SB Nation - Dainius Zubrus

Reviewing My 2009-10 Expectations for New Jersey Devils Forwards

John Fischer — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:07:06 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Can you believe I actually wrote that I'd expect a drop off in production from Zach Parise back in August? Can you believe he's on pace for 94 points - again? (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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This could have easily been titled, "Look at how wrong I was back in August!"

Back in August, I wrote a series of posts basically coming up with expectations for each Devil on the roster. Not all of them were statisically based, a lot of them came arbitrarily. Still, I felt it was better to state what I wanted to see out of each player prior to the season. Now that the Devils have played a third of the NHL season, it's a good time as any to see how my expectations are bearing out. Today, I will focus on the forwards with the defensemen and goaltenders coming on either Thursday or Saturday.

Before jumping into exposing how right or wrong my August thoughts hold up, I have to note that this doesn't cover the current roster. At the time, Nicklas Bergfors, Rob Niedermayer, Tim Sestito, Andrew Peters, Dean McAmmond, Matt Halischuk, and Vladimir Zharkov were not on the roster nor did I assume that they would make the team. I will say that I have been pleased with them how they have played with the exception of Peters - who has done very little this season. Were I to place them in order from most impressed to least, I'd go with Bergfors, McAmmond, Niedermayer, Sestito, Zharkov, Halischuk, and Peters.

Also, while I had a set of expectations for Brendan Shanahan, his retirement makes following up on that pointless. So we're down to 11 here.

One more note, I'm using "current pace" for scoring but I'd take such projections with a grain of salt. While, say, Jamie Langenbrunner is over a point per game pace, don't be shocked if he hits a slow patch later on. I'm just using it to illustrate how right and how wrong my earlier expectations have shown.

Lastly, I will say this prior to the jump. Please leave your thoughts on how the Devils forwards have been playing so far in the comments, as well as any criticism for stupid-in-hindsight expectations or what I say below.

Zach Parise, What I said then:

Ultimately, Parise reached such great heights in terms of production and on-ice contributions that I am hestitant to say, "Well, Zach, time to do it again." I think he can do it and he may very well do it, but to me, it's unfair to say he would have had a disappointing season if he doesn't put up 94 or more points. Not that I'll be satisfied with only 25 goals and 60 points from Parise. No, that would truly be disappointing. Parise is so talented and has such a strong work ethic that he should be expected to lead the Devils' offense. I expect him to be the team's leading scorer in 2009-10 unless Elias has a monster season not seen from him since the second half of 2005-06. And to that end, if Parise finishes with about 35 goals and 80 to 85 points, I would be pleased - and so that is what I'm expecting. Lower production from 2008-09, but not a big drop as I believe he is truly an elite forward. (And, of course, if he scores more than that, then great.)

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Zach Parise	28	15	17	32	18	8	2	1	1	0	125	12.0

What he has done so far:

Parise is currently on pace for 44 goals and 94 points! Which is just about the same production he had last season (one fewer goal, one more assist). Talk about being proven wrong. Parise is the unquestioned leader of the offense and one of the top shooters (125 currently leads the league, though that won't last) and scorers in the league. In short, he's been exceeding my expectations.

Travis Zajac, What I said then:

I'm expecting Zajac to continue to grow as player, and so I want to see him win at least 52% of his faceoffs, use his size a little better in traffic, shoot at least 180 shots on net, and put up about 25 goals and 70 points. Given his expected linemates and where he is at his career, I think that would be "the next step" in his progression.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Travis Zajac	28	9	16	25	15	10	3	0	0	0	72	12.5

While he has shifted a little bit, he's currently in line to just go over most of those expectations. Zajac has looked stronger on and off the puck, he's been the definitive #1 center on the team, and he's on pace for 26 goals and 73 points along with 211 shots on net. Just what I was looking for, with the exception of faceoffs as Zajac has only won 51.6% of his draws. Still, I can't complain as he's meeting my expectations.

Jamie Langenbrunner, What I said then:

That said, I still expect him to line up with Parise and Zajac as the Devils' first scoring line. I still expect him to be responsible defensively while going forward, as that has been his game for his career. I still expect him to lead. I still expect him to unload some big shots. And he'll do all of that and do it well, I'm sure. But what I don't expect is 29 goals and 69 points. I can't help but think just out of sheer likelihood that his 2009-10 numbers will go down to more in line with the rest of his career. If Langenbrunner can contribute about 20 goals and about 50 points along what he normally brings to the team, then I'd say I'll be pleased with his production. With respect to overall offense, I don't think it's unfair to expect about 9 more goals from the rest of the team to make up the difference.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jamie Langenbrunner	28	7	19	26	10	10	1	1	2	0	72	9.7

Can you believe it, he's on pace to have his best offensive season of his career! At age 34! The current pace calls for 26 goals and 79 points and that would be simply fantastic. Even if he slips a little bit in scoring, he'd still likely be on his way to surpassing my expectations. This is more impressive when you consider that Lemaire has shifted Langenbrunner up and down at right wing across three lines through this whole season. That Langenbrunner keeps getting points despite the changing linemates is a testament to how well he's been play. Clearly, he is exceeding my expectations.

Patrik Elias, What I said then:

Ultimately, I expect Elias to still play like he has been for his entire career. As far as what type of production to expect, I feel that if Elias can put up about 70 points next season, that would be more than fine. 65 points wouldn't be too bad, but I expect Elias to keep up his point per game rate close to 1 based on what he can do and the other factors in play. Could he repeat his 2008-09 performance? Sure! My expectations are only a little less than that.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Patrik Elias	14	3	8	11	2	8	1	0	1	0	29	10.3

Elias missed training camp, preseason, October, and some of November as he was recovering from surgery that removed scar tissue from his groin. Back in August, no fan saw this coming. So keep that in mind as well as the fact that Elias has come back in the middle of the season and play his way back into shape. Elias is currently producing at a rate of .785 points per game. Is this good enough considering the circumstances? I'm inclined to say yes. Elias is currently on pace to put up 15 goals and 54 points, but I'd like to think he'll manage to get more goals than that - his shot isn't bad at all. Moreover, if he catches on fire, then he's got an outside shot at hitting 60-65 points. I'd say in all things considered, Elias is meeting my expectations in spite of the injury.

Brian Rolston, What I said then:

He knows his teammates much better after a season in New Jersey. The new head coach knows him well and will certainly use him more to Rolston's liking. Brian Gionta is now signed with Montreal, so his former spot is really Rolston's for the taking: a right wing position on an actual scoring line, with the wondefully talented Patrik Elias. Add his own personal desire to improve, and this is an excellent situation for Rolston. If he avoids injury and meshes well with Elias and Zubrus, then a big improvement shouldn't surprise anyone. Therefore, I think it's fair to expect a big improvement. I would like Rolston to score at least 25 goals and put up at least 60 points.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Brian Rolston	27	10	6	16	0	6	5	0	3	0	92	10.9

This is curious. Rolston hasn't exactly been consistent in terms of his performances, yet here he stands as the second most prolific shooter on the team and currently on pace to put up 30 goals and 48 points. Yes, that works out to 18 assists and I doubt Rolston will finish with that few. Though I doubt many would complain if he does, in fact, put up 30 goals. He has avoided injury, he's (mostly) been on a scoring line, and he does look very good as Patrik Elias' winger in recent games. I would really like to see him put up more confident efforts more often, though. If he does, he could hit 60 points as well as 25 goals. To that end, I'd say Rolston has been exceeding my expectations for goals, but slightly below other expectations. (Yes, I'm hedging here, so what, they're my expectations, I can do that.)

Dainius Zubrus, What I said then:

So what to expect? If Zubrus does stay on at center on the second line, then I would like to see him win at least 51% of his faceoffs to start. In terms of points, this is tricky as those two seasons right after the lockout are the only times Zubrus has had more than 20 goals and 55 points in a season. All the same, I would like to see him improve over his production from last season. So I'm expecting about 17 goals and about 30 assists. Truth be told, I'd want him to break 50 points, I want him to score 20 goals, but I'm not really seeing any reason to believe that he will next season.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dainius Zubrus	20	2	5	7	-1	10	0	0	2	0	33	6.1

The recent injury to Zubrus really hinders what he could be doing throughout the season. That just adds to the confusion surrounding Big Z. Has he been useful in the run of play? Yes. Has he shown a little versatility playing among the various non-first lines? Sure. But is he meeting my expectations of him in terms of points? No. Again, the injury leaves Zubrus out for likely all of December and some of January, so he's going to miss 15-20 more games on top of the 8 he's already missed. That alone will hurt his chances of hitting 17 goals and 30 assists. Yet, at his current pace, he wouldn't come close to those values. He wasn't even winning 50% of his faceoffs (he's at 49.2%). I don't like writing this because I really do think he brings value to the team, but Zubrus was playing below my stated expectations so far prior to injury.

