X Factor

I have said this for a few weeks now..Rolston needs to be the Devils' X-factor come playoff time. I love the make-up of this team, and I haven't seen this much team depth in years. If Rolston can make a big impact and become a more consistent contributor on the score sheet, I think it makes the Devils a much more dangerous team. I don't think we've seen the Rolston whom we signed during the summer. I don't feel he is 100% healthy after his ankle injury (no matter how many times he's denied he's not hurt) and just hasn't meshed w/ the right linemates and Sutter's system. I have said for a while now that he's due for a big playoffs. I wonder how much of an impact he will make 5-5 playing w/ Rupp and Clarkson, but anyhow, I feel he can be very underrated and valuable for a playoff run.

Top 5 X-factors for the Devils

1) Rolston-Takes pressure off of guys like Parise, Elias, Langenbrunner, Zajac and Gio. As a 3rd/4th liner, if he scores the team is that much more of a threat.
2) Zubrus-We all know ZZPOP will get their chances, but in all likelihood they will be shadowed by the other team's best defensive players. Therefore our 2nd line needs to get going. How Elias/Gio play may depend on Zubrus.
3) Madden-May be asked to play a ton of minutes against other team's top lines. Hopefully he's up for the challenge and contributes a little offensively.
4) Shanahan- He is still a dangerous player at 40 years old. Still has a great shot and can contribute some big goals on our 2nd PP unit. Genious signing if he scores some big goals in the playoffs.
5) Pandolfo- Need one of our best PK to step up, kill penalties and hopefully score a goal here and there.

Who do you guys think will be the X factor?

X-Factor is obviously Sean Avery:sarcasm:

Salvador. If he plays like he has been, oh no.

Xavier Nady.

Forwards - Rolsten. We need the shot from the point. They need to do what they were doing earlier on in the year, Set up Rolsten at the point for One timers and have Clarkson screen the goalie.

Not worried about Zubrus, he was one of the best players last year and is more suited for playoff games.

Defense- Salvador. He needs to pick up his play he has been terrible for most of the year.

I think the two X factors are Rolston and Madden. If Rolston can be the Devils answer to Anton Babchuk on the PP that would be absolutely huge. Madden is an x-factor because it looks like Sutter is going to run him and Pando out there on the PK come hell or high water. If Madden is the dominant PK force that he has been in years past and Rolston gets the PP going, then the Devils are golden.

marty

Rolston does need to be that X-factor, especially on the powerplay. You have to believe that the team is going to concentrate on controlling the play and the puck, and doing that will draw penalties. As a whole they need to start scoring on the pp, but Rolston needs to get on the scoresheet.

All of your X-Factors are offense based.

Our D needs to step up. Literally step up to the attack and kill it like they were a month or so ago. Everyone staying healthy is important as anything too.

Not to mention if Brodeur brings his playoff game, its a deal breaker.

All of your X-Factors are offense based.

Our D needs to step up. Literally step up to the attack and kill it like they were a month or so ago. Everyone staying healthy is important as anything too.

Not to mention if Brodeur brings his playoff game, its a deal breaker.

I put Madden and Pandolfo down for mainly defensive/PK purposes, with hopes they can contribute a little bit offensively. I put more emphasis on the guys I mentioned as players who can fly under the radar come playoff time.

I think guys like Oduya, Salvador, White, Martin, Havelid and Mottau are just as important to the guys I had mentioned before. With Carolina being such a skilled and fast team, you better believe those guys will play an important role in shutting them down, being good PKers and not taking dumb penalties. Obviously we have one of the best goalies ever in Marty, which is why I didn't put him down. I have confidence he'll have a good playoffs. If '03 Marty comes to play, we could be in very good shape.

All of your X-Factors are offense based.



http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/allyourbasekitty.gif

http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/allyourbasekitty.gif

:laugh::laugh:

Clarkson. I would love to see more offensive contributions.

in my humble opinion Marty Brodeur is the X-Factor this year. He will have to be HUGE come playoff time. I would like to see him be more aggressive in net.

