Offseason Outlook: Offense

Unlike the defensive unit, the New Jersey Devils' offensive corps is in a major state of influx. After starting off the season red hot, as a whole they cooled considerably, averaging just over 2 goals a game and being shut out twice over the season's final 10 games. With the late season injury to Ilya Kovalchuk, no one on the Devils stepped up offensively. The Devils have 11 forwards on the current roster who will need new contracts, but it is highly unlikely all of the will remain in Newark by the time training camp opens. 

KEEP WITHOUT QUESTION 

 

Patrik Elias is a free agent for the first time since the Devils nearly lost their franchise's best forward to, reportedly, their cross river rivals the New York Rangers. Elias is coming off a $6 million annual deal, and while he continuously is near, if not at the top of, the Devils' scoring list, the Devils would certainly like to retain his services for less than his previous deal. If Elias decided to ask for an identical deal, as long as it is not for much longer than 3 years, it is hard to envision the Devils' not extending a deal to one of their core, heart and soul players. 

Adam Henrique leads the list of the Devils' numerous Restricted Free Agents. Coming off his entry level contract, the Devils & Henrique need to come to an agreement on a contract and not allow any bitterness to flow over. Henrique is a valuable asset to New Jersey's future and has already written himself into the Devils' history books by clinching two series victories with overtime game winning goals last year. As was the case with nearly the entire team, Henrique struggled in productivity this season. Normally, one would attribute his lack of success to a sophomore slump but with the rest of the team literally vanishing from the goal column, Henrique gets a pass. 

Andrei Loktionov was the Devils' best acquisition during the season and was an incredible steal of a deal. Acquired February 6th from the Los Angeles Kings for a 5th round pick, Loktinov scored 8 goals and added 4 assists over the 28 games he played following his call up from Albany of the AHL. One of his most impressive feats were his off balance goal against the Philadelphia Flyers and his ability to gel almost effortlessly with Ilya Kovalchuk. 

The reason the Devils were able to get such a value for Loktionov was that the Kings feared he would not resign with them in the offseason. With his role up in the air in Los Angeles, Loktionov floated the idea publicly that he would leave the NHL for the KHL in the offseason. With his increased responsibility and subsequent increase in playing time, it's hard to imagine that playing time will be the reason he bolts overseas. His current ELC is valued at $575k annually so he is due for a considerable raise, but the Devils should not hesitate to pay out, especially since he seems to be showing early indications of developing impressive chemistry with countryman Ilya Kovalchuk. That statistic alone could be invaluable for the Devils future. 

Jacob Josefson finally made it through a season without suffering a considerable injury! All kidding aside, after his recall from Albany late in the season, Josefson finally put on display the reason why the Devils hold him in such high regard. If he resigns with New Jersey, he should have the inside track for the starting 3rd line center position. JJ would do himself well if he could add a few pounds of muscle on as he is on the smaller size for someone his height. This would help him get into the dirty areas for better rebound opportunities thus potentially leading to higher point totals as he progresses through his career. 

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT... 

David Clarkson leads the list of players who would be an excellent fit to remain on the Devils but might no be wise. During the season, rumors began to circulate that Clarkson could seek $5 million annually, if not higher, when the free agency period begins this summer. Yes, he put up 30 goals last season and scored 10 in under 15 games this year, but he also had a goalless drought which lasted over 20 games. His inability to find the net during that stretch was only further magnified by the rest of the teams scoring woes, especially when Kovalchuk went down with his injury. Clarkson is a pure heart player, but his inconsistency scoring mixed with the bad penalties and he sudden onset of whining and begging for calls may have reduced his stock, especially if the rumored contract demands are accurate. The Devils would be wise in allowing Clarkson to chase larger dollar figures elsewhere if it comes down to $5 million per as he will most likely not be able to sustain his sudden scoring prowess. 

Dainius Zubrus is a major fan favorite. His current contract of $3.4 million annually over 4 years was not the greatest of deals but he did perform admirably when healthy. Some fan groups had unrealistic expectations of Zubrus being a major offensive threat when he signed for the contract but those who knew why he was signed understand he played well enough to make the contract worthwhile. Durability and age are the two factors which are working against Zubes. At 35 by the time free agency begins, Zubrus is another older veteran who the Devils will need to not only think about is health but also length of contract hen they approach him for a deal. 

