Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season begins!

[NjdevilfanJim]

While letting Severson and Graves go was the right move, it still hurts us in the short term.

Severson is a better player than Luke right now.
Graves is a better player than Bahl right now.

Our D is downgraded and then you lose Dougie.

If we want any chance this year, we have to upgrade on goaltending and then add an impact piece on the back end, but it seems like a long shot to me.

Yes and at what cost....If this is a step back "growth year" we should embrace it and act accordingly....Sure if we deal players for assets we can use them in future for an immediate upgrade or to take a spot of someone we simply won't be able to afford....Sometimes best thing is to show patience don't make a trade out of desperation this year that could cause us to really regret in the future....

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Bahl was playing much better than Graves at the end of last year, and I would absolutely take Luke over Severson right now

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Defense is good. Im tired to read about it. Devils have less SA and dangerous chances in D zone than other teams. They will never clear the game like someone wants. Stop it. If you want to talk about problem, talk about real ones.
Goalie are bad, but even with this goalies this team will dominate others when Jack, Nico and Bratt are on their way. They are not now.

This team won 8 out of 10 after Nico return. With bad goalies(worst % in the league), "bad" defense (one of the best SA and xGF) and slowed Timo Meier. Now they have problems in 4 straight games even when Timo scores.

Jack costs us flyers game. Their lack of offense, and Toffoli too ( may be smart teams would prefer to save young cheap goal scorer who can play PK, but still right move, Yegor is open to play, Toffoli is need in PP) should make a step forward. Palat is best in xGF in the team, he is making his job, even Timo started to score, McLeod is playing like he is top 6 forward. It's fully on Jack, Nico and Bratt. Ots enough to miss passes, open gates or shot in the chest.

On a good side - our defense started to being even much better with Nemec - he is best D in xGA per 60. Without Dougie turnovers they are playing much safer, but we are missing him in offensive zone.

Nemec is a future stud dman .....

 

[Nubmer6]

Nemec is a future stud dman .....

There, fixt.

 

[Guttersniped]

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It sucks seeing a guy we heard a lot of rumors about being at the to of that list. What he could’ve done with this team……

You should go on the main board and hang out with Guffman if you have a Hellebuyck fixation.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I promise you the analytics people aren’t telling Lindy what system to run. This is the coaching staffs system.

I don't think it's that the analytics people are telling Lindy what system to run. It's more that they have a style they want, and told Fitz and Fitz hired a coach that also fits that. So if they were to get a new coach, it'd just be the same thing, if that is indeed what is happening here. Probably better reflects what @NJDevs26 is worried about.

 

[Guttersniped]

Bahl was playing much better than Graves at the end of last year, and I would absolutely take Luke over Severson right now

Bahl played better at the end of last season because he was playing on the 3rd pair with Severson.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Christmas break Danometer:

I’m at a 6. We are in a playoff spot on pts %. They need to beat Lumbus and Ottawa next week. Then the January schedule is interesting. A mix in quality of opponents

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I am back down to 5... a couple wins next week will bring it to 3

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Xs and Os aside, he had the guys playing as a team last year and playing the right way. He does not have that this year at all

I'm starting to believe Ruff's role last year was really just to be a cheerleader / supporter for the players and brunnette was the tactician. When the team has no one who knows wtf they're doing regarding the actual in-game systems, a cheerleader can only do so much to motivate / manage the players.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Part of the reason why I'd like Ruff fired before the end of the season is I'd like some more data about the goaltending, is it really the case the Devils have ZERO NHL goalies on their roster? How much can we really attribute to the defensive tactics? Is it really nothing and these expected goal models are unbiased for NJ? If that's the case NJ is in deep trouble becuase this is a horrible offseason to go into with a cup contender desperately seeking goaltending.

We did see it, for like 3 games. Exactly what some of us have been saying. When they tightened up defensively, goaltending wasn't the issue, but they weren't amazing either. They were just average. So yea, with a better system, there's no real need to go get another goalie and similarly, getting some similar level goalie in this garbage system is not gunna be pretty.

 

[Darkauron]

"The devils D and Goalies suck!"

"Well the D isnt that bad its the goalies that are the biggest problem and we have stats and everything to back it up!"

"The D is the problem!"

 

[theoptimist]

From Geertsen to Meier, McLeod does it all

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

i think this Christmas Break is needed big time.

Glad Timo is almost back fully. A couple days off will only help.

Feel like Luke could use some rest - guy has taken a bunch of pain so far this year.

What's the deal with Miller? Is he getting healthy-scratched for Smith?

 

[Comparison Ford]

i think this Christmas Break is needed big time.

