Speculation: Camp locks and dark horses

[MadDevil]

I wish they would just send Lovejoy down. Rather Santini, Butcher and Prout playing over him. All of them are better than him, and Butcher brings what the team needs, offensive skill from the back end.

It's not going to happen though, unless he's literally costing a goal every time he's on the ice. Best case scenario at this point is that the kids play so well they force Lovejoy down to the third pairing, where he at least won't be exposed as badly.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Just waive LJ

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's not going to happen though, unless he's literally costing a goal every time he's on the ice. Best case scenario at this point is that the kids play so well they force Lovejoy down to the third pairing, where he at least won't be exposed as badly.

I think this is going to end up happening.

Prout has looked good but I don't expect him to be able to sustain good play long term. Santini will eventually take the 2nd pairing spot on the right side.

Butcher I think could use some seasoning in Bingo.

 

[Devil X]

Just waive LJ

Its very hard to believe Shero and Hynes would waive LJ or make him sit as the 7th. If they do ok, but frankly at least at the start of the season I'd be totally shocked if those 4 i mentioned are anything but our time 4 Dman.

 

[theoptimist]

I hate workplace politics

 

[billingtons ghost]

I think they may actually keep 8 D to start the season unless all of JQ, Speers, Bratt, McLeod absolutely knock it out of the park. Seems like we always get someone injured in the first weeks of the season.

IR: Zajac Boyle

G: Schneider Kinky

D:
Greene - Severson
Moore - Lovejoy
Mueller - Santini
extra: Prout, Butcher

F
locks:
Palmieri, Hall, Marjo, Rico, Stafford

Near absolute certainty, unless something ridiculous happens or they really want to keep a waiver vet at least to start the season:
Hischier, Zacha

Likely
Wood, Blandisi, Noesen,

Bubble: (3 of the below) If Coleman is hurt, Lappin's stock goes up.
Bratt, JQ, MacLeod, Lappin, Speers, Coleman (latter two because of Zajac)

 

[Classic Devil]

I think they may actually keep 8 D to start the season unless all of JQ, Speers, Bratt, McLeod absolutely knock it out of the park. Seems like we always get someone injured in the first weeks of the season.

IR: Zajac Boyle

G: Schneider Kinky

D:
Greene - Severson
Moore - Lovejoy
Mueller - Santini
extra: Prout, Butcher

F
locks:
Palmieri, Hall, Marjo, Rico, Stafford

Near absolute certainty, unless something ridiculous happens or they really want to keep a waiver vet at least to start the season:
Hischier, Zacha

Likely
Wood, Blandisi, Noesen,

Bubble: (3 of the below) If Coleman is hurt, Lappin's stock goes up.
Bratt, JQ, MacLeod, Lappin, Speers, Coleman (latter two because of Zajac)

I think I'd rather have Butcher get 1st pairing icetime in the AHL.

 

[Devil X]

I think they may actually keep 8 D to start the season unless all of JQ, Speers, Bratt, McLeod absolutely knock it out of the park. Seems like we always get someone injured in the first weeks of the season.

IR: Zajac Boyle

G: Schneider Kinky

D:
Greene - Severson
Moore - Lovejoy
Mueller - Santini
extra: Prout, Butcher

F
locks:
Palmieri, Hall, Marjo, Rico, Stafford

Near absolute certainty, unless something ridiculous happens or they really want to keep a waiver vet at least to start the season:
Hischier, Zacha

Likely
Wood, Blandisi, Noesen,

Bubble: (3 of the below) If Coleman is hurt, Lappin's stock goes up.
Bratt, JQ, MacLeod, Lappin, Speers, Coleman (latter two because of Zajac)

I think with how things are going Hayes may make the team as a 4th liner/extra forward.

I think I'd rather have Butcher get 1st pairing icetime in the AHL.

Agreed both him and Santini, if Santini isnt in the top 6.

 

[Its a Trap]

Ben Lovejoy makes 2.6 million against the cap. If outperformed in preseason, I can't see or understand a realistic reason for keeping him in the lineup.

 

[Oneiro]

Locks: Santini, Nico, Mueller, Blandisi, Noesen

Nice but not their time: Bratt, Bastian

Not sure, either way: Wood, Coleman, Lappin, Butcher

Need more seasoning: Speers, McLeod, JQ,

 

[Ben Matlock]

Ben Lovejoy makes 2.6 million against the cap. If outperformed in preseason, I can't see or understand a realistic reason for keeping him in the lineup.

Ideally he'll be in the press box. Don't see the point in sending him down so that someone else has to sit out games.

 

[My3Sons]

Ben Lovejoy makes 2.6 million against the cap. If outperformed in preseason, I can't see or understand a realistic reason for keeping him in the lineup.

He's a Shero signing and would represent the first real mistake of the new regime to dump him now. Hynes will do his utmost to make Shero look good so he can keep his job. It's one thing to tell the owners you have to dump the players Lou left over, it's another to ask them to eat multiple millions of dollars for your mistake. Maybe Lovejoy gets the odd night off spun as a veteran's rest day but unless he gets injured I'd expect he plays until maybe the trade deadline next season.

