NHL Report: Devilish Ways

Backed by the stellar goaltending of Martin Brodeur and a formidable team defence, the New Jersey Devils have managed to stay atop of the Atlantic Division standings. There have been many new additions to the club, including rookies - Travis Zajac, Johnny Oduya, and Andy Greene, who have paid immediate dividends to the success of the Devils. McKeen's reviews the three rookies as well as Zach Parise, Paul Martin and Michael Rupp.

Travis Zajac – Centre/Wing

The Winnipeg-born, late-bloomer has been colossal this season, as he leads the team in plus/minus and already plays on the second line .. is a smart hockey player who plays both sides of the ice .. looks very mature and poised when handling the puck .. while defending, he is always aware of where he needs to be .. his attention to detail away from the puck is what sets him apart as a player .. ties up the man immediately and is so strong, that his man is practically rendered useless and ineffective .. not overly physical but is not against going into the corners and fighting for pucks along the boards .. wins most battles due to a long reach and strength on skates .. makes strong charges to the net using his size to maintain position in front and when coupled with his extraordinary hand/eye coordination, he is very lethal at tipping in point shots .. takes abuse but is unfazed by it .. his skating is average, but he is able to accelerate past the opposition .. his work ethic, character, and willingness to succeed will go a long way in this league .. resembles a young Joe Nieuwendyk.

Zach Parise – Centre

Much like his linemate Travis Zajac, Parise is also enjoying a breakout campaign .. is very adept at drawing a defender out of position and then putting it through his legs, as he has quite an arsenal of moves .. very crafty and hard to contain one-on-one, continues to make better decisions with the puck, as the experience of last year's rookie season has taught him patience with the puck .. can burn defenders and forwards by holding onto the puck or by simply making quick touch passes, as the chemistry developed with Zajac and Langenbrunner has been sensational .. his skill lies in his ability to create as both a playmaker and a shooter .. slick skater and very light on his feet, his change of direction serves him well to get to the net or in a better position to distribute the puck .. his speed and acceleration is in the upper-echelon of the league, as he managed to make up two strides on Brian Campbell and stop a scoring opportunity .. defensively, he is not always willing to go into the corners but he does not shy away from them either .. has made vast improvements to his game and could become the organizations go-to-guy in a few short seasons.

Michael Rupp – Centre

The hero of the 2002 Stanley Cup win, as he notched three points in Game 7 of the finals, for the third Cup in franchise history .. has since had two tours of duty - albeit short lived with Phoenix and Columbus, only to return this season to centre the Devils third line .. does not have finesse skills that are associated with a goal scorer .. has a hard time keeping up with the plays but he moves well to open ice, which is why it is so surprising that he cannot muster anything .. is not a dynamic skater but he has a long enough width-span to keep up with faster players in the league .. does have extraordinary balance, shows effort along the boards and attempts to go to the front of the net.

Andy Greene – Defence

Moved up to the big club following the trade that sent David Hale to the Calgary Flames .. a three-time CCHA All-Star and two-time CCHA offensive-defenseman of the year, he brings an offensive component to the Devils blueline .. sees the ice incredibly well, his first pass is usually on the tape and he surprised many players with his quick and accurate stretch passes out of the zone .. has decent mobility, although he could improve on his turns slightly, so it does not restrict his movement .. his offensive game is well rounded but at times, he is guilty of playing too deep and gets caught .. has the tools to be successful and given his inexperience in the league, it should only be a matter of time until he becomes a healthy point-producer.

Johnny Oduya – Defence

Signed as a free agent in the off-season, Oduya is another rookie defenseman that has filled in admirably on the Devils injured blueline .. makes sound decisions to remove the puck from the zone and will always put fourth an extra effort to make a play .. whether blocking a shot or eliminating a man from the play physically, Oduya sacrifices himself for the team .. his mobility allows him to get out of trouble, as he is shifty and handles the puck well at top speeds .. is not overly offensive and will always hang back first before he makes a rush up the ice however, he can handle the puck well and make accurate passes .. works well in the Devils system, as he employs a no-nonsense approach to defending .. not particularly big, he keeps up with players and does have a mean streak to him .. given the aging defensive unit and injuries that have plagued the blueline this year, Oduya has settled in quite nicely and looks poised to hold on to his roster spot.

Paul Martin – Defence

Signed a one-year contract extension following a successful campaign that saw him score 13 points in his second season .. his plus/minus totals have been dipping for the past three years and that is cause for alarm .. his backwards skating is literally non-existent and his physical approach is rather limited .. he has average speed, can keep up in a straight away, and has good enough mobility to stay one-on-one with most forwards .. needs to jump on a guy early though so that his reverse movement is not exposed .. players are starting to get a read on him and he has had to make adjustments quicker .. showed good chemistry playing with Oduya, as the two play a very calm game .. uses his passing skills more than his shot to register his points .. very diligent in his approach on the ice, as he plays very calculated and safe .. is proving to be a viable option as one of the Devils top-four defenders, must continue to alter his game.