ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
At the end of the season, I figured we could analyze how each player performed over the year. Below are my thoughts, but I'd love to read everyone else's, of course.
Player Grades (evaluated by how well each player performed the role that could reasonably be expected of him):
Forwards
Steve Bernier: B Although Bernier ended the season on a low note with a major penalty and getting kicked out of the game against the Panthers, he had something of a renaissance year, registering 16 goals and a matching 16 assists. He consistently played with heart and scored clutch goals.
Mike Cammalleri: A Despite only playing 68 games due to injury, Cammy led the Devils in goals (27) and was second in points (42). He was productive this season, and he epitomized the hard work that this team would want to be known for. In the future, the Devils probably can’t expect him to produce much more than he did this year, but he hopefully can be a positive veteran for young forwards if the Devils can integrate them into the lineup in the upcoming seasons.
Ryan Clowe: Incomplete Due to head injury concerns (which are totally valid and justified), Clowe didn’t play enough for me to access how he contributed to the team.
Patrik Elias: B For a guy getting up there in years, Patty managed to put together a respectable season, scoring 13 goals and tallying 21 assists. Though there were times when he was only a shadow of his former self, he still managed to provide fans with some good memories during a rough season. Patty’s approaching retirement, and he can no longer be expected to contribute to a team as he once did.
Stephen Gionta: C Gionta brings some speed to the lineup which the Devils lack (so I appreciate that) and he’s decent when played in a fourth line role to provide depth scoring. His 13 points are acceptable in that light, but the fact that the coaches insist on giving him ice time disproportionate to his contributions means he either needs to be on the ice less or start finding ways to produce more in the time he plays.
Scott Gomez: A Brought onto the team late, Gomez proved himself to be the team’s best playmaker by recording 27 assists and 34 points in 58 games. He showed a lot of admirable perseverance and published a great article about this organization, which gets him bonus points from me. Gomez proved this season that he wasn’t done, and it was wonderful seeing him revive his NHL career with the team where it started. Hopefully he can stick around next year, because this team could use his playmaking abilities.
Martin Havlat: D Quite frankly, Havlat spent most of this season either injured or healthy-scratched. He failed to produce when in the lineup and he whined when he wasn’t. Since he was more invisible than a pure detriment to the team when he played, I have not given him a failing mark.
Adam Henrique: A- Leading the team in points with 43, Rico is the most talented young forward the Devils have. He is versatile in how he can play in all situations or switch between wing and center as necessary. Not having consistent line mates probably hinders his production, but Rico needs to iron out his inconsistency issues. Rico plays best when he is a bit riled up, so next season I hope to see more of that Rico passion.
Jacob Josefson: B Josefson was very strong on the penalty this season, and he brings a quickness to the lineup that gives the team a boost. He recorded a career high in points this season, and he has emerged as something of a shootout specialist, which helped this team actually win a few of those dreaded skill competitions. Next season it would be great if Josefson could build on the steps forward he has taken this year.
Tuomo Ruutu: C- Most games, I don’t notice Ruutu as a positive or a negative, which is a sign that he just doesn’t bring much to the team as a forward. He’s just there, and half the time I forget he is.
Michael Ryder: F A goalscorer who can’t score, Ryder brings nothing to the lineup when he is in it, and when he finally gets an opportunity to prove his virtually non-existent work, he takes advantage by taking boneheaded penalties that result in losses for the team. Apparently oblivious to just how useless he is, Ryder whines to the media every chance he gets about not getting enough playing time as if that were an excuse for his woeful production. One of my most loathed Devils of all time—that’s Ryder in a nutshell.
Jordin Tootoo: A Jordin exceeded my expectations of him this season. When he signed with the Devils, I thought we were getting an untalented goon. However, Tootoo showed that he had a better motor than I anticipated and that he could create chemistry with more skilled players like Cammy, resulting in him scoring ten goals, one shy of a career high for him. He brought grit to the team, but he also brought more skill than I gave him credit for, so he’s earned my respect this season. Seeing him turn around his life and career here was inspiring; one of the highlights of the season.