David Clarkson, What I said then:

Since I hope and expect Clarkson to cut down on his penalties in minutes and improve his defense, I think Lemaire will be forced to give him more ice time based on his performances alone. I would think that if Lemaire can utilize Clarkson for 14-15 minutes a night, then that alone should see his point totals rise.

According to HockeyDB, it took Randy McKay 10 full seasons of pro hockey before he exceeding 20 goals and 40 points (24 goals, 48 points in 1996-97). I honestly think that Clarkson can raise his game to do that next season - his fifth in pro hockey. Given what I've stated so far, I expect Clarkson to finish with about 20 goals and 40 points in 2009-10.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - David Clarkson	23	7	8	15	1	39	3	0	2	0	65	10.8

I really wish he wasn't injured because that just stunts his production. Prior to the injury, I would have said that Clarkson has been playing well above expectations. He's been shuttled between the second, third, and fourth lines, and yet he provides solid production along with toughness (read: hits, PIMs) and all on an average of 15:08 per game. He's been getting the minutes I hoped Lemaire would give him and he hasn't disappointed. It'll be interesting to see how he and Zubrus play after their injuries. Zubrus wasn't on pace for my expectations, whereas Clarkson was on pace for 25 goals and 28 assists prior to his injury. Clarkson was exceeding my expectations then, and I certainly hope he can return to this form when he does recover.

Rod Pelley, What I said then:

Despite the spot he's going to fill in [third line center], I don't think it's fair to really expect a lot from him this season and so I won't. While he's not technically a rookie, he's still relatively new to the NHL and he's coming up after a full season spent in Lowell. It's like he is a rookie, in my view. He's a defensive forward so he isn't going to score a lot - that has to be considered as well. In terms of the latter, I would be more than pleased with any contribution he gives - perhaps 10 goals and 20 points at the most. On the defensive side, I'd like to see Pelley win close to half of his faceoffs, avoid taking penalties (less than 60, he had 78 with Lowell last season), and keep up with the opposition. It doesn't sound like much, but again, I'm keeping the expectations low since there isn't much to go on with Pelley. One thing is for sure, I certainly don't expect him to be the next Madden - it really is a lot to ask of a young player.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Rod Pelley	25	0	2	2	-6	16	0	0	0	0	27	0.0

The Devils never placed Pelley as the team's third line center. Right before the season started, the Devils signed Rob Niedermayer to a deal and gave him the spot. During the season, the Devils signed Dean McAmmond as additional depth (which was an important move in retrospect) and called up Tim Sestito, who actually played ahead of Pelley or in place of Pelley. Not only was a he a fourth line center, but he was scratched for a few games. Since being scratched, Pelley has played with a lot more vigor recently (now has 35 hits, 7:30 ice time) and without taking too many penalty minutes (currently on pace for 50 or so). However, he's not going to hit these expected numbers on his current line. He's just not producing, though that may change if the recent fourth line play keeps up their good work. I think this is fine considering the circumstances, but I misplaced my expectations on Pelley since I assumed back in August that he would be replacing John Madden's spot on the third line.

Jay Pandolfo, What I said then:

Let's be frank here, Pandolfo is not and will not be an offensive force. He's not going to be significant producer of points, he never has been, and it's foolish to expect him to do so now. If he can contribute 10 goals and 10 assists, great. If not, fine. In any case, his defensive work is his "bread and butter" and he has to do better in that department. I expect him to finish with a better goals for/against difference on the ice; contribute to a penalty kill that didn't do all that well last season (79.9% success rate, 20th best in the league); and earn his way back to 15-17 minutes on average on the third line. Basically, he needs to be a solid, competant checking forward once again.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jay Pandolfo	11	1	2	3	-1	2	0	0	0	0	17	5.9

Like other Devils forwards, the injuries hurt his production. However, we are talking about Jay Pandolfo and his current production pace (I believe it is about 6 goals and 12 assists) is perfectly acceptable considering his offensive skills. Moreover, Pandolfo has averaged 15:10 over the whole season while playing on the third line and has averaged 2:23 on a penalty killing unit that is currently ranked tied for 10th in the league. Of course, Pandolfo didn't play on said unit for 17 games, but he is back on PK duty. In fact, he immediately returned from injury to playing his normal (and expected) workload. When Pandolfo is on the ice in even strength situations, per Behind the Net, the shots against per 60 shows no change (stays at 25.1) and the goals against per 60 does increase from 1.57 to 2.64. However, Pandolfo is playing against a positive quality of competition and the lack of games does skew these numbers from Behind the Net. Still, I would say that Pandolfo is meeting my expectations so far and I'm glad to see that after such a poor 2008-09 season from the checking left winger.

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, What I said then:

Leblond is an OK skater, he can bring "energy" into a lethargic game, and he likes to be physical and aggressive. He's also not a scorer by any means and so all we can really expect from the player is hits and plenty of penalty minutes. Since I want - and expect - David Clarkson to fight less, Leblond should be more than able to replace him in that role. That is, when he actually plays. Given that Leblond is not going to develop into an offensive or defensive contributor, there's going to be some games where the Devils really don't need an enforcer to play 4-7 minutes and/or spend 5 minutes in a box.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond	7	0	0	0	-3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.0

What has Leblond done so far this season? Not much of anything really. When Andrew Peters has been getting more games than you, it's a sign that the season isn't going so well. Though to be fair, I'll say that while Leblond has not met my expectations, he has not earned a chance to stay on the roster.

Ilkka Pikkarainen, What I said then (thanks to HIFK supporter Patrik Sjögren):

So what to expect? Well, from what I read, it's a real mixed bag here. Physical/agitating play, a hard shot, and damaging on-ice discipline issues really seem to be the traits that stick out from what Patrik has seen in 3 years of the player. Hopefully, only those first two traits stick out in preseason as he competes for a spot. Even then, I would still pencil him in only for a fourth line position. But I'm a little less enthused about him, to say the least! Still, let's see what he does in preseason before bemoaning the signing.

What he has done so far:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ilkka Pikkarainen	18	0	1	1	-4	8	0	0	0	0	11	0.0

Pikkarainen was known for being an agitator and has he done that? Well, not quite. He was the right wing for an ineffective fourth line and wasn't doing much like Peters and Pelley. It wasn't until recently where something must have clicked in Pikkarainen's head. Maybe it was the injury to Clarkson, leading him to think he needs to step up with the grit? Maybe the coaching staff had a talk with him? Maybe something else? Whatever it is, he's been playing more like a physical fourth liner recently along with Pelley. Not as much as an agitator, as I'm pretty sure he drew exactly one call this season. There's more energy in his gliding, he's stepped up his hitting (now at 30), and he has been good about staying out the box/keeping "Evil Ilkka" from showing himself. If he keeps this up, then I'd be fine with the way he plays. But overall, I must say that Pikkarainen has not met my expectations for a physical/agitating fourth liner until recently.

Overall

I must say, even with my arbitrarily defined expectations, a good number of the Devils forwards are either meeting them or exceeding them. Most importantly, those who are doing that are the top forwards on the team: Parise, Zajac, Langenbrunner, Elias, Clarkson (pre-injury), and Rolston (in goals only). I'm very glad to be wrong on my expectations for Parise and Langenbrunner, in particular. They are having just excellent seasons. I'd like to see the bottom 6 do a bit more (as well as Zubrus), but their chances are limited mainly due to the fine play of the additional forwards that made the team after these expectation posts were written.

Let me know what you think of all of this in the comments. Thursday or Saturday, I'll go through the defensemen and goaltenders (hint: Martin Brodeur still rules, but only meets my expectations since I expected him to be great.)

