Devils 2019 offseason team discussion (news and notes)

[JimEIV]

It is weird that people thought that Zajac was declining when he scored 36 goals over 2 1/2 seasons. What dupes. Regardless, Zajac is still declining - he had a lucky shooting year, the Devils play a more offensive style, and goal scoring is up around the NHL. Zajac's days as a play driver appear to be over. Even with his uptick in scoring this season, the Devils should be looking to reduce his ice time substantially. He's a fine player at 15 minutes a game, not so much at 19 minutes a game.

Like I have told you for many years....If you keep repeating it year after year, eventually you will be correct.

Over the last 9 years Zajac's point production has been remarkably consistent.

2010-11 .536 44 points 82 games
2011-12 .400 6 points *15 games - blown Achilles
2012-13 .416 20 points *48 games - Lockout
2013-14 .600 48 points 80 games
2014-15 .337 25 points 74 games - Tough year but our team leader had 43 points that year so...
2015-16 .567 42 points 74 games
2016-17 .562 45 points 80 games
2017-18 .412 26 points 63 games - was initially slated to out 4-6 months with a torn pectoral -returned early - started very slow.
2018-19 .575 46 points 80 games

 

[Triumph]

Like I have told you for many years....If you keep repeating it year after year, eventually you will be correct.

Zajac's increased scoring rate this season is a result of two things. He has an increased shooting percentage - of course, shooting percentage typically declines with age - and an increase in secondary assists - his rate of .74 secondary assists per 60 minutes at ES this season is his highest rate since 2008-09. While primary assists have been shown to have a substantial skill component, secondary assists have not.

His ES shot rate is still almost half of what it was at his peak. He's no longer beating his teammates in terms of relative Corsi, though part of that could be improvement in the team and not his personal decline. Still, it's not a great sign. He turns 34 next month. The Devils can't let themselves be fooled by this season. Zajac should still have an important role next season, but I think the team would be better if they could replace him on PP1.

 

[OmNomNom]

Oh... I see.

he was spot on lol

but lookin at that draft, it's pretty amazing how many of the 1st rounders have played.. as in all but samsonov

 

[JimEIV]

Zajac's increased scoring rate this season is a result of two things. He has an increased shooting percentage - of course, shooting percentage typically declines with age - and an increase in secondary assists - his rate of .74 secondary assists per 60 minutes at ES this season is his highest rate since 2008-09. While primary assists have been shown to have a substantial skill component, secondary assists have not.

His ES shot rate is still almost half of what it was at his peak. He's no longer beating his teammates in terms of relative Corsi, though part of that could be improvement in the team and not his personal decline. Still, it's not a great sign. He turns 34 next month. The Devils can't let themselves be fooled by this season. Zajac should still have an important role next season, but I think the team would be better if they could replace him on PP1.

The problem is people have been singing this exact song for literally around 6 years...Zajac is going on year 14 of his career and the predictions of his drop off have been wrong the entire time. Maybe after 14 years and 6 years of predicting his declined it will finally come to fruition...but right now it looks on the silly side.

 

[Triumph]

The problem is people have been singing this exact song for literally around 6 years...Zajac is going on year 14 of his career and the predictions of his drop off have been wrong the entire time. Maybe after 14 years and 6 years of predicting his declined it will finally come to fruition...but right now it looks on the silly side.

It looks even dumber to assume that Zajac will never decline. He already has and will continue to do so.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Sign some damn players, last summer was a disgrace and so was the season

Clamoring for signings for the sake of signings is how you end up with the Lucic and James Neal contracts. It's a braindead way to operate.

 

[Nubmer6]

Clamoring for signings for the sake of signings is how you end up with the Lucic and James Neal contracts. It's a braindead way to operate.

 

[NJDevs26]

Like I have told you for many years....If you keep repeating it year after year, eventually you will be correct.

Over the last 9 years Zajac's point production has been remarkably consistent.

2010-11 .536 44 points 82 games
2011-12 .400 6 points *15 games - blown Achilles
2012-13 .416 20 points *48 games - Lockout
2013-14 .600 48 points 80 games
2014-15 .337 25 points 74 games - Tough year but our team leader had 43 points that year so...
2015-16 .567 42 points 74 games
2016-17 .562 45 points 80 games
2017-18 .412 26 points 63 games - was initially slated to out 4-6 months with a torn pectoral -returned early - started very slow.
2018-19 .575 46 points 80 games

That’s not consistent, that’s decidedly INconsistent. Four years of .562 and above, surrounded by essentially three years of .416 and below.

