Devils 2019-20 team discussion (news and notes) - part XI

[NJDevs26]

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[Triumph]

How is Zajac clearly declining quickly? His 5v5 points p/60 this season would rank 4th best amongst his last 9 seasons.

I would like to see Zajac's toi come down a bit next year, but there is no way he is going to be getting 4th line toi.

His point totals are half secondary assists and he now plays for the best offensive line the team has. He's not playing with Cammalleri and Tootoo or a 26 year old Coleman and Stefan Noesen - he's playing with this year's Coleman, who is a shot-taking dynamo, and Gusev who is an excellent passer.

We saw the same sort of thing happen to Dainius Zubrus who put up respectable 5v5 numbers with Zajac and Jagr in 2013-14 - next year he was finished.

He might not get 4th line minutes because he's been here forever, but it's likely that's what he'll deserve. He just has little offensive presence anymore - soon it will be almost nothing.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Zajac is very clearly declining. It’s only going to get worse.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm actually amazed Zajac hasn't gotten more ripping this year considering other seasons where he was much better people acted like he was a waste of money.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'm actually amazed Zajac hasn't gotten more ripping this year considering other seasons where he was much better people acted like he was a waste of money.

so many other guys underperforming has insulated him.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Travis is 34 and will be 35 some time during next season. I wonder to begin with how much longer he will even want to play?

He’s been pretty durable since a series of Achilles’ tendon injuries about, what, 8 or more years ago? Except for that he’s not missed a lot of time.

I would assume, though, that 2 or 3 more seasons at the outside will be the limit for him.

What a class act he is and has always been.

 

[NJDevils17]

I love Trav as a guy, he’s been here through some tough times but he hasn’t had more than 50 points since 2009-10.

He’s been bad for over a decade.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I love Trav as a guy, he’s been here through some tough times but he hasn’t had more than 50 points since 2009-10.

He’s been bad for over a decade.

Now, that's just not true.

 

[MadDevil]

I love Trav as a guy, he’s been here through some tough times but he hasn’t had more than 50 points since 2009-10.

He’s been bad for over a decade.

So anything less than 50 points now equals a bad player? That's an interesting take...

 

[tr83]

I love Trav as a guy, he’s been here through some tough times but he hasn’t had more than 50 points since 2009-10.

He’s been bad for over a decade.

It's takes like these why I can only drop in on the team discussion thread once in a blue moon.

 

[Billdo]

I love Trav as a guy, he’s been here through some tough times but he hasn’t had more than 50 points since 2009-10.

He’s been bad for over a decade.

And this is why people who only stat watch shouldn't be making posts.

 

[NJDevils17]

Zajac is probably better than we give him credit for because he’s been shit on for so long and is finally in a role that makes sense but going 10 years without 50 points can’t be ignored. There just isn’t an excuse for that lack of production.

Getting 5.75 for this isn’t okay. Y’all have become so complacent that it’s honestly ridiculous. UNDER 50 points for 10 years how do y’all think this is okay.

edit: he’s not bad, but at nearly 6mil he sure as hell as disappointed for a decade.

 

[glenwo2]

Yikes! Travis's contributions are more than stats.

And complaining about his Salary is as tired and old as Lou Lamoriello.

We are not exactly in a position where we are Cap-strapped to be "concerned" about overpaid players.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Travis hasn't had a good year this year to what we saw from him over the last few seasons,, but he is far down the list of problems to look at. And anyway, right now that line with Coleman/Gusev is basically a 1b line the way it is playing....

We can pick at this bone next season if it continues, but not sure what to expect going forward...

 

[Billdo]

Zajac is probably better than we give him credit for because he’s been **** on for so long and is finally in a role that makes sense but going 10 years without 50 points can’t be ignored. There just isn’t an excuse for that lack of production.

Getting 5.75 for this isn’t okay. Y’all have become so complacent that it’s honestly ridiculous. UNDER 50 points for 10 years how do y’all think this is okay.

edit: he’s not bad, but at nearly 6mil he sure as hell as disappointed for a decade.

You do realize that there is more to be a hockey player than scoring points right? Keeping the opposition from scoring is just as important.

 

[Camille the Eel]

He had his best point producing years early in his career with Parise. Then missed the better part of 2 years with 2 Achilles injuries. Since then he’s scored in the 40 plus point range in good years, less in others, but has been more of a checking line center, often on some very poor teams where he was relatively the most experienced and steady guy in the room, the constant in a chaotic situation around him.

The bigger issue for his future is what his very significantly reduced stats this year portends? Yes his line looks great now. Going forward, if he wants to continue playing, he certainly has something to contribute, continuing on the checking and penalty killing end; continuing to provide structure and steadiness on an inexperienced team; character in the room; matching up on other teams’ scoring lines as long as they don’t have too much speed. Because he’s definitely lost a step. But I’d not be looking for him to produce more than in the 30 to 35 point range going forward. 10 - 15 goals and 20 assists would be a nice production from him next year in my eyes.

