Classic Devil
11-01-2004, 11:01 AM
Let's look at the rosters, people....
Devils are going to start out with:
New Jersey Devils (3-2-1-0)
Elias - Gomez - Gionta
Friesen - Kozlov - Langenbrunner
Pandolfo - Madden - Brylin
Oliwa - Rasmussen - Langdon
Stevens - Rafalski
White - Niedermayer
Matvichuk - Martin
Brodeur
Clemmensen
It's nice to see the EGG line getting off to a fast start this season... Elias with 4 goals in 6 games and Gomez with 6 assists is a nice start. I'm wondering how long we'll run with so many players on the roster, especially since Parise, Suglobov, McAmmond, and maybe Voros and Pihlman are ready to come up and play.
Oliwa is getting the start as well as Langdon, which is probably because it's the first game against Philly this season. That fourth line is a bunch of real bruisers, huh. Not bad.
Steven's return this season has been great thus far. It's good to see him back at 100% and playing well with Rafalski. White is still taking too many bad penalties - maybe if we trade Friesen he'll go along for the ride. But I'm loving the Matvichuk - Martin pairing... they seem to have real chemistry and being able to sit back and let Paul do all the offense has really revitalized Matvichuk.
Brodeur is well, Brodeur... 6 starts, neither of the losses were his fault, and he does have 2 SOs.
It's nice to see Larry behind the bench but I hear that Pat should be ready to return soon.
Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-1)
Roenick - Zhamnov - Amonte
Gagne - Handzus - Kapanen
Radivojevic - Primeau - Knuble
Brashear - Fedoruk - Stevenson
Johnsson - Markov
Pitkanen - Malakhov
Ragnarsson - Desjardins
Esche
Niittymaki
Philadelphia got lucky with the resigning of Zhamnov and Malakhov, not to mention Roenick's return to relative good health, but I'll bet he's not going to get involved with the Devils D too much. Stevenson is lucky that this game is in Philly, not in the Swamp... he probably won't survive when he does make his return.
Esche has played like a real contender but Niitymaki has two good starts for Philadelphia and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them moved.
The buyout of LeClair was a good move... he signed with Montreal for small change to play one more season.
Does anyone else think that Philadelphia's defense, outside of Markov, is lacking a big physical presence? I guess that their forwards make up for it, but still... That fourth line of theirs is really just thrown together, so I think Hitchcock is going to be throwing around players.
Devils are going to start out with:
New Jersey Devils (3-2-1-0)
Elias - Gomez - Gionta
Friesen - Kozlov - Langenbrunner
Pandolfo - Madden - Brylin
Oliwa - Rasmussen - Langdon
Stevens - Rafalski
White - Niedermayer
Matvichuk - Martin
Brodeur
Clemmensen
It's nice to see the EGG line getting off to a fast start this season... Elias with 4 goals in 6 games and Gomez with 6 assists is a nice start. I'm wondering how long we'll run with so many players on the roster, especially since Parise, Suglobov, McAmmond, and maybe Voros and Pihlman are ready to come up and play.
Oliwa is getting the start as well as Langdon, which is probably because it's the first game against Philly this season. That fourth line is a bunch of real bruisers, huh. Not bad.
Steven's return this season has been great thus far. It's good to see him back at 100% and playing well with Rafalski. White is still taking too many bad penalties - maybe if we trade Friesen he'll go along for the ride. But I'm loving the Matvichuk - Martin pairing... they seem to have real chemistry and being able to sit back and let Paul do all the offense has really revitalized Matvichuk.
Brodeur is well, Brodeur... 6 starts, neither of the losses were his fault, and he does have 2 SOs.
It's nice to see Larry behind the bench but I hear that Pat should be ready to return soon.
Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-1)
Roenick - Zhamnov - Amonte
Gagne - Handzus - Kapanen
Radivojevic - Primeau - Knuble
Brashear - Fedoruk - Stevenson
Johnsson - Markov
Pitkanen - Malakhov
Ragnarsson - Desjardins
Esche
Niittymaki
Philadelphia got lucky with the resigning of Zhamnov and Malakhov, not to mention Roenick's return to relative good health, but I'll bet he's not going to get involved with the Devils D too much. Stevenson is lucky that this game is in Philly, not in the Swamp... he probably won't survive when he does make his return.
Esche has played like a real contender but Niitymaki has two good starts for Philadelphia and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them moved.
The buyout of LeClair was a good move... he signed with Montreal for small change to play one more season.
Does anyone else think that Philadelphia's defense, outside of Markov, is lacking a big physical presence? I guess that their forwards make up for it, but still... That fourth line of theirs is really just thrown together, so I think Hitchcock is going to be throwing around players.