• New Jersey's defense has not been good this season but that doesn't mean everyone on the blueline has struggled.
The one bright spot, or the brightest spot, has definitely been Damon Severson. Due to the team's defensive woes of late, I don't think he is getting the credit he deserves.
Five Devils defensemen have logged at least 400 5v5 minutes (Yohann Auvitu and Jon Merrill being the exceptions). Among the five, Severson ranks 1st in shot attempt and scoring chance generation as well as shot attempt and scoring chance suppression. To be tops in each category despite playing big minutes against tough competition is impressive.
Severson has also been a very good point producer in all situations. To this point, 118 defensemen have played at least 400 minutes at 5v5. Severson ranks 13th in 5v5 points per 60 and sits ahead of Kris Letang, Tyson Barrie, Victor Hedman, Drew Doughty and Kevin Shattenkirk to name but a few.
Severson has been equally as impressive on the man advantage as he ranks 12th among 61 defensemen in 5v4 points per 60. P.K. Subban, Mark Giordano, and Drew Doughty, among many others, lag behind Severson in that regard.
Sure, he turns the puck over sometimes but that's bound to happen when he a) logs a lot of minutes and; b) has the puck on his stick all the time.
Doughty won the Norris last season and was one of the league's leaders in turnovers, for example. It happens.
• Sticking with the defense theme, the Devils have assigned Yohann Auvitu to Albany and recalled forward Luke Gazdic.
Auvitu had a pretty good start to the season but his numbers have tailed off of late and he has struggled despite playing soft minutes. I have no problem with him being sent down.
The thing I don't understand is recalling Gazdic. The Devils now have just six defensemen, four of whom are bottom pairing caliber, and 15 forwards on their roster.
I'd say the 14 that were already in New Jersey all bring more to the table than Gazdic. He is slow, he doesn't produce and his underlying numbers are terrible. He also doesn't play special teams.
I think putting him in the lineup over, say, Miles Wood or Nick Lappin would be a big step in the wrong direction. I also don't understand the need for an enforcer. It's not like people have been running Taylor Hall, Cory Schneider, etc. and the Devils recalled Gazdic because they feel those guys needed protection. Calling him up leads me to believe he'll play, too.
This one is a head-scratcher to me.
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