Sutter on Vrana

Because there has been so much discussion about rookie center Petr Vrana and why he hasn't playing lately, I thought I'd pass along what Devils coach Brent Sutter said about him this morning.

"I'm not going to be negative towards Petr whatsoever," Sutter said. "Petr, when he's played, he's been fine. It's a situation where there's things in his game, like all young players, he needs to continue to learn and continue to improve on. But that's not a negative things. All young players go through it. We have some young guys. We're giving them all opportunities to play."

Sutter said he has been using Sheldon Brookbank at right wing on the fourth line over Vrana because of his size, physical play and experience.

"It's a situation we're in with the injuries we have and you weigh it out," Sutter said. "Are you better off with a young kid that doesn't have as much NHL experience and plays a different type of game? Or are you better off with a bigger guy that has NHL experience that brings more of a physical presence? That's really how you weigh it out. With our team right now, we felt that Brookie is better for that.

"But that's not being critical towards Petr because Petr plays a certain way and he's better at center than he is on the wing and we want a little bit more size on the wing with Brookie. At the end of the day, it's nothing against Petr whatsover. Petr has been fine."

Sutter said this before we learned that right wing Barry Tallackson might play tonight if center John Madden is unable.

Comments

[LucasS]

I don't understand why this org. tries to give Tallackson so many opportunities. Who would they shift to fill the centre spot by Madden? Elias? put him back in a defensive role? why? Isn't this the exact type of role Vrana would be used for?

[Pearl Jammed]

makes sense to me

[pando20rules]

Thanks for the update TG. But there really is no reason why Sutter would badmouth Vrana, even if he hated him (which I'm not implying he does). It woudl either hurt his confidence, or hurt his trade value, not to mention calling him out in the media would be low class by Sutter.

I think you're getting more "Lou talk" here then anything.

Just my $.02

[pando20rules]

an interesting article on Elias

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/84344-the-most-underappreciated-devil

[devilsfan]

Hurting Vrana's trade value? What could you possibly expect that value to be a decent AHL forward?

[Jason]

The thing about that article is....Wasn't Elias Zubrus Gionta supposed to be the top line LAST YEAR?!? Then all we heard was how Zubrus wasn't Gomez, and didn't want to play center, and was better off as a wing on Madden's line etc. Don't give Sutter credit for putting those 3 together now, he has just run out of his short file a facts of bad line ideas, and is back to page 1. Luckily, this time it's working.

[Jennings]

In what ways has the organization given Tallackson so many opportunities? 16 games in three years with limited ice time is not many opportunities. Do you not read the other postings on here?

[Morgan]

I have to chime in here regarding Vrana. I think that some Devils fans are seeing Vrana as more than he is. If he were good enough to play, he would be. When a young guy has top shelf talent it is there for all to see. You took one look at Gomez's game when he broke in and you knew he had it. I've never seen Vrana play and thought, "He's a sure thing." Vrana is a work in progress. Would he provide more offense? Sure, but not enough to cover up his D. Not just yet. Sutter wants a fourth line that can be physical and create energy. That is not Vrana's game. Vrana's skills are for the top two scoring lines. Would you sit any of our guys from those two lines? Maybe Zubie earlier in the year, but not now that he's finally clicking with Patty and Gio. So Vrana's gonna sit. That's just the way it is.

[SuttersADolt]

Please, they show no respect for this kid at all, playing a terrible defenseman out of position, rather than put this guy in there?

[SuttersADolt]

Please, they show no respect for this kid at all, playing a terrible defenseman out of position, rather than put this guy in there?

[pando20rules]

Well put Morgan..... well put

[Kevin]

Thanks for the link Pando, speaks volumes as to what real Devils fans know as opposed to a bunch of wannabes who look at stats alone with no context...

[RNCDevil]

Jason, I was going to post the same thing, everything old is new again. Zubrus has impressed me this season. If the Devils can get two solid scoring lines and two solid checking lines, I like their odds.

[Pearl Jammed]

great article. I love it! Patty is definitely under apprciated by most of our fans for sure

[devilsfan]

Morgan you are exactly right and sooner or later they will try and send him down and if he gets picked off it's not going to be a huge deal. Personally I'm not sure he would be claimed at all, and if he spent all season in Lowell so be it.

[Just Some Guy]

I defer to Sutter and Lamoriello when it comes to the talent evaluations of younger guys. Hell, I thought Alexander Suglobov was going to be a 30-goal scorer for us. We really don't see what Vrana does when he doesn't have the puck. Sutter does and if he doesn't like it, Vrana sits. And I think Vrana would be a terrible replacement for Madden, anyway.

[Pete]

Brookbank play very well togheter with Niklas Bergfors.

[airsilks]

Since when are you given respect, you earn it. What has vrana done so far? He is young and has some talent, but that doesn't make him the answer or deserving of icetime right now. Many people on this blog act like vrana is or will be a top guy. I really don't get it. Maybe down the road, but not now. As for Brookbank starting over him, if they need more size since it is the 4th line, i don't mind it. While you can't judge everyone by plus/minus, vrana does have the worst plus minus out of all the forwards on the roster (-4).

[DH]

Give it a break all of you negative Devil fans. You could be Ottawa fans. They are healthy, have three awesome forwards, two excellent defensemen (Kuba, Phillips)and they are badly underacheiving (last place). Sutter has an injury plagued team that is in the top eight and people write about how bad a coach he is. Please.

[Mike in Idaho]

Off topic and apologies if this was mentioned before, but Elias is the subject of a NHL article http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=393455 and there was a 1 hour show on NHL network last night about his trip to Belize as a UNICEF ambassador. I missed it but would be willing to bet it will be rerun a lot.

[AK47]

As long is this is Lou's team, nobody who is not responsible defensively doesn't mater how good offensive numbers he has, he is not going to play or get more then 4min ice time. That's why Devils will never going to have players like Kovalchuk or Gaborik.

[airsilks]

The Elias Unicef show is next on NHL Network at 9pm on Sunday. There are a few other showings listed later on next week. There was also one today at 4, but obviously that has passed.

[Steve]

Tom

Thank you for the update on Vrana. I just wish they would play him for a 8-10 game block in his natural role of center. I know he has been listed at center on the lineup card but they have used him at wing.

Vrana and Tallackson have a history so maybe they can show something tonight.

Don't read too much into the last two games from Zubrus. Washington is a run and gun team and Florida is dreadful.

Zubrus will become invisible when the Devils play quality teams.