The New Jersey Devils: November 2009 in Review

John Fischer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:15 -0000

by Adrian Wyld - AP

New Jersey Devils left wing Zach Parise scoring one of his 9 November goals. This one came against Pascal Leclaire and the Ottawa Senators from November 7, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Adrian Wyld)

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In recent seasons, the month of November has been very kind to the New Jersey Devils. November 2009 proved to be no different. The New Jersey Devils finished the month with a 9-2-1 record. 9-2-1. Let that sink in for a moment. 19 points in 12 games and finishing only a point behind Pittsburgh with 3 games in hand is nothing to sneeze at. The Devils vastly improved their home record by going 6-0-0 at the Rock, compared with 1-4-0 last month. The road winning streak continued into the middle of the month, before a three game winless road trip, leaving the road record at only 3-2-1. I can't complain, as I felt only 14 points would have been expected back at the beginning of November.

To think, all of this has been done with more Devils seemingly getting injured. Jay Pandolfo, Paul Martin, and Johnny Oduya missed the entire month. During November, the list grew to include Rob Niedermayer, Dainius Zubrus, and most recently David Clarkson. The only Devil to really come back from injury was Patrik Elias, who ended the month showing off why he's still to be seen as an elite winger. Yet, the Devils kept on rolling to win games. It didn't matter if they gave up the first or second goal on most nights, they found a way to defeat (and in two cases, blow out) their opponent. Why? The Devils' top players are playing at a high level, the various called up players and those lower on the depth chart have taken the opportunities available to show off what they can do, and Jacques Lemaire and the coaching staff have done an excellent job of holding the team together.

We can only imagine how good this team will be at full health. A frightening prospect for the rest of the league because November proved that they are a very good team right now.

The Month in Review

The month of November couldn't have started any better for the Devils. Not that every game favored the Devils, but winning the month's first 6 games (an 8 game winning streak overall) was definitely a sign of a team doing something right. The Devils opened up the month by finally getting their then-second win at the Rock in a 3-2 defeat of the Washington Capitals. In every one of these wins, it seemed the Devils got it done in some different way. The Devils tried to crack Martin Biron; but it was long shots from Brian Rolston and Cory Murphy which got past him en route to a 2-1 win. The next night the Devils power play uncharacteristically carried the team to victory with 3 goals to defeat Ottawa 3-2. Against Anaheim, the Devils scored first and then responded to the equalizer with a two-goal lead to win 3-1 and take the home record to 4-4. The Devils looked poor to start in Pittsburgh, but then responded with 4 unanswered goals to win 4-1. The Devils allowed the first two goals against the Washington Capitals on their first two shots, and then dismantled them at the Rock to win 5-2. The Devils were hot and now the home record was finally above .500.

Things were great. Even when it looked bad, you knew that the Devils could pull out a win. Down by 1? Down by 2? Tie game? Someone or some unit will step up to shift momentum back to the Devils and then finish the necessary plays to take the game. Could the Devils make NHL history with 10 straight road wins? Could they extend their winning streak to 9 games or more?

In a word, no. In Philadelphia, the start of a three game road trip, the Flyers had all the answers to New Jersey's plans and generally outplayed them. The final score of 3-2 was close, but the action on the ice showed otherwise. The streaks were over, how would the Devils respond afterward? Not so well. They played an even game in Nashville, but fell to the Predators in their first shootout loss this season, 3-2. In Dallas, the Stars went up 3-1 after the first, Martin Brodeur replaced Yann Danis, and the Devils were able to claw back to 3-3 in the third period. It looked like the same magic seen earlier in the month was back. The Devils would come back from 2 down to win, a concept not at all foreign to the Devils or their fans. Unfortunately, the Stars had other ideas and the Devils gave up their momentum quickly to allow two third period goals. The Devils lost 5-3 to Dallas and were suddenly mired in a 3 game winless streak. Could it be, that after so many wins, the Devils were slumping? Did they come back to reality?

Thankfully, the Devils got it together with, what else, a close win over Ottawa. The Devils' all-time leading scorer tipped the puck off of Andy Greene's shot for the go-ahead goal, leading to a frustrated Senators team by the game's end. The Devils won 3-1 and the slump - short as it was - was snapped. Not that the Devils necessarily slept on it. In Boston, the Devils, somehow, managed to keep the score really close despite being dominated in terms of puck possession and scoring chances by the Bruins. Oh, wait, I know why - Martin Brodeur was massive (and set a new NHL mark for career minutes played). The Devils eventually prevailed in the shootout, winning 2-1. In the last game of the month, on the very next day, the Devils snowballed their way to a huge 6-1 win over the New York Islanders - led by the production of Brian Rolston and Patrik Elias. And so here we stand. A 3 game winning streak in response to a 3 game winless streak in the prior week.

Again, I cannot emphasize enough how the Devils succeeded in spite of losing players to injuries. Players like Dean McAmmond, Mark Fraser, and Tim Sestito have shown to be more than just "filler" players on a roster in the absence of regular Devils. All three can definitely play decent minutes at the NHL level. Young call ups like Tyler Eckford, Matthew Corrente, and most-recently Vladimir Zharkov got a taste of NHL hockey and showed promise in the limited minutes they got.

Of course, I cannot discount the return of Devils legend Patrik Elias. Finally returning from injury, he needed a few games to get back into his groove. It took him 4 games before getting any points and when he did, it was 2 assists against Philadelphia. By the end of the month, New Jersey fans are being delighted by seeing the old Patrik back. Elias now has 3 goals and 5 assists since opening his points account on November 16, most notably blowing up against the Islanders on November 28 for 2 goals and 2 assists. Glad to have you back and healthy, Patrik!

Yet, it was the top players on the team who led the way throughout the month. Where would the Devils be without the fine play of their top forwards, their top 4 defensemen, and Martin Brodeur? A place we really don't want to think about (namely, right next to the Rangers in the standings). When the team has gone 9-2-1 in a single month, lots of players look deserving for player of the month. Or at least some definite praise. Believe it or not, I think Martin Brodeur had a Devil of the Month worthy November. He went 8-2-1, gave up 18 goals in 11 games, and yielded a mind-boggling 93.9% save percentage. The NHL even named him the Second Star of the Week for giving up a mere 3 goals in the last 3 games. Yet, I think two Devils have impressed me more than that in the last month:

Devil of the Month Honorable Mention:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
November 2009 - Andy Greene	12	2	7	9	3	2	2	0	2	26:10	20	10.0

Prior to the season, I set my expectations low for Andy Greene. I figured he was going to have to fight for his spot on the team's #6 defenseman. In fact, he did, as Cory Murphy eventually started in his place. But since Murphy didn't do so well to start, Lemaire gave Greene a shot and rarely has he looked back. What's most impressive is that since the injuries to Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya, Jacques Lemaire has put his trust into Greene.

Greene's been productive while not slowing down with the ridiculous workload he's been getting. Seriously, unless I can't average time on ice, he's averaged 26 minutes a game this month. He's actually leading the blueline in Martin's absence. To think, he didn't even start the season on the team's top 6! Per the even strength numbers at Behind the Net, it's not all good with Greene - the team's shots against per 60 do rise from 24.7 to 29.5 when Greene gets on the ice. On the other hand, the goals against per 60 drop from 1.88 to 1.40 when he's on the ice; and he's the only active defenseman with a positive CORSI (1.1). So he's not shutting anyone down, but it's not But if you want an example of someone stepping up in place of injury to play out of their minds, Greene is a fantastic example. Seriously - 26 minutes on average a night in November, who DOES this?

While Greene has certainly impressed me, one player has not only been great, but consistently great for New Jersey in November. Zach Parise, you are the In Lou We Trust Devil of the Month for November 2009.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
November 2009 - Zach Parise	12	9	7	16	13	0	1	1	1	0	50	18.0

No, Parise didn't have a game where he exploded for 4 points like Elias and Rolston did against the Islanders. No, Parise didn't drop a hat trick on anyone. All Parise did in November was grabbing points. In fact, he had a point and at least 3 shots on net (at least 4 if you throw out the Nashville game) in every game in this past month with one exception - the Devils' 2-1 win on November 6 against the Islanders. That was the only game where Parise was held to very little. In every other game (11 out of 12, in case you forgot), Parise had a hand in the scoring, somehow and in someway.