Travis Zajac: C- Zajac is a well-rounded player, but at the end of the season, a measly 25 points is not acceptable production from someone frequently slotted into a top center role and taking home roughly a five million dollar per year paycheck. The organization needs to provide Travis better line mates to facilitate his success, but his failure to create and capitalize on offensive opportunities is also a factor in this franchise’s struggles. It’s a Catch-22 that hopefully Zajac and the Devils can begin to resolve next year.
Dainius Zubrus: D Zubrus ended the season with ten points, which is equal to the number of goals Tootoo scored. Unfortunately, he’s paid much more than Tootoo and is expected to contribute much more than Tootoo. He fails to accomplish that, and he’s a major reason why the Devils failed to make the playoffs this year.
Defensemen:
Mark Fraser: F Mark Fraser’s forte is brain-dead penalties that cost the team games (for example, the Tampa game). His only NHL caliber skill is fighting. Other than that, he sinks the team defense at even strength and sucks its life like a vampire during penalty kills on the occasions he isn’t the one in the sin bin. He drives me crazy because of being able to stabilize a young defenseman, he actually acts as a liability that young defenseman must cover. What a twisted joke this guy playing in the NHL long-term is.
Eric Gelinas: C Gelinas has a boom of a shot, but his offense game isn’t coming along as much as I would like to see, and he still makes a lot of mistakes on defense. There were some improvements in his game after the mini-camp and I noticed a slight increase in his physicality this season.
Andy Greene: A Despite a slow start production-wise, Greene managed to produce a respectable 23 points over the course of the season. He was a leader on the team who provided steadying support to first Severson and then Larsson on the top pairing. He is a veteran our young defensemen can look to for guidance and was a valuable part of this team this season.
Peter Harrold: C- Harrold’s an adequate depth defenseman. It was a crime when he played over Larsson, but I’d prefer he play instead of Fraser.
Adam Larsson: A After a rocky first half of the season under Pete, Larsson took off and never looked back. He emerged as a stronghold in his own zone (especially on the penalty kill, which is terrible without him), and his poise and excellent position shone through. As he gained confidence, he showed an increased willingness to join the rush and shoot the puck. His passing skills are phenomenal, and he would probably have more than 21 assists if Devils forwards were more competent at converting on scoring opportunities. Under Stevens, a more physical side of Larsson has appeared at times, and I don’t mind seeing a feisty Larsson ever now and then.
Jon Merrill: B Merrill played a mostly stay-at-home role this season. At his best, he wasn’t noticeable in his won end. At his worst, he made costly mistakes. In fairness, it should be observed that he had to babysit blundering vets instead of have a stabilizing force like Greene next to him. His season was inconsistent—at times good, at times bad—but not a train wreck or a triumph.
Bryce Salvador: Incomplete Salvador spent a bulk of the season on injured reserve, so, like Clowe, I don’t see much point in attempting to grade his year.
Damon Severson: A Severson had a strong start to the season—showing calmness as well as offensive and defensive prowess—before he was sidelined with an ankle injury. When he returned from his injury, Severson seemed a tad rusty, occasionally making bad decisions, but overall he still showed the traits that were so promising early on in the season. It was awesome to see him end the season with a goal (bringing his total to five) and 17 points in 51 games is really quite exceptional production for a rookie defenseman on a team as offensively-challenged as the Devils.
Goalies:
Keith Kinkaid: A When Kinkaid is in net, the Devils always have a chance to win, which is all that can be asked of a backup goaltender. Kinkaid shows a lot of potential as an NHL goalie. He is exciting to watch, and his glove saves are things of beauty.
Cory Schneider: A+ I’ve gushed about him so much in his appreciation thread that I don’t want to repeat myself too much here, but he’s demonstrated that he can not only handle the role of a starter but also can be an elite one at that. He’s placed himself in conversation for the Vezina, and he has made it clear that he can be a foundation for this team going forward. His attitude is spectacular, and so is his skill. Even his puck-handling is improving. There’s really nothing I can’t love about this dude as a Devil right now.
