Devils 2015-16 team discussion (player news & notes) part XII

[Zippy316]

"judging a team" by this idea its very flawed….a team always has veteran players that have been there and done that and round out the dynamics of a roster

if one wants to judge the future of the team and what players might be part of the core then sure it is valid to include young players on the rise that have made the main roster


like you said, "take it for what you want"

looking at the line up i cringe as there is plenty unproven in there

Of course, everything needs to be taken into perspective. Point in case being a 26 year old Henrique who doesn't show up on that list. Your under-25 isn't all that goes into making the team, but generally they are your future and should be your most valuable trading chips. The better and deeper that roster looks the more likely a team has flexibility and depth in the future.

Still though, it is interesting to look at the future of a team like that.

 

[njdevils1982]

Of course, everything needs to be taken into perspective. Point in case being a 26 year old Henrique who doesn't show up on that list. Your under-25 isn't all that goes into making the team, but generally they are your future and should be your most valuable trading chips. The better and deeper that roster looks the more likely a team has flexibility and depth in the future.

Still though, it is interesting to look at the future of a team like that.

classic quote

"age is just a number"

- lou after signing rolston (the 'old' version)


….on another note…..i was looking over the '96 draft and i think its best to call it the "lance ****ing ward draft"

overall a BAD year league wide….a few names in there worth talking about for any length

///

edit: dont want to go too off topic with talk…….its game day afterall…..i'd rather focus on this new day….


sounds like the gio injury isnt that bad

 

[Zippy316]

classic quote

"age is just a number"

- lou after signing rolston (the 'old' version)


….on another note…..i was looking over the '96 draft and i think its best to call it the "lance ****ing ward draft"

overall a BAD year league wide….a few names in there worth talking about for any length

///

edit: dont want to go too off topic with talk…….its game day afterall…..i'd rather focus on this new day….


sounds like the gio injury isnt that bad

Again though, age needs to be taken in perspective.

A 33 year old Greene has a lot more likelihood to sustain a decent level of play than a guy like Volchenkov at the same age. The older guys that the Devils have look as if they will age well stylistically, only exception might be Cammalleri's injury prone nature.

I'm not worried though. I like the outlook of this team, people will say we need more offensive prospects, but the way this team is constructed, I don't think so. We're going to play a structured defensive game with forwards who are hard to play against. Zajac, Palmieri, Henrique, Blandisi, Quenneville, Zacha, and Coleman all have a nice grit to their game. There is not much skill comparative to other teams, but I don't think we need that.

 

[njdevils1982]

Again though, age needs to be taken in perspective.

A 33 year old Greene has a lot more likelihood to sustain a decent level of play than a guy like Volchenkov at the same age. The older guys that the Devils have look as if they will age well stylistically, only exception might be Cammalleri's injury prone nature.

I'm not worried though. I like the outlook of this team, people will say we need more offensive prospects, but the way this team is constructed, I don't think so. We're going to play a structured defensive game with forwards who are hard to play against. Zajac, Palmieri, Henrique, Blandisi, Quenneville, Zacha, and Coleman all have a nice grit to their game. There is not much skill comparative to other teams, but I don't think we need that.

volch is only 33?! holy ****. wow.

missed that in all the old guys on the recent years teams

 

[Bleedred]

volch is only 33?! holy ****. wow.

missed that in all the old guys on the recent years teams

He's turning 34 in a few days, but he last played in the league at 33. Last played anywhere at all at age 33, as he's not playing anywhere now as far as I'm aware. Someone posted a few months ago that their buddy skated with him at a local rink in North Jersey. It was after the season had already started, I figured he'd at least find work in the KHL or overseas or something. Perhaps it was his own decision to not play? Or his body made that decision for him and forced him to. Though he never officially retired.

My buddy Colin White only made it to age 34 in the league, and lasted only 100 more regular season games than Volchenkov. Volchenkov only played 696 regular season games in the NHL, seemed like it should be more than that. He never played an 82 game season and only 3 times played over 70. Only 3 seasons over 68 games actually. 06-07 he played 78, his only above 75. Bryce Salvador only played 786 regular season games and was playing still at 38 years old.

They need to do an intermission segment on what former Devils are up to. The less obvious one's. Not like Marty and Lou, or even Salvador and White. As we've seen them recently and White does Devils alumni, along with Driver, Grant Marshall and Jim Dowd. I'm talking more like guys like Ryder, Volchenkov, Tallinder, Mike Foligno too!

 

[MadDevil]

volch is only 33?! holy ****. wow.

missed that in all the old guys on the recent years teams

Between all the hits and blocked shots his body is probably closer to that of a 43 year old.

 

[njdevils1982]

Between all the hits and blocked shots his body is probably closer to that of a 43 year old.

thats so jagr of him

 

[JimEIV]

Thumpin ain't easy.

Cirella done at 32
Sutton done at 32
Hulse done at 32
Commodore done at 32
Chambers done at 33
Matvichuk done at 33
McGillis done at 33
Smehlik done at 33
Lukowich done at 34
White done at 34

 

[JimEIV]

But soft-core hockey is changing some of that... so I suppose it seems unusual in the nuevo kinder and gentler age.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Thumpin ain't easy.

Cirella done at 32
Sutton done at 32
Hulse done at 32
Commodore done at 32
Chambers done at 33
Matvichuk done at 33
McGillis done at 33
Smehlik done at 33
Lukowich done at 34
White done at 34

...and that's the same kind of game Santini plays.

