GDT: New Jersey Devils @ Tampa Bay Lightning: Early Minimalist Edition

[Cheddabombs]

Zacha hasn't done anything.

EDIT: I realize that may sound harsh, but until Zacha learns to use his skill to be a difference maker, he does not belong anywhere above Zajac in the line-up.

I was going to respond with something like this. But then I read what he said again and wondered why they stopped the Cammy-Zacha experiment. If we swapped Cammy and Bennett then maybe we could have 3 decent scoring lines there. Zacha should definitely not displace Zajac in the top 6 yet but that doesn't mean Hynes can't shake up the lines a bit to give him a little more support and maybe spread the wealth.

I do like the look of our lines tonight though. It'll be interesting to see if and how Hynes shakes them up if they're struggling.

 

[John Pedro]

Zacha hasn't done anything.

EDIT: I realize that may sound harsh, but until Zacha learns to use his skill to be a difference maker, he does not belong anywhere above Zajac in the line-up.

I'm okay with him on the third line, I just wanna see him playing with at least ONE of your top 6 wingers.

 

[Bologna 1]

I like those lines theoretically. But let's see how they look.

 

[John Pedro]

I was going to respond with something like this. But then I read what he said again and wondered why they stopped the Cammy-Zacha experiment. If we swapped Cammy and Bennett then maybe we could have 3 decent scoring lines there. Zacha should definitely not displace Zajac in the top 6 yet but that doesn't mean Hynes can't shake up the lines a bit to give him a little more support and maybe spread the wealth.

I do like the look of our lines tonight though. It'll be interesting to see if and how Hynes shakes them up if they're struggling.

That's exactly what a meant. I just couldn't find better words to explain it.

 

[RSeen]

Personally I would have liked to switch PAP and Palmeri. Cammalleri and Henrique were good together with Stepniak last season. Palmeri with Zajac makes sense as well.

 

[NorwegianDevil]

Thinking about betting on the Devils tonight! 3.05 on the Devils winning..

What do you think?

 

[NjDevsRR]

I love the Henrique Cammalleri pairing because Cammy is the perfect player for Henrique, he slows the game down for him.

 

[Maine Fan]

New lines. Is this necessary? IMO too soon to mix up lines breaks the chemistry between players. Totally new 3rd line.

The fault the last game was they played only 40 minutes and forgot there was a 3rd period.

Lets Go Devils

 

[NjDevsRR]

New lines. Is this necessary? IMO too soon to mix up lines breaks the chemistry between players. Totally new 3rd line.

The fault the last game was they played only 40 minutes and forgot there was a 3rd period.

Lets Go Devils

It is necessary because the lines were a joke in the first game and made absolutely no sense. The Hall Zajac and Cammalleri Henrique pairings is much better.

 

[NJDevs26]

Zajac needs an extended look alongside Hall before we decide to move Zacha up higher than him.

If there is anyone that can bring the old Zajac back, it's Hall.

How many years and different linemates does Zajac get to have before we finally give up the ghost on 'getting the old Zajac' back? That Zajac lasted for two years and hasn't been around for SIX seasons, albeit with a brief cameo return in the 2012 playoffs. And that player's never shown up when Parise wasn't around - which includes having Kovalchuk, Jagr, etc as linemates.

He is what he is at this point, a 45-point player with defensive responsibilities. Trying to make him anything more's been part of the problem the last five years. You can't expect big offense out of him.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Also love the bottom six. I think Beau and Zacha will do well together and that Wood Fiddler Speers line was awesome in the first game.

 

[Maine Fan]

It is necessary because the lines were a joke in the first game and made absolutely no sense. The Hall Zajac and Cammalleri Henrique pairings is much better.

Why? Cammy played with Zajac last season for 42 games. Why based on one game?

 

[NjDevsRR]

Why? Cammy played with Zajac last season for 42 games. Why based on one game?

Wrong, Henrique and Cammalleri were together last season and were fantastic together, Zajac and Cammalleri never really meshed over the last two years when they were on the same line. Zajac also needs a possession monster on his wing (ala Parise/Jagr) and that is what Hall is.

 

[VoidCreature]

Why? Cammy played with Zajac last season for 42 games. Why based on one game?

Cammy played with Henrique last season, not Zajac. He and Rico had unreal chemistry, too. Happy to see them back together.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I'm not too sure of that. Go look at some old ZZPops highlights and watch how much space they create in the offensive zone.

Thursday night, you saw glimpses of that with Hall. His ability to find players and open up space for his linemates. Zajac's offensive abilities lie more in his smarts rather than his skills and his shot is still strong even though he refuses to use it for whatever reason. Hall also plays that fast-paced cycle game where they try to get pucks to the net quickly which is right up Zajac's alley.

Hell, even look at his 2013-14 year. Look how many times Jagr creates space for Zajac and his linemates. We haven't had anyone do that since then, Hall can.

No, I am not watching old highlights of him being carried by more skilled players. Lets live in the now, he has been **** the past few seasons offensively. We have a more skilled option. I see no reason not to try it out and then fall back to Zajac if Zacha is not doing well.

Zacha hasn't done anything.

EDIT: I realize that may sound harsh, but until Zacha learns to use his skill to be a difference maker, he does not belong anywhere above Zajac in the line-up.

Who has an assist / point on the season so far? Zacha, not Zajac. Also pretty sure Zacha almost scored last game as well. Oh wait, he didn't do anything in your mind, so it must be a fact if you say it enough eh?

Please, he clearly is learning to use his skills to be a difference maker and actually has the skill to be one, where Zajac clearly does not and needs to be carried.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'm fine with Hynes shaking up the lines and getting Bennett in there, but I highly doubt Zajac works out with Hall. Hall is an elite offense player at ES, Zajac is a bottom of the barrel offensive player at ES. It's just not maximizing Hall's ability.

 

[JimEIV]

3rd line is horrific. Even worse than the other night. Get Bennett for RW depth playing on the LW, While Boucher, Blandisi, Kalanin and Wood wait for a better opportunity..Brilliant!

This staff is ******** with some of their decisions.

 

[Devil X]

3rd line is horrific. Even worse than the other night. Get Bennett for RW depth playing on the LW...Brilliant!

This staff is ******** with some of their decisions.

Maybe its us, I mean we complained a lot about Pete also. There is clearly a reason why they make these decisions we dont see the everyday stuff.

Also we didnt have PA at the time when Bennett was acquired. That messed with the RW depth.

 

[Cheddabombs]

3rd line is horrific. Even worse than the other night. Get Bennett for RW depth playing on the LW, While Boucher, Blandisi, Kalanin and Wood wait for a better opportunity..Brilliant!

This staff is ******** with some of their decisions.

At this point it's clear as day Boucher doesn't fit into the system and style of play Hynes wants to employ. I wonder what Shero could get for him plus a pick or something.

The late addition of PA may have stuck a wrench into what Shero and Hynes had in mind going into the season so now they're trying to make up combos on the fly that are different from what they envisioned.

 

[Maine Fan]

Cammy played with Henrique last season, not Zajac. He and Rico had unreal chemistry, too. Happy to see them back together.

Sorry, my bad

 

[JimEIV]

At this point it's clear as day Boucher doesn't fit into the system and style of play Hynes wants to employ. I wonder what Shero could get for him plus a pick or something.

The late addition of PA may have stuck a wrench into what Shero and Hynes had in mind going into the season so now they're trying to make up combos on the fly that are different from what they envisioned.

I understand the desire to rationalize the wacky decision... but with LW depth we have throughout this organization coupled with the thin RW depth we have, playing Bennett on the LW is pure stupidity.

It's really hard to get around that.

 

[VoidCreature]

I understand the desire to rationalize the wacky decision... but with LW depth we have throughout this organization coupled with the thin RW depth we have, playing Bennett on the LW is pure stupidity.

It's really hard to get around that.

We have five right wings playing tonight. One of them has to play on the left. This is a really weird thing to be upset about.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I understand the desire to rationalize the wacky decision... but with LW depth we have throughout this organization coupled with the thin RW depth we have, playing Bennett on the LW is pure stupidity.

It's really hard to get around that.

One of the guys you mentioned is in the lineup, playing is 3rd NHL game. One of them is in the AHL where he probably belongs to start the year. One of them is on the IR. And the other is Boucher, whom the coaches seem not to like - at least the way he plays compared to the system they want to use. We have LW depth but it's mostly bottom 6 depth right now, if that.

Complain about Boucher all you want, I agree. But this notion of LW "depth" is a massive stretch.

 

[JimEIV]

We have five right wings playing tonight. One of them has to play on the left. This is a really weird thing to be upset about.

For one, the strange and odd decision effects Zacha most and he is probably the only player on the ice that you'd want with the best possible scenarios.

Other thing, DSP has sucked balls since preseason and he was bad in the first game.

For another thing Speers simply doesn't belong in the lineup. Especially at the expense of Zacha and/or a more experienced player.

For a third thing we have a nearly a half dozen LW"s who deserve a shot


It's just a terrible bush league decision all around.

 

[Sheros expletives]

Will be watching tonight, expecting a bad loss but hoping for a win.