Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part VI

[Nocashstyle]

My only worry with sitting Vitek is that he may go 7 nights (at least 6) without a game.

That may not be a big deal though. He didn't exactly come out of the all star game with his greatest game though.

Other than that, I don't care.

I feel like he’s been bowled over/crashed into more than a few times in the past two weeks. Some rest definitely seems like it won’t hurt.

 

[Bleedred]

*cough*Conte*coughcough*

I was almost run off the board about 11 years ago when I said that Conte is a gigantic problem with this organization and Lou needed to let him go.

Back then it was not at all acceptable to critique Conte, who had drafted guys like Brodeur and Niedermayer, which was over 20 years before that. And Elias damn near 20 years before that.

I think the only two people here that were pro-fire Conte people were me and good old Devils Dominion. I remember him going on about us taking Hoeffel over Wayne Simmonds in 2007 lol. He would literally second guess every pick with someone who was drafted a couple spots or even ROUNDS later. Like Frazee over Jonathan Quick, who was picked like approximately 30 spots later I think? That was pretty silly at the time, because did anybody really think they were gonna let Quick usurp Marty? He would have Ahonen'd out here, even if he did get some NHL time. He would have been 28 years old with way fewer games than he had played by that point. If anything, it may have saved us in the 2012 finals not having to play against Quick lol.

But yeah, I was really on the get Conte outta here club even before I was for removing Lou. Ironically, he had a decent draft in 2012 by his late era standards, with Severson and Kerfoot both becoming NHL players and he got Coleman in the 2011 draft as a later round gem, but there's not much worth celebrating with Conte after about 2004. And even in the late 90's and early 00's there were some bad years with not much talent. I think Paul Martin, Parise and Zajac were the only early 00's picks worth talking about. David Hale was a BUST and so was Lance Ward all the way back in 1996. Gionta and Gomez were good picks in the late 90's, but there's not much there.

Henrique, Coleman, Severson and Kerfoot are literally the only long term NHLers we drafted that weren't top-6 picks between 2004 and the end of his time here in 2015. If you add 4th overall Larsson and 6th overall Zacha, there's two more. Mark Fayne was good for a couple of years, but he was out of the NHL before he was even 30.

The 2014 draft was an embarrassment.

 

[My3Sons]

My only worry with sitting Vitek is that he may go 7 nights (at least 6) without a game.

That may not be a big deal though. He didn't exactly come out of the all star game with his greatest game though.

Other than that, I don't care.

Oh please. We all know you can barely contain your excitement for Blackwood's start tonight. He will steal this game the way he almost stole the Bruins game and then you will make those doubters eat crow!!

 

[HBK27]

I feel like he’s been bowled over/crashed into more than a few times in the past two weeks. Some rest definitely seems like it won’t hurt.

I was getting a bit worried last game about Vitek getting injured with the amount of times he's been hit, so at least won't have to worry about that tonight.

Will be interesting to see the other lineup decisions.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Vatanen was soooo solid when he first came over. I wouldn’t lump him in that group.

I was shocked how much his game just suddenly took a nosedive

Dude was incredible. Then the headshot happened. Was never the same. Then unfortunately got a second concussion ten months later. Brutal.

 

[Bleedred]

While we're still on Shero, I didn't have much problems with the Gusev and Subban trades, but they just didn't work out.

I don't think anybody expected Subban to start declining that early, but he did and that's why he didn't even make it to 33 years old in the NHL. I think it was reasonable to assume he wasn't gonna come here and fall off a cliff. I mean, it kind of started the year before, but even then it wasn't that bad.

Gusev looked like an NHL player at times that first year and scored a pretty decent number of points. I actually think maybe we should have seen it coming with him, much more than Subban. Maybe a 2nd round pick was too much for a guy that was 27 and never played in the NHL before. I do believe he was being billed as the best player in the KHL at the time or at least one of them.

