Post by flojo888 (Devils GM) on Sept 1, 2011 22:31:10 GMT -5
When FloJo was hired before the draft, the team was returning form a bottom 10 finish and the lineup looked ready to enter the season. There was top line talent, grit, and bottom 6 depth. The lineup looked as this:
However, he wasn't satisfied. He didn't like the actual offensive talent level, he didn't like the back end, and he didn't like the lack of a franchise forward. After 62 games of the season, the Devil's starting lineup has only 5 players remaining from his original roster.
While the Devils lost solid three top line forwards, they now have a franchise player in Rick Nash, another top two way playmaker in Joe Pavelski, and a 21 year old Landon Ferraro who currently leads rookie scoring league wide.
The second line has upgraded significantly. It has gone from a gritty size filled line into a skilled offensive line. Alex Tanguay is a playmaking winger, Jussi Jokinen is a slick and solid center, and holding down the last top 6 position is the 20 year old Emerson Etem who is a talented shooter and stickhandler.
The third line is now a balanced line, with the two way and +17 Mark Letestu, the 23 year old two way developing Joe Colborne, and the gritty and feisty David Clarkson.
Fourth line of Jiri Hudler, Jiri Novotny, and Travis Moen is hoping to be a strong short ice time line that is responsible. Unfortunately, they haven't played together yet due to the Rick Nash injury.
On the defence, Niklas Kronwall and Victor Hedman still make the top pairing hard hitting, two way capable. Adam Larsson has started developing conistantly once the Devils acquired Niklas Grossman, and Anton Babchuk and Shaone Morrisonn are new additions that are pairing with the third line to be by far the most positive 5 on 5 force on the Devils.
In net, Niklas Backstrom was by far the better goaltender (79 off, 79 def) when the coaching staff decided to give Robin Lehner a chance to develop as the starter. At the time of this promotion, Lehner had the talents of a back up level (75 offense, 75 defense). In only a few games, Lehner has developed to almost match Backstrom's skill level (now 79 offense, 78 defense). This may be the biggest key to the Devils future success, an elite goaltender would go a long way to winning as the Devils have a solid basis of defencemen and a talent level with depth and youth.
Did the new General Manager improve the team? Does the future look brighter now? Only time will really tell...
The General Manager will be fielding questions from the associated press. (This will be at the end of my articles from now on, in case anyone would like to ask something. Now, I do hope that you all put some effort into this i.e. Newspaper, name, quotations, etc etc. Just something I thought might be worth trying)
Eriksson-Ribiero-Havlat
Hecht-Zubrus-Clarkson
Gaustad-Hamill-Colborne
Pandalfo-Novotny-Pelley
Larsson-Hedman
Greene-Cowen
Salvador-White
Bryzgalov
Brodeur
Hecht-Zubrus-Clarkson
Gaustad-Hamill-Colborne
Pandalfo-Novotny-Pelley
Larsson-Hedman
Greene-Cowen
Salvador-White
Bryzgalov
Brodeur
However, he wasn't satisfied. He didn't like the actual offensive talent level, he didn't like the back end, and he didn't like the lack of a franchise forward. After 62 games of the season, the Devil's starting lineup has only 5 players remaining from his original roster.
Nash-Pavelski-Ferraro
Tanguay-Jokinen-Etem
Letestu-Colborne-Clarkson
Hudler-Novotny-Moen
Hedman-Kronwall
Larsson-Grossman
Babchuk-Morrisonn
Lehner
Backstrom
Tanguay-Jokinen-Etem
Letestu-Colborne-Clarkson
Hudler-Novotny-Moen
Hedman-Kronwall
Larsson-Grossman
Babchuk-Morrisonn
Lehner
Backstrom
While the Devils lost solid three top line forwards, they now have a franchise player in Rick Nash, another top two way playmaker in Joe Pavelski, and a 21 year old Landon Ferraro who currently leads rookie scoring league wide.
The second line has upgraded significantly. It has gone from a gritty size filled line into a skilled offensive line. Alex Tanguay is a playmaking winger, Jussi Jokinen is a slick and solid center, and holding down the last top 6 position is the 20 year old Emerson Etem who is a talented shooter and stickhandler.
The third line is now a balanced line, with the two way and +17 Mark Letestu, the 23 year old two way developing Joe Colborne, and the gritty and feisty David Clarkson.
Fourth line of Jiri Hudler, Jiri Novotny, and Travis Moen is hoping to be a strong short ice time line that is responsible. Unfortunately, they haven't played together yet due to the Rick Nash injury.
On the defence, Niklas Kronwall and Victor Hedman still make the top pairing hard hitting, two way capable. Adam Larsson has started developing conistantly once the Devils acquired Niklas Grossman, and Anton Babchuk and Shaone Morrisonn are new additions that are pairing with the third line to be by far the most positive 5 on 5 force on the Devils.
In net, Niklas Backstrom was by far the better goaltender (79 off, 79 def) when the coaching staff decided to give Robin Lehner a chance to develop as the starter. At the time of this promotion, Lehner had the talents of a back up level (75 offense, 75 defense). In only a few games, Lehner has developed to almost match Backstrom's skill level (now 79 offense, 78 defense). This may be the biggest key to the Devils future success, an elite goaltender would go a long way to winning as the Devils have a solid basis of defencemen and a talent level with depth and youth.
Did the new General Manager improve the team? Does the future look brighter now? Only time will really tell...
The General Manager will be fielding questions from the associated press. (This will be at the end of my articles from now on, in case anyone would like to ask something. Now, I do hope that you all put some effort into this i.e. Newspaper, name, quotations, etc etc. Just something I thought might be worth trying)