In total, Parise managed to score 9 goals, 7 assists, put 50 shots on net (A shooting percentage of 18%!!), take exactly 0 penalty minutes (!!!), and played an average of 21:30. When I said the Devils keep on succeeding because their top players are playing at a high level, Parise's November is a good as example as you can find. He's expected to be the team's offensive leader. He's expected to produce on a regular basis. Parise is doing that and taking more minutes and showing no drop off to his game. He's hustling just as well with Travis Zajac as he does when double shifted to the fourth line. He's more than willing to jam pucks in front of the net to score as he is on breakaways like this one against Washington from November 14 (which turned out to be the game winner):

And I didn't even mention that he's got a point streak that's 10 games long and still going strong.

Zach Parise leads the Devils and all Americans in the NHL in the scoring with 15 goals and 15 assists; and it doesn't look like anything is going to stop him. Especially with the roster being in flux due to injuries, Parise's consistent scoring is even more valuable. More so, when you consider he can easily continue to play this well. For that, I feel he is more than deserving to be the In Lou We Trust Devil of the Month.

Zach Parise

#9 / Left Wing / New Jersey Devils

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 28, 1984

November 2009 Devil of the Month

Monthly Stats: 12 GP, 9 G, 7 A, +13, 0 PIM, 50 SOG

2010 Olympics Preview: New Jersey Devils

John Fischer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:00:13 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

Where will you see Martin Brodeur, Jamie Langenbrunner, and Zach Parise in mid-February 2010? In Vancouver, representing their country. Though, they won't be celebrating together. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

View full size photo »

As you may or may not be aware, the 2010 Winter Olympics are coming up in less than 3 and a half months. By the end of December, all of the nations will have announced their men's ice hockey rosters. The NHL is taking part in this year's games, so expect all the top nations to be loaded with talent. Therefore, each blog on SB Nation Hockey is listing who on their team is likely to represent their nation in Vancouver. You can find the other team previews in this updated story stream.

The New Jersey Devils have more than a few Olympic hopefuls and so I'm taking a stab at categorizing their chances of representing their nation. Some are definite locks, others are more of a long shot. I'll be using the same template the other SBN-Hockey blogs, which is the same template Yanks Abroad uses for their excellent 23 Tickets feature. Read on to see which Devils I think you'll see in Vancouver and which ones need to play really well to make their case. Feel free to comment on the players listed, yell at me if I missed anyone or put them in the wrong place, or discuss the Olympics in general.

PACK YOUR BAGS, VANCOUVER AWAITS!

Zach Parise, LW, USA

Let's see, top ten NHL scorer, former Gold medal winner for USA from the 2004 World Junior Championships, MVP of the 2004 WJCs, consistently played for USA in the WCs, and the Olympics are being played on a NHL surface. The question shouldn't be whether Parise will be on the team; but how far will he lead the American offense? He's going to be an absolute blast to watch, especially on the smaller ice surface.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Zach Parise	24	15	15	30	19	4	2	1	1	20:30	109	13.8

Martin Brodeur, G, Canada

Age really is just a number, isn't it? He went to Team Canada's evaluation camp and the story became, "Brodeur or Luongo?" Given that Brodeur has superior numbers so far, I think the answer is clear. While I'll be supporting America in this tourney, let me give a pro-tip to the Canadians about their starter. If you want to go with youth, go with Marc-Andre Fleury. If you want to be popular, go with Roberto Luongo. If you want to win the Gold, consider starting the one goaltender who has actually led Canada to win one in the last 50 years.

	GP	MIN	W	L	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Martin Brodeur	22	1318	15	6	45	2.05	603	558	.925	1

Patrik Elias, LW, Czech Republic

Elias won the Golden Stick last year for being the best Czech hockey player in the world. Surely, the Czechs wouldn't forget about him in Vancouver? Now that he's healthy, he's showing the NHL why exactly he won it. His playmaking, offensive awareness, backchecking, and a better-than-decent shot make him an important weapon up front.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Patrik Elias	10	3	7	10	3	4	1	0	1	18:47	23	13.0

NEARLY A LOCK, EXPECT TO SEE THEM IN VANCOUVER

Paul Martin, D, USA

Martin has been out with a significant injury for most of the past month, he'll likely not be back to playing until the middle of December. Prior to the injury, Martin has looked good - taking on big minutes (09-10 average: 23:57) and keeping himself (and his positioning) calm in the final minute as well as he does in the first minute. Brian Burke said the injury wouldn't hurt Paul Martin's chances for representing America, per Tom Gulitti. Considering he can handle 24-27 minutes against top opposition regularly, this leads me to believe he'll be in Vancouver.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Paul Martin	9	0	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	23:57	9	0.0

Jamie Langenbrunner, RW, USA

Believe it or not, but the Devils captain has never represented the U.S. in the Olympics after 1998. Really. Well, if there's any time for him to have one more go at it, it's now. Langenbrunner broke out with his best offensive season last year and he's enjoying another productive year so far. Seriously, would you have expected 22 points in 24 games? I didn't. The man can play the point, join up on the rush, handle cycling down low, and even play primarly as a checking player. Langenbrunner is versatile and experienced, which are invaluable on a potentially young American roster. I think he goes.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jamie Langenbrunner	24	5	17	22	8	6	1	1	1	20:32	68	7.4

IN A BATTLE, THESE GUYS NEED TO HAVE A VERY GOOD DECEMBER

Johnny Oduya, D, Sweden

Oh, how much can change in such a short while. Prior to this season, I would have said he was nearly a lock; but then he spent the beginning of this season getting burned repeatedly. The two-way defenseman hasn't shown much in terms of offense or in defense. Instead of looking poised, he's looked nervous. I had to even raise the point about how bad he was this season. Then he gets injured. So Oduya has to get back into form and play much better than he had been at the beginning of this season. Combine that situation with Sweden potentially having 6 defensemen ready and Oduya has to prove himself all over again. Hopefully, he is able to do just that.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Johnny Oduya	11	0	0	0	-5	16	0	0	0	21:04	9	0.0

WORK TO DO, LONG SHOTS BUT NOT OUT OF CONSIDERATION

Travis Zajac, C, Canada

Nothing against Zajac. His performance in New Jersey so far has been perfectly acceptable. He's productive, he's winning faceoffs (51.9%), he can play big minutes (21:10), and he can play in all situations. However, the problem isn't with Zajac, it's with Canada. Namely, Canada is absolutely stacked at center. We're talking about a team that could have Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Brad Richards, and Patrick Marleau down the middle. Guys like Mike Richards, Rich Peverley, Ryan Getzlaf, and Paul Statsny have all made good cases, but even they are on the outside looking in (or will play as wingers). It really is just a numbers game for Zajac unless he has one amazing December. Maybe in 2014?

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Travis Zajac	24	7	15	22	13	10	3	0	0	21:10	58	12.1

Nicklas Bergfors, RW, Sweden

A few days ago, Bergfors mentioned how much he would love to represent Sweden at the Olympics according to this post by Tom Gulitti. Now, I first thought this was just a hope because, hey, Bergfors is a rookie. Surely, Sweden would have many forwards ahead of him on the depth chart. Then, I check NHL.com and find he's currently 9th among Swedish skaters in scoring and 3rd among Swedish right wingers (behind Daniel Alfredsson and Mikael Samulesson). That surprised me and now that hope doesn't seem so far-fetched. Given that Gulitti's post also notes that Sweden's head coach is trying to get Bergfors on the eligibility list, perhaps he's got a more realistic shot than I thought. Even so, I think Bergfors needs to show much more consistency in his game to be considered. Sure, it's understandable that he's not consistent, he's a rookie, after all. He truly is a long shot.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Nicklas Bergfors	24	6	10	16	3	6	3	0	2	15:33	60	10.0

MOVING UP, COULD BE CONSIDERED WITH AN AWESOME DECEMBER

Brian Rolston, LW/RW, USA

He's played for the U.S. in 2002 and 2006, he's currently 20th among American skaters in scoring, he's still got a cannon of a shot, and he's could be catching fire real soon in New Jersey. Brian Rolston, in my opinion, is even more of a long shot to make the American roster than Bergfors making Team Sweden. But if he has an amazing December, then he has to at least be in the discussion - perhaps as an reserve player in case injury strikes. I don't think he'll make Team USA but I can't say never if he's finally going to get it together in New Jersey for the next month. Mind you, that's a pretty massive "if."

