Sorry it took me a little bit to get this up, but three hours of hockey on Saturday and another four on Sunday? There was no way I was sitting in front of a PC and slaving away at this until at least Monday! But still, 9-3-3 was a decent enough month, flirting with first place and a sniff of the best record in the NHL, not bad for a team with a rookie coach and a transition defense-corps! It’s just the last few games that have left a rotten taste in people’s mouth, eh?

OFFENSE

Patrik Elias:
Only three goals, but 11 assists! As my friend says, “if you’re getting assists, someone is scoring the effing goals!” And while he had seven 0/0 nights (my new term for guys who need to score and end up empty on the score sheet), not too many of them were in a row. That’s the consistency and results we’re going to need from Patrik, more so now with it looking like this Elias/Parise/Langs line is set in stone as our running top line for this while, though if (or when?) the line gets bottled up when (or if?) the defense can’t get the puck out of their end, we are totally in trouble.
Grade: A

Travis Zajac:
A steady, but not spectacular month here (shots on goal in all but three games is a good sign) and seems to be at home with Zubrus and Gionta on the second line. A little short on points, but a good chunk of that blame is gonna be at Zubrus’ feet. For what they paid him, he’s given miserable at best results, but let’s save that for Zubbie’s assessment. Travis has been decent enough.
Grade: B-

Brian Gionta:
Seemed to have stepped up his game this month and more importantly for Gio, he’s been getting his nose dirty, actually playing like that midget power forward we all grew to know and love. Needs better numbers then four goals, six assists (though he has our last two goals, how sad that spans three games). I like the turnaround in him and even (oddly) scarier that this team is on pace for four 25-goal scorers (and more weird that you can have that and still have scoring issues. Go figure.) I liked a lot what I saw this month, which is the first time in a long time I’ve said that. I also admit I like yelling, “YOU MUST BE THIS TALL TO PASS” at him at home games!
Grade: B+

Zach Parise:
Seven goals and four assists, but like the rest of the team, he was really good in the middle of the month, not so good otherwise. A bit too many 0/0 nights. Five games in a row with a goal is nice and he seems to have a bit of his step back, but he’s followed that up for four 0/0 nights (as well as four before them also), so I guess I’ll be nicer than last month, but the pressure is on Zach and the other top six to carry this team.
Grade: B

Sergei Brylin:
He’s gotten better since being taken off the fourth line To be fair though, his style of play does not match up with the Clarkson/Rupp/Asham style on the fourth line, and I think that hurt him a little this year. Regardless, the skills are still eroding. He doesn’t have the wheels to be on the checking line, not enough firepower to be on the top two lines, and can’t bang and crash on the fourth line, though it seems to be the best place for now with Madden and Pandolfo.
Grade: C+ (I admit he’s improved but I don’t know if he has any more and we need some more)

Dainius Zubrus:
$3 million plus for one goal and five assists!!?!?! Can’t say that he’s really done anything to be all that impressive, but the line of him, Zajac, and Gionta is clicking. He’s the digger, Travis is the passer and since Gio only knows how to shoot, might as well use him as a shooter. Zubbie’s offensive numbers are depressing and I can’t say much good about him either. It’s no longer chanting “Zubbbbrrrisss.” It’s now become “BOOOOOO!”
Grade: C-

Jamie Langenbrunner:
Another good month here with three goals and 11 assists, and playing at the level you’ve grown to expect. Only one minus game in the entire month; if we had a team of Langenbrunners (well, at least on defense), victory would always be ours!!! Wow, talk about a movie idea! Screw Army of Darkness, Army of Jamies is where it’s at! Anyway, take all the good shit I keep saying about him and repeat it.
Grade: A-

Jay Pandolfo:
Well, well, well — look what the cat dragged off IR! And he came back just about on the pace he was on early in the year. Three goals, four assists in the month and has added a spark to the penalty kill (though power play goals against have killed the boys in the last week). Skating at a plus-three for the month on the checking line no less, Pandolfo has had a solid February.
Grade: B+