Roslton:

He's been a big dissapointment for me this season. After cashing in on a 5M$ for 4 year contract this summer, I thought he'd be more of a force on the PP, a top 6 forward for the entire season and less of a hog once he has the puck. It just seems that every time he has the puck on his stick, the only option that comes to his mind is to lower his head and blast it threw the goalie, the boards and if possible... the rink.

Marty:

He's let in some weak goals in the past couple of playoffs and that seems to deflate the energy and grit from the rest of the team. I'm shure the guys on the bench are like "****, if Marty can't stop that floater... we're toast". He needs to be our best player out there and if he does so, the guys in front of him will build that little extra confidence that he's gonna be there if something does go wrong when pushing for that extra goal that will put the final nail in the coffin.

With that said... LET'S **** UP THE CANES AND LET'S GO DEVILS !!!!!!

The guy on the left:
http://photos.nj.com/photos/star-ledger/f19fe687471fa67a835b572b38942b94.jpg

I fully expect Rolston to come alive now. Same for Zubrus.

The guy on the left:
http://photos.nj.com/photos/star-ledger/f19fe687471fa67a835b572b38942b94.jpg

guy on the left is injured.

guy on the left is injured.

I know, and I'm serious.

Marty:

He's let in some weak goals in the past couple of playoffs and that seems to deflate the energy and grit from the rest of the team. I'm shure the guys on the bench are like "****, if Marty can't stop that floater... we're toast". He needs to be our best player out there and if he does so, the guys in front of him will build that little extra confidence that he's gonna be there if something does go wrong when pushing for that extra goal that will put the final nail in the coffin.


This is key. These weird goals started happening in the Tampa Bay series in 2007 with those bizarre Lecavalier & St. Louis shots from seemingly incredibly impossible angles.

We were fortunate enough to get through that series, but his softies have negated any inertia that the team had gained and more importantly, took away from his excellent goaltending in between those softies.

Usually Brodeur was good for just 1 weird goal per playoff season.

But now we need him to just give up 1 bad goal per series, not per game.

I quickly ran through your thoughts (and prayers !), and I agree that ......MARTY is the X factor, he has been so-so in the playoffs recently, and I think he's due to really steal a few games for this team.

http://plungeshockey.ucoz.com/zubrus_dainius_brodeur_martin_devils_cel.jpg

these two guys i think will be difference makers. Most seem to agree as well.

The guy on the left:
http://photos.nj.com/photos/star-ledger/f19fe687471fa67a835b572b38942b94.jpg

The asian guy in the crowd?

The asian guy in the crowd?

that man my friend is the key to our success. :laugh:

I agree that both Rolston and Zubrus have underperformed. So if either of them could actually produce a few goals it would be huge.

We need Zubrus to earn the contract he was given. He is pivotal in this series in my mind and most agree. Brodeur also needs to step it up, he hasn't been that great the last 3 years in the playoffs. The last 10 or so games he has let in a soft goal almost every game. We can't do that in the playoffs. Giving a team a goal will give us a first round exit. Marty plays like he did in 2003, Zubrus steps up, and Rolston stops being a 4th liner at best, and we'll go far into this years playoffs.

I fully expect Rolston to come alive now. Same for Zubrus.

Same for Madden. They were born for the playoffs.

I am so glad we have rolston for 4 more years

You've got it all wrong, the key match up to the series is Bobby Holik vs. Eric Staal! According to espn.com, hahaha

I am so glad we have rolston for 4 more years

sarcasm?

I am so glad we have rolston for 4 more years

3 more years..but who's counting. Rolston will earn his paycheck come playoff time. I have a feeling. I'm giving the guy a break in the regular season due to his injury, Sutter's system and being stuck playing on the 3rd/4th line for most of the season.

A month or so ago when Rolston was starting to turn it up I thought he would be a big factor come playoff time and I guess he still can be but I'm not as convinced. Marty's play will also be a big factor..

.. But my pick for X factor is Langenbrunner. If we win the cup this year, he'll be the guy that scored the clutch goals to get us there.