 

[JimEIV]

...and that's the same kind of game Santini plays.

And going to college makes for a particularly short career. Like Dan McGillis, that kid was a monster early on but time took its toll. Right before the lockout a lot of people had him as a top 5 open ice hitter in the game....Kasparitis too, who was also done at 34.

 

[Billdo]

...and that's the same kind of game Santini plays.

I'm not saying he'd play for 20 years but medically speaking the game and everything that goes into it is different now. Most guys aren't taking summers off, getting tanked on off days, etc. The modern day athlete is much different than one of even 15 years or so ago. Only time will tell obviously.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I hope Santini is as good as the guy I wanted pre-draft , Pesce.

Pesce already has a big role on Carolinas blue line.
He's mobile and doesn't shy away from contact.

 

[JimEIV]

I'm not saying he'd play for 20 years but medically speaking the game and everything that goes into it is different now. Most guys aren't taking summers off, getting tanked on off days, etc. The modern day athlete is much different than one of even 15 years or so ago. Only time will tell obviously.

For a D-man, I would say the game, in some regards, is worse today on the body than it was then...Back then you relied on your partner to impede the on coming forechecker today that is against the rules. A lot of dump and chase has gone away these days but defensemen today are so vulnerable in the corners to bigger, faster, harder hitting players than ever before.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I'm kind of upset I missed all the numbers talk, that was my blog that was referenced before on Facebook . The reason I went with Fetisov was by and large for what he accomplished in order to get here. I know that kind of goes against the point of the best Devil to wear the number, but it's pretty remarkable what he was able to do.

I kind of tried to state beforehand that being as I was born in 88 and became a fan around 94, it's very possible that my answers will differ from the consensus. I gave honorable mentions to Cirella, Souray and Zidlicky for #2. Cirella was before my time, but it's impossible to knock his importance to the team during the 80's. Taking a look at his statistics, he seemed like an incredibly solid 2 way d-man.

Souray, shockingly, was one of the longer tenured players to wear the number despite it being for just under 3 years. It's incredible to see the player he became compared to how we played him when we had him, but it showed he could be an NHL defenseman. The fact we got Malakhov for him and it helped complete the Cup puzzle works for me.

It's tough to knock Zidlicky for all he accomplished while here too.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Let's hope Santini actually makes it to the NHL before talking about when he will begin declining.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Let's hope Santini actually makes it to the NHL before talking about when he will begin declining.

Yup, good point.

He will need a solid season or two in Albany IMO.

But I do like the way he plays

 

[NJDevils17]

Santini is great. I really do think he can turn into a Brooks Orpik guy and Orpik in his prime was awesome. Heck, Santini is putting up more points at BC than Orpik did. Though it isn't a crazy amount, I feel like his offensive game gets severely underrated by a lot of people because he's so good in the shutdown role.

 

[tailfins]

Thumpin ain't easy.

Cirella done at 32
Sutton done at 32
Hulse done at 32
Commodore done at 32
Chambers done at 33
Matvichuk done at 33
McGillis done at 33
Smehlik done at 33
Lukowich done at 34
White done at 34[/QUOTE

Good points. Though, while these guys are the exception, you do have:

Stevens done at 39
Chelios done at 48
Chara still going at 38 (soon to be 39)
Edit: forgot Daneyko at 39

Meaning it is possible to last longer, but the player needs to be exceptional.

 

[JimEIV]

Yup, good point.

He will need a solid season or two in Albany IMO.

But I do like the way he plays

I'm not so sure... If you forced me to bet, I would bet on seeing him in NJ way sooner.

This is a guy who can skate very well, has high level defensive IQ and is built like a truck...with those tools it doesn't take much seasoning in the minors.

Every Dman goes through that learning process and every new Dman needs to learn Pro speed...But with Santini's tools, 3 years in college, international competition experience, and turning 21 in March. I'd bet this is a kid that makes a push very quickly.

 

[Smitty426]

Here's a link with video from training camp (last year I think)
Guys like Gudas will not just thump our team willing with this guy:
http://video.devils.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=628624

 

[Zippy316]

Something I really don't understand is why Kalinin has not gotten any PK time.

He's showed a strong defensive game. He's shown a good ability to generate turnovers. He has an incredibly long reach that would be useful on the penalty kill.

As of right now, we rotate only five guys on the power play -- Zajac, Henrique, Josefson, Gionta, and Stempniak. Palmieri joins the rotation when we get into penalty trouble or one of those guys is in the box. All of those guys already play heavy minutes except for Gionta. Kalinin usually only plays ~13 minutes a game. I would rather see Kalinin be used in a PK role to keep our forwards fresh.

 

[NJDevs26]

I think you meant to type PK and penalty kill, and we may see Kalinin there tonight if Josefson and Gio both miss.

 

[Zippy316]

I think you meant to type PK and penalty kill, and we may see Kalinin there tonight if Josefson and Gio both miss.

You must be seeing things.

We will likely see Palmieiri there. I would think Kalinin would join the rotation at least before Palmieri though, to keep him fresher for the PP and 5-on-5.

 

[DerekDevils30]

I would like to see a Helgeson-Santini pair at some point down the road. Even if it's just for a game or two. Would be a scary pair to play against but maybe a scary pair to throw out there if you're the Devils