Devils 2017-18 team discussion (player news and notes) - season begins!

[Better Call Sal]

Man, that sucks. He was playing well. Here's hoping for as quick a recovery as possible.

Glad Mojo is skating at least!

 

[Cheddabombs]

Really don't understand breaking up that first line when it's working. Zajac will just slow Hall and Palms down.

He'd look much better looking after Bratt/Johansson.

I kind of agree but at the same time Hall-Zajac-Palms were a very good line last season. It'd also be nice to see not only Nico and Bratt together but Nico getting less challenging minutes, might be do him well. And considering Nico's been great, he might take off.

At the very least against the Leafs I'd rather Zajac be in that #1 center role to help shut down some of their offense. They can always circle back to Nico on the top line if things aren't working.

 

[Alex NJD]

Which defenseman in the league that is available would be the best fit for the team?

We need a top 4, preferably top 2, LHD. We probably don't have the assets for a top 2 LHD. Arizona fans specualte OEL may be available in the future, would be a great fit but we definitely don't have the assets. So what's the best affordable fit? Probably someone like Ryan Murray, maybe Carolina makes someone available

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Really don't understand breaking up that first line when it's working. Zajac will just slow Hall and Palms down.

He'd look much better looking after Bratt/Johansson.

I agree, and I have no clue why they would toss a guy into first line minutes when he hasn't played hockey in over 6 months. He's going to slow the first line down and get eaten alive in his first game if it is against Toronto and Matthew's line.

 

[TrufleShufle]

So broken collarbone that needs surgery; any medically inclined people want to take a stab at a timeline? I was seeing 4-8 weeks for non-displaced fracture and significantly more if surgery is needed.

Ehh not really our area, if it was a heart condition though....

 

[NJDevs26]

Basically the worst case scenario for Mueller with the possible exception of a collarbone injury.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

If it was a concussion, whoever hit him would at least get a hearing.

Blindside clavicle injury? Eh, vaya con dios, buddy.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I'm not sure I'd want Trav with Hall.

 

[Blackjack]

Basically the worst case scenario for Mueller with the possible exception of a collarbone injury.

I think a concussion wouldn’t have been worse unless you were already ruling that out.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I guess it makes some sense to put Hall back with Zajac. Other teams will probably match up their best lines against Hall. Nico and Bratt will get more favorable matchups if they’re away from Hall.

 

[Devils Dominion]

If it was a concussion, whoever hit him would at least get a hearing.

Blindside clavicle injury? Eh, vaya con dios, buddy.

It was a dirty headshot

Hope a Devil takes him to task on Dec 23

 

[billingtons ghost]

Zajac is not a #1 center and never has been on a decent team. Nico will be so he needs to be up there with Hall.

I disagree with the assessment that he was 'good' with Palms and Hall - I think instead that he held them back to a large degree.

Zajac should start on our 3rd line - I think some other posters mentioned Zacha and Wood as linemates, so he could bring some defensive responsibility.

 

[R8Devs]

I'm okay with zajac with Hall. It's probably not the best for Hall's production but at the end of the day that line will probably outposses/outscore the other team when they're on the ice. Hischier and Bratt can get better match ups this way too.
I'd like to see a Zacha-Zajac-Wood line and I can see that happening sometime this season.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Zajac is not a #1 center and never has been on a decent team. Nico will be so he needs to be up there with Hall.

I disagree with the assessment that he was 'good' with Palms and Hall - I think instead that he held them back to a large degree.

Zajac should start on our 3rd line - I think some other posters mentioned Zacha and Wood as linemates, so he could bring some defensive responsibility.

It was one of the best lines in the league last year in terms of possession and this team is hemorrhaging shots against at an alarming rate. Zajac against other top lines is definitely needed. Can’t keep winning 7-5 games.

 

[DevilWithin]

We need a top 4, preferably top 2, LHD. We probably don't have the assets for a top 2 LHD. Arizona fans specualte OEL may be available in the future, would be a great fit but we definitely don't have the assets. So what's the best affordable fit? Probably someone like Ryan Murray, maybe Carolina makes someone available

What would we give up for a guy like Pesce.

 

[devilsblood]

I really don't think Shero's going to make a move based on Mueller's injury.

Agree, and not for nothing, Lovejoy is a good #7 to put in in case of injury. I think we can expect him to get limited minutes. I can deal with it.

Jacobs? I don’t seriously think he’d jump over Lovejoy and Prout but he’s apparently off to a good start and can skate better than those 2.

Kind of an interesting thought, if this was later in the year I think it would be more likely. Probably still a bit on the green side.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Trav and Palms won't keep up with Hall.

Hall will skate in the zone with puck and have no one to pass too.

It happened a lot last season.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Jacobs is not even close to NHL ready.

 

[billingtons ghost]

It was one of the best lines in the league last year in terms of possession and this team is hemorrhaging shots against at an alarming rate. Zajac against other top lines is definitely needed. Can’t keep winning 7-5 games.

sorry man - we're just not on the same page. Possession doesn't mean they score. I'd much rather have Nico and Hall scoring than Zajac hemming the puck in the corner.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Zajac is not a #1 center and never has been on a decent team. Nico will be so he needs to be up there with Hall.

I disagree with the assessment that he was 'good' with Palms and Hall - I think instead that he held them back to a large degree.

Zajac should start on our 3rd line - I think some other posters mentioned Zacha and Wood as linemates, so he could bring some defensive responsibility.

They had a goals for% of 71.4 while on the ice together last year, that's insane. Zajac was tied for second (with Palmieri) in 5v5 points last season, one behind Hall.

Hall and Palms are fantastic player, but Bratt and Stafford are no slouches. Let Nico feast on some favorable matchups while the vets do the heavy lifting. Hall-Nico-Palms is begging for a shutdown D pair, lets spread it out and force the opponent to make some tough match-up decisions.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I think the Vegas Knights (btw, I just got 'nights/knights' vegas bit of cleverness... duh) are carrying 9 Dmen but they are schlunks.

 

[Blackjack]

Agree, and not for nothing, Lovejoy is a good #7 to put in in case of injury. I think we can expect him to get limited minutes. I can deal with it.

I also agree, but wow, we may have just replaced the best defenseman on the roster with the second worst.

 

[Devils731]

sorry man - we're just not on the same page. Possession doesn't mean they score. I'd much rather have Nico and Hall scoring than Zajac hemming the puck in the corner.

This line out scored opponents at an enormous rate last year.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It's also probably better for Nico and Bratt's development to be away from Hall. That way they can be more puck dominant and create for their linemates. When Hall is on the ice, he's usually the one with the puck. Long term if you can have Nico or Bratt driving their own line in addition to Hall driving his, that's how you build a beast of a lineup.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I do not see the need to suddenly flip a switch and purge assets on a Murray/Pesce deal. Just like 24 hours ago, the organization isn't quite in a position to make a higher-profile move for D such as that.