Matt D'Agostini played well enough to remain a Devil. The problem is his qualifying offer is $1.8 million so the Devils would need to negotiate a longer contract if they want to keep Hamas it is highly unlikely they would be okay with committing to that type of money for one season. Adding to their reluctance should also the fact D'Ags tops out as a fill in on the 2nd line and is more of a bottom 6 player who also garners some time on special teams. He's still under restricted free agent status so it will be interesting to see how his summer will play out. 

COIN FLIP 

Mattias Tedenby is coming off his ELC. He has been less than impressive during his multiple stints at the NHL level, save from a brief hot streak three years ago, and for whatever reason he does not seem to be getting better while playing at the Albany level. While a severe facial nearly ended his career and his life this year, Tedenby's work ethic has always been suspect as he was called out by numerous coaches at the NHL level. 

Tom Kostopoulos was a good midseason pickup off the waiver wire from Pittsburgh. Always playing on the fourth line, the Greek winger registered a goal (on a penalty shot nonetheless) and 18 penalty minutes. Kostopoulos was quick to defend his teammates in scrums and posed a sizable problem for opposing defenses to worry about in front of their net during his 15 games with the club. It might not be easy to find a spot on the roster for him next season, especially with Krys Barch still under contract for another season, but GM Lou Lamoriello has done stranger moves in the past (last year signing both Cam Janssen and Barch). 

HAPPY TRAILS 

Alexi Ponikarovski played phenomenally in the playoffs for the Devils last year, even scoring the game winning goal in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers. Fans were heartbroken to learn he had signed with the Winnipeg Jets while he Devils' hands were tied waiting for a certain playoff-choke artist to decide he was too homesick to play in Jersey anymore and needed to go ack home and play with his friend in Minnesota, but I digress. 

When the Devils were on a roll to start the year, Dainius Zubrus went down with an injury. As soon as he was placed on injured reserve, Lou Lamoriello almost immediately reacquired Poni from the Jets for draft picks and a little known prospect. In his first game back, he scored against the Flyers, mirroring what he did last season upon his arrival in Newark. But the honeymoon phase quickly ended as Poni became extremely inconsistent. While his contract hit is not unbearable, the Devils could be more apt to spend the cap space elsewhere. 

Steve Sullivan was reacquired by the devils after nearly 17 years just at the trading deadline this year. It was one of those "well you knew Lou was going to do something" moves where he tried to catch lightning in a bottle and reattach a missing limb with some chewing gum and a bandaid. Playing the opposite point of Zidlicky on the power play, Sullivan used most of his chances to pass to Elias or another forward down low than shoot himself, yet both goals during his 2nd stint in Jersey were on the man-advantage. Sullivan has played over 1,000 games but it is not realistic to think he will still be in the Devils lineup entering 2013-14. 

Tom Kostopoulos

Keeping Hope Alive

Photos are property of Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

After two nights ago, panic could have set in.

Two nights ago, the Devils could have said, “that’s it, we’re mortal again,” and packed in their season knowing they had let an opportunity to keep pace slip away, falling further behind the pack.

Two nights ago has now turned into nothing more than a minor speed bump, at least for tonight.

The Devils opened up tonight’s game as tense as they left Friday night’s contest against the Lightning. The Panthers controlled the flow of play for the first half of the first period as they mounted chance after chance on the Devils. Martin Brodeur, however, was equal to the task, showing little to no signs of a 9 game layoff while he recovered from a knee injury.

The tables turned as the Devils controlled the flow of play during the latter stages of the period and were able to nearly equalize the shot chances, trailing by 1 in that category heading into intermission.

The second period would prove to be the decisive one as the Devils came out red hot. Their determination was fueled by the efforts of their grinders who broke the scoreless draw. Rod Pelley’s shot from the left point was kicked out to the same-side faceoff circle, where David Clarkson made a diving rebound attempt that beat goaltender Tomas Vokun short side for his first goal in 18 games.

Just 3 minutes later, after the Devils were given a power play by the Panthers, Brian Rolston fired a faceoff win from Dainius Zubrus into the back of the net for 2-0 lead. The goal came just 3 seconds into the power play.

While the Devils again shut down their opponents during the 2nd period, the third period was not without drama. Both teams split chances equally until about 5 minutes remaining when Florida began to control the pace as the Devils went into a prevent mode.

