Todd Cordell: On Travis Zajac and Mike Cammalleri

Be nice to see he henrique gets some time on the top line this year. Kid is growing fast and I think should start with a lot more responsibility this year not that he didn't last year but you want to keep that steady growth plus if zajac fails to record fifty points this season his position on the team should seriously be reconsidered. Henrique isn't that far off defensively and is what 5 years younger and is likely already better offensively. I wouldn't mind moving Travis into a strictly defensive role if his production doesn't go back to 60 points we cant have a guy who isn't going to grow anymore stunting the growth of players who will

HALLELUJAH!

Can't wait to see them play together!

nice article Todd, with the present day roster I've got something like this

Cam - Zajac - Jagr
Clowe/Havlat - Elias - Henrique
Ruutu - Zubrus - Ryder
Brunner - Gio/JJ - Bernier/Matteau

(definitely need to move a LW)

Greene - Merrill
Zidlicky - Larsson
Gelinas - Salvador

Todd Cordell: On Travis Zajac and Mike Cammalleri
- Todd.Cordell

I think they'll play well together, definitely takes some of the pressure off Zajac to score a million goals.

Be nice to see he henrique gets some time on the top line this year. Kid is growing fast and I think should start with a lot more responsibility this year not that he didn't last year but you want to keep that steady growth plus if zajac fails to record fifty points this season his position on the team should seriously be reconsidered. Henrique isn't that far off defensively and is what 5 years younger and is likely already better offensively. I wouldn't mind moving Travis into a strictly defensive role if his production doesn't go back to 60 points we cant have a guy who isn't going to grow anymore stunting the growth of players who will
- blizzzard

Calm down already, having zubrus as your left winger would make anyone's production go down.

Put him on henriques wing and I think your opinion on him would change.

nice article Todd, with the present day roster I've got something like this

Cam - Zajac - Jagr
Clowe/Havlat - Elias - Henrique
Ruutu - Zubrus - Ryder
Brunner - Gio/JJ - Bernier/Matteau

(definitely need to move a LW)

Greene - Merrill
Zidlicky - Larsson
Gelinas - Salvador
- Senor_Elias

Forward lines look pretty decent; especially if they can all stay relatively healthy.

Forward lines look pretty decent; especially if they can all stay relatively healthy.
- MidnightMarauder

Third line is gross to me. I’d do

Cami-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Josefson-Ruutu
Zubrus-two year contract-Bernier

In the dumpster: Ryder

Good article, can't wait to see those three play together for hopefully the majority of the season.

Third line is gross to me. I’d do

Cami-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Josefson-Ruutu
Zubrus-two year contract-Bernier

In the dumpster: Ryder
- TheJerseyDevil1

This except Brunner on the 3rd line instead of Ruutu. Maybe Ruutu or Zubrus goes to center that line if Josefson still can't do anything offensively. Henrique and Elias switch. Henrique on wing and Elias as the center on that line.

This except Brunner on the 3rd line instead of Ruutu. Maybe Ruutu or Zubrus goes to center that line if Josefson still can't do anything offensively. Henrique and Elias switch. Henrique on wing and Elias as the center on that line.
- Rseen

Elias is too frail to be a center at this point in his career. Henrique is a natural two-way C. I never understood the notion that Elias should play center over him. Makes no sense to me.

Be nice to see he henrique gets some time on the top line this year. Kid is growing fast and I think should start with a lot more responsibility this year not that he didn't last year but you want to keep that steady growth plus if zajac fails to record fifty points this season his position on the team should seriously be reconsidered. Henrique isn't that far off defensively and is what 5 years younger and is likely already better offensively. I wouldn't mind moving Travis into a strictly defensive role if his production doesn't go back to 60 points we cant have a guy who isn't going to grow anymore stunting the growth of players who will
- blizzzard

I partially agree on Henrique though I think the team will have less of a top line and more of line 1a (Cam-Zajac-Jagr) and 1b (Elias-Henrique-someone).

watching a replay of Devils vs. Rangers in April (Lundqvist's 50th SO), and a few observations:

-Hockey really is such an awesome sport. The speed, tenacity, energy, effort, matched with skill and smarts is just brilliant.
-Brodeur was old and slow moving post to post, slowing down on reactionary saves, but was still very solid positionally.. when he was in position. Love that glove. We'll miss him.
-Zubrus was still Zubrus, but you can tell he slowed down during the year. He was never fast, but a bit extra slow for Zubie
-Clowe really is that slow, but he's serviceable
-Ryder really was that bad.. and unserviceable
-ANDY GREENE had a monster of a game, came so close to tying it with the shot, rebound.. wraparound attempt. I'd take him as a #2 dman on about ANY team. He still has legs and has a strong 2-way ability to go with his solid defensive work.
-Jagr is a beast. He can't fly, but he does all the right things and is somehow tenacious even with old legs.
-Havlat may not even last game with the style we play. He's going to get demolished on the boards.
-We played a heck of a hockey game.. just couldn't get that goal.. plays that just weren't finished. Story of the year. Hopefully Cammalleri helps that.. hopefully.