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Brian Rolston	23	8	5	13	-1	4	4	0	2	18:33	80	10.0

NOTABLE DEVILS WHO WON'T BE IN VANCOUVER IN FEBRUARY

David Clarkson, RW, Canada

Does Canada really need an agitating winger who can score? Well, on the smaller ice surface and to give the team some more grit, Clarkson could be in a useful role. But Canada doesn't necessarily need to go that route and they may have other players who are just as useful for that role (e.g. Ryan Clowe). The recent injury basically puts him out of the running, however bleak it originally was.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - David Clarkson	23	7	8	15	1	39	3	0	2	15:08	65	10.8

Andy Greene & Mike Mottau, D, USA

Yes, they have both been been playing out of their minds this season. But Greene had to fight to keep his #6 spot on the team multiple times last season and even to the start of this season; and Mottau is a literal "does everything OK, but nothing really well" defenseman. I appreciate what they are doing in New Jersey, but I doubt they crack the USA lineup ahead of Martin, Brian Rafalski, Ryan Suter, Erik Johnson, James Wisniewski, Matt Carle, Jack Johnson, Ryan Whitney, Alex Goligoski, and even Joe Corvo and Jordan Lepold. I'd be honestly surprised if either makes the roster.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Andy Greene	21	3	9	12	6	4	3	0	2	23:21	25	12.0

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	ATOI	SOG	PCT
2009 - Mike Mottau	23	1	1	2	5	13	0	0	0	22:31	23	4.3

Not Considered: Matt Halischuk (CAN), Mark Fraser (CAN), Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (CAN), Andrew Peters (CAN), Bryce Salvador (CAN), Rod Pelley (CAN), Rob Niedermayer (CAN), Cory Murphy (CAN), Matthew Corrente (CAN), Yann Danis (CAN), Tyler Eckford (USA), Ilkka Pikkarainen (FIN), Jay Pandolfo (USA), Tim Sestito (USA), Dainius Zubrus (LTU), Dean McAmmond (CAN), Vladimir Zharkov (RUS).

New Jersey Devils Fall Down, Rise Up, but Finally Fall to Dallas Stars, 5-3

John Fischer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:34:58 -0000

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

Brian Rolston would go on to finish this move and beat Marty Turco for the game's first goal. The problem is, the Devils did nothing to build on it and Dallas hit back with 3 later that period. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Browse more photos »

The New Jersey Devils have just had a poor week. They got outplayed in Philly and had their winning streak broken by 3-2. The Devils and Nashville Predators played an even game, but Nashville won with the shootout. Tonight could be seen as the worst loss. Now without Dainius Zubrus, the Devils switched their line up, started Yann Danis, and got rolled 3-1 in the first period to Dallas. The Devils eventually made the comeback to tie it up at 3, but Tom Wandell stole all the momentum back and Stephane Robidas put the nail in the coffin.

The Devils did what they often did, came back from a deficit, only this time the opposition re-took the lead. The Devils lost 5-3, they are now winless in 3, and will have Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to think about what needs to be changed prior to the Senators coming to the Rock on Wednesday. NHL.com has their recap up, with links to the boxscore and other stats. Brandon Worley has a recap going at Defending Big D - check that out if you want to read about the Dallas' view of tonight's game. I guess they're ecstatic with Robidas' performance. Read on for my recap.

Where does one start with a game like this? The Devils scored first, and not only went on to not build on that Brian Rolston beauty of a goal, but they went on to concede three goals. Yann Danis had no real chance on either of them, the first coming off a deflection (Warren Peters by way of Stephane Robidas) and the latter two coming from the power play. If anything, the power play goals were more of a result of the PK units looking lost and, really, the root cause of those power plays were two really stupid penalties by David Clarkson and Tyler Eckford. Still, the Devils struck first, struck quickly, and Dallas made sure that meant little by the first intermission. Needless to say, the Stars were the better team in the first twenty minutes.

While the Devils did come back in the second period (where Brian Rolston scored from the point and the team generally looked better) and tied it up in the third period by way of a Travis Zajac power play goal, they did little to press the issue after Zajac's equalizer and the defense got too shaky at times. As a result, Dallas saw their opening and got a break when Tom Wandell was able to follow up his own shot. That not only revitalized Dallas, but it returned the Devils to their first-period mode. Stephane Robidas - who was having an amazing game - was left uncovered for the one-timer and with it being so late in the game at that point, the Devils had no real chance to get momentum back short of Marty Turco making a ridiculous error. But that wasn't happening - the Devils put 34 shots on Turco, outshooting Dallas, and the only time the goalie looked off was when he tried to the play puck. That wasn't happening, it didn't happen, and that was the game. The Devils weren't good enough in the first period and didn't build upon an equalizing goal in the third period.

There were positives in the game. Scoring the first goal was a positive. Coming from behind and taking advantage of the Stars in the second period was a positive while down 3-1. Scoring two power play goals was a positive. Brian Rolston scoring a two goals - and having a good night overall - was a positive. Andy Greene playing 26:54 and blocking 8 shots (Dallas had 23 blocked total. Yes, Greene alone accounted for nearly 25% of all blocked shots) Matthew Corrente was a positive (of sorts), playing at forward and not looking terribly out of place. Elias looked more like his old self tonight, putting up 4 shots and getting 2 assists - that's a positive. No one got injured, though Nicklas Grossman checked Zach Parise from behind into the corner boards late in the game. Given the state of the team, no injuries is definitely a positive.

But they didn't lead the Devils to a result. They got them into a situation where they could have earned a point or even two of them, only for the Stars to take the game right back into their favor.

Yet, I question some of the decisions made by the Devils tonight. Not just on-ice decisions like the penalties the Devils took, but also in how they were used. The lines were jumbled up so much, we actually saw a shift of Zach Parise with Tim Sestito and Matthew Corrente. We saw Elias at center after all, but not Corrente as a defender. Despite 7 defensemen on the roster, we saw the same four defenders get the same amount of minutes again, and I think they're honestly starting to get tired more often - the workload could be getting to them. Danis had little chance on any of the 3 goals given up, I'm not sure why Lemaire felt he had to replace him with Martin Brodeur after the first.

Most of all, I'm not sure why the Devils didn't adjust for Dallas' top players. Mike Ribiero and Brad Richards had fantastic nights and were able to make slick passes all night long. Richards had a hand on 4 of Dallas' goals, so why wasn't he tightly checked? Stephane Robidas had a (Pierre McGuire-worthy) MONSTER night with 2 goals and 2 assists, 22:38 of ice time, 8 hits (I think the scorekeeper was generous with the hits, Dallas was credited with 62), and four shots on goal. Given the first and second goals scored, you can say that every one of Robidas' shots on net led to a goal if it didn't go in on its own. Couldn't Lemaire have just told the team, especially after a three-point first period, to have someone always smother him when he's on the point?

But what's done is done. Now the larger question is whether we should be really worried as Devils fans. After all, the injuries are looking to take their toll. On the other hand, that the Devils were able to tie this game up and yet give it right back is not just disappointing, but inexcusable. The Devils honestly looked like they were a team looking for the win, especially after the second period and the Travis Zajac's power play goal in the third. But they got sloppy in their own end and Tom Wandell sucked the life right back into the home team. It doesn't matter how depleted the roster may be, allowing to let momentum slip away after working so hard to tie the game up is just not acceptable.

Inconsistent play often leads to losses. The Devils certainly weren't great in the first period or in the last 11 minutes of the third period. Lo and behold, that's when Dallas struck. Not that the Stars were consistent, but they weren't as inconsistent as the Devils were. Not in terms of length of time or the severity of the inconsistency.

I'll update this with an embedded video of all the highlights from NHL.com as soon as it appears. Check out Defending Big D for the Dallas fan's view of the game. Surely they must be pleased, especially with Stephane Robidas. Feel free to leave your thoughts, questions (e.g. Why is Andrew Peters on this roster if he's only getting 3 shifts?), complaints (I'm sure you'll have a few), and other messages about tonight's game in the comments. As usual, thanks for reading.