Their defense and Brodeur’s shutout were finally broken when Marty Reasoner ripped home a behind the net feed from Michal Repik short side on Brodeur to pull them within 1. After a few icing calls and 3-plus tense minutes later, the Devils escaped South Florida, and their 4 game road-trip with a 2-1 victory, going 3-1 overall.

With the win, Brodeur moved to 9-1-1 over his last 11 starts, Ilya Kovalchuk had his 12-game point streak snapped, and Jason Arnott could have played the final game of his 2nd stint with the Devils.

Following the game, Arnott told Tom Gulitti of the Fire & Ice Blog that he’d prefer to be moved to a team already in the playoff hunt, and that if he had the choice between another team fighting for their post season lives or staying with the Devils, he’d prefer to stay.

If the Devils are to move Arnott, and recent trades around the league are any indication, they should receive a 2nd round pick and then some in return. One of the drawbacks for Arnott, however, is his age, but his leadership and experience alone should outweigh that minor fact. He does become an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the year so a team gearing up for a long playoff run could almost certainly benefit from a player like Arnott.

As for the rest of the team, a few weeks ago, I could have seen them making a move to improve the defensive corps. Following their recent hot streak, however, I do not foresee general manager Lou Lamoriello making any moves as he could see any changes drastically affecting the chemistry and current team spirit.

With only 9 points separating the Devils from the 8th and final playoff spot, the Devils need any and all help they can get, but one area which they do not need any real help is their own roster. What was once looked upon as a flimsy, suspect AHL defense has now become one of the premiere shut-down units in the league, allowing 2 goals or fewer over the course of the past 10 games, and only once since early January.

Hope comes in all forms lately. A win in regulation, a win in overtime, heck even a loss in overtime provides a glimmer of hope if all other games fall the Devils’ way.

But with 20 games to go, there is little to no room for any more moral victories and the Devils need to find ways to earn or steal points here on out.

Wednesday brings the Lightning back into the Prudential Center where another two critical points are on the line.

Who will be still on the roster and who, if anyone, will find a new home tomorrow by the 3 pm trading deadline? Only a few short hours separate us from finding out.

Game 54 - Pregame Write Up

If you’re a Devils fan, you’re trying to look for the positives in anything regarding the team, especially in a point-counterpoint system.

Point: The Devils are on pace for X number of points for the season.
Counterpoint: They’re only 16 back of the 8th and final playoff spot.

Point: Brodeur went down hurt, again, on Sunday
Counterpoint: Hedberg is coming off 2 periods of relief where his only blemish deflected off Kovalchuk.

Etc.

When the Devils take to the ice Tuesday night, it will be in a critical game for their playoff lives.

Yes, it is true that from here on out, every game is considered critical, however, this game and two more within the next 12 days, come against the team holding on [more like clinging] to the coveted 8th spot.

If the Devils win all 3 in regulation, they can trim the gap by 6 points without taking into account any of the games in between. Overtime wins earns them a 3 point advantage on their proverbial rabbits. Anything less will severly hurt their chances. The thought alone of the magnitude of these games could drive any person understandably to near panic.

Luckily for us, the players’ current mindset is one at a time, and they leave the insanity and madness to the fans.

Since the All Star Break, the Devils have amassed a 3-0-1 record, earning 7 out of a possible 8 points with the only loss coming to Florida in overtime last Friday night.

If you’re a fan who enjoys trying to find trends or patterns in a season and believes they’ll be repeated, you’ll be happy to note that the last time the Panthers stopped a potential Devils’ winning streak, they did so in overtime and gave the Devils enough motivation to then turn around and rattle off 4 straight wins.

On Sunday, New Jersey took another step towards repeating the past by jumping out to an early lead against the Montreal Canadiens, and then playing terrific shut-down defense following Brodeur’s injury en route to a 4-1 victory. The Devils were rewarded for their effort by climbing in the standings to 13th place, tied with Ottawa and 7 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs follow play Monday night.

Carolina enters Tuesday’s contest winning 5 games out of their last 10, including their overtime win against the struggling Atlanta Thrashers which halted a 2 game skid. Eric Cole netted the game winner after Carolina had a horrendous defensive third period in which they squandered two leads.

