The Devils are on vacation like I was.
Well sadly for many of us Devils fans, the season ended far too abruptly…but hey we can now play armchair qb and dole out some grades…from the school of Professor Stevens to you…here they are……the grades this season for the Devils….includes playoff grade and reason in parenthesis.
Ye Final Year Grades (Take these to your principal)
Martin Brodeur (G)
2006-07: 48-23-7…2.18 GAA .922 sv pctg 12 SO
I really do hope Marty had a Palm Pilot and took some notes down during the end of the season and the playoffs…because he needed to. Granted the team broke down healthwise…at one point or another the EGG line was decimated…and a few others were on the shelf as well. Marty’s play began to decline after the all star break, some of it was the injuries to others and some of it was natural fatigue. Playing 78 games was too much…the last one to play that many was Grant Fuhr when he played in an astonishing 79 games for St.Louis a few years back. Oddly enough some will say not playing in the game against the Isles wrecked his timing some which was true….but that didn’t explain the Ottawa series where he gave up backbreaking goals that were very un-Marty like. He will be back better than ever next season with a lesser workload. Brodeur had a MVP season…he carried the Devils to a division title the Pens should have probably won…but he tired like the team at the end.
Grade: A (B- for the playoffs)
Patrik Elias (C,LW) and yeah..Captain.
2006-07: 75 games…21 G 48 A…69 pts. +1
I loved how Patrik played last year in the second half…now maybe that clouded my expectations for this second half. It is possible that I, as a fan, expected too much from him. Though he didn’t do badly and injuries slowed him a bit…I thought even if he played 75 games…he could easily get 85 pts…I was wrong. For whatever reason…especially late in the season…the goal well ran dry for Patrik…and for awhile it started to for the team as well. The playoffs was kind of a microcosm of that….great offense from the Captain at times and then other times…..nothing…poof. When Elias played physical, he scored….when he didn’t….he was almost invisible. A captain has to lead by example and Patrik just did not do that enough down the stretch and in the playoffs. Maybe next season with a full season now under his belt…he can finally get his legs completely back from the Hepatitis.
Grade: B+ (B- for the playoffs)
Scott Gomez (C)
2006-07 72 Games….13 G 47 A….60 pts +7
Oh I can here it already but I can say it…..I hope he signs somewhere else honestly. It does frustrate me to no end that a player with such a talent level can play with an on-off switch. Injuries did slow him down a bit….but when he shot…he often scored. A playmaker who passed too much…..he might take a lesson from Zach Parise someday on that. Yes Gomez had 248 shots…but a majority were dump ins and softies …usually in on odd man rushes, he would pass rather than shoot. The dagger to my heart I guess was the 2 goals he scored in Game 5 against Ottawa….he worked, he gave it his all in that game. Maybe I will never get it…I love his carefree attitude….one of the funniest interviews on the Devils bar none. On the ice, he can dominate….but at times he just blends in…and gets too cute like Patrik….maybe even moreso. I will miss Latino Heat if and when he signs somewhere else but I hope he remembers where he came from…and keeps the light switch on.
Grade: B+ (B+ for the playoffs)
Brian Gionta (RW)
2006-07 62 games…25 G 20 A…45 pts. -3
Oh what could have been if he was healthy…the groin injury killed his season and in the playoffs…he still never seemed 100% at times. However, the little man played on and didn’t do too badly for himself. Healthy I thought he could have netted 40 again…but it wasn’t meant to happen. A little guy that gets in front of the net and becomes a sabretooth tiger…waiting to pounce on rebounds….has a quick shot..and knowledgeable about goalie tendencies. Had a great playoffs with 8 goals….but missed a few key opportunities — a particular one where he had a wide open net in Game 5 and missed. Brian has a work ethic that few can match on this team…and it will be interesting to see how he bounces back next season…I have no doubt that he will nab at least 35-40 goals or more.
Grade: B+ (B+ for the playoffs)
Zach Parise (LW,C)
2006-07…82 games…31 G 31 A 62 pts…-3
Zach is the hardest working Devil on this team….period!! Many said his playmaking skills and small stature would be a detriment to him even in the new and faster NHL…well that in a word was WRONG!!! His 31 goals proves that…leading the Devils this year…and I think he may net even more next season. Zach has moves and a developing wrist shot…that gets better by the week. He goes to the net not afraid to take a hit or try and deliver one. Yes, he did only get one goal against Ottawa..and failed to convert on some key chances of his own…but he tallied 6 times against Tampa which helped push the Devs thru to the second round. Parise has the potential to become a cornerstone for the franchise in years to come. He can pass and shoot and plainly can play the game like a two way player should.
Grade: A- (B+ for the playoffs)
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the series……coming soon.