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Nov 21

TibbsBeastoftheEast — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:03:21 -0000

Kneecap shelves Zubrus 4-6 weeks - (The Bergen Record)
Gulitti: Lemaire has Devils' attention - (The Bergen Record)

Up next: Devils at Stars - (The Bergen Record)
NJ Devils center Dainius Zubrus out 4-6 weeks with fractured patella; will undergo surgery - (The Star Ledger)
Zach Parise tied NJ Devils record with goals in six straight games - (The Star Ledger)
Devils to honor slain detective - (The New York Post)
Tracking the Zach Attack - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Zubrus out 4-6 weeks - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Stats - (Yahoo NHL)
Standings - (Yahoo NHL)
Devils Team Report - (Yahoo NHL)
Scouting the enemy _ New Jersey - (Dallas Morning News)
New Jersey Devils at Dallas Stars preview - (Dallas Morning News)
Parise Aims To Score In Seventh Straight Game As Devils Visit Stars - (FoxReno.com)
Red's Notebook - (The Gazette); Jamie Langenbrunner
Devils-Stars Preview - (CBSSports.com)
Devils Giving The Kids a Chance - (Bleacher Report)
Gameday Preview: New Jersey Devil @ Dallas Stars (7:00pm CST) - (Defending Big D)

LOWELL DEVILS
Devils Edge Admirals, 2-1 - (LowellDevilsHockey.com)

TRENTON DEVILS
K-Wings Shutout T-Devils, 5-0 - (TrentonDevils.com)
Bill Clement Radio Show to Feature Trenton Devils - (TrentonDevils.com)

AROUND THE NHL
A look at some numbers at the quarter mark - (NHL.com)
Thrills, spills mark season's quarter pole - (CBSSports.com)

MISCELLANEOUS
Sympathy for the former Devil - (The Gazette)
Scott Niedermayer's friendly gesture prompts fight - (Los Angeles Times); saw that last night...Stupid!

Two More to the IR: Dainius Zubrus Out 4-6 Weeks with Leg Injury, Ilkka Pikkarainen Sick

John Fischer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:59:40 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

According to Tom Gulitti, Dainius Zubrus is out 4-6 weeks with an injury to his right leg. Above, Zubrus scored the game winning goal in Boston back on October 29. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Browse more photos »

Tom Gulitti is in Dallas and he had more injuries to report: Dainius Zubrus is out for 4-6 weeks with an injury to his right leg and Ilkka Pikkarainen has been retroactively placed on IR due to being ill. This is confirmed by the Devils' official site.

Not to cause speculation, but given that Dainius Zubrus went down (and out shortly thereafter) yesterday's game after blocking a slap shot to his right leg and the length of time he'll be out, I wonder if it's a fracture? Per Gulitti's report, the shot cracked his shin guard so it wouldn't surprise me at all. Regardless of the true nature of Zubrus' injury and how ill Pikkarainen has been, here's the current injury list for the team:

New Jersey Devils Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Dainius Zubrus	leg	11/20/2009
Ilkka Pikkarainen	other-illness	11/20/2009
Rob Niedermayer	"upper body injury"	11/05/2009
Paul Martin	arm	10/26/2009
Jay Pandolfo	shoulder	10/26/2009
Johnny Oduya	groin	10/30/2009

In other words, the Devils' top two defensemen; their best checking center; their best checking left winger; their #2 center; and a fourth line winger are all now on the injured list - and with no clear idea of when they'll return.

So far, the Devils have done well in spite of the injuries to Martin, Oduya, Niedermayer, and Pandolfo. Plus, they got some relief to the injuries recently to help with the depth. Patrik Elias returning has been big in terms of strengthening the top half of the lineup. On defense, Andy Greene, Mike Mottau, Colin White, and Bryce Salvador stepping up with heavy minutes in Martin's and Oduya's absence. While the adjustments have been constant, the rotation of Niclas Bergfors, David Clarkson, Matt Halischuk, Brian Rolston and Jamie Langenbrunner across multiple lines has helped for the second and third lines.

Yet with Zubrus and Niedermayer out, I'm now real worried about the center position (especially on faceoffs) for New Jersey. I have no problem with Travis Zajac, but beyond him it's not at all pretty. Tim Sestito has looked decent enough in centering the third line so far; but can he be relied on for the next month and a half to improve further? The signing of Dean McAmmond now looks especially smart, and he even got a point in his first game as a Devil. Though that was one game, how will he fit in going forward? Will he center the third line or even the second? Rod Pelley has remained on the fourth line and will likely stay there.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, will Lemaire now look to Patrik Elias to center the second line if he's not confident in Dean McAmmond? The Devils have the wingers for the second line, but not the center with Zubrus out. Even though I argued against the idea multiple times in the past, he may be the only option. In fact, he is the only option if Lemaire doesn't go with McAmmond.

No offense intended to Pikkarainen, but Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond has been activated off IR per Gulitti's report and according to the Devils' site. He can take his spot on the fourth line - whenever he even gets a game.

I hope Pikkarainen feels better and I especially hope for a proper and full recovery for Zubrus' leg. As with the other injured Devils, I hope they return at full health and that no more Devils have to join them on the IR.

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Nov 20

TibbsBeastoftheEast — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:58:46 -0000

Devils notes: McAmmond skates right in - (The Bergen Record)
Rookie Eckford feels at home with Devils - (The Bergen Record)

Devils lose game, Zubrus to leg injury - (The Bergen Record)
Devils’ luck in shootouts runs out - (Fire & Ice)
Successful Devils’ debut for McAmmond; Eckford enjoys first NHL game - (Fire & Ice)
Zubrus headed back to New Jersey with right leg injury - (Fire & Ice)
Live post: Devils and Predators tied 2-2 headed to a shootout; Zubrus out with leg injury - (Fire & Ice)
Leblond placed on injured reserve, McAmmond activated - (Fire & Ice)
Youth serving Devils well so far; Murphy might be back - (Fire & Ice)
Looks like McAmmond, Eckford will make Devils’ debuts - (Fire & Ice)
Brodeur, White, Langenbrunner not skating; Arnott recalls 2000 winner - (Fire & Ice)
Devils call up Tyler Eckford from Lowell; send down Cory Murphy - (Fire & Ice)
An 'awesome' NHL debut for NJ Devils rookie Tyler Eckford - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils center Dainius Zubrus may have broken leg, will return home from road trip - (The Star Ledger)
Dainius Zubrus injured in NJ Devils' 3-2 shootout loss to Nashville Predators - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils-Nashville Predators: As they played - (The Star Ledger)
Dean McAmmond will make NJ Devils debut; Tyler Eckford gets 1st NHL game - (The Star Ledger)
Jason Arnott: I'll never forget NJ Devils Stanley Cup in 2000 - (The Star Ledger)
Nashville Predators coach: NJ Devils are 'Beast of the East' - (The Star Ledger)
Predators beat Devils in shootout - (The New York Daily News)
Devils fall in shootout - (The New York Post)
Watch Lemaire's Postgame - (Msgnetwork)
Cangy: Elias Still an X-Factor - (Msgnetwork)
Predators 3, Devils 2 FINAL SO - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
NHL Standings - (Yahoo NHL)
Devils' players stats - (Yahoo NHL)
Devils Team Report - (Yahoo NHL)
NCAA PRO-file with Brian Rolston - (NHL.com)
Waiver Wire: Devils going Greene - (CBS SportsLine.com)
Predators complete top-team sweep - (The Tennessean)
Dallas Stars Trend Of Failure on Home Ice Becoming Expected - (Bleacher Report)
Devils @ Predators, 11/19/09 - (Interchangeable Parts)

Martin Erat's shootout goal gives Nashville 3-2 win over New Jersey

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:46:45 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

27 days ago: Nashville Predators right wing Martin Erat (10), of the Czech Republic, scores on New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur (30) in the shootout of the Panthers' 3-2 win in an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Browse more photos »

Having come under heavy criticism for a lack of offensive production, Nashville Predators winger Martin Erat picked a fine time to score his first critical goal of the season, a shootout winner over Martin Brodeur that lifted the Preds to a 3-2 victory at the Sommet Center. The win, which was Nashville's fourth in a row, is their eighth in the last ten games and vaulted them over Vancouver into a tie with Detroit for 9th place in the Western Conference standings.

You can click the picture above for a photo gallery from tonight's contest, and after the jump, we've got the video highlights, a recap, and advanced even strength statistics...

