I'm just venting.

I know that I'm oversimplifying the Devils losing streak because it's not just on 2 players.
However, at this point I really don't want to see Zajac or Gusev playing right now. The team was playing better when they were out of the lineup, and had more energy in my opinion.

Zajac doesn't offer much besides leadership. He's slow, has no hands and is not a goal scorer. At this point, he's just blocking a spot for a younger player.

Gusev is a good playmaker, but he's a slow skater as well. Plus we already have Hughes and Bratt who have the same skillset, but are better players at this stage.

End of Rant

SCRATCH NICO. He is not 100% yet.

Play Maltsev and Sharangovich over Zajac.

Johnsson-Hughes-Palms
Zacha-Yegor-Bratt
Maltsev-Kuok-Gusev
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

Zajac serves no purpose with how McLeod is playing, but doubt he’ll be a healthy scratch much this year. Gusev needs a consistent line mate not named Zajac.

Zajac is needed for face offs but definitely needs to be taken off penalty kill. His legs aren’t there. Don’t know if it’s Covid or father time.

Sharangovich is their best PK player but has been bad on faceoffs.

They need to merge the two. Travegor Zajacangovich.