GDT: #4 - SJ @ NJ - Revenge of the Swedes

[R8Devs]

The guy was not a castaway he was the captain of his team at 23 years old.

 

[Sascha Goc]

Why are we writing off this guy 3 games into his North American career. He is also 24 and in America for the first time as well so I would imagine there is a huge transition occurring in his life right now outside the rink as well.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Why are we writing off this guy 3 games into his North American career. He is also 24 and in America for the first time as well so I would imagine there is a huge transition occurring in his life right now outside the rink as well.

Because team hasn't won yet and people are frustrated.

We are in no position to be casting forwards aside after 4 games.

 

[Sascha Goc]

Because team hasn't won yet and people are frustrated.

We are in no position to be casting forwards aside after 4 games.

I am honestly mystified by all the people online ( on and off of HF) that called for the front office changes, for the team to get younger, and also the people who want the Devils to rebuild through tanking who are now shitting all over the team because they suck.

#logic

 

[mike30]

i like kalinin. obv he needs to adjust still. we needed to get younger and i feel like he can contribute to the team.

PATIENCE GUYS!! PATIENCE!

 

[Emperoreddy]

I am honestly mystified by all the people online ( on and off of HF) that called for the front office changes, for the team to get younger, and also the people who want the Devils to rebuild through tanking who are now shitting all over the team because they suck.

#logic

Being patient while the team is going through very real growing pains isn't the easiest thing.

Much easier to go knee jerk and look for scapegoats.

 

[NJDevs26]

I am honestly mystified by all the people online ( on and off of HF) that called for the front office changes, for the team to get younger, and also the people who want the Devils to rebuild through tanking who are now shitting all over the team because they suck.

#logic

Bear in mind there's two very distinct factions of the Devil fanbase. The older fans who know nothing but twenty-five years of success under the previous administration and thus are skeptical (at best) of any change and the knee-jerk younger fans who mostly know the recent failures and thus are more apt to complain and want change. Especially since it's that demo that eats up all the kind of off-ice/social media stuff that most felt was lacking here.

Basically I'd be closer to the former demographic since I grew up in the '90's when the Devils just got good. Maybe the only thing keeping me from being a total 'I can't stand any change' person is my Jets/Mets fandom and a little more realism...through that I know what the Devils had and the length of their success is not normal and doesn't last forever.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Bear in mind there's two very distinct factions of the Devil fanbase. The older fans who know nothing but twenty-five years of success under the previous administration and thus are skeptical (at best) of any change and the knee-jerk younger fans who mostly know the recent failures and thus are more apt to complain and want change. Especially since it's that demo that eats up all the kind of off-ice/social media stuff that most felt was lacking here.

Basically I'd be closer to the former demographic since I grew up in the '90's when the Devils just got good. Maybe the only thing keeping me from being a total 'I can't stand any change' person is my Jets/Mets fandom and a little more realism...through that I know what the Devils had and the length of their success is not normal and doesn't last forever.

Yep and also the whiners get more vocal during bad times and most of them can't figure out why the team sunk so they deflect blame at the wrong players/people in the organization.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Bear in mind there's two very distinct factions of the Devil fanbase. The older fans who know nothing but twenty-five years of success under the previous administration and thus are skeptical (at best) of any change and the knee-jerk younger fans who mostly know the recent failures and thus are more apt to complain and want change. Especially since it's that demo that eats up all the kind of off-ice/social media stuff that most felt was lacking here.

Basically I'd be closer to the former demographic since I grew up in the '90's when the Devils just got good. Maybe the only thing keeping me from being a total 'I can't stand any change' person is my Jets/Mets fandom and a little more realism...through that I know what the Devils had and the length of their success is not normal and doesn't last forever.

I mean I'm a old time devils and yanks fan so all I knew growing up was success for my teams. Giants sort of helped fill the gaps in the 2000s but it's weird seeing two of my teams that were institutions have to readjust.

I'm still trying to be realistic about this. We needed to try something different and it was going to be rough before it gets better.

I mean we can argue about the fan experience with management, but that's a different topic. As for on ice stuff I think Shero is doing the right things to start getting us back on track.

Just was never going to happen quickly.

I'm still holding out hope we will be looking better by December/January and even if we still end up bottom 10 (extremely likely) we will look better doing it then last year with more hope for the future.

