Devils 2017-18 team discussion (player news and notes) III

[Emperoreddy]

Like I said weeks ago, I really have no idea where Mueller is going to play when he comes back. Greene certainly isn't coming out and shouldn't no matter how much hate he gets. Considering how long of a leash Moore has got in the past for playing like crap with this organization, he's certainly not coming out with the way he's played this year. And it would be a beyond dumb move to take a promising young defenseman like Butcher out who's excelled in his role and has helped the Power Play.

Unless they want to play one of their defenseman on their offside and take Santini out, Mueller will most likely sit the bench.

You can rotate guys on the right side out and shift Butcher over, or you just sit Butcher.

Honestly I think Butcher has deserved a game or two off over the last few games but we didn’t have any one to sub in for him. He is still learning the game, and is also a rookie. Occasional night off might benefit him.

It would do us good to try and keep our young D fresh if we really want to make a run at this. It wouldn’t be the worst idea to spot Greene a night off once in the blue too.

 

[Jets012]

You can rotate guys on the right side out and shift Butcher over, or you just sit Butcher.

Honestly I think Butcher has deserved a game or two off over the last few games but we didn’t have any one to sub in for him. He is still learning the game, and is also a rookie. Occasional night off might benefit him.

It would do us good to try and keep our young D fresh if we really want to make a run at this. It wouldn’t be the worst idea to spot Greene a night off once in the blue too.

Makes sense to rotate defenseman to keep everyone fresh. I would personally just rotate Mueller/Lovejoy/Santini in each game with the occasional Moore and rare Greene scratching. Although I'm sure with our luck someone will inevitably get injured and miss and extended time. Just think Butcher is too important to what he provides us to scratch him. He really is our best QB on the PP (yes even better than Vatanen) and we get a ton of high quality danger chances with him on the ice. If we want to sit him once or twice down the stretch, that's fine, but Butcher is a must play IMO most nights considering he brings a skill set not many of our defenseman provide.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Makes sense to rotate defenseman to keep everyone fresh. I would personally just rotate Mueller/Lovejoy/Santini in each game with the occasional Moore and rare Greene scratching. Although I'm sure with our luck someone will inevitably get injured and miss and extended time. Just think Butcher is too important to what he provides us to scratch him. He really is our best QB on the PP (yes even better than Vatanen) and we get a ton of high quality danger chances with him on the ice. If we want to sit him once or twice down the stretch, that's fine, but Butcher is a must play IMO most nights considering he brings a skill set not many of our defenseman provide.

Butcher should play most games, but he is still a rookie so I wouldn’t hesitate to give him a night off after a clunker. Severson and Moore should be able to spot him for one night without too much issue.

I wouldn’t make a habit out of it.

 

[JrFischer54]

I do think that if we are still in the top 3 by the end of February you do have to at least think about ways to improve the team and take a stab at it.

Obviously nothing insane unless it is also a move that helps us long term as well, but if there is something at the right price?

There is nothing you can add really who would you take out ? I rather the draft picks that it would require said player

 

[Emperoreddy]

There is nothing you can add really who would you take out ? I rather the draft picks that it would require said player

I don’t really see many places to subtract so I honestly don’t know.

 

[Bleedred]

I absolutely don't agree with sitting Butcher just to sit him. He's already been sheltered as it is, so it's not like he's really gonna get burned out playing 16-17 minutes a night.

 

[MadDevil]

I absolutely don't agree with sitting Butcher just to sit him. He's already been sheltered as it is, so it's not like he's really gonna get burned out playing 16-17 minutes a night.

Somebody has to sit. Would you rather we scratch Santini or Severson again? Or have Mueller ride the pine after not having played for a couple of months? Moore hasn't really done anything to deserve to sit. Greene likely isn't going to sit.

 

[Bleedred]

Somebody has to sit. Would you rather we scratch Santini or Severson again? Or have Mueller ride the pine after not having played for a couple of months? Moore hasn't really done anything to deserve to sit. Greene likely isn't going to sit.

Somebody could be hurt between now and then.

I don't think we'd waive Lovejoy, but I do see us buying him out after this year.

Has Mueller started skating yet? I could see us taking our time with bringing him back and not ahead of schedule like Zajac and Palmieri. If he hasn't started skating yet, I feel like we might not see him before the all star break.

Our power play is probably not in the top 10 right now without Butcher.

 

[JimEIV]

As we get closer to crunch time I'd bet money some of the younger defensemen see diminished roles and time or even sit. Mueller, Santini and Butcher possibly even Severson.

Greene LHD, Vatanen RHD, Moore LHD will be fixtures on the D

The last LHD is between Mueller and Butcher

The last two RHD spots are between Severson, Santini and Lovejoy. I think that this staff will choose Lovejoy more frequently for a playoff push... I hope I'm wrong on this, but it's my gut feeling.

The left side has little competition. When your choice is Mueller or Butcher it would seem more of a philosophical decision of offense vs defense... given the fact that Mueller has missed so much time it might be tough for him to perform well enough to stay in this lineup. At this point in the season we really can't be patient while a Dman works out the kinks and rust from missing half a season. You just can't do that in February or March. Muller looks more like the odd man out on the left side?

 

[MadDevil]

Having Mueller come back just to sit would be kind of stupid, especially given he was playing pretty well before he got hurt. Although none of the other LHD (except maybe Greene, but scratching the captain isn't going to happen) really deserve to sit either, so somebody is going to get the short end of the stick regardless.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I would not have a problem sending Santini down when Mueller is back

Moore-Vatenen
Greene-Severson
Mueller-Butcher
Lovejoy

the masses probably won't like that take too much though

 

[TrufleShufle]

I would not have a problem sending Santini down when Mueller is back

Moore-Vatenen
Greene-Severson
Mueller-Butcher
Lovejoy

the masses probably won't like that take too much though

You are right, I wouldn't like it. But am aware there really isn't any other option.

