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On Zacha's power play performance and upcoming decisions in goal

January 21, 2019, 10:51 AM ET [36 Comments]
Todd Cordell
New Jersey Devils Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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1) The New Jersey Devils don't return to game action until Monday the 28th, which means they have plenty of time to make adjustments to problems ailing them. At or near the top of the list is their power play. It has been horrendous of late, to say the least. The Devils have come up empty handed on the PP in eight of the last nine games and the underlying numbers don't paint a much brighter picture. Taylor Hall's absence is a big factor in the struggles, of course, but the PP still shouldn't be *this* bad.

One change I'd definitely consider, if not recommend outright: dropping Zacha to the 2nd unit, or off the power play entirely. He has played a hair less than 65 minutes on the man advantage this season. In that time, he has scored one goal and registered eight shots. That's okay, right? He is spending a lot of time in Hall's spot and being used primarily as a playmaker, after all. The problem with that is he's yet to record a single power play assist. Not one. As such, he's averaging .93 points per 60 on the PP. For some insane perspective, Zacha is recording 1.25 points per 60 minutes played on the PK. His chance numbers are better, too. He legitimately generates more chances, and produces at a higher clip, with fewer teammates and less space to work with. Go figure.

I get the Devils want to try and develop his offensive game but they're putting a square peg in a round hole right now. If they want a left-handed, pass-first player to take Hall's spot on PP1, Nico Hischier, Marcus Johansson, and/or Jesper Bratt all seem like significantly better options.

2) It's going to be really interesting to see how the Devils handle the goaltending situation coming out of the break. There's a real case to be made for each guy getting playing time.

Keith Kinkaid has been a mess the last couple of months. On one hand, trotting him back out there and hoping he can string together a few quality performances could help improve his value heading into the deadline. On the other, if he continues struggling mightily it will be good for #thetank. Either way, giving Kinkaid more run could help.

Cory Schneider is a lost cause right now. With playoffs clearly no longer a realistic option, the Devils can focus on getting Schneider back on track and confident again. His best days are behind him, of course, but he's still locked up long-term at a big price. It'd be good to get him to the point where, at the very least, he's no longer just a stat padder for opposing players. He'll be overpaid regardless but it'd be nice to get something useful out of him.

Last, but not least, we have Mackenzie Blackwood. Though his last three starts were a little shaky, he still owns a .924 save percentage through 12 games playing for a bad defensive team. He's just 22 years old and, hopefully, can be the future between the pipes. You want to get him as much experience as possible to help him grow. If pain comes with that, it doesn't really matter. Again, playoffs are not happening at this point.

Considering John Hynes isn't coaching for his job – he recently signed a multi-year extension – he can afford to collaborate with Ray Shero and take a long-term approach without worrying about the consequences that usually follow plenty of losses.

I'm really curious to find out which path they think is best for the team. They certainly have ample time to make a calculated decision.

Numbers via naturalstattrick.com.

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