Other then the people who take the great Martin Brodeur for granted, is there a player out there who is more under-appreciated by Devils and hockey fans in general than Patrik Elias?
For me, the answer is a resounding NO!
It seems Elias can never do enough to please too many members of the media, and Devils fans as a whole. I keep hearing talk about how Elias should be traded, how he's overpaid, etc.
Are you kidding me?
Elias is still by far the most-talented offensive player on the Devils, and the margin isn't even that close. Before you come to the comments section and scream about how Zach Parise scores more goals then Elias, keep this in mind—goals and talent are mutually exclusive. Just because you score goals, it doesn't necessarily make you the most talented player, as there are other factors that contribute to goal scoring.
Now, I am not taking anything away from Zach Parise. He has a very good amount of talent, but his work ethic is what sets him apart from the pack. He outworks opponents (and sometimes even teammates) to get to loose pucks and rebounds, and scores a lot of garbage goals.
There is nothing wrong with that at all, and the skill he possesses is the combination that makes him the All-Star-caliber player that he is. (Don't forget to vote for Zach in your online voting!)
But back to my point about Elias. He deserved every penny of the contract he got, and even gave the Devils a hometown discount, passing on higher contracts from the Rangers and Blackhawks. Elias has been a top threat on the Devils for pretty much his entire career since joining the Devils full-time in the 1997-98 season.
As Doc Emerick and Chico Resch pointed out during last night's broadcast on MSG Plus, his skill level warrants a situation where his linemates directly affect his productivity. You can't play him with guys like David Clarkson and Mike Rupp, because his talent will be squandered. It's no secret his most productive days were when he was paired with other highly-skilled players like Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott.
They've tried to rebuild that formula with Dainus Zubrus and Brian Gionta, and thus far that combination has paid dividends—at least in the last three games.
Look at the give and go Elias had with Brian Gionta last night—it was a very high-skill play. And the goal he had was a thing of beauty. Not that many players could've pulled off that move to his backhand, which completely fooled Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun. This is the kind of talent Elias has shown—and continues to show all the time.
You also could debate Patrik Elias is the most clutch forward in the history of the Devils. Do I need to point out who scored in Game Seven of the 2000 Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Finals against Philadelphia? That's right, it was Elias who netted the game winner to silence the First Union Center crowd, and give the Devils a 2-1 victory.
In 126 playoff games, Elias has 110 points. That's pretty darn clutch, no matter how you want to slice it. In his last 24 playoff games, he has a staggering 32 points. Remember when he single-handedly dominated the Rangers in the 2006 playoff sweep? He completely took over that series and is still capable of doing the same thing. He was one of the few players who came to play in last year's debacle against the Rangers, scoring four goals in the five games, and adding two assists as well.
Even this year, his 15 points (seven goals and eight assists) have been somewhat underappreciated in 18 games. Well, take those stats and prorate them over an 82-game season, and you have a very solid 36 goals and 32 assists, good for 68 points. The 36 goals would be the third-highest of his career, and the 68 points would rank fourth.
All this data also leaves out one major item—Patrik Elias is usually better in the second half of a season. The Devils have a lot of things to potentially worry about, especially while Martin Brodeur is out. However, Patrik Elias is not one of those things. You can bet the team realizes how important he is. Let's hope all the fans and local sportswriters—especially you, Larry Brooks—begin to realize this in the very near future.
Sometimes, Elias is treated like hockey's version of Alex Rodriguez, where his production is sort of taken for granted. Unlike Rodriguez, however, Elias has a reputation of being Mr. Clutch when he's needed most.
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about 1 month ago
Elias is the Devils best forward in franchise history. A clutch player.
from about 1 month ago
I agree with you 100%, and it's not even really close at this point.
However, you'd be surprised how many people think Elias should be traded, etc. Look at that atrocious article Larry Brooks wrote.
from about 1 month ago
Elias? as in my first cousin?
He is a great player. Btw, he isnt my first cousin.
about 1 month ago
The only reason why he's "hated" now is because he suddently stopped scoring after the lock-out.
He was a 35-40 goal scorer and now has trouble scoring 20. The Devils is a notoriously defensive team...so they need him to produce high numbers by himself to keep the team afloat. Now they have to look elsewhere (mainly Zach Parise) for scoring after paying him big $$$ for what he use to do...
Just compare him to the Kovalev situation 2 years ago in Montreal. Kovalev is paid 4.3 millions. First year 63 points in 65 games...not bad. Then he dropped to 48 points in 82 games with just 18 goals. He got attacked by press and fans all over for his lack of production...and bounced back with 84 points last year.
the problem is Elias forgot to "bounce back" after a bad year. So fans will still "hate" him until he pulls off another 30+ goals and 70+ points season.
from about 1 month ago
Elias is a much better all around player then Kovalev. And bounce back? I think you need to re-look at Elias' stat line. He touched 40 goals ONCE. He also has seen a significant drop off in the talent that plays around him (lost Gomez, Rafalski, Niedermayer, Mogilny, Sykora, Arnott, etc). As I said, he is only going to excel when he has the right talent around him.
But, when the chips are down, Elias always produces when needed the most. He is as clutch as anyone in the NHL today, just look at his track record. Sometimes, you have to look beyond the stats, they don't always tell the entire story.
about 1 month ago
That BS. Elias is lazy. Parise will be the next devils captain in a few years, while Elias is well past his prime.
from about 1 month ago
Lazy? Have you watched a Devils game? Elias is far from lazy. He's on a 36-goal pace, so not sure how he's well past his prime, when his career high is 40. Elias plays all out on both sides of the ice, and is a perfect role model for the budding star Parise. This article wasn't a slight at Parise at all, it was an ode to show how people with your opinion, simply don't appreciate the greatness we have in Elias. He is a star, has been a star, and will continue to be a star. Parise is rising to stardom and should be there for years to come. That, however, has nothing to do with Elias at all, there is room for more then one star on any hockey team.
about 1 month ago
I think it's amazing how people claim Elias is having another down year, when the stats say otherwise. Unappreciated indeed.
from about 1 month ago
I agree. And to anyone who calls Elias lazy, just isn't watching the same hockey game I am.
about 1 month ago
he needs to be on a line with talent at his level. remember elias gionta and gomez? he had two years prior to the assembly of that line in which his numbers were nearly identicle to the past two seasons. i totally beleive that talent feeds off talent and that if he was on a team like san jose or detroit is numbers would be beyond impressive but he is loved here in jersey and loves new jersey and was an intrical part in 2000 and 2003 cups and the 2001 run.
from about 1 month ago
agree just about 100%. Elias is an integral part of the Devils, they feed off him, and when he does well, generally the Devils team follows along and performs well (use the last four games as an example)
about 1 month ago
Elias is a great player and an outstanding person.
Anyone catch the show on NHL Network and what he did for some people in Belize?
about 1 month ago
One thing that deserves mention is how Elias plays every single skating position. Whether it's Left wing, Right wing, Center, or defense on the power play. The man is extremely well rounded, plays great defensivly, and deserves a ton of respect.
from about 1 month ago
couldn't agree more Clay. Elias is the epitome of a professional, he never complains, and is a good guy overall. As Brendan stated above, he is a big devotee to UNICEF, including his trip to Belize that was covered by the NHL, and broadcast on the NHL network this weekend. Elias really spent time with the kids, and gave you the impression he genuinely enjoyed the experience, not jsut for the rolling cameras, but for legitimate genuine reasons.
Already had a ton of respect for the guy, but stories like that never seem to get picked up by the mainstream media enough.
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