Speculation: NJD Offseason Part III

[Bleedred]

I'll tell you why I don't want Gionta back.

Because if he comes back, a player like Josefson or Kalinin probably has to play on the 3rd line.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Definite no to Gionta. Even with all his "hustle", he's lost enough speed that he doesn't belong in the NHL anymore. Time to move on.

 

[Eric Sachs]

Fun fact of the day:

Ruutu scored 22 points for us in 129 GP

Loktionov scored 24 for us in 76 GP

We potentially gave up a 3rd for that..

 

[NJDevs26]

Offseason thread is supposed to be for team offseason speculation, not going tit for tat on whether Lou sucks or Lou's a god, let's keep this on topic going forward...

 

[NJDevils#4]

Fun fact of the day:

Ruutu scored 22 points for us in 129 GP

Loktionov scored 24 for us in 76 GP

We potentially gave up a 3rd for that..

wow

I also agree on Gionta. Given honestly how little skills he has offensively, props to him on working hard and making it to the NHL level.

That being said, I would not want him back at this stage of his career and the direction that the team is going.

 

[NJDevs26]

We'll find out what they really think of a lot of the scrap heap this offseason. Other than Kennedy and Farnham they were all already on the roster going into this season.

I still think if Gio isn't back here he's going somewhere else he has an attachment - Toronto, Buffalo or maybe the Sharks though I doubt they have room. I don't think he'll be out of the league entirely like many assume

 

[Triumph]

Gionta played a full 82 game season for the first time in his career, he scored 1 goal, his shot rate was way down, his territorial numbers were considerably worse, he's 32 years old - anyone picking him up for an NHL roster is a fool. Hustle is the cheapest commodity there is.

 

[theoptimist]

(see above)

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

We need a spark plug player.

 

[Zippy316]

We need a spark plug player.

Farnham 13th forward. He's perfect if you limit his games or minutes.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Gionta played a full 82 game season for the first time in his career, he scored 1 goal, his shot rate was way down, his territorial numbers were considerably worse, he's 32 years old - anyone picking him up for an NHL roster is a fool. Hustle is the cheapest commodity there is.

this is so true

 

[FooteBahl]

Gionta played a full 82 game season for the first time in his career, he scored 1 goal, his shot rate was way down, his territorial numbers were considerably worse, he's 32 years old - anyone picking him up for an NHL roster is a fool. Hustle is the cheapest commodity there is.

One of our young Albany guys has to possess this "hustle" gene you speak of...and maybe by some miracle, they could put up a whole 2 goals next year. I like Gio and appreciate his time here, but it's time to move on.

 

[JimEIV]

I don't want Tootoo resigned, but I don't care what anybody says, every team needs a player that can keep the other team honest. Farnham certainly isn't that neither is DSP...

Really when you look up and down the line up there really isn't much team toughness at all (one reason why I am waiting for Santini with great anticipation and I hope to see a little nasty from Zacha as well)

Especially in areas where you'd expect some snarl like on the defense or the very least the bottom pair of the defense or the 3rd and 4 lines...But we have nothing.

And I'm not even necessarily talking about a pugilist, I'm talking about rough and tumble characters that can lay you out with a clean check or punish you along the boards if need be. When your most physical forward is Kalinin followed by Palmieiri (top 2 forwards on the team in hits - if you even believe in this stat) you got a problem.

 

[Triumph]

I don't want Tootoo resigned, but I don't care what anybody says, every team needs a player that can keep the other team honest. Farnham certainly isn't that neither is DSP...

Really when you look up and down the line up there really isn't much team toughness at all (one reason why I am waiting for Santini with great anticipation and I hope to see a little nasty from Zacha as well)

Especially in areas where you'd expect some snarl like on the defense or the very least the bottom pair of the defense or the 3rd and 4 lines...But we have nothing.

And I'm not even necessarily talking about a pugilist, I'm talking about rough and tumble characters that can lay you out with a clean check or punish you along the boards if need be. When your most physical forward is Kalinin followed by Palmieiri (top 2 forwards on the team in hits - if you even believe in this stat) you got a problem.

This team isn't good or expected to be good next year - maybe it's time to try hockey without one of these players and see how it goes. Since it's a commonly accepted maxim that you need one, teams almost always have one, often at the expense of 'icing the best team possible'. Forwards are too fast and too good to be laying them out with hits on zone entries (too often a defenseman risks an interference penalty or being out of position) and penalties are called too readily at the front of the net to value 'crease clearing' over other attributes a defenseman might have. Meanwhile at the other end, forwards who look for hits are generally not looking for the puck, and the puck's the important thing in the game.