John Madden:
If you had told me that in March, Patrik Elias and John Madden would be neck and neck in goals, I’d have asked you how badly hurt had Elias been? But no, Madden’s really been this good this year, and February was no exception: plus-five overall, scoring, the only reliable face off guy on the team. Oh and he’s not even wasting good slap shots at the coach this year! There’s really very little to complain about in Madden’s game so I’m not going to even try ’cause that would be damn silly when I have many other people to pick apart!
Grade: A

Aaron Asham:
Eh, whatever-man is still a lot of that. He did have the game of his life in Ottawa this month (and denied the Gordie Howe Hat-Trick by a goal given to him that looked like it was Madden’s, hey, whatever dude). Two fights this month to boot. I just kind of hope he’s saving some juice for the playoffs, and he might be doing just that. As long as he can make the best out of his five-to-eight minutes of playing time a night, we’re fine. But for CHRIST’S SAKE, DO NOT BE ON THE ICE WHEN THE OTHER TEAM’S TALENT IS THERE!
Grade: C

Mike Rupp:
I think I figured out why I detest Rupp so much: he’s like a Special Ed Student when it comes to handling the puck in offensive scenarios, or when his line is out against a unit of talent and it’s a big slow anchor weighing down our defense. But, I have to deal with the fact that in a salary capped world, the fourth line is going to be either stiffs or prospects. This ain’t no prospect folks, though he did have an assist in February. Hooray?
Grade: C-

David Clarkson:
His game has been dropping month after month at this point and you can even see it in this month’s stats: February 1-9…two goals, four assists. February 10-29: nothing. Lather, rinse, repeat. He’s even been dropped down to the Abyss, otherwise known as the fourth line. He is fighting more, but I think the fact that his jersey got ripped to shreds in my laundry machine two weeks ago is not only annoying (and pissing me off), but kind of symbolic of his decline in this month alone. He just needs to go out there and play his damn game and stop obsessing over that one toe-drag-to-stick goal he scored and just PLAY SIMPLE!!!
Grade: C-

DEFENSE

Colin White:
Colin is truly the king of the seeing-eye shot! Okay, I know I am milking the eye jokes, but he has been solid again this month. Minutes were down as Martin and Oduya were getting the prime digits, but that is a bit more of a knock on Mottau than anything else. It doesn’t look like he’ll ever be that top defenseman the Devils have hoped for years, but he’s never an embarrassment on the ice and that says a lot for an otherwise mediocre blueline for Black ‘n Red.
Grade: B

Paul Martin:
Is there any doubt that he’s our best and most important defender now? Almost always out there, gets a solid 25 minutes a night and is bringing the best out of Johnny Oduya, even chipping in offensively with eight points. Best of all, he is a sick plus-12 for February. Yeah, he’s pretty good!!
Grade: A

Johnny Oduya:
Seems to be playing to his max with Paul Martin, giving the Devils one pair of D that can really skate, move, defend and make plays (and yes he doesn’t always play up to potential, but there is no defenseman on the team that has Oduya’s skills and ability — look at that amazing Carolina goal). He’s still adding consistent offense, there’s no shock that Oduya and Martin are number one and two in defense scoring on this team. People just need to get over Johnny’s terrible first months. He is the best we’ve got, for better or worse!
Grade: A-

Andy Greene:
Not been the best of months for this guy, he spent as many games in the rafters as on the ice, but he is only 25. Okay, I admit he’s had some of the most abysmal slap shots that looked even worse Score-O attempts, but still, he has some skill. It’s going to be a matter of patience and playing the waiting game for that talent to develop. Remember, defenders take longer to prosper than forwards. Problem is, with the playoffs near and this team as hideous and limited as it is now, there’s not much time to mess around and see what he’s got. Damn shame too, I’m still high on him.
Grade: C-

Sheldon Brookbank:
Only played in five games but played impressively considering the last time he played was pretty much when WEEKES started a game. Even added a nice assist in his re-debut. He plays the body well, and unlike some dope from the Ukraine on our roster, he actually hits the player he tries to check! Sheldon could very well be our sixth defender with El Salvador.
Grade: B

