Well I was going to write this up last week and make it my standard old school mid-season in review… but my laptop kinda met it’s end thanks to a ditzy Hooter Girl during the Royal Rumble…. Here take this over-filled pitcher of water by your laptop… sure it won’t spill even though all I had to do is put it on the goddamn table *argh* (if anyone knows a better place to watch wrestling pay per views in the Union County Area… PLEASE save me!)… anyway, even when I was doing nightly recaps and then live updates on the websites (yes kids I was doing this crap before we had terms like “blogs” and “live caps”).. but anyway… I digress (but it is what I do best)… I got a magical half a season to review!! And I defy ANY fan in ANY sport to match the magic carpet ride the Devils have put us on from October to now… it’s been almost perfect!!!

Forwards:
#9: Zach Parise (on pace for 47g, 47a)
Wow… just look what’s been most likely the best half-season by an individual Devils player EVER… he scores… he helps.. he’s still pushing a 100-point pace, and not to mention the all time Devils goals AND points record in the process… he scores from the outside… he scores up close… he banks shit off the goalie… you name he scores 8 ways to Sunday and there’s no flaws in his game now!!
Grade: A+

#26-A: Patrik Elias (on pace for 36g, 56a)
More points now then all of LAST year, that’s a dangerous sign for the rest of the league… the focal point of the second line, and this second line puts up numbers that most of our old FIRST lines would dream of… not nearly as consistent as Parise’s been this year… but only 7 people in the league now can claim to be more….regardless welcome back to the world of the elite Patrik!!
Grade: A

#19: Travis Zajac (on pace for 25g, 44a)
Third on the team in scoring and maybe the best and most pleasant surprise on this team is that Travis has emerged as a legit #1 center.. plays physical… shows offensive skill all over… has a bit of goalpost-it is of late, but that’s ok… it doesn’t phase or slow him… and he’s starting to remind me of a young Bobby Holik… WITH a scoring touch… thank God our front office had more common sense then it’s fan base and kept this guy (I was staunchly against dealing him mind you!)
Grade: A

#15-C: Jamie Langenbrunner (on pace for 23g, 45a)
Terrible first month of the season… but as he came around you can see he was fighting an injury and really should have sat out a few games… but that’s all past now… key goals, big plays… not dragging down Zajac and Parise.. that’s been more of Langenbrunner now… still not thrilled with him at the pp point, but I will concede we have no better options at the moment, and despite that AWFUL start is on a career-high pace across the board!!! But still you gotta factor in how bad month one was still… and that hurts the overall evaluation…..
Grade: B

#14: Brian Gionta (on pace for 18g, 50a)
Goal scoring is a bit down but he’s transitioned into a more complete playmaker, and 50 assist season is not out of reach… he’s playing himself back into “gotta re-sign” status! And as long as he’s getting assists SOMEONE is getting goals off of them… he’ll never be the player he was when he got 48 goals… hell he’s a better player NOW to be honest and it’s going to be tough to keep him, but they almost gotta now….
Grade: B+ (still a touch too inconsistent in his scoring)

#8: Dainius Zubrus (on pace for 18g, 30a)
Not flashy in his stats, but he controls the puck and makes room for Gionta and Elias and adds in enough offense to justify his spot on the 1-A line like he is… playing much better this season over last… typical free agent… needs a year to settle in and get a real role on the team… and the irony of first being brought in here to replace Gomez and can’t do it… then the next year ends up replacing him ANYWAY, just with less ego behind it.. hell he’s even having a better season then the lil Speksimo! He’ll never be all-star caliber but he’s an important depth player who seems to be genuinely LIKED on the team (least from what you can tell in warmups!)
Grade: B

#23: David Clarkson (on pace for 16g, 16a)
Two points from his last year’s career highs and still in the league while Sean Avery has been exiled, kinda funny based on fashion boy’s playoff comments last year ain’t it? Growing and becoming the Randy McKay-type player I’ve seen him as from day one… he gets his knuckles dirty… the toe-drag, wrap-around, spin-a-roonie goal tries are GONE… thank the Lord and he’s become a true gritty garbage goal forward which is what he DOES BEST! A 20 goal season may not come this year or next.. but there’s definitely one or two of them in him if he keeps this up! Not to mention who’d think he’d be the top scorer with linemates of Rolston and Madden?
Grade: B+