 

[OmNomNom]

That’s not consistent, that’s decidedly INconsistent. Four years of .562 and above, surrounded by essentially three years of .416 and below.

the low production years have good reason though (except for '17-'18, maybe)

11'-'12' was a small sample size
12'-13' was not a full season
14'-15' everyone sucked

 

[NJDevs26]

It looks even dumber to assume that Zajac will never decline. He already has and will continue to do so.

That wasn’t his point. He said one of these years you’ll be right tacitly acknowledging a decline will come. He just doesn’t agree it’s already happened.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Travis was more or less healthy this season. The healthiest season I think he has had for a while. That very much figured into his performance. He’s had some tough injuries over his career. At least 2 Achilles issues, one a complete tear that cost him a year (if I remember correctly) and that is a very tough injury. One after which you are never fully the same. Then also a recurrence of that issue a successive year. Also shoulder issues last year?

Just a fine season this year, though I am sure he’d rather have won more.

 

[BahlDeep]

Zajac's contract is probably top 3 best contract in the history of this Franchice. I would put Elias and Brodeur as the other two

 

[Patrik26]

Travis will still be key on the top PK unit until someone else steps up. Until that time, keep his ES minutes down and he's a still valuable piece.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Clamoring for signings for the sake of signings is how you end up with the Lucic and James Neal contracts. It's a braindead way to operate.

Signing players to make the team better is not signing players for the sake of signing players.

 

[Devilsfan118]

Zajac's contract is probably top 3 best contract in the history of this Franchice. I would put Elias and Brodeur as the other two

...okay, let's agree that's it's gotten better and easier to stomach as the cap has gone up.

But at no point was it a great contract.. especially not 'top 3 best contract in the history of this franchise*'.

Come on now.

 

[Blender]

the low production years have good reason though (except for '17-'18, maybe)

11'-'12' was a small sample size
12'-13' was not a full season
14'-15' everyone sucked

17-18 definitely does. He was supposed to be out 4-6 months and came back in three. While he was healthy, he wasn't at full gear for at least 2 months after returning.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

good reasons or not, Zajac has had some below average seasons over the past 9 years so I would say that he has had inconsistent production.

 

[Call Me Al]

i thought zajac looked really good this season, perfect for his role and his stats were impressive for what i expected and while of course he will decline like literally every player in every sport ever, this season didn't really seem like a step back for him. but now that i see his secondary assist rate and shooting percentage ill accept that i don't actually know how to watch hockey

 

[NJDevs26]

...okay, let's agree that's it's gotten better and easier to stomach as the cap has gone up.

But at no point was it a great contract.. especially not 'top 3 best contract in the history of this franchise*'.

Come on now.

What would be a top three? Not counting pre FA deals where the team has the hammer anyway. Brodeur at $5.2 million per after the lockout and ?

 

[Triumph]

i thought zajac looked really good this season, perfect for his role and his stats were impressive for what i expected and while of course he will decline like literally every player in every sport ever, this season didn't really seem like a step back for him. but now that i see his secondary assist rate and shooting percentage ill accept that i don't actually know how to watch hockey

I never said it was a step back. People remember goals and Zajac scored more goals this season than he has in 5 years. He definitely had a very good year. It would just not surprise me at all to see him put up 4th line offensive rates next season and the Devils need to be prepared for that.

 

[MartyOwns]

i would give zajac $6 million a year for his thuggish goonery alone, the points is just an added bonus

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Signing players to make the team better is not signing players for the sake of signing players.

Indicting the GM for not signing any players in a below-average free agency class (which is what I originally responded to) is foolish.

If there's a fit and the player is willing to sign, absolutely go for it. But if you're just signing James Neal or JVR (which, frighteningly, Shero tried to do) just to say you "did something," you're a fool.

 

[MartyOwns]

JVR put up 48 points, including 27 goals, in 66 games. he’s on a reasonable cap hit on a relatively short term deal. and people are glad we couldn’t sign him?

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

JVR put up 48 points, including 27 goals, in 66 games. he’s on a reasonable cap hit on a relatively short term deal. and people are glad we couldn’t sign him?

I wouldn't have hated that signing but we will have to see how those last 2-3 years go for JVR. He's relatively useless in his own zone, but is a very good player in the offensive zone.

 

[Nubmer6]