 

[theoptimist]

He's a Shero signing and would represent the first real mistake of the new regime to dump him now. Hynes will do his utmost to make Shero look good so he can keep his job. It's one thing to tell the owners you have to dump the players Lou left over, it's another to ask them to eat multiple millions of dollars for your mistake. Maybe Lovejoy gets the odd night off spun as a veteran's rest day but unless he gets injured I'd expect he plays until maybe the trade deadline next season.

Interesting perspective.

 

[MadDevil]

He's a Shero signing and would represent the first real mistake of the new regime to dump him now. Hynes will do his utmost to make Shero look good so he can keep his job. It's one thing to tell the owners you have to dump the players Lou left over, it's another to ask them to eat multiple millions of dollars for your mistake. Maybe Lovejoy gets the odd night off spun as a veteran's rest day but unless he gets injured I'd expect he plays until maybe the trade deadline next season.

I don't think it's necessarily that as much as Lovejoy is one of those "good soldiers" that a lot of coaches have a weakness for. We saw it with Gionta under DeBoer. Hell, I bet you could go back and look at just about every coach we've had and find a player that was overused.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't think it's necessarily that as much as Lovejoy is one of those "good soldiers" that a lot of coaches have a weakness for. We saw it with Gionta under DeBoer. Hell, I bet you could go back and look at just about every coach we've had and find a player that was overused.

You can. If you spend time on other boards you find they all have one guy they hate and don't understand why they get ice time.

 

[Triumph]

I'll be surprised if Lovejoy is on the team this time next year, and more surprised if he is a fixture in the lineup.

 

[Cheddabombs]

He's a Shero signing and would represent the first real mistake of the new regime to dump him now. Hynes will do his utmost to make Shero look good so he can keep his job. It's one thing to tell the owners you have to dump the players Lou left over, it's another to ask them to eat multiple millions of dollars for your mistake. Maybe Lovejoy gets the odd night off spun as a veteran's rest day but unless he gets injured I'd expect he plays until maybe the trade deadline next season.

That'd be even worse than admitting their mistake and sitting him or buying him out, that's piling onto a mistake by not correcting it. Coaches and GM's make these mistakes all the time and it usually turns out better when they move on from those players. If Lovejoy continues his poor pre-season play, or the young guys keep impressing or both, then I'd hope that Shero recognizes that and does what's best for the team.

 

[NJDevs26]

That'd be even worse than admitting their mistake and sitting him or buying him out, that's piling onto a mistake by not correcting it. Coaches and GM's make these mistakes all the time and it usually turns out better when they move on from those players. If Lovejoy continues his poor pre-season play, or the young guys keep impressing or both, then I'd hope that Shero recognizes that and does what's best for the team.

The unstated issue is there's not really pressure to win this year. If they were more of a win-now team there'd be more of an urgency to play best player regardless of contract.

 

[Bleedred]

I don't think it's necessarily that as much as Lovejoy is one of those "good soldiers" that a lot of coaches have a weakness for. We saw it with Gionta under DeBoer. Hell, I bet you could go back and look at just about every coach we've had and find a player that was overused.

I used to always wonder why Lemaire didn't petition to have Rod Pelley and Mark Fraser banished to Siberia. Those guys playing in the NHL at all was overplaying. I remember when Pete was hired and he personally mentioned ''I had Mark Fraser in Kitchener'', I figured we'd be in for even more Fraser.

Luckily, both guys were all but permanently banished upon Pete's arrival, and then traded for Kurtis Foster two months into the season. I tried to not complain about Foster too much after that, just because he permanently got the two scrubs to leave town.

 

[Cheddabombs]

The unstated issue is there's not really pressure to win this year. If they were more of a win-now team there'd be more of an urgency to play best player regardless of contract.

Of course. And of course there are the politics of Lovejoy being the veteran guy with a strong locker room presence. But it just sets the precedent that no matter how **** he plays or no matter how much better another guy is than him, he'll always get preferential treatment just because he's the veteran. I get it, and it happens league-wide but it's annoying.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Blandisi is definitely making the team.

 

[Its a Trap]

He's a Shero signing and would represent the first real mistake of the new regime to dump him now. Hynes will do his utmost to make Shero look good so he can keep his job. It's one thing to tell the owners you have to dump the players Lou left over, it's another to ask them to eat multiple millions of dollars for your mistake. Maybe Lovejoy gets the odd night off spun as a veteran's rest day but unless he gets injured I'd expect he plays until maybe the trade deadline next season.

This is the exact opposite of what I expect in a GM. If you made a bad signing, I, as a fan, as more understanding if you admit you're screw up. If you refuse to acknowledge it and keep tossing the bad player out there, that's how you lose fan support.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Bratt tho...He's gonna make this team. Can he play RW? Because if so he'd fit in fine on the 3rd line with Blandisi.

 

[theoptimist]

Jesper makes me think things

 

[Emperoreddy]

Bratt tho...He's gonna make this team. Can he play RW? Because if so he'd fit in fine on the 3rd line with Blandisi.

I think he can play both wings.

He absolutely has earned his cup of coffee