Waiting on a goaltending choice; Salmela makes Sutter laugh

Devils coach Brent Sutter said today he has not yet decided which of his goaltenders will start when the team plays next on Thursday night against Florida at Prudential Center. Scott Clemmensen has started the last two games after Kevin Weekes started four of the first five after Martin Brodeur was injured.

***

Ask Sutter about how rookie defenseman Anssi Salmela is playing and the Devils coach's initial reaction is to laugh. That might be to cover up for the hair loss Salmela is causing Sutter with his sometimes risky play in the defensive zone.

"Sammy is quite a guy in more ways than one," Sutter said laughing. "He's certainly very intriguing. He's got that skill level to his game that you like to see and he's good on our power play. He's one of those guys who doesn't get too rattled too much. But you do have gobs of your hair fall out every now and then in a game."

Sutter likes a lot of what Salmela does, but would prefer him to make the simpler, less-risky play more often.

"He's certainly very intriguing in a lot of ways what he brings," Sutter said. "He brings things to the table and he does some things and you're just like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe he just did that --or just tried that is the best way (to put it). I give him credit. He tries it. He's just got to continue to work on his game and at times I'd like to see him take a little safer approach. Yet, he tries things that a lot of players wouldn't try and 80 percent of the time it works. It's the other 20 that you're sitting there going, 'Oh my God!'

"But, you know what? I love the kid. He does make you chuckle. He does make things certainly interesting behind the bench sometimes."

***

Sutter said he was pleased with how defenseman Sheldon Brookbank played at right wing in Saturday's 6-5 shootout win over Washington.

"Brookie played well there," Sutter said. "He gave us what we needed there. It's not an easy thing to do: play defense and be called upon to be a forward. He did a really good job, exactly what I was looking for."

What was that?

"His tenacity. He's a big guy. You know he's going to compete and play hard and a couple of times he got caught down low in our zone and responded well because he's a defenseman and he knows how to play it down low. I thought he did a real good job. He gave us some quality minutes."

Sutter wouldn't commit to using Brookbank there again when the team plays next on Thursday night.

"There's a possibility," Sutter said. We'll see how the next few days go. We'll make that decision come Thursday."

***

Rookie forwards Petr Vrana and Nicklas Bergfors have also had some trouble in the defensive zone, which was one of the reasons why Sutter chose to use Brookbank at right wing and sit Vrana on Saturday.

"It's an ongoing project with all young kids," Sutter said. "Some of of them are taught it at different levels. Some kids it depends what kind of coaching they had as they come through with the club teams they played for and some of these guys they can do things in the American League that they can't do here. It's a big step to go from junior to the National Hockey League and it's a big step to go from junior to the American League or college.Some can handle it from that level to this level, but some need to go through the steps. There's still things they have to learn in them.

"Like I told them, I want them to play well without the puck. I want them to be solid defensively and in the offensive zone they can try things, they can do things, but they can't do it at the risk of allowing odd-man rushes to happen against us by making high-risk plays. That's what I want from those kids.

Sutter said he liked what he saw from Bergfors in the back-to-back games against the Capitals.

"I thought (Saturday), that was one of Bergie's better games," Sutter said. "I thought he got better in Washington and the other night he was better again. Because we need to be able to get some quality minutes out of that line. It's important for the other guys, the amount of minutes they play...The good thing about it is they're willing to learn. They want to learn how to do it the right way and that's certainly a start."

Vrana had been centering the fourth line with Mike Rupp at left wing and Bergfors at right wing, but Sutter moved Rupp to center on Saturday because he felt Rupp does a better job with defensive zone coverage down low than Vrana (the center has more down-low responsibilities than a wing in the defensive zone).

The fourth line had a couple of extended stretches in Friday's game in Washington in which it couldn't get the puck out of the defensive zone.

"Bergie had a pretty good game in Washington," Sutter said. "With Brookie playing the right side, Bergie can play the left side and Ruppy can play center, which I wanted to have him in the middle. I just think he's better down low than the two kids. And with Brookie there, he can adjust to that. If Brookie ends up being the low guy, Ruppy can adjust to playing his position in our own zone."