This was a very encouraging game in that Nashville once again went toe-to-toe with an elite team, and not only hung with them, but came out victorious in the end. Pekka Rinne was outstanding in goal for the Preds, turning aside 26 of 28 shots in regular play and 2 of 3 shootout attempts. Rinne has now won 8 of his last 9 decisions. Martin Brodeur was equally sharp at the opposite end of the rink, with 26 saves as well, but making only 1 of 3 stops in the shootout.

Jason Arnott put the Predators in front early in the 1st on a clever play, knocking the stick of a Devils defenseman away and taking a quick swipe at the puck, slipping it through Brodeur who was clearly caught by surprise (interestingly, later in the game Arnott almost fell victim to the same trick in the Nashville end). New Jersey answered back just a few minutes later, however, as Colin White's long shot was tipped by Zach Parise for the goal. Parise was a constant menace all night, logging 24:03 of ice time and firing 7 shots on net.

The first period also saw Nashville take an uncharacteristic 3 penalties, all of which were killed off successfully. Jordin Tootoo was intent on getting under the skin of his opponents, and other than a flop to the ice when Patrik Elias shoved him (which resulted in coincidental minors), he did a good job of getting the Devils agitated, without comprising his team's effort at the same time.

After a scoreless second period (which did include Dainius Zubrus getting injured while blocking a Kevin Klein slap shot), the Predators took another lead on a power play goal, their third in two games. Arnott got the tally again, setting up in the slot and redirecting a feed from J.P. Dumont for the score. That lead lasted just 3:30, however, as Parise kept pace with Arnott, scoring his second goal of the game to tie it back up.

While both teams got dangerous chances down the stretch, they would head to overtime. The scariest moment for Nashville came when Dan Hamhuis, carrying the puck through the neutral zone, had to peel back to allow a teammate to avoid going offside. When he turned, he slammed right into his defense partner Cody Franson, and gave up a golden scoring chance to the Devils, but Rinne was able to make the save as Erat hustled hard to help break up the play.

In the shootout, Mike Santorelli went first for Nashville and scored (his second in two attempts this season), while David Legwand tried the infamous "Fiddler move" and missed wide of the goal. New Jerseys' Travis Zajac scored on a spin move (which was questionable, considering that shooters are supposed to keep moving forward for a valid attempt), setting up Erat for the decisive attempt. He deked, then roofed a shot over Brodeur for the winning tally, the first time all season that the Predators' highest-paid player directed a puck into an opponent's net off his own stick.

He couldn't have picked a more decisive moment to do so.

The Preds resume their home stand Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and conclude it Monday against Detroit (with a special 6:00 start). For discounted seats to those or any other home games, you can follow this link and use the special offer code "PREDS". Also, Monday's game features a special fund-raiser for the military charity Not Alone - be sure to read up on that worthy cause, and please consider making a donation.

Looking at the even-strength stats from tonight, what jumps out is that the Langenbrunner line did a pretty good job against Sullivan-Arnott-Dumont, and that the shutdown line of Ward-Legwand-Smithson did very well against Parise for New Jersey (Parise's first goal came against the Arnott line, his second came against Legwand's). Tootoo and Marcel Goc also fared well defensively. Joel Ward's six shots also bode well for a shutdown line taking the opportunity to chip in offensively as well.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	15:30	0	0	0	0	7	10	-3	11	14	-3
Steve Sullivan	L	15:24	2	0	1	0	7	8	-1	11	13	-2
J P Dumont	R	13:48	3	0	0	0	6	11	-5	8	15	-7
David Legwand	C	17:49	2	0	2	0	8	5	3	21	9	12
Jerred Smithson	R	14:11	0	1	3	0	5	3	2	16	7	9
Joel Ward	R	17:41	6	0	2	2	8	4	4	21	9	12
Martin Erat	R	15:05	2	1	0	1	6	6	0	15	11	4
Michael Santorelli	C	9:22	0	0	0	0	4	4	0	8	8	0
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:58	3	0	0	0	4	4	0	8	7	1
Marcel Goc	C	14:18	0	0	1	2	3	2	1	10	5	5
Andreas Thuresson	R	9:33	1	0	0	0	5	4	1	8	5	3
Jordin Tootoo	R	14:21	2	2	1	0	6	4	2	14	7	7
Shea Weber	D	19:53	1	1	2	2	10	9	1	23	15	8
Ryan Suter	D	19:59	0	0	2	0	11	8	3	24	14	10
Kevin Klein	D	20:19	1	2	0	2	8	6	2	18	13	5
Francis Bouillon	D	17:22	2	0	1	1	9	5	4	16	12	4
Dan Hamhuis	D	20:43	0	2	1	0	6	10	-4	14	13	1
Cody Franson	D	17:04	0	1	2	0	8	10	-2	13	13	0

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Jason Arnott, 2 goals

49 votes

J.P. Dumont, 2 assists

1 votes

Martin Erat, GW shootout goal

14 votes

Pekka Rinne, 26 saves

20 votes

84 votes | Poll has closed

New Jersey Devils Get a Point, Lose in a Shootout to the Nashville Predators, 3-2

John Fischer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:28:28 -0000

The New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators played a fairly even game in Nashville. One team would begin to get momentum, start going forward in their attack, move the puck well, and get some strong shots on net. And then the other team would stop it and begin to do the same thing themselves. Regulation and overtime was not enough, and so the shootout was necessary. Ridiculously fortunate goal aside by Travis Zajac, Michael Santorelli and Martin Erat were able to beat Martin Brodeur in the shootout to give the home team two points.

And so the Devils didn't win their second straight game, 3-2 via the shootout. NHL.com has their recap up complete with the box score and

I felt both teams earned a point at least from the way things went, which were quite even. I'm sure Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck will have a different take, seeing his team beat the top teams in each conference in each of their last two games. Continue after the jump my further thoughts on the game.

On the surface, tonight's game actually was even. Both teams put up 28 shots on net in 65 minutes. Both teams scored two goals each, as seen in the embedded highlight video from NHL.com. Both goals came from one player on each team: Zach Parise for the Devils, Jason Arnott for the Predators. Both Devils goals came within less than 5 minutes after Nashville's goals. Both Martin Brodeur and Pekka Rinne made multiple big saves, allowed one goal they had no real chance on due to a deflection, and allowed one goal where they just got fooled on and would have loved to have back.

There were some stark differences in this game. The moribund Nashville power play struck gold to start the third period with an impeccable deflection from Arnott. It wasn't just the goal that made it good, but Nashville set themselves up well in the zone, moved it around with ease, and had the Devils' PK just chasing them. A far cry from Nashville's power play in the second period where two Devils lost their sticks and they still took the puck away and cleared it. Nevertheless, the Devils' power play except for maybe their first one never looked as good as the one Nashville had to start the third period. Oh, and they scored on that power play (caused by a Tyler Eckford hook after a scoring chance where Brodeur robbed Jordin Tootoo - as an aside, Eckford didn't look so bad in his first game and got 3 blocks in less than 10 minutes; but that was an unfortunate penalty to take).

Another big difference was in shot efficiency. According to the Event Summary of the game, the Devils had 28 shots on net, had 11 attempts blocked, and missed the net 8 times. That's not bad, perhaps the Devils should have been more aggressive in putting rubber on Pekka Rinne. But it's far more efficient than Nashville. While they got 28 shots on net, they were blocked 16 times and missed the net 18 times. The Predators had 34 shot attempts that never got to the net and that's definitely not what you'd like to see. When the total of attempts blocked and missed shots outnumber shots on goal, that's not good at all. It speaks well to the Devils' team defense being able to at least recover/adjust/maintain their positioning and prevent Nashville players from getting clear shots at Brodeur.

A third difference was in the forecheck. The Devils didn't sit back tonight, only that I felt they weren't nearly as effective as the Predators at it. The big supporting example is how that surprising first goal was created by Nashville. Jason Arnott just made something happen by going after the puck regardless of who had it - exactly what you hope to happen when pressing an opposition in their own end. Overall, in terms of forecheckers, I was impressed with Nashville's Joel Ward. Ward was all over the place in going after Devils defenders, put up 6 shots on net (1 blocked, 2 missed), and came very, very close to ending it in overtime when he won the puck back in the Devils' end and took it near post (Brodeur was solid on the post, of course). While the forecheck didn't necessarily lead to more shots - as seen by the number of blocks and misses, good work by the Devils defense for making it difficult - they were able to sustain their offense more effectively.

