positionally and chases the puck everywhere leaving players wide open in high danger areas.

 

[Devils731]

He doesn't just lose physical battles. He is terrible positionally and chases the puck everywhere leaving players wide open in high danger areas.

That is sort of the system though. It’s a bad system that asks a player to change his priorities constantly with the old priority putting you in a bad spot to cover the new priority.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable a guy jump from the US development team is struggling to get all those choices correct when I’m seeing NHL players who hav played this system for 1.5 years now still struggling.

 

[devilsblood]

That is sort of the system though. It’s a bad system that asks a player to change his priorities constantly with the old priority putting you in a bad spot to cover the new priority.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable a guy jump from the US development team is struggling to get all those choices correct when I’m seeing NHL players who hav played this system for 1.5 years now still struggling.

Zajac doesn't struggle in this regard. Nor does Nico. Nor does Rooney. It's a Jack thing.

But he has not been exploited defensively. Much of that is situational use as well as matchups, but he's middle of the pack in most defensive categories.

Actually leads the team in take aways/60.

 

[Devils731]

Zajac doesn't struggle in this regard. Nor does Nico. Nor does Rooney. It's a Jack thing.

Zajac is a fantastic defender. Nico is a good defender. If they’re struggling defensively then you’re losing every game by 5 goals...which is how the Devils have looked at times this year. We would waste tons of Hall and Nico shifts where they would play defense for a minute, chasing the puck around, and then be exhausted and have to line change.

Rooney does struggle and gets pinned in his zone. Zacha struggles when he plays center. The third and fourth line, in general, have struggled most of the season with running around their own zone.

Playing with Wood or early season Gusev was a formula for getting pinned in your zone chasing the puck since they struggle(d) so much.

Hughes obviously is struggling as are other players. Saying Zajac plays this system better than Hughes is only saying an 18 year old Hughes isn’t one of the better defensive centers in the NHL which seems pretty normal.

 

[Devils731]

Just doing some quick back of the envelopes math it looks like Rooney is on the ice for ~51 attempts against per 60 and Hughes is on the ice for ~46 attempts per 60.

Rooney starts in the defensive zone more often so obviously there would be some adjustment but that doesn’t look to me like Rooney is stalwart while Jack is hopeless, relative to each other.

For overall play, this also ignores that Jack’s lines have generated a lot more offense also.

 

[OmNomNom]

He doesn't just lose physical battles. He is terrible positionally and chases the puck everywhere leaving players wide open in high danger areas.

gusev was that way too, and kovalchuk was a floater. it's fixable. the guy isn't even done hitting puberty - a bit of size and muscle makes a world of diff - see nico from 2 years ago vs now

i doubt jack is the type who doesn't care

 

[devilsblood]

Zajac is a fantastic defender. Nico is a good defender. If they’re struggling defensively then you’re losing every game by 5 goals...which is how the Devils have looked at times this year. We would waste tons of Hall and Nico shifts where they would play defense for a minute, chasing the puck around, and then be exhausted and have to line change.

Rooney does struggle and gets pinned in his zone. Zacha struggles when he plays center. The third and fourth line, in general, have struggled most of the season with running around their own zone.

Playing with Wood or early season Gusev was a formula for getting pinned in your zone chasing the puck since they struggle(d) so much.

Hughes obviously is struggling as are other players. Saying Zajac plays this system better than Hughes is only saying an 18 year old Hughes isn’t one of the better defensive centers in the NHL which seems pretty normal.

None of the other centers chase guys around the ice. That was more my point.

It's a Jack thing, and something that can be seen in his predraft days as well. But his anticipation and speed make him pretty good at it, especially on the forecheck or in transition defense. I did note somewhere above that he really isn't that bad defensively, though given his size and inexperience he does have obvious and expected shortcomings.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

That is sort of the system though. It’s a bad system that asks a player to change his priorities constantly with the old priority putting you in a bad spot to cover the new priority.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable a guy jump from the US development team is struggling to get all those choices correct when I’m seeing NHL players who hav played this system for 1.5 years now still struggling.

Fair point, but as of late he is by far the most egregious offender. The odd part is, it almost seems like he's consciously choosing to fly out of position in an attempt to make something happen. I'm generally ok with players doing that from time to time as it lets their talent shine through, but Jack does it a lot in really high risk, low reward situations.