Recent head to head history gives the edge to Carolina as they have had the better of the two clubs including a memorable come from behind victory in Game 7, in Newark, during the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals where the Devils blew a late 3rd period lead of their own, and the surrendered the game winner with under 2 minutes to go in regulation.

This Devils team, however, is much different than the one the Hurricanes embarrassed in 2009. First, they have Ilya Kovalchuk who is finally settling in and finding his groove with the team he has been with for just over a year, and will be with for the next 14. Kovalchuk had two goals on Sunday, added an assist on Friday and has been on fire offensively as of late. He also has been contributing regularly on defense, including some aggressive back checking against Florida.

Dainius Zubrus has also been a bright spot for the Devils’ offense as he netted his 10th Sunday afternoon.

The climb is steep, the task feels almost impossible, but the Devils need to remain focused on just one game at a time.

A team that once seemed destined for the first overall pick in the draft has now given itself a new lease on life, and its fans a reason to have some grounded hope that the season can be saved, and the playoffs, just maybe, with some luck and some favorable breaks, could be made.

One way or another, if the Devils team which has emerged recently continues to come out for the remaining 29 games, fans can be guaranteed it will be one hell of a ride to the finish line.

Game 11: Giving a Devil His Due

Last season, Dainius Zubrus’ contract looked like a major mistake and a $3.4 million eyesore on towards the Devils’ salary cap space.15 goals and 25 assists hardly made the salary seem worth it, let alone the length of the deal.

Tonight, Zubrus continued on his quest to silence his critics, this time doing it on his offensive side. With under 2 minutes to go, Zubrus crashed the net on an aggressive forecheck while Zach Parise took a slap shot from the high point. Bruins’ goaltender Tim Thomas got most of the initial shot, but not all of it as the puck squeaked through his pads and settled on the ice behind him, 3 feet from the goal.

Zubrus saw the loose puck and pounced on it without hesitation, as he pushed the puck into the net for the go ahead goal, falling as he began to celebrate.

The Devils never looked back from that point, and held on for the 2-1 victory.

Moments prior to Zubrus’ goal, Devils’ goaltender Yann Danis withstood an onslaught of Bruin shots as Boston pushed for the leading tally. Danis made some fine saves during the rush, but also received a bit of luck as a Bruin shot went over his left shoulder, but bounced harmlessly off the crossbar.

David Clarkson put the Devils ahead early on with his third goal of the season. Clarkson joined a 2 on 1 rush with Niclas Bergfors as the Devils again caught Boston in the attacking zone. Bergfors’ shot was aimed at Thomas’ 5-hole, and as was the case with the game winning goal, Thomas only got a piece of the shot as Clarkson cleaned up the rebound on his way to a jumping celebration against the glass behind the net.

The major black eye to come from this game was the injury sustained by defenseman Johnny Oduya who left the game in the 2nd period with a lower body injury and did not return. While Oduya’s play early on this season has been marred by inconsistency, his loss would be detrimental to an already injury plagued defensive corps.

With Paul Martin our for 4 to 6 weeks, the Devils cannot stand to lose Oduya. If they do for an extended period of time, there is almost no question they will need to go out and find a defenseman who can help lead the team in Martin and Oduya’s absence.

While some will argue they will be able use the current players to fill the void, the shortcomings of the remaining defenseman are abundant.

Colin White, regardless of his current alternate title, has been ineffective for almost the entire season, save for about 5 minutes of solid playing, including two diving poke checks to preserve wins and eliminate scoring chances for the opposition.

Bryce Salvador cannot keep himself out of the penalty box, and besides Oduya, I do not think that anyone else on the team has taken as many lazy penalties as number 24.
Mike Mottau, a former Hoby Baker Award winner, just doesn’t strike me as the type of player who can pick up the defense on his back.

Andy Greene has played phenomenally thus far, but I think the added pressure of being the go to guy on defense will hurt his psyche and possibly kill his current hot streak.

Lastly, Mark Fraser is a rookie, and has only 3 games this season under his belt. To think he alone could pick up the slack is just ridiculous.

Sure, you can say that if the Devils loose Oduya, everyone else can step up and pick up a little piece of the slack, but I think there is far too much slack left to be shouldered by the remaining 6 defenders.

If the Devils loose Oduya, and another proven veteran is not brought in for assistance, the Devils could be in for a long couple of weeks.