Lastly in terms of differences, the Devils suffered an important injury whereas Nashville did not. Dainius Zubrus blocked a slap shot from the point in the second period with his leg and he went down right afterwards. He got up, blocked another shot inadvertantly, and went right to the bench. On the TV broadcast, Steve Cangelosi noted in between the second and third periods that he would not be returning. I felt he was missed on the ice. The Devils were pounded on faceoffs, winning only 43% of them; and it forced Lemaire to shorten his bench and double shift players far earlier than he's used to. Granted, the adjustment of moving Dean McAmmond into a center from a fourth line winger worked, as he earned his first point as a Devil. And, yes, Zubrus lost the 5 faceoffs he did take before his injury. Still, Big Z could have improved earlier and made an impact within the contest with his puck possession skills and his size in the corners and in the slot.

Hopefully, the injury will not be serious and he'll be back soon because I'm not exactly enthused about a center line up of Zajac, McAmmond, Sestito, Pelley. According to this Tom Gulitti post game post, Zubrus won't be going to Dallas and he'll have his right leg checked out further tomorrow. Gulitti noted in that same post that Zubrus while he was wearing a brace; but he was able to walk with it. I'm hoping that's a positive sign.

In any case, I think the Devils earned their point tonight and that isn't terrible. Given that they lost in the shootout, it wasn't as if they were played off the ice or looked terrible overall. Perhaps the shootout could have gone either way. They could have been more consistent with good shifts at a minimum. I get it, but again, I felt this was an even game overall between the two teams.

But to the team - and I'm confident Jacques Lemaire will make this point - the result isn't all that acceptable. Regardless of how, the fact is that the Devils didn't win. The Devils didn't respond to their first loss since the end of October with a proper result. They are now winless in two and so the pressure to win Saturday's game will likely be increased. The team will do well to not get down on themselves and work on being more consistent in their play. I don't think it's time to panic at all, but another loss would certainly starting creating concerns, regardless of how justified they may be.

Thanks for reading and I thank all the readers and commenters in Steve's GameThread. Please leave all your comments about tonight's game here.

New Jersey Devils Come Back with Five Unanswered Goals to Defeat Washington Capitals 5-2

John Fischer — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:21:53 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Washington Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore looked behind into his own net many times tonight. Five to be exact. Dainius Zubrus only saw two goals go in on the ice, both while up front. Nice view (this goal was the Colin White goal). (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Browse more photos »

Eight straight wins. Four straight home wins. Three straight over the Washington Capitals this season. The second win against the Capitals where the Devils came from a two goal deficit to win. 1,000 overall victories for the franchise. The team's first game scoring five goals this season; all from five different players and all of them were unanswered.

No matter how you slice it, tonight's 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals had many meanings. NHL.com has their recap up complete with the box score and additional stats. An embedded video of the highlights of this game are after the jump and it is a must-see. All five New Jersey goals were absolutely wonderful goals.

And they were important goals too. Despite the score, the play of the two teams was close from where I saw. I'd love to say this was a blowout. I'd love to say that the Devils dominated. But I really don't think they did. The Caps fans are understandably unhappy about how tonight went, especially after a quick-fire double on their first two shots of the game. Becca H's recap at Japers' Rink sums up the disappointment well. After the jump, I'll offer my thoughts on what I saw in tonight's game that will hopefully explain my feelings about the game.

First, watch this video.

In a way, the highlights tell the story of the game. Did the Devils dominate in puck possession, as I hoped for in today's game preview? No. They had their good shifts on offense - even some down right great ones. But overall I'd say the Capitals were better overall in terms of moving the puck up on the attack. That partially explains why the Capitals outshot the Devils 29-23 and enjoyed so much time on the attack.

Another partial explanation would be the Devils defense itself. They were inconsistent with respect to their clearances and plays on the puck. On some plays, they were excellent - stopping a Caps attack stone dead with a block or a takeaway with a proper pass up-ice. On others, they gave the puck right back to the Capitals, made an errant pass to a Devil in the neutral zone that led to another Capitals attack, or let a big juicy rebound go right to a Capital. I'm not saying the defense was awful; they had their usual solid moments; but they didn't look as solid as often as they have been in recent games.

So how did the Devils make this win happen while the Caps floundered? The old cliche of finishing their chances.

See, the Capitals got off to a quick start with two one-timers. One on a power play from a Matt Halischuk trip that I felt wasn't much of one. Tomas Fleischmann was the open man on the flank, the Capitals moved the puck especially well on their PP, and he applied the right shot. Shortly thereafter, Mike Green fires another one-timer from the high slot, tipped by Mathieu Perreault for a 2-0 Caps lead. And that was it from the Caps.

Later on in the game, the Capitals had some absolutely glorious scoring chances in the second period. Even when tied at 2 or down 3-2, the Capitals were able to get loose with the puck to fire a hard shot or get a rebound right at their sticks. Yet, Martin Brodeur became huge on those shots, both at the first and second chance. Even when the Capitals thought they got Brodeur in a untenable position for a save, they would duff the shot wide or glance it off the post. The Capitals even had a few chances in the third - not many, but a few - and Brodeur just denied them while the Devils defenders tightened up.

The Caps moved the puck better with more accurate, simpler passes and as such got more shots and got scoring chances later in the game. Had the Caps have better finishing tonight, the score would be justifiably closer. Instead, they didn't and so Martin Brodeur has some highlight saves that are easily viewable at NHL.com - in the embedded video above.

In contrast, as you saw from the highlight video, the Devils made the most of their chances. An open shot off a feed from the point? A goal from Colin White, likely one of the few he'll have this season. An open shot above the right circle? Another goal for Jamie Langenbrunner, and from the power play as well. Turning an Alexander Semin-produced giveaway into a breakaway that just made Jose Theodore look silly? A classic goal from Zach Parise. A cross-ice pass that was unloaded to the far post from the left circle? Goal - and congratulations to Tim Sestito for his first NHL assist and to Matt Halischuk for first goal of his career. A slap shot from the point right off a faceoff? Goal - and Cory Murphy's second of the season.

All of them were just well placed shots that just made Jose Theodore look silly. And to think, it could have been much more. As you saw in the video, Brian Rolston was absolutely robbed in the first period on a cross-ice feed from Langenbrunner. As you didn't see in the video, Dainius Zubrus spun with the puck to get free from a defender and was denied by the post mid-way through the third. Later in the game, the ZZ-Elias unit nearly cashed in at the crease. The Devils not only scored 5 goals through superior finishing, but they could have had much more.

Nonetheless, all Devils fans should be pleased with the win. I'm just saying it wasn't a dominating victory. Martin Brodeur bailed out the defense on more than a few occasions. The start of the game was poor. And the Devils didn't really boss the Capitals around in terms of puck possession.

Yet, when the Devils were down 2-0, it didn't bother them - or at least, that didn't show in their play. The Colin White goal and the Brian Rolston scoring chance was huge in that it gave the Devils something to build on in the second half of the first period and afterwards. I'm sure Lemaire reminded them of the last time the Devils were down 2-0 to the Caps at some point in the game. They showed the strength of their character by looking ahead despite the deficit; that and their superior shooting rewarded them with a 3 goal second period. In a stunning contrast, the Capitals looked down and perhaps even demoralized coming out for the third period - the Matt Halischuk goal was really the nail in the coffin (I guess that makes the Cory Murphy goal the dirt over the grave?)

I cannot stress enough how important finishing on a play is. Tonight was the perfect example. Most of the Devils' 23 shots were smart shots; they gave Jose Theodore trouble and beat him five times and could have done even more. Without the finishing, this game would have been much closer than the score indicates based on the run of play. In general, we don't normally see this from the Devils - usually it's the opposite case of the Devils not being able to finish a great number of scoring chances they generate. Clearly, it's nice to see what the other side of that is.

And it took the Devils into their eighth straight win by scoring five unanswered goals, their fifth come-from-behind win in their last six games, their fourth straight at home, their third straight over Washington, and their one-thousandth franchise win. That's something no one can really complain about.

Thanks for reading and commenting in the GameThread; big thanks to Steve for taking care of that. Please leave all your thoughts and questions and such about tonight's game in the comments. Lastly, if you haven't, please watch the highlight video from NHL.com. The Devils' goals alone are worth it.