#11-A: John Madden (on pace for 10g, 25a)
It’s amazing how the albatross of having Pando on his wing was lifted and his offense WOKE UP.. It’s not a coincidence (2g and 6a in January.. much like last year’s Madden), Madden’s play has come back to life without Pando clanking him down and this line has major chemistry for it and is even pulling his +/- out of the shitter in the process… it’s been a tough first half for him, but he is coming around I would say indeed… but you take a D start with a B finish and you get about what he was all year long….
Grade: C- (I expect this to not be the case come March 1)

#12: Brian Rolston (on pace for 16g, 14a)
The ankle injury almost made his first third of the season go in the trash… it took him a while to re-adjust and get a feel where he belonged on this team.. looks like now he finally has it (when have we had a third line as productive as Rolston-Madden-Clarkson? Been a long time right?)… still has a lot of Rip Em Wide Rolston in him…and the scoring does come and go in chunks… but being paired with Madden has opened up Madden too.. and Clarkson actually starting to play like I want him too has helped too.. sometimes chemistry >>> stats, and I think this is the case here… the goals will come maybe not at what was expected.. but you name me the free agent who signed with a new team and lit the house on fire the first year (ok.. fuck you… Gomez… but look at him NOW).. he’s not been good, but he’s not awful either and the upside is still there
Grade: C+

#20: Jay Pandolfo (on pace to be the 13th forward and sit in exile)
Oh boy has it all fallen apart for Jay in record time… signed to a fat contract and stupid years… maybe he got complacent? Maybe he’s used to being a given and being out there all the time and his lack of offense talent didn’t matter? Well guess what that doesn’t cut it on this team anymore… EVERYONE chips in and adds something… and at -8, it looks like his only highlight for this season is gonna be that 5-star short on Queen PuffyPads the night before my birthday!! Sorry Jay… it’s over bro… least for this year…go talk to Rupp about saving your career would ya??
Grade: F

#17: Mike Rupp (on pace for 5g, 10a)
I joked about him taking boxing lessons in the off-season and he should be taking hockey lessons… but let me take that back… the boxing lessons have made him a better ATHLETE… confident….attacking.. using his speed… and he even has some sort of semi-non-granite hands in front of the net… hell maybe Pando needs boxing lessons!!! This is a totally different player then he was last year, and maybe even the best #17 I’ve seen play (Petr Suckora can kiss my ass with his girly fragility and quitting on this team and it’s no coincidence that any Stanley Cup Finals he stayed conscious through his team LOST)… Rupp has a role and it’s well defined.. and he does it well… it’s still scary that he is the fastest guy on his line now!
Grade: A

#16: Bobby Holik (on pace for 6g, 6a, 70 PIM)
Needs to add a little bit more offense, takes a few too many penalties… though most are reputation calls, they don’t give less time in the box for that.. good on faceoffs, and he’s not mouthing off in the locker room… and for a 4th liner to have double digits in points… it’s been a LONG time on this team… would like more G and less PIM, but again he kinda is what he is (as much as I LOATHE that expression!)
Grade: C+

#18: Brendan Shanahan (on pace for 22g, 10a)
I know the “on pace for” is kinda absurd… but the formula is simple… goals/games played * max number of games he can play this year… so I think 10-12 is a more reasonable number more so with the start he’s had… the math IS the math.. so whatever… I have to admit I was kinda lukewarm at best with this signing (speaking of.. why do all the Scott Stevens girls HATE this guy.. HELLO… WE GOT STEVENS BECAUSE OF HIM!!!)… he’s been good at what he is… not being asked to carry anything… go out there get that shot off and don’t try to get caught in your own end too much (which is the one thing you can say about the Grumpy Old Men line… they can get backed up and it gets UGLY.. oh the pain!), but he’s doing what he was brought into for… and now there’s a scoring threat on EVERY line, so far so good!
Grade: A

