Rolston and Elias will skate on same line, but who will be center?

Devils coach Brent Sutter still plans to at least start training camp with Brian Rolston skating at center with Patrik Elias shifting back from center to left wing on the same line.

"We're going to play through that," Sutter said today. "Probably at the start we'll try it that way and see how that fits between him and Patty. They both obviously are very good players. I thought Patty did a great job last year playing center ice for us. Yet, it's not his natural position and Brian will have a chance to play there in camp, too, and we'll sort it out."

Sutter said he would like to begin forging line chemistry right from the start of camp with only two practices before the first preseason game on Monday night in Philadelphia and the regular season opener against the Islanders already only three weeks away.

"When you have a short period of time to start getting ready for games, you want to have some foundation to work off of and some structure to work from," Sutter said. "I'd like to get into some combinations that we can run with and see how they go."

Sutter said Brian Gionta "possibly" would be the right wing on the line with Elias and Rolston.

"We might start that way or whatever," Sutter said. "Brian (Gionta) has speed and skill too and those guys play at a high tempo."

"When you go out and get a player like Brian Rolston, it changes things," Sutter said. "It adds speed to your lineup with accountability. It changes things you can do."

Sutters also said Zach Parise will remain at left wing. Parise was drafted as a center and played there briefly for the Devils last season. He also skated at center for Team USA in the World Championships last spring.

If Parise remains at left wing, he'd likely be reunited with center Travis Zajac, who struggled last year in his second NHL season. It might only be a coincidence, but Parise and Zajac have been playing together in the informal 4-on-4 scrimmages the veterans have been playing daily at Prudential Center.

***

The veterans report for physicals on Friday morning and have their first practice on Saturday morning. After having his veterans practice together in the group from the start of camp last season, Sutter said he is "leaning toward splitting them up" into different groups this year to work on lineups he would use in preseason games. That will also give some of the younger players such as Matt Corrente, Nicklas Bergfors, Matt Halischuk and Petr Vrana a chance to practice with the NHLers. Expect Fedor Fedorov to get some time with the NHLers as well.

"We're going to start playing on Monday," Sutter said. "We want to start getting some teams together as far playing together because we don't have much time. There's been different things discussed and they'll be confirmed tomorrow when the older guys come in."

Comments

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i think it would make the most sense to have Gio on the right side of Rolston and Elias. but then again, maybe Bergfors impresses and he ends up there this season?

[Devilswede]

Rolston prefers to play the wing and hasn't been a centerman for years. Now suddenly the Devils view him as a centerman?

Elias played center last year and looked really good there. Why mess things up now?

[HBK27]

I like the idea of mixing the young guys that have a chance of making the squad in with the vets. Zajac also needs to step his game up in a hurry if he's being counted on to center the 2nd line again. Wouldn't mind seeing on of Bergfors or Vrana on the wing with him & Parise with Langenbrunner on the checking line.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i think that would work pretty well HBK

[TG]

I spoke to Rolston about it today and he said he last played center when he was in Boston in 2003-04. He played pretty well there, too. My educated guess would be that Rolston will start there, but Elias could end up back in the middle.

I don't think it matters that much. Elias is more a playmaker as a center and might not score as many goals, but he played pretty well in the middle from the mid-December on. If he has to go back there, it's not the end of the world.

[Grand Master Devils Fan]

This is a make or break season for Travis. I still think he will be a very good player. If he can get it going, the line of Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner could be very good night in and night out. He was too timid last season, I read that he worked on his strength in the off-season, he needs to get tougher around the net, more killer instinct.

TG, let us know how Pandolfo is regarding his injury from last season. He was dead weight when he came back from injury.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i think that just having the ability to roll 4 lines consistently will dramatically change the look of this team. I think it could be a good year to be a Devils fan(that said its ALWAYS good to be a Devil fan but i think the team will be much better than anyone thinks)

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

my posts aren't coming up for some reason :(

[Jillian Tullo]

is rolston's number officially 12??

[Segundo]

Langenbrunner is not a top 6 forward and other than a lack of depth, I've never understood why he's played there. He should stick with Madden and Pandolfo where he's get the same 20-25-45 he would if he played with Parise.

[Pete]

If Parise were to remain a center, Elias/Parise/Rolston would be one hell of a line.