 

[JrFischer54]

Harris spending 6 billion to buy the skins. Daaaaang

 

[Bleedred]

Dude was incredible. Then the headshot happened. Was never the same. Then unfortunately got a second concussion ten months later. Brutal.

He was really good the first year we had him and I don't remember him being that bad in years 2 and 3. The only time I was really done with him was the last season, when he came back as a UFA after going unsigned the entire offseason and we ended up having to waive him.

I wouldn't have picked him 4-5 years ago to be a guy that didn't see 30 years old in the NHL.

The concussions may have played a decent part in his demise, if not all of it.

He may have played above his head in that first season we had him, but I thought he was still easily a top-4 guy in years 2 and 3. Not so much in year 4 when we re-signed him. I thought he was barely a #6 by that point.

 

[Devs3cups]

This seems like an awesome opportunity for her. Say what you will about THN, but it is a universally recognized (in the hockey world) publication.

I think Kristy has been a really underrated addition to the Devils beat. James Nichols has been good too. Both have given some good content this season.

It’s also probably much easier to cover a team when they’re actually good

That's cool! I think THN recently launched individual team pages so that content could be posted regularly for all teams.

 

[bossram]

For some reason I get the feeling that Florida and the Islanders would both LOVE to play Carolina right about now.

Their offense isn't any good, particularly with Svech out and nobody is f***in afraid of Freddie the fossil or washed up Raanta. Especially not after his last couple of games against the Rangers in the playoffs last year.

Yep. Carolina just looks cooked. They're not making it past round 1.

With Svech out, they just can't score. Rod's system continually leaves them burnt out by the end of the season. And Freddie doesn't have it.

They're not winning tonight. Devils are taking the division.

The problem is I'd rather face the Rangers in round 1 than Florida.

 

[NHL Fanatik]

I feel like he’s been bowled over/crashed into more than a few times in the past two weeks. Some rest definitely seems like it won’t hurt.

Itll hurt our chances at the division

Vitek is only here for a few more years, Im really not at all worried about his health. He can play one more game and get two less days rest, he isnt going to melt

I have no idea why youre afraid of Florida - theyre half the team the Rangers are. Its kind of weird

 

[Nocashstyle]

Itll hurt our chances at the division

Vitek is only here for a few more years, Im really not at all worried about his health. He can play one more game and get two less days rest, he isnt going to melt

I’d rather play the Rangers than a Florida team that has been on an absolute tear the past month, so I’m okay with that

 

[Bleedred]

Yep. Carolina just looks cooked. They're not making it past round 1.

With Svech out, they just can't score. Rod's system continually leaves them burnt out by the end of the season. And Freddie doesn't have it.

They're not winning tonight. Devils are taking the division.

The problem is I'd rather face the Rangers in round 1 than Florida.

I think they could make it past round 2, but not so much round 2.

I just think they lack scoring talent.

I also think they play a system that shelters old and washed up goalies like Freddie and Auntie Rhonda, but I don't see them doing much damage in the playoffs. They'll have to go to Kochetkov, who judging by his next contract, will be an NHL regular starting next year.

I have no idea why youre afraid of Florida - theyre half the team the Rangers are. Its kind of weird

I don't know about that.

i don't think they're half the team the Rangers are.

They don't have a goalie that's even a quarter of the Rangers goalie, but that's about it. They may actually be a better team than the Rangers, outside of in goal.

 

[MartyOwns]

shero definitely should have signed a bunch of UFA defensemen to big deals, because those always work out well. if shero placated some morons on a message board, say goodbye to timo or bratt, bye bye hamilton, likely bye bye luke hughes and hello to fitz having to buy out aforementioned defensemen. instead, he foolishly loaded forward capital like hall and maltsev, who became bahl and graves amongst others.

how shero built the foundation he did with lou’s scrap heap of overaged assholes is beyond me.

 

[NHL Fanatik]

I’d rather play the Rangers than a Florida team that has been on an absolute tear the past month, so I’m okay with that

Yeah tbh i think thats just weird sorry to say - Florida isnt nearly as good

DD is that you?!