***

One of the reasons for today's later practice was the team function tonight, but Sutter said he also wanted to give the team some extra rest by having Sunday off and no morning practice today.

"We thought giving the guys an extra half day would be good for them, spend a little extra time at home," Sutter said.

Comments

[Josh]

Another great post TG. Funny stuff, and the Salmela bit can quiet down the people who say that Sutter hates European players.

And I'm glad to see that Sutter is willing to give the kids minutes, but is making them earn it by having them develop their two-way game rather than just being gifted the time. I think they'll turn out better for it, even if it does frustrate a lot of the fans who want to see the fresh, intriguing offensive talent.

[Sarah]

Weekes Thursday. Please. He has played well and deserves the chance to be the go-to guy -- Clemmer's a good back up but he's just not consistent enough.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

well said josh

[jules]

Agree with Josh.

Also, thanks for posting Sutter's rationale behind playing Brookbank and moving Rupp to center. Shows that he does put thought into his his decisions (and they do make sense).

[Johnny SB]

I don't know if Sutter picks Weekes for Thursday or not, but I think Clemmer & Weeksie should split the two games.

Unless Thursday one of them pull off a shutout...

Thursday / Friday are two games the Devils SHOULD win. And then followed up with 2 more good matchups to win...

Get some confidence and momentum going! -- Please anyway.

Let's go Devils! Let's go!

[Dave]

Has anyone seen Sutter laughing about anything?

He's the most deadpan guy (among the living) in hockey.

[JW]

What sort of team function is going on tonight?

[Al]

The idea of Greene and Sammi in the same line up, for the future is very good. We could have three very good offensive defensemen in the line up. Anssi was a great pick up who just needs time.

Also, I rather see Vrana but if we cna dress Brookbank to provide toughness ont he wing..it's a good thing because he plays a hell of a lot smarter and skates better than PL3. PLEASE send PL3 back to Lowell when healthy, he provides nothing but stupidity on the ice.

[Josh]

Dave, the only time I can ever recall seeing Sutter laugh was after Mottau's fight last year.

[MikeDeadworks]

It's Clemmer that has the consistency, not really weekes. They both played well, no discredit to weekes, but he was certainly overwhelmed. And he can't keep using the excuse, "well give the other guys some credit too" on every goal. Because that works once or twice before you are just searching for some mercy from the less informed.

Clemmer played 2 greats games. phenomenal saves. And the home game at Washington he was still played well, just not AS well. Theodore was playing great too and still letting in the goals. It was a shooters game.

I say keep in Clem, keep building that great confidence and we'll keep the wins coming once again. Florida would be perfect for him to play.

[elias26]

Weekes one more time. If he fails we need a goalie.

[JJ]

It should now be obvious why he's not playing Vrana with Bergfors on the same line and/or when they are in the lineup that they get limited ice in close games (which has pretty much been every game they've played in). Thanks for getting the skinny TG, it's tiresome listening to people making comments here when they have no clue what they are talking about.

Also as a member of the Anssi Salmela fan club I am really glad to see him starting to really show the fans what he's all about. From what I understand he's a really good guy in the clubhouse too. He should become a fan favorite and an important part of the D on this team for a number of years to come.

[devscupchamps]

There is nothing obvious about what Sutter does JJ because none of it makes any sense. He holds the kids to a higher standard than the veterans but ony punishes the kids if they make a mistake. How will they ever learn if they get no ice time in the first place and no chance at redemption if they do make a mistake? Do not discount that the bad line combos play a big role in us getting pinned in the defensive zone for long stretches at a time. Besides, defense is not our problem. Sutter routinely puts guys who might actual score into spots and positions where that possibility is diminished. The man put a defenseman that has difficulty cracking the lineup into a forward spot. Sutter has a knack for damning himself with his own comments like the one about Brookbank getting caught down low. Well coach, perhaps he got caught down low because he is a defenseman playing out of position ar rw. One more thing. He made all these moves worrying about the defensive end yet we let in 5 goals. Great instncts.

[JerseyLove]

"But, you know what? I love the kid. He does make you chuckle." Sutter loves, and laughs, whaaat? ;)
I love Salmela too. He's been a pleasant surprise, his shot especially. -gives me the heebie jeebies, in a good way.