Remember he’s looking at the reverse slope of his 4th decade. If he breaks out and has a 40 plus point season again he will be reversing a trend. Maybe he’s got another one in him? Could be. But guys don’t usually expand their production in their late 30s.

 

[Unknown Caller]

You do realize that there is more to be a hockey player than scoring points right? Keeping the opposition from scoring is just as important.

He’s a fourth line player at this point in his career. Not quite replacement level yet, but Travis is approaching that territory. He’s fine defensively, but he bring next to nothing offensively and drives zero play in the Devils’ favor. It is what it is at this point. He’s an older player, nothing to be upset about.

 

[Camille the Eel]

But I will miss him when he goes. He’s been Mr. Devil over the past 15 years. Probably the most beloved guy on the club.

Still, could be this contract and next year is the end of the road. Zacha can do what he does (and not do what he doesn’t lol). And we have a slew of young forwards on the farm - Maltsev, Boqvist, Anderson and others - whom we will be looking to find a slot for, who will cost less and produce as much and hopefully more going forward.

 

[Nubmer6]

So anything less than 50 points now equals a bad player? That's an interesting take...

And Brodeur SUCKED. He never came CLOSE to scoring 50 points in a season

 

[Guttersniped]

Zajac isn’t get to improve offensively. His shooting percentage isn’t that bad (10.7%) but his shots per game (1.04) is way down from the rate it’s been for about 5 years (~1.5). That trend isn’t likely to reverse.

His current line isn’t something the team should be still leaning on next year, if they’re going to keep Coleman and/or Goose then they should figure out what their roles will be after Zajac is gone.

He only has one year left on his contract. Zajac going to still be useful next season because this team doesn’t have a surplus of centers or defensive forwards of his caliber, plus he’s one of the few players who clearly is a leader with intangibles.

Who knows what he or the team will want after his contract is up. I can see him possibly returning on a one year deal but not every player wants to take a huge pay cut and play a reduced role, he may just retire.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Zajac is probably better than we give him credit for because he’s been **** on for so long and is finally in a role that makes sense but going 10 years without 50 points can’t be ignored. There just isn’t an excuse for that lack of production.

Getting 5.75 for this isn’t okay. Y’all have become so complacent that it’s honestly ridiculous. UNDER 50 points for 10 years how do y’all think this is okay.

edit: he’s not bad, but at nearly 6mil he sure as hell as disappointed for a decade.

Do you realize 5.75 million isn’t that much money anymore? It’s not severe overpayment for a consistent 4o point producer. This isn’t 2010.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Zajac’s ability to contribute beyond scoring is diminishing, especially for where he is in The lineup, and the little offense he does bring is very quickly drying up.

Zajac being our 2C says a lot about why we are a terrible offensive team. If Jack wasn’t ready for it, Zacha needed to be the one to step for for that role, which eh didn’t.

if Zajac is in our top 6 next year, we are going to be bottom 5 in the league again. Honestly I am not sure we are icing a playoff roster if he is in the top 9 next season either.

He has more to give, but it’s quickly becoming what Boyle was giving as a 4th liner. Not an important top 9 piece.

 

[britdevil]

The last 8 years have been pretty miserable. At least we can all say we were here when we were shit.

Is this season over yet?

 

[britdevil]

The last 8 years have been pretty miserable. At least we can all say we were here when we were ****.

Is this season over yet?

@Richer's Ghost pass me the booze.

 

[Blackjack]

The last 8 years have been pretty miserable. At least we can all say we were here when we were ****.

Is this season over yet?

Remember the fall of 2017 we just drafted Hischier, we got Johansson for a song, and then Bratt comes out of nowhere and looks like a breakout star, and we were like "yeah the defense is still shit but hey look we got Butcher and he looks good out there, I'm sure it will all sort itself out and not still be a problem in two and a half years nope". And the season started and we were just rolling teams, Coleman and Gibbons and Noesen looked like one of the best 4th lines in the league. And Kinkaid used to post those tweets with all the emojis for the different players after wins, and he sucked but we all pretended he didn't suck because he seemed like a cool guy and he tweeted his weird date with some Instagram musician to like Qdoba or something. Lol. "Hey honey I make a million dollars a year, let's go to Qdoba". And someone on the boards critiqued his technique on Twitter and Kinkaid was like "who the f*** are you?" but not those exact words.

And our good players were YOUNG. Hischier, Bratt, Butcher, Zacha. "Man it's weird McLeod didn't make the team but I'm sure he'll be fine, he'll be up soon..."

Good times.