Defense:
#29: Johnny Oduya (on pace for 7g, 26a)
Steady and consistent all season long, he’s been the much needed second set of wheels on the blueline that makes this team go… much like his now partner he can add offense and get the hell back on defense (even though I still feel we’re wasting our top two skaters on the same pair if they play 28 minutes a night and can do it.. it’s all good) it’s hard to find holes in his game either… and all the trendy Oduya-bashing of early last year is LONG forgotten… a key member of the defense and almost a MUST re-sign at this point! Maybe a notch below Martin’s level but that’s ok too…. They all don’t need to be on all-star level right?
Grade: A-

#7: Paul Martin (on pace for 7g, 20a)
The teams best defender bar none… can join a play, get back and stuff a breakaway, plays on the pp/pk, and wherever you need him… eats minutes and in a good way…you name he does it.. but he doesn’t get the mainstream attention because people are too fascinated with the fact this team SCORES (they totally forget from 92-94 and 2000-01 don’t they?)… but I think in a way he kinda likes being under the radar and just PLAYING and doing what he does best!
Grade: A

#5: Colin White (on pace for 2g, 20a)
On a team that is winning on turnaround and players playing above their expected levels has ANYONE been more better then Colin White this year? With as good as the offense has been this year it’s almost overlooked how GOOD the Devils top 4 have been, because there’s no “names” or “Norris Candidates” (because we will never again have an 80-point season from the blueline)… but whatever… it’s good and it’s working and Colin working the GOOD eye is a BIG reason why! Not to mention he’s making a career-high type push in points even… just another thing to feel good about on this team this year!
Grade: A

#27: Mike Mottau (on pace for 2g, 17a)
10 points and a plus 18 is a LEAP in improvement over last year… and it’s funny that as bad and slow he and White looked last year, it’s gotten better this year (I’m still not in love with the combo and if I had my druthers, I’d like to see Martin/Salvador, Oduya/White, Mottau/Green since I like mobile/steady as my combos, but it’s working so whatever).. assisted in the funniest goal of the year off Bobby Holk’s face, but like most of this team is leaps and bounds better this year then last. I still worry about him defending speed lines, but the coach knows what he’s doing, and it’s a nitpick at this point.
Grade: B

#6: Andy Greene (on pace for 2g, 14a)
He was going so well until he broke his hand… it’s kinda not a good sign for him… his confidence is a tad fragile it seems… after starting the year on a TEAR, he only has two points since coming back from his hand injury…he’s 26 and it does take time for defenders to grow and develop usually (look at Jay Leach)… he needs to get better but I still think he can… also not as terrible as people like to make him, the problem is this team is rolling so well and people need a limping dog to kick and that’s poor Andy
Grade: C-

#24: Bryce Salvador (on pace for 3g, 10a)
You’ve gotten exactly what you expected from him this year… he’s also been healthy more often then not, so that too is a plus… solid, steady relable… hits, fights and scores a little too… if he was here since day one of his career he’d be a more offensive Ken Daneyko who can play in the post-lockout era, nothing to complain about here!
Grade: B+

#28: Jay Leach (on pace to be stuck as the 7th D)
I like this guy.. I wanna call him a kid but he’s almost 30, he’s steady… he doesn’t make mistakes… he sticks up for his teammates and he played well with whoever his defense partner is. Unlike the next guy I talk about you feel ok with him on the ice… he’s not gonna add offense but SO WHAT? What he brings is goodness and we like the goodness!!
Grade: B-

#2: Sheldon Brookbank (15 games plays, 25 PIMs.. little else)
It’s amazing he’s still on the roster, but you can’t send him down because he’ll be lost to waivers, and I guess as the 8th defenseman he’s OKAY, but good God.. he’s a typical Devils defenseman who wears #2 (it’s Lou-code I swear!).. the less he plays the better.. but he’s a step up from PL^3 as a 4th line cement-hand winger and not much else
Grade: D