7-4-0, 14 points

Next up: Saturday vs. Tampa Bay, 3pm

A Sigh of Relief and a Slice of Humble Pie

Last week, I had made a comment suggesting that in order for the Devils to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, yet alone the Atlantic Division, the next four games were essentially must win games. At worst, I felt they needed three of four.

I predicted the Islanders would be as they have been lately, pains in their asses. But after a solid effort Thursday night against the panthers, a hard physical battle Saturday against the Isles and an offensive explosion Sunday against the Lightning, the Devils seem to be getting back on the right track and then some.

The first line is playing like the premier line that they should be. Zubrus seemed to have a mean streak today and launched an assault on the back of the net and both Lightning goaltenders. Now, before people fire back that Tampa is in turmoil right now, it is Dainius Zubrus and he is finally starting to hit some form of a stride for the team. Streaks need to start somewhere so why not against a bottom feeder to build momentum going into another game vs. the Panthers followed by the defending conference champion Penguins. While only have 6 points over the past 5 games, Zubrus has the four goals to his credit and assists on two big goals against the Panthers.

Brian Gionta has seen his goals drop steadily since his record setting 2005-2006 campaign where he scored 48 goals and amassed 89 points, all in the final year of his contract. He was rewarded for his efforts with a 3 year, $4 million extension which he has not lived up to that career year. This season, Gionta is playing for another contract. Going into last weekend’s match ups against the Capitals, Gionta had only tallied two goals and seven assists. While it is a fair point to add the entire offense was struggling, Gionta, for the money he was given, should be producing more. During the past 5 games, however, he has been earning his keeps by netting four goals and four assists, including three games in a row of a goal and an assist each.

The last part of that front line, and the most often criticized for a disappointment in regards to production is alternate captain, Patrik Elias. After losing both Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski, the Devils in a knee-jerk reaction signed Elias to a contract as quick as possible by throwing money at him and giving him a lot of time on it. Currently, the contract has 5 years left with an average of $6 million a season. A player with solid skills but needs a compliment to help him along with the points. The shuffle to spark Elias has been an on going process since losing Scott Gomez, Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott. While the latter two players have long since departed New Jersey, Elias has not really been the same player he was when on the “A-Line” with Sykora and Arnott. During the same span as Gionta, Elias also tallied 9 points, 4 goals 5 assists. Over the past 5 games: 4 goals and 7 assists, including four multipoint games in a row.

The three players combined have tallied 25 points, 12 of which coming in the form of goals. I know I am not alone when I say that it is about time someone on this team is finally giving Zach Parise a break from carrying the scoring workload.

The trickle down affect as not only hit the forwards, with rare but welcomed contributions from the likes of Mike Rupp and David Clarkson, but on the defense as well, with a pair of goals from Paul Martin and even tough guy Bryce Salvador finding the twine. Which leads me to my slice of humble pie section.

I, again, owe Salvador a major apology. Early on the season, I could not help but fall victim to the “place the blame on a signing that I did not fall 100% in love with” virus. I didn’t particularly like the move, even though, as has been pointed out to me on more than one occasion, he is making below league average for a defenseman. I didn’t like his performance late in the season nor out of the gate this year. However, as soon as the injury bit this team in the rear end, I saw the true value of Salvador. He is physical, all the time, and smart about it. He has great defensive awareness, but also is able to contribute on offense, as is noted by his game winning goal against the Islanders. By stepping up, he has not only proven to be a solid leader and a great teammate, but also a much needed relief for Paul Martin, who has been the one carrying much of the workload on his back. I’ll fully say it now, I’m impressed.

As long as the Zubrus line, [I’m working on a nick name for them, ZEG line doesn’t seem to work, nor goes the GEZ line], maintains even half their current rate of nightly production, I will feel more and more comfortable with the progress of this team.

Nearly two weeks ago, I didn’t like the way this team was looking, especially on the offensive side. Elias and Gionta were disappointing, the team was in turmoil. Now, with two lines firing on all cylinders, the offense can shoulder some of the turbulence from the wake of Brodeur’s injury.

Sure, Tampa gave the team a scare with their early attempts to rally, but with Zubrus’ stick absolutely on fire, the team seemed to skate with an air confidence in their strides. Thus, giving goaltender Scott Clemensen support when he needed it the most, in the third period to preserve his third win in a row.

Next stop: Florida on Wednesday night.