Player Grades (evaluated by how well each player performed the role that could reasonably be expected of him):
Forwards
Steve Bernier: B Although Bernier ended the season on a low note with a major penalty and getting kicked out of the game against the Panthers, he had something of a renaissance year, registering 16 goals and a matching 16 assists. He consistently played with heart and scored clutch goals.
Mike Cammalleri: A Despite only playing 68 games due to injury, Cammy led the Devils in goals (27) and was second in points (42). He was productive this season, and he epitomized the hard work that this team would want to be known for. In the future, the Devils probably can’t expect him to produce much more than he did this year, but he hopefully can be a positive veteran for young forwards if the Devils can integrate them into the lineup in the upcoming seasons.
Ryan Clowe: Incomplete Due to head injury concerns (which are totally valid and justified), Clowe didn’t play enough for me to access how he contributed to the team.
Patrik Elias: B For a guy getting up there in years, Patty managed to put together a respectable season, scoring 13 goals and tallying 21 assists. Though there were times when he was only a shadow of his former self, he still managed to provide fans with some good memories during a rough season. Patty’s approaching retirement, and he can no longer be expected to contribute to a team as he once did.
Stephen Gionta: C Gionta brings some speed to the lineup which the Devils lack (so I appreciate that) and he’s decent when played in a fourth line role to provide depth scoring. His 13 points are acceptable in that light, but the fact that the coaches insist on giving him ice time disproportionate to his contributions means he either needs to be on the ice less or start finding ways to produce more in the time he plays.
Scott Gomez: A Brought onto the team late, Gomez proved himself to be the team’s best playmaker by recording 27 assists and 34 points in 58 games. He showed a lot of admirable perseverance and published a great article about this organization, which gets him bonus points from me. Gomez proved this season that he wasn’t done, and it was wonderful seeing him revive his NHL career with the team where it started. Hopefully he can stick around next year, because this team could use his playmaking abilities.
Martin Havlat: D Quite frankly, Havlat spent most of this season either injured or healthy-scratched. He failed to produce when in the lineup and he whined when he wasn’t. Since he was more invisible than a pure detriment to the team when he played, I have not given him a failing mark.
Adam Henrique: A- Leading the team in points with 43, Rico is the most talented young forward the Devils have. He is versatile in how he can play in all situations or switch between wing and center as necessary. Not having consistent line mates probably hinders his production, but Rico needs to iron out his inconsistency issues. Rico plays best when he is a bit riled up, so next season I hope to see more of that Rico passion.
Jacob Josefson: B Josefson was very strong on the penalty this season, and he brings a quickness to the lineup that gives the team a boost. He recorded a career high in points this season, and he has emerged as something of a shootout specialist, which helped this team actually win a few of those dreaded skill competitions. Next season it would be great if Josefson could build on the steps forward he has taken this year.
Tuomo Ruutu: C- Most games, I don’t notice Ruutu as a positive or a negative, which is a sign that he just doesn’t bring much to the team as a forward. He’s just there, and half the time I forget he is.
Michael Ryder: F A goalscorer who can’t score, Ryder brings nothing to the lineup when he is in it, and when he finally gets an opportunity to prove his virtually non-existent work, he takes advantage by taking boneheaded penalties that result in losses for the team. Apparently oblivious to just how useless he is, Ryder whines to the media every chance he gets about not getting enough playing time as if that were an excuse for his woeful production. One of my most loathed Devils of all time—that’s Ryder in a nutshell.
Jordin Tootoo: A Jordin exceeded my expectations of him this season. When he signed with the Devils, I thought we were getting an untalented goon. However, Tootoo showed that he had a better motor than I anticipated and that he could create chemistry with more skilled players like Cammy, resulting in him scoring ten goals, one shy of a career high for him. He brought grit to the team, but he also brought more skill than I gave him credit for, so he’s earned my respect this season. Seeing him turn around his life and career here was inspiring; one of the highlights of the season.