Elias is too frail to be a center at this point in his career. Henrique is a natural two-way C. I never understood the notion that Elias should play center over him. Makes no sense to me.
- TheJerseyDevil1

You may be right. The notion was, "play what works best". And that's what we did regarding Elias and Henrique.

Third line is gross to me. I’d do

Cami-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Josefson-Ruutu
Zubrus-two year contract-Bernier

In the dumpster: Ryder
- TheJerseyDevil1

Carter. 2 years for Carter, even 3 would be fine by me. 3.75 over 3 years. He'll get it somewhere..

Carter. 2 years for Carter, even 3 would be fine by me. 3.75 over 3 years. He'll get it somewhere..
- MartysBetter88

2 year contract was a joke on Gionta. Needless to say I'm not a fan of his deal.

Elias is too frail to be a center at this point in his career. Henrique is a natural two-way C. I never understood the notion that Elias should play center over him. Makes no sense to me.
- TheJerseyDevil1

How is he too frail? Not sure how that would affect him playing center. Henrique was a beast when he played LW with Elias as the C. They both aren't good on faceoffs. Elias is a better playmaker, plays like a center.

How is he too frail? Not sure how that would affect him playing center. Henrique was a beast when he played LW with Elias as the C. They both aren't good on faceoffs. Elias is a better playmaker, plays like a center.
- Rseen

I dunno if you've noticed but any decent team's top centers are physically strong.

Getzlaf
Thornton
Kopitar
Crosby
Toews
Malkin
Kesler
Sedin
O'Reilly
Bergeron
M. Richards
Staal
Backes
Pavelski
(formerly) Lecalvalier

You have to have centers with some muscle if you want to be a decent team.

Third line is gross to me. I’d do

Cami-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Josefson-Ruutu
Zubrus-two year contract-Bernier

In the dumpster: Ryder
- TheJerseyDevil1

Yeah i wasn't a fan of it either after I had typed it, gonna be interesting to see what the bottom 6 pans out to be

If we do keep Ryder though I'd want him on a line with with two bigger, grittier players that are good passers

How is he too frail? Not sure how that would affect him playing center. Henrique was a beast when he played LW with Elias as the C. They both aren't good on faceoffs. Elias is a better playmaker, plays like a center.
- Rseen

Face offs are literally the only area we didn't improve on overall lou has done great

I dunno if you've noticed but any decent team's top centers are physically strong.

Getzlaf
Thornton
Kopitar
Crosby
Toews
Malkin
Kesler
Sedin
O'Reilly
Bergeron
M. Richards
Staal
Backes
Pavelski
(formerly) Lecalvalier

You have to have centers with some muscle if you want to be a decent team.
- TheJerseyDevil1

Really?

Overall, though, I'd agree, but at the same time, the Devils aren't a physical team and I don't see why we should have a physical center when the rest of the team isn't.

Face offs are literally the only area we didn't improve on overall lou has done great
- blizzzard

Wasn't Zajac dominant in that field?

Wasn't Zajac dominant in that field?
- willschulme

yeah but rest of the team is garbage

I dunno if you've noticed but any decent team's top centers are physically strong.

Getzlaf
Thornton
Kopitar
Crosby
Toews
Malkin
Kesler
Sedin
O'Reilly
Bergeron
M. Richards
Staal
Backes
Pavelski
(formerly) Lecalvalier

You have to have centers with some muscle if you want to be a decent team.
- TheJerseyDevil1

- You listed Sedin, Crosby, Kesler, Pavelski and O'Reilly as being physically stronger than Elias, which is dumb. They're all within 2 inches and except for Sedin (who's almost 10 pounds lighter) all within 5 lbs of him. Unless you're implying Elias is fatter than those guys, I don't think there's any reasonable way you could say those guys are significantly stronger. And henrique is listed as an inch shorter and only 1 lb heavier than Elias.
- Elias is a better center than Henrique in virtually every way, which is why Deboer moved Henrique to Elias's wing, and not the other way around.
- Zajac is our top center.