Mike Mottau:
Two goals and two assists for a point man on our power play ain’t gonna cut it. He’s still kinda slow (boy it was a nightmare watching Ovechkin come down his wing cause Mikey damn near pooped his pants every time), and the minus-four for the month kinda tells ya something too. I mean, yeah, he’s okay, but not anything really special and he can be downright scary out there with Colin White. We just don’t have anything better right now.
Grade: C

Vitaly Vishnevski:
Last month I called him impossible to figure out, but it’s no mystery now: he STINKS and I don’t like him! He goes to hit people and misses and when that happens, it’s a two-on-one at LEAST. He has no offensive skills and he doesn’t know when to not pull himself away for the big dumb hit. No wonder he’s down to eighth on the defense chart! Just another victim of the Devils’ “#2 Curse” (ever notice that any defender issued #2 ends up sucking horribly?)
Grade: D

Karel Rachunek:
Scratched six games in a row. Again, it tells ya something. Added three goals on the month which pretty much sums him up. His shot is not so good, his speed is eh, but he knows when to jump in and get that cross-ice pass and one-timer, mostly on the man advantage. He just doesn’t add anything else.
Grade: C

Bryce Salvador:
I don’t know yet. Two games isn’t much of a feel, though he did have one nice diving save back on Friday. The jury is still out on him for now.
Grade: INCOMPLETE

GOALTENDING

Martin Brodeur:
Oh my God he played every game this month! What a joke. Don’t give me this crap that “we need all the points we can get.” EVERY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE needs two points every game and EVERY OTHER TEAM (NOT CALLED SAN JOSE) finds a way to play their backup goalie! And yes, Marty has been brilliant, but he’s also still let in some “what the hell” goals, albeit mostly in the middle of the month. And yeah, yeah, “best chance to win,” but I’m a 35-year-old goalie too and trust me, it hurts a lot more now then it ever did, even one or two years ago. And this crap argument of “well he just won’t practice, cause it worked for Plaxico Burress?” It just makes me violently mad!!!! But yeah, he was the shit and all the toppings in the month anyway, so…
Grade: A

Kevin Weekes:
Who? Why? Black History month?? Well sadly, this black was history this month. It’s a disgrace he doesn’t get to play ever, though I swear the Devils are convinced that Marty needs to play all the home games cause he draws fans or something. I feel bad for him. He’s so beat down, he doesn’t even try in warm-ups now. He even bought new pads to remind the coaches he’s still on the team. Poor guy.
Grade: INCOMPLETE

COACHING STAFF

Brent Sutter:
Well the line changes have stopped. Sutter’s even calling well-placed time outs to get the team re-focused, but the one thing I hated this month was the return of the 1997 “Oh my God (Ovechkin) is on the ice, EVERYONE FIRE WAGON CHANGE TO LINE UP!” and each time they did, the Caps just took the free puck and got chance after chance. This team isn’t capable enough on defense to successfully accomplish this. Alas, I just wish Brent would smile some too behind the bench. It’s okay to be a hard-ass, sure, but you gotta praise the good as well!
Grade: B

FRONT OFFICE

Well I laid off judging Lou cause there was nothing to judge. The free agent market wasn’t there, the farm team is awful (when was the last time we got ZERO players from the farm system in a year?), but I am not upset we did nothing at the deadline. Why? We lack the farm system cupboard to piss away the few bright spots we have in the system. We need our draft picks to replenish the system and Brodeur is 35, not 38, we still have some years of quality ahead, and it’s not the year to blow the load when the magic number one defender was just not on the market. So, this really was a rebuilding year, where things kind of went a bit better then expected, you know? Glad to see the front office didn’t panic and go crazy with it!
Grade: C+ (still need to retool the minor league system and NOW)

STAY TUNED FOLKS! PATRICIA WILL BE BACK LATER WITH HER SPECIAL FEATURE ENTITLED “PATRICIA AND THE CANADIAN NATION!” IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME!!

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