Travis Zajac: C- Zajac is a well-rounded player, but at the end of the season, a measly 25 points is not acceptable production from someone frequently slotted into a top center role and taking home roughly a five million dollar per year paycheck. The organization needs to provide Travis better line mates to facilitate his success, but his failure to create and capitalize on offensive opportunities is also a factor in this franchise’s struggles. It’s a Catch-22 that hopefully Zajac and the Devils can begin to resolve next year.
Dainius Zubrus: D Zubrus ended the season with ten points, which is equal to the number of goals Tootoo scored. Unfortunately, he’s paid much more than Tootoo and is expected to contribute much more than Tootoo. He fails to accomplish that, and he’s a major reason why the Devils failed to make the playoffs this year.
Defensemen:
Mark Fraser: F Mark Fraser’s forte is brain-dead penalties that cost the team games (for example, the Tampa game). His only NHL caliber skill is fighting. Other than that, he sinks the team defense at even strength and sucks its life like a vampire during penalty kills on the occasions he isn’t the one in the sin bin. He drives me crazy because of being able to stabilize a young defenseman, he actually acts as a liability that young defenseman must cover. What a twisted joke this guy playing in the NHL long-term is.
Eric Gelinas: C Gelinas has a boom of a shot, but his offense game isn’t coming along as much as I would like to see, and he still makes a lot of mistakes on defense. There were some improvements in his game after the mini-camp and I noticed a slight increase in his physicality this season.
Andy Greene: A Despite a slow start production-wise, Greene managed to produce a respectable 23 points over the course of the season. He was a leader on the team who provided steadying support to first Severson and then Larsson on the top pairing. He is a veteran our young defensemen can look to for guidance and was a valuable part of this team this season.
Peter Harrold: C- Harrold’s an adequate depth defenseman. It was a crime when he played over Larsson, but I’d prefer he play instead of Fraser.
Adam Larsson: A After a rocky first half of the season under Pete, Larsson took off and never looked back. He emerged as a stronghold in his own zone (especially on the penalty kill, which is terrible without him), and his poise and excellent position shone through. As he gained confidence, he showed an increased willingness to join the rush and shoot the puck. His passing skills are phenomenal, and he would probably have more than 21 assists if Devils forwards were more competent at converting on scoring opportunities. Under Stevens, a more physical side of Larsson has appeared at times, and I don’t mind seeing a feisty Larsson ever now and then.
Jon Merrill: B Merrill played a mostly stay-at-home role this season. At his best, he wasn’t noticeable in his won end. At his worst, he made costly mistakes. In fairness, it should be observed that he had to babysit blundering vets instead of have a stabilizing force like Greene next to him. His season was inconsistent—at times good, at times bad—but not a train wreck or a triumph.
Bryce Salvador: Incomplete Salvador spent a bulk of the season on injured reserve, so, like Clowe, I don’t see much point in attempting to grade his year.
Damon Severson: A Severson had a strong start to the season—showing calmness as well as offensive and defensive prowess—before he was sidelined with an ankle injury. When he returned from his injury, Severson seemed a tad rusty, occasionally making bad decisions, but overall he still showed the traits that were so promising early on in the season. It was awesome to see him end the season with a goal (bringing his total to five) and 17 points in 51 games is really quite exceptional production for a rookie defenseman on a team as offensively-challenged as the Devils.
Goalies:
Keith Kinkaid: A When Kinkaid is in net, the Devils always have a chance to win, which is all that can be asked of a backup goaltender. Kinkaid shows a lot of potential as an NHL goalie. He is exciting to watch, and his glove saves are things of beauty.
Cory Schneider: A+ I’ve gushed about him so much in his appreciation thread that I don’t want to repeat myself too much here, but he’s demonstrated that he can not only handle the role of a starter but also can be an elite one at that. He’s placed himself in conversation for the Vezina, and he has made it clear that he can be a foundation for this team going forward. His attitude is spectacular, and so is his skill. Even his puck-handling is improving. There’s really nothing I can’t love about this dude as a Devil right now.
at least for him……big show!!