 

[britdevil]

They're hot garbage and will be for a while. I'll enjoy bagging on them and have some fun with it.

Yeah yeah boo me and all that.

Anyone who couldn't see that the old regime just wasn't working any more, were clearly looking back with the ol rose colour glasses.

Not that I want to give the new guys a pass, but at least it's something different.

 

[EliasFTW]

They're hot garbage and will be for a while. I'll enjoy bagging on them and have some fun with it.

Yeah yeah boo me and all that.

Anyone who couldn't see that the old regime just wasn't working any more, were clearly looking back with the ol rose colour glasses.

Not that I want to give the new guys a pass, but at least it's something different.

Exactly how i feel.

 

[Bleedred]

Sorry but Kalinin just reminds me too much of Pikkarainen and Tedenby post MacLean and Lemaire. Two of the worst forwards we've had in the last 5 or 6 years, not including a couple guys that were just old and washed up and finished, that were good players before that. Also excluding goons and call up fodder like Sestito.

Tedenby in the fact that he can't finish off scoring chances, not like he's gotten any in the regular season though.

I don't think he's NHL ready yet, don't see what's wrong with sending him to Albany for now to learn the game there.

 

[MadDevil]

Kalinin is just another in the long line of fourth liners that have been through the organization over the years. None of them have ever really been the problem. Our lack of quality forwards in the top 9 has been a far bigger issue, and has forced guys like Gionta, Tootoo, Bernier, etc. to play more than they should.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Kalinin doesn't even speak English, I think what he's been able to do coming off a MAJOR concussion is kind of impressive actually.

Obviously there's some mistakes adapting to a smaller ice surface and the best league in the world, but Jesus H., what were you people expecting? The guy is learning a new game, a new language, and new culture on the fly.

And oh yeah, we're the worst team in the league, it's not like he can just plug in with some good players and go to work.

 

[SeidoN]

team has bigger problems than guys like Kalinin. its fun to bust on these average 4th liners, but then you notice the team has 0 first line players lol

 

[NJDevs26]

People just see Kalinin and Gionta as blocking guys like Boucher, Blandisi and Matteau (not like HE's really a top six guy though) from potentially being a part of the solution, that's why they're always such a flashpoint.

 

[kiwidevil]

Kalinin looks quick and looks quite physical. Exactly what our coach wants to see. Looks to have a bit of skill that looks perfect for a bottom 6.

But, hey. It's not some guy that we drafted that we try to cling to every hint of something good from so we should cut him now.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Kalinin doesn't even speak English, I think what he's been able to do coming off a MAJOR concussion is kind of impressive actually.

Obviously there's some mistakes adapting to a smaller ice surface and the best league in the world, but Jesus H., what were you people expecting? The guy is learning a new game, a new language, and new culture on the fly.

And oh yeah, we're the worst team in the league, it's not like he can just plug in with some good players and go to work.

Exactly. Kalinin has a lot to get used to all at once. Even one of these things would be a major transition, nonetheless all at once. It really won't kill us to have a little patience with him, especially when he really hasn't looked bad in my opinion.

 

[Balance]

People just see Kalinin and Gionta as blocking guys like Boucher, Blandisi and Matteau (not like HE's really a top six guy though) from potentially being a part of the solution, that's why they're always such a flashpoint.

I see nothing in Boucher that excites me whatsoever.

Matteau is a 3rd liner at max.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Why are we writing off this guy 3 games into his North American career.

Because he wasn't all that good in his Asian career.

What you have to hope for, is that the Kalinin signing is a 100% "scouting pick-up" given his youth, because the NHL is about 5x better than the KHL, and Kalinin didn't exactly light-up the KHL either.

 

[NJDevilsZG]

Kalinin is better than Josefson.

One is a undrafted Russian and the other is our former 1st rounder. It's funny that in the NHL you get so many more chances just because your a former first rounder.

This. One was the guy his team depended on to perform on daily basis, the other was just a part of the lineup all his career.
I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time - and a short one - before Kalinin outperforms Josefson

 

[R8Devs]

josefson isn't just getting chances because he's a first rounder...otherwise some other players would be here. He looks good in every aspect of the game except finishing that's going to keep him in the NHL as long as he keeps it up. That's why he's best suited for a bottom six role. I like Kalinin too he's better as a 4C than Gionta. And has the potential to keep a steady 3C when injuries happen.