Glad Timo is almost back fully. A couple days off will only help.

Feel like Luke could use some rest - guy has taken a bunch of pain so far this year.

What's the deal with Miller? Is he getting healthy-scratched for Smith?

millers wife had a baby! that’s why he was out. hope he gets back into lineup after xmas.

 

[Bleedred]

Miller since came back from practice on Friday (I don't think hardly anybody skated on Saturday at the morning skate) so he could have played last night.

 

[RSeen]

Bahl was playing much better than Graves at the end of last year, and I would absolutely take Luke over Severson right now

Well Bahl this year is not better than Graves last year and Luke is not better than Severson. Luke may be better by next year but as of now, he definitely is not.

Yes and at what cost....If this is a step back "growth year" we should embrace it and act accordingly....Sure if we deal players for assets we can use them in future for an immediate upgrade or to take a spot of someone we simply won't be able to afford....Sometimes best thing is to show patience don't make a trade out of desperation this year that could cause us to really regret in the future....

I don't disagree with what you are saying but hard not to go for it given the talent on this team.

 

[My3Sons]

millers wife had a baby! that’s why he was out. hope he gets back into lineup after xmas.

Devils won with Smith in the lineup. That might mean Miller sits until a few more lossss happen

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Well Bahl this year is not better than Graves last year and Luke is not better than Severson. Luke may be better by next year but as of now, he definitely is not.

I would say Luke is both better than Severson and playing a more important role. Severson was a sheltered 3rd pairing dman when everyone was healthy last year. Marino played the toughest minutes on the team (with Graves) and Severson dominated soft matchups. Graves held up better than Bahl with those tough minutes. I’d also say Nemec is very clearly better than Graves at hockey.

 

[JK3]

I can’t blame Luke and Nemec much at all, they’re kids.

Marino and Siegs have been up and down to just outright bad. I think Seigs has been the worst overall. Smith is Smith, he has some value with the PK and being our elite fourth liner lol.

Not having Dougie isn’t helping either to push someone down and eat up a bunch of minutes.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Marino has been playing better. It's siegs and Smith sucking massive wind most nights.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nemec has come in as a 19 year old kid and handled his minutes better than I thought he would, and I was already very high on him. He's playing on the PP, on the PK and is constantly one of the biggest minute eaters on the team. Just last night, he was our 2nd highest D-man in TOI in all situations, and he was leading the team in 5v5 minutes. He's been very impressive.

I've liked what Luke brings too already. Talked about him a lot, but his skating, offensive skill/instincts are awesome at such a young age and he's been better defensively than I thought he would.

Both of these guys being so good at such a young age bodes really well for the future. They complement each other extremely well as well. Super exciting to know they'll be our top guys on D for years to come. Apparently, they're becoming good buddies too!

 

[Jersey Fresh]

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Playoff chances are a coin flip now thanks to the goaltending, poor coaching like starting schmid in back to backs, and strength of schedule.

How is Carolina still so damn high? They’re right where we are with even worse goaltending.

 

[Bleedred]

Marino has been playing better. It's siegs and Smith sucking massive wind most nights.

There's a simple solution for Smith, you just don't play him. I'm not sure how he made it back into the lineup last night after we allowed like 12 goals the game before that and lost, all the while Miller was back at practice the day before and all indications were he was available to play.

With Siegs we're pretty much screwed, until he can at least start playing at an adequate level again.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

I would say Luke is both better than Severson and playing a more important role. Severson was a sheltered 3rd pairing dman when everyone was healthy last year. Marino played the toughest minutes on the team (with Graves) and Severson dominated soft matchups. Graves held up better than Bahl with those tough minutes. I’d also say Nemec is very clearly better than Graves at hockey.

Devils fans are/were never really fair to Severson!

I dont think Luke has played better than Damon in their respective seasons. That just seems like being nice to the young guy for the sake of being a supportive fan

Luke has had most of the teams worst defensive zone turnovers this season; even if outside of that hes been impressive. Damon was very polished last year and was a big proponent in us having the season we had

 

[Bleedred]

Severson was good, but he was a third pairing guy for a decent amount of last year.

We have better defensemen than him this year, we just don’t have better defensemen than him (or even as good) to put on our bottom pair this year.

Severson is better than Smith, Miller, Bahl. Smith and Bahl seemed to be swapped in and out for each other a lot last year (if I’m not mistaken?) and Smith of this year is definitely worse than Smith of last year and he’s mostly been a regular, due to Miller’s poor preseason, then getting injured for a while and now the birth of a child and not being able to get back in over Smith his first game back available.

Graves is also better than those last three guys.