Incompletes:
#28: Anssi Salmela (15 games: 0g, 3a)
#18: Nicklas Bergfors (8 games: 1g, 0a)
#22: Petr Vrana (16 games: 1g, 0a)
#10: Matt Halischuk (1 game: 1 assist)
#25: Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (6 games: 1 assist, 15 PIMs)
#25: Patrick Davis (1 game played)
#21: Barry Tallackson (4 games play of nothing)
 Samela has a future on this team next year I hope… good shot, needs some defensive seasoning….
 Bergfors has wheels and some skills… but he never got a fair shot this year
 Vrana… poor kid, he’s the “34 second-man” for those in the inner circle who know who I mean of!
 Halishuk… could be taking Pandolfo’s spot next year or the year after
 PL^3…. Eh… he’s a goon who can skate.. whoopee
 Davis… no real read on him…. And Tallackson’s been a bust for years now

Goalies:
#35: Scott Clemmensen (22-9-1, 2.29 gaa, 92.0%)
Anyone here seen “the Replacements” (Keanu Reeves, and the HACK-MON… if not, you really should… it’s an all time great sports movie)… for those who did… remember Shane Falco?? The kid who was good in college but blew up in the Bowl Game and never adjusted to the NFL… and then the strike came and they gave the kid one last shot… and it wasn’t pretty… and it wasn’t like you’d want to see it… but somehow the kid got in there and got them into the playoffs?? Yeup.. meet the NHL’s Shane Falco (I do worry a little of when Martel, aka Brodeur, comes back that he’s gonna pull a super star attitude and crap on what this team has done WITHOUT him)… you look at his stats and performance you can make an outside Vezina candidate, if not then Comeback of the Year for DAMN sure… it’s almost a shame the kid’s not going to get to finish off the job he made possible… but fitting the song on the XM Radio now is “thanks for the memories” … that’s what it’s gonna be for Clemmer when Marty comes back and plays 19 of 20 “to get back into shape”… again I’m fascinated to see what happens if MB-30 struggles on his return….
Grade: A (he doesn’t do it pretty.. ok honestly it scares the loving shit out of me, but he gets it done!)

#1: Kevin Weekes (4-4-0, 2.58 gaa, 91.4%)
Is there a bigger team player and trooper on this team then Weekes?? Thrown to the wolves in the Buffalo game with a STUNNED Devils team that allowed 20 shots in the first period… the team recovered, but still sagged a little… he was bad in the Ranger game… but so what… he then got tossed under the bus and forgotten faster then Chris Benoit on WWE TV Programming… and then with the team sagging… Clemmensieve showing the fatigue of being played way too much and comes in and bails their ass out in LA (remember this was the START of this awesome run the Devils are on now!) and look at his stats, they ain’t THAT different then the white boy… seems like a tradition at this point… but FREE WEEKES!!! (just give the guy one start a week… he’s freaking EARNED IT!!)
Grade: A (if for nothing then his class and professionalism in all this)

#30: Martin Brodeur (6-2-2, 2.16 gaa, 91.6%, 2 shutouts)
Damn he’s been out so long now… I kinda forgot how he was doing and it was almost unfair to rate him based on those 10 games because half the freaking offense was out…and it doesn’t matter with our favorite stats-compiler until April anyway… so this year I can go easy on him and say….
Grade: INCOMPLETE

Coaching:
The pk is solid, and even the pp is in the middle of the pack… 8th in goals scored, and 4th in GAA without a shutout since Brodeurs’ injury.. that’s pretty sick!!! Sometimes it seems a little smoke and mirrors because of the goalies, but it’s truly been a TEAM effort and it’s what makes this run so damned MAGICAL and fun to watch… it’s someone different each night… it’s the regular season you dream of as a sports fan and pray it NEVER ends! Looks like it just took a season for this coach and this team to grow to accept each other and I can’t say in how many odd ways Brodeur’s injury may be the very best thing that happened to this team this year and it’s chemistry and all for one method of play! Hell I think he’s even smiled twice this year!
Grade: A (Coach of the Year Candiate here)

Front Office:
Rolston’s been good, Holik’s been ok to a bit problematic, Clemmesen’s been an unlikely savior… Salvador proved worth the money, Lou definitely did his job of adding to the core in the best way possible… even smelling like roses with Shanny…the only knock you can say was Pandolfo.. but that was a loyalty signing…. Like everyone else…”the Don” did his job too
Grade: A

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