[Falcone]

Gio/Elias/Rolston
Paise/Zajac/Langs/Bergfors/Vrana
Pando/Madden/Bergfors/Langs/Pelly
Clarkson/Holik/Ruppy

Got a feeling Pelly and Vrana might start the season at Lowell.

[JakeT]

I am getting so so so excited for the season.

[Pat D'Amico]

Elias-Vrana-Rolston
make it happen Sutter.

[Xander Crews]

Elias/Vrana/Rolston
Parise/Zajac/Gionta
Pando/Madden/Langs
Clarkson/Holik/Zubrus

Look like great lines to me. If Vrana cant cut it put Bergfors in and shift Rolston to C.

Gives us the most expensive 4th line in the league too lol. Seriously tho 4th line would be big strong and can score AND shut people down.

[DanT]

@ Falcone. where is Zubs? i think pelly is first to get bumped from your lines.

[DanT]

@ Falcone. where is Zubs? i think pelly is first to get bumped from your lines.

[modnarm]

i'm feelin Xander Crews's lines. I hope Sutter preaches Balanced Attack. Not just a 'top line' a 'checking line' and '4th line bangers'. Every line should be looking to give 110%, 110% of the game, 110% of the season. We have 4 lines that can SCORE.

I'm torn on if i would like to see
Elias-Vrana-Rolston/Gio/Langs

or

Elias-Rolston-Gionta/Bergfors

OR..

Parise-Elias-Rolston/Langs/Bergfors.

I can't see either combination being incredible oor potentially horrible.

[Jeff O.]

Bergfors and Vrana are not making line 1. if they make the team at all, it'll be on line 2 at best. the first line will probably be Elias-Rolston-Gionta. Elias is a natural winger, so he'll will be more productive than he was last year. Gionta would be able to just park it in front of the net and deflect those rocket pucks that Rolston can launch into the net. that line would make the most sense from a production point of view.

[mikeP]

If Elias is a better playmaker at center then that should be where he plays, because Rolston nor Gionta will ever be confused as playmakers, both as shoot-first players. That's why it would seem to make some sense to see Vrana as a playmaker with Elias and either Rolston or Gionta. As for Gio, his game along with Parise's are way too similar, and therefore don't play all that well together on the same line. If Rolston does get shifted to RW, I'd think Rolston would play with Zach and Zajac, and Gionta with Elias. Gionta playing with Madden is a big waste of Gio's talent, and I agree that Langenbrunner should be placed on the Madden checking line permanently. If Bergfors has a better camp than Vrana, then Bergfors should be placed on the Zajac/Zach line, with the top line being Elias-Rolston-Gionta

Rolston's comments about him being more comfortable at wing were a little disconcerting considering we still haven't replaced Gomez with a natural center. You may mention Elias, but you would have quickly forgotten how terrible Elias was in the faceoff circle last season. If we want Patty to return to being close to the 40-goal man he was I think he needs to remain at LW

and for Zajac, I agree it's a make-or-break year for him, and if he starts out slow I wouldn't at all be surprised to see him traded before the deadline, possibly even in a deal for Boumeester (Zajac + Corrente + pick for JB and Weiss?)

[Kelly]

Are they gonna keep the intro video of the Devil walkin into the stadium with Hells Bells blastin? That was some good stuff right there!

TG... is anyone there takin photos? I know a certain Atlantic rival had their scrimmage broadcasted online today and I also see a few pics from yesterday. Where's Denis when you need him?

[JoeDevs]

I am more pumped for this season than any in a long time.

[bobo]

TG-- has Zajac bulked up any over the off-season? He was pushed around a little to much for my liking last year.

[Guy]

Zajac was awful last season (but as i mentioned before what devil did not have a bad stretch). I am cautiously optomistic he can make a comeback. Also I wouldn't write off Zubrus yet. For his strength on the puck and skill set, he could fit on the second line, either at RW or C pretty well I think.

[modnarm]

thats the issue i had with the Rolston signing. Every1 knows hes best at wing. Give him the puck.. he'll blast the shot.. skate somewhere, and dish it to a pinching Dman or some1 in the middle or circle.. bing bang boom. I wanted a #1 CENTER for Elias. And.. all we have now is more options to screw around with. Heck why not have HOlik the #1 center. Vrana should be given a shot between Elias and whoever during camp. AT LEAST give him a shot to see if MAYBE somethin can happen.