I think they could make it past round 2, but not so much round 2.

I just think they lack scoring talent.

I also think they play a system that shelters old and washed up goalies like Freddie and Auntie Rhonda, but I don't see them doing much damage in the playoffs. They'll have to go to Kochetkov, who judging by his next contract, will be an NHL regular starting next year.


I don't know about that.

i don't think they're half the team the Rangers are.

They don't have a goalie that's even a quarter of the Rangers goalie, but that's about it. They may actually be a better team than the Rangers, outside of in goal.

Florida's defense is terrible ...

On paper they dont come within reach of the Rangers, its a massive difference

 

[NHL Fanatik]

Idk what voodoo reverse psychology some of you are trying here but the Panthers dont sniff the Rangers jockstraps on paper and on-ice

Its a big difference. Tbh anyone whod rather play NY is just fooling themselves for the sake of feeling better about the matchup. Its cheering Kakko over Hughes type vibes

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah tbh i think thats just weird sorry to say - Florida isnt nearly as good

DD is that you?!


Florida's defense is terrible ...

On paper they dont come within reach of the Rangers, its a massive difference

It's mostly the same team as last year that won the presidents trophy.

The biggest difference is Huberdeau is gone for a BETTER and YOUNGER player. I guess Weegar is not, he was probably replaced with crap.

And another difference is now they're coached by a has-been retread that's one of the most recycled and passed around head coaches of the last 30 years. Last year they were coached by Brunette.

Bobrovsky also had an UP year last season. This year he's reverted back to the declining version he's been since he got there.

Lyon is an AHL bum on a hot streak, so I'd obviously rather face him than Shesterkin, but the Panthers aren't as bad as you're making them out to be.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Yeah tbh i think thats just weird sorry to say - Florida isnt nearly as good

DD is that you?!


Florida's defense is terrible ...

On paper they dont come within reach of the Rangers, its a massive difference

They’re pretty average 5 on 5. Their top 6 has two of the worst defensive forwards in the NHL. Half of their D is really good, the other half is not. They’re obviously still a good team, but the Devils have matched up well against them this season and struggled vs Florida.

Sorry if you think it’s “weird” to prefer the team the Devils have matched up better against this year.

 

[NHL Fanatik]

It's mostly the same team as last year that won the presidents trophy.

The biggest difference is Huberdeau is gone for a BETTER and YOUNGER player. I guess Weegar is not, he was probably replaced with crap.

And another difference is now they're coached by a has-been retread that's one of the most recycled and passed around head coaches of the last 30 years. Last year they were coached by Brunette.

Bobrovsky also had an UP year last season. This year he's reverted back to the declining version he's been since he got there.

Lyon is an AHL bum on a hot streak, so I'd obviously rather face him than Shesterkin, but the Panthers aren't as bad as you're making them out to be.

They wouldnt have made the playoffs if they didnt get the hottest theyve been all year before the end of the season

Maybe youre just seriousny underestimating NY - theyre deeper and higher end at each position

 

[Devs3cups]

Idk what voodoo reverse psychology some of you are trying here but the Panthers dont sniff the Rangers jockstraps on paper and on-ice

Its a big difference. Tbh anyone whod rather play NY is just fooling themselves for the sake of feeling better about the matchup. Its cheering Kakko over Hughes type vibes

While I get your point, people aren’t basing this out of thin air. We’ve played the Rangers significantly better than the Panthers this year. Could that change in the playoffs? Absolutely. But that’s why people say we matchup better against the Panthers.

I personally don’t really care, I’m just hyped for the playoffs and think we can beat both of them.

 

[NHL Fanatik]

They’re pretty average 5 on 5. Their top 6 has two of the worst defensive forwards in the NHL. Half of their D is really good, the other half is not. They’re obviously still a good team, but the Devils have matched up well against them this season and