One concern though is how good can Mueller be? I mean, start of him playing, most people were down on him, but he did start to pick it up right before he got hurt. Obviously not everyone will ever agree on anything here, but its seemed most people here were upset he went down because of the fact he was actually showing what he could do the few games before he went down, at least potential.

Now he has been hurt longer than Zajac, how long did it take for Zajac to look like he belonged, (I'm sure there are some who still think he doesn't.) He was shuffled up and down the lineup for 10+ games before finding any groove what so ever. Granted he could have just came back too early. But my point is, at this point in the season, when it really seems we are going to make the playoffs, how long will they give Mueller if he doesn't pick up exactly where he left off, or worse. Only 6 Dman, very hard to bury, bench or shuffle to keep him off the ice for extended periods of time.

I'm not saying he will be bad, but he will have a very small window IMO to start contributing before they just go back to what was working (the best for what we have) before he came back. I don't think he will have the time Zajac had to re adjust.

 

[FooteBahl]

You are right, I wouldn't like it. But am aware there really isn't any other option.

One concern though is how good can Mueller be? I mean, start of him playing, most people were down on him, but he did start to pick it up right before he got hurt. Obviously not everyone will ever agree on anything here, but its seemed most people here were upset he went down because of the fact he was actually showing what he could do the few games before he went down, at least potential.

Now he has been hurt longer than Zajac, how long did it take for Zajac to look like he belonged, (I'm sure there are some who still think he doesn't.) He was shuffled up and down the lineup for 10+ games before finding any groove what so ever. Granted he could have just came back too early. But my point is, at this point in the season, when it really seems we are going to make the playoffs, how long will they give Mueller if he doesn't pick up exactly where he left off, or worse. Only 6 Dman, very hard to bury, bench or shuffle to keep him off the ice for extended periods of time.

I'm not saying he will be bad, but he will have a very small window IMO to start contributing before they just go back to what was working (the best for what we have) before he came back. I don't think he will have the time Zajac had to re adjust.

I understand Mueller cant be sent down to the B, but he can go there on a conditioning assignment right?

 

[TrufleShufle]

I understand Mueller cant be sent down to the B, but he can go there on a conditioning assignment right?

Oooo forgot about that, not sure, if possible this would be the best option. For now.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Mueller got hurt November 12th. Sunday will be 9 weeks. So we should be hearing about him one way or the other pretty soon.

 

[JrFischer54]

Somebody has to sit. Would you rather we scratch Santini or Severson again? Or have Mueller ride the pine after not having played for a couple of months? Moore hasn't really done anything to deserve to sit. Greene likely isn't going to sit.

they should just buy out greene honestly at this point. ideally you try to trade him but for some insane reason he has a NTC and even if he agreed you would probably have to give a sweetener to just unload that contract.

 

[NJDevils17]

they should just buy out greene honestly at this point. ideally you try to trade him but for some insane reason he has a NTC and even if he agreed you would probably have to give a sweetener to just unload that contract.

Buying out the captain will literally never happen. Nor trading him. He can still be a bottom four defenseman. And probably extremely effective on the third pair. His salary isn’t an issue, it’s the space he takes up which may not be that bad if we get rid of Moore in the offseason. The issue is the lack of a top pair guy on the left side. Once we find that everything could slide into place.

 

[JrFischer54]

Buying out the captain will literally never happen. Nor trading him. He can still be a bottom four defenseman. And probably extremely effective on the third pair. His salary isn’t an issue, it’s the space he takes up which may not be that bad if we get rid of Moore in the offseason. The issue is the lack of a top pair guy on the left side. Once we find that everything could slide into place.

i know his contract isn't an issue since we have a ton of cap space but like you said him taking up a roster spot is the issue. honestly i rather john moore on this team then andy green if given the choice as the bottom pairing guy. i'm not saying moore is better defensively then andy but moore has more tools then him and fits what the team is doing better. also hes younger and cheaper then andy

his NTC makes trading not even an option no one would take him

 

[Emperoreddy]

Buying out Greene would be insanely stupid. Mueller and Moore aren’t better options either.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

they should just buy out greene honestly at this point. ideally you try to trade him but for some insane reason he has a NTC and even if he agreed you would probably have to give a sweetener to just unload that contract.

You couldn't possibly believe half the things you say, can you?

Why even bring this up? Greene is clearly declining but they are never, in a million years, going to buy out the captain.

 

[njdevil26]

Pretty hilarious that everyone's talking about the offsides rule now that it happened to a Canadian team... not like we've been taking it in the rear by the refs for the last 5 games or anything.

 

[JrFischer54]

You couldn't possibly believe half the things you say, can you?

Why even bring this up? Greene is clearly declining but they are never, in a million years, going to buy out the captain.

because its a msg board and we are here to discuss things. i never thought the devils were going to be on here and listening to us. i thought this was just a fun place to discuss stuff and trade opinions. i guess you think differently?

 

[JrFischer54]

Buying out Greene would be insanely stupid. Mueller and Moore aren’t better options either.

you think andy greene is better then mueller or moore? okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk then

 

[MartyOwns]

because its a msg board and we are here to discuss things. i never thought the devils were going to be on here and listening to us. i thought this was just a fun place to discuss stuff and trade opinions. i guess you think differently?

well in that case…I think they should make greene eat radioactive waste this weekend. he could very well develop superpowers, and he wouldn’t even need a defensive partner.
moore-vatenen
mueller-severson
greene

 

[Emperoreddy]

you think andy greene is better then mueller or moore? okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk then

It isn’t even a question unless you have an agenda against Greene.