Too Much Defense?
Posted 2:23 PM ET | Comments 1
The Devils are now 16 games into this shortened season and have exceeded most people's expectations. However, one aspect that remains while many of us thought it would have been dealt with by this point, is the plethora of defenesmen the Devils have on their roster. The Devils have eight NHL level defensemen on their roster which means that two of them are healthy scratches on a daily basis. This raises multiple questions. First, is this a concern? Second, what should be done about it. I have listed below what I believe the answer to this issue is. rnrnThe answer to the first question is that yes, it is a concern. Every team wants to have depth. However, there comes a point where you have too much depth. It seems like Deboer falls in and out of love with certain players and we have seen guys like Larsson and Tallinder and now Fayne sit for large stretches of time. While players should definitely feel like they have to produce in order to keep their jobs, they should not have to play with the mindset that if they make a mistake they are going to sit for two weeks. Additionally, it puts the team in a situation where these players who sit for large stretches come in cold when they are re-inserted into the lineup. I believe that the Devils actually need to rid themselves of some of this depth. rnrnThe Devils have four defensemen who are in the lineup for every game. They are Bryce Salvador, Anton Volchenkov, Marek Zidlicky, and Andy Greene. Each of these players brings something valuable to the table and should remain in the lineup. That leaves Adam Larsson, Mark Fayne, Henrik Tallinder, and Peter Harrold to fill out the last two spots. In my opinion, Adam Larsson is a developing defenseman who is starting to show what he can provide the team and should remain in the lineup. I understand that the team's first concern is winning games, however, Larsson is the future anchor of the defense. He has to be allowed to make mistakes and to learn without fearing for his job. This is why, at least in my opinion, Larsson has to remain in the lineup. Fayne is another player who while he makes his share of mistakes, he also is a younger defenseman who has often played against the opposing teams top players. In my opinion, he should remain in the lineup. rnHenrik Tallinder is a perplexing defenseman. He is big in size and has some offensive talent. However, he does not play a physical game and is often caught out of position. Additionally, he turns the puck over way too often. He is older and does not bring much to the table. I believe he should be packaged with guys like Mattias Tedenby or Jacob Josefson to bring in help for the offense. Peter Harrold had a nice stretch of games with the Devils last season and certainly was an important player during the surprising playoff run. However, there is a reason he has never been able to stick at the NHL level. He is small in stature and gets knocked off the puck easily. He should be sent to the AHL and play big minutes there.
I agree with the Adam Larsson comment. He has had his struggles, like any other young player. With further development, however, he projects to be an elite defenseman. I got to see him play in Rochester and was impressed by his poise with the puck. He still has a ways to go but he has not shown setbacks (as Tyler Myers has).