GDT: Blue Jackets @ Devils 1pm MSG+

[NJDevs26]

Meanwhile for a little levity...

 

[Triumph]

Glad to see this thread breaking out in a Travis Zajac argument - feels like summer already.

DevsRR is right, the right players had good games and that's what matters. Blandisi looks more and more like an NHLer each game.

 

[Bleedred]

Absolutely. 10 goals 20 assists with heavy PP time. You can forcefeed points in this league. 40 points isn't some magical achievement when Zajac plays as much as he does. Put Josefson between Hall and Palmierifor 82 games. By sheer proximity and osmosis, he will compile points. Zajac has the softest numbers on the team because his numbers would look dreadful with less talented wings. He wasted Jagr too since he's an average offensive player at best.

Jagr scored 67 points as a 41-42 year old with Zajac, so I'm not sure how Zajac WASTED Jagr that year.

This is not even good for a laugh anymore, please save face here.

 

[nugg]

Meanwhile for a little levity...

 

[Blender]

Jagr scored 67 points as a 41-42 year old with Zajac, so I'm not sure how Zajac WASTED Jagr that year.

This is not even good for a laugh anymore, please save face here.

One of his best seasons over the past decade playing with Zajac, but some how Zajac wasted Jagr. I actually lost brain cells just reading that post.

 

[Tundra]

Jagr scored 67 points as a 41-42 year old with Zajac, so I'm not sure how Zajac WASTED Jagr that year.

This is not even good for a laugh anymore, please save face here.

He did that in spite of Zajac. Jagr could have had many more assists after setting up #19 time after time. Jagr was a dominant possession player that year carrying Zajac's corpse. Those misses are emblazoned in my memory. He's simply not a good offensive player who is far too mechanical. The fact that people think he is somehow some invaluable player is scary. When Zajac is finally traded, exposed or dropped to down to 14 minutes a game, I will be content as a devil fan. He's our Tyler Bozak.

 

[VoidCreature]

One of his best seasons over the past decade playing with Zajac, but some how Zajac wasted Jagr. I actually lost brain cells just reading that post.

You have to go all the way back before his retirement to find one better.

 

[Bleedred]

Meanwhile for a little levity...

Haha I heard that.

Poor Stan, he's been old since 1934.

 

[Billdo]

Didn't catch a single second of today's game, completely forgot they were on. Who looked good? Who looked bad?

 

[NjDevsRR]

Didn't catch a single second of today's game, completely forgot they were on. Who looked good? Who looked bad?

Bennett Blandisi Zacha Severson Merrill Moore had good games.

Prout Pietla Coleman Schneider were Meh.

 

[Bleedred]

One of his best seasons over the past decade playing with Zajac, but some how Zajac wasted Jagr. I actually lost brain cells just reading that post.

The explanation was even better though....

He did that in spite of Zajac. Jagr could have had many more assists after setting up #19 time after time. Jagr was a dominant possession player that year carrying Zajac's corpse. Those misses are emblazoned in my memory. He's simply not a good offensive player who is far too mechanical. The fact that people think he is somehow some invaluable player is scary. When Zajac is finally traded, exposed or dropped to down to 14 minutes a game, I will be content as a devil fan. He's our Tyler Bozak.

Like I said, this explanation was even better. How many frickin points did you expect 41-42 year old Jagr to score than 67 that year? Did you really expect the guy to score 80 points that season? Seriously? I don't even....

You have to go all the way back before his retirement to find one better.

I see what you did there!

I somehow have a little bit of wit left after all of this!

 

[NjDevsRR]

It's not Zajacs fault we had zero organizational center depth. When McLeod is ready in a year or two he will take ofer that 2C role and Zajac will be on the third line and hopefully Zacha or our top pick this offseason will take control of that 1C spot.

Zajac has been a good Devil and the hate he gets from some fans is nonsense.

 

[Bleedred]

Bennett Blandisi Zacha Severson Merrill Moore had good games.

Prout Pietla Coleman Schneider were Meh.

Agreed.

I thought most of the team played pretty good, but a couple guys looked like they weren't really ready to start this game, Cory particularly being the main one. He played the 1st period like he was taking the morning skate for a game later on tonight.

 

[Tundra]

It's not Zajacs fault we had zero organizational center depth. When McLeod is ready in a year or two he will take ofer that 2C role and Zajac will be on the third line and hopefully Zacha or our top pick this offseason will take control of that 1C spot.

Zajac has been a good Devil and the hate he gets from some fans is nonsense.

Zajac seems like a great guy. I'm just Zajaced out as a devil fan. I'm tired of watching him play so much. When someone plays as much as him in puck oriented situations, the warts really stick out. He'd probably be loved as a 3rd line player given his abilities.

 

[Bleedred]

It's not Zajacs fault we had zero organizational center depth. When McLeod is ready in a year or two he will take ofer that 2C role and Zajac will be on the third line and hopefully Zacha or our top pick this offseason will take control of that 1C spot.

Zajac has been a good Devil and the hate he gets from some fans is nonsense.

I'd love for him to be the third line center in a couple years, but he's been good enough for a 2nd line center.

With what he's done in other years, it's fair to say he's not nearly as bad as he was in the 14-15 season and that was an anomaly. He has followed that up with two 40+ point seasons. Would have been 45 last year if he played another game or two. Could be close to 50 this year, depending on what he does from here on out.

I think we'd need to see a trend of 25 point seasons to say that the 14-15 season shows what he really is offensively. And in 3 of the past 4 seasons, he's been a 45 point player.

 

[Devils090]

Taxman-wanted Zajac traded for giving Hall a bad pass

Tundra-legitimately thinks Brandon Sutter is as good as Zajac

Just for future reference when these arguments happen again

 

[NjDevsRR]

Zajac seems like a great guy. I'm just Zajaced out as a devil fan. I'm tired of watching him play so much. He'd probably be loved as a 3rd line player given his abilities.

I think everyone wants to see him get pushed down the lineup. That means we have a better roster and everyone will be happy when that happens. Looks like that will be soon with the emergence of Zacha , hopefully McLeod and maybe a high draft pick this season. But until then Zajac is our best center. Thats just the way it is. And always to his credit he never takes a night off, plays phenomenal defense as a center and puts up respectable points. He gets way too much hate.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

You've posted nothing substantial to dispute anything that has been said.

Bergeron is a career 0.75 point per game player, Zajac is 0.56 points per game. Bergeron is better defensively, but the gap isn't that large. You don't seem to comprehend what the light version of a player is.

If you don't think the gap between a 3 time selke winning player and Zajac isn't that large when it comes to defense, you are flat out clueless haha.

Yea, I actually have a clue of what a light version player is. If you called Tavares a light version of Crosby I would agree. Offensively they are similar with Crosby having the edge because of his skating which obviously will help him there. Defensively Crosby is slightly better as well.

But Zajac a light version of a generational two way player? No ****ing way.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Zajac seems like a great guy. I'm just Zajaced out as a devil fan. I'm tired of watching him play so much. When someone plays as much as him in puck oriented situations, the warts really stick out. He'd probably be loved as a 3rd line player given his abilities.

He'd be fine as a 2C

 

[MadDevil]

Another Zajac argument? Good lord.

 

[The Wumpus]

The Devils board has become as rancid as the main board.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Zajac seems like a great guy. I'm just Zajaced out as a devil fan. I'm tired of watching him play so much. When someone plays as much as him in puck oriented situations, the warts really stick out. He'd probably be loved as a 3rd line player given his abilities.

Then perhaps you should stop posting about him.

 

[captainscott]

Another Zajac argument? Good lord.

he's our best center it is what it is...the team overall is hopefully headed in right direction... but the culture of losing needs to turn around need some leadership... take a look at today's game so many games this season where they competed pretty hard and played on an equal level with opponent and lose

really today was not a horrible showing... 2 penalty shots a fluke goal, and an empty net i mean give me a break...

i think the first order of business is to find a serviceable offensive defensman that can move puck...they don't have one that fits that mold within so they need to trade or sign it.. .even it means overpaying for an older guy...im less worried about upfront than on defense on this team.. santini looks to be a nice solid defensive defensman but doesn't look like much of an offensive upside ... same goes with merrill for most part. but two nice young dmen. throw in severson and its a nice base.

 

[tr83]

This board...Jesus H Christ

Zajac is fine. He's a trooper and is one that rarely takes a night off.

Look at the ****ing lineup. Depth is the problem. There are 3 top 6 players on this team. JJ is a 4th liner, Bennett would is a good 3rd liner, Zacha is learning on the fly but should be in the A (if he could), and Blandisi is a fringe guy because his D is shaky and still has relatively poor balance.

And the defense is just trash. For as much as I **** on Schneider, who I expect to be better, the positioning and physicality of the defenders is beer league. Greene is a 2D, Severson a 3D (for now), Santini a 5D (for now), Merrill a 6D.

The rest are AHL fodder: Camm, Noesen, DSP, LJ, Prout, Moore, Pietila, Coleman, Lappin, and Q/Wood (for now).

But lets continue to **** on the MVP this year.

 

[zharkenby]

Zajac is fine....

I know Lappin didn't play today but he is not nor will be an NHL player, same with pietila. They have both been noticeably worse than everyone on the team. Would like to see neither of them wear a Devils jersey next year