 

[JimEIV]

This team isn't good or expected to be good next year - maybe it's time to try hockey without one of these players and see how it goes. Since it's a commonly accepted maxim that you need one, teams almost always have one, often at the expense of 'icing the best team possible'. Forwards are too fast and too good to be laying them out with hits on zone entries (too often a defenseman risks an interference penalty or being out of position) and penalties are called too readily at the front of the net to value 'crease clearing' over other attributes a defenseman might have. Meanwhile at the other end, forwards who look for hits are generally not looking for the puck, and the puck's the important thing in the game.

watch.....

 

[Triumph]

watch.....

lol, i got 40 seconds in and there's a penalty called on one of these hits. Regardless, I don't need to watch, I've watched NHL hockey for more than 20 years, and open-ice hits are leaving the game - they're endangered both by referees looking for headshots and players who are too fast to line up with a hit.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

If we're gonna add snarl to the team, it better be a guy who can also put the puck in the net. No need to resign Tootoo or anyone like him. If we're gonna keep a grinder it should be Farnham. He plays with an edge and can actually skate and play hockey a little. We can't afford to fill a spot with a guy who brings nothing but toughness when we don't have top end talent. We absolutely need scoring depth, and a Tootoo type can drag an entire line down singlehandedly.

 

[NJDevs26]

Open ice hits are one thing but there's still plenty of chances to be physical on the boards and in the corners. You need at least a couple of physical players to keep teams honest. Doesn't mean said players have to ONLY have that one talent.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Honestly, a fighter or enforcer or whatever you want to call it is really low on the list of problems with this team. I'd much rather Shero address the lack of scoring and offensive ability in general with our forward corps than worry about bringing in a more physical presence. Focus on building the forwards corps than concern yourself with finding that complimentary gritty fourth liner. Otherwise, you are worrying about drapes when your living room doesn't even have windows.

 

[NJDevs26]

Well there is a difference between a crappy fourth line banger and physical players who can play above the fourth line. I don't think the one dimensional banger forwards are neccesary but you do need some physical element on your team. Whether it's a couple of defensemen or forwards that play above the fourth line.

Of course we also need more skill in general so...

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Well there is a difference between a crappy fourth line banger and physical players who can play above the fourth line. I don't think the one dimensional banger forwards are neccesary but you do need some physical element on your team. Whether it's a couple of defensemen or forwards that play above the fourth line.

Of course we also need more skill in general so...

Sure. I just think we need to prioritize. I'd rather worry about the skill and compliment it with the physicality, and if you can get skill and physicality in one package you don't turn it down. It's just when I list the problems for this team, the need for a physical guy is relatively low compared to the need for another scorer or playmaker (or someone who can do both).

 

[Ripshot 43]

I hear Kyle Okposo is big power forward.

 

[JimEIV]

People seem to automatically equate physical with lack of skill...

Ever watch Ovechkin throw the body around when he's a little agitated? We've all seen it, and he truly intimidates other players with his physical play.

I would like 1/100 of that...That is all.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

I mean, if you can get skill and physicality in one package, that's great, but if I have to choose skill or physicality for the Devils in the current state, I'm going with skill. That's really all I'm saying.

 

[Bleedred]

Fun fact of the day:

Ruutu scored 22 points for us in 129 GP

Loktionov scored 24 for us in 76 GP

We potentially gave up a 3rd for that..

That was the most pointless trade we made in the last decade. That easily has to be it. The fact that Carolina retained some salary made it a little less ugly than it could have been. A heavily declining Ruutu on a BAD contract with 2 years remaining, should have been given to us for free. And it's not like Loktionov was a loss really. Ruutu was rapidly declining since the most recent lockout. The best stretch of production from him in the last 3 years was the last 19 or whatever games he played in the 13-14 season, which was the first 19 games with us. He produced like a decent 3rd liner for that uber small sample size. The rest of that year with the Canes, he produced like a 4th liner. He produced like a 4th liner in 14-15. Then this last year, he scored a fluke assist in the second to last period of the season, 34 games in. Most stay at home defensemen with no offensive touch whatsoever, score more points than that just on accident.

maybe it's time to try hockey without one of these players and see how it goes

Unless I'm misunderstanding you completely here, I believe you're talking about one of these players that ''Keeps people honest'' and I'd agree that it's time to try hockey without one of these players. I think that it was time to try hockey without these players about 5 years ago.

I almost want fighting banned, not because I'm a pacifist, but because these players are useless. If we need a player that keeps people honest, they need to be better than Tootoo. And they sure as hell need to be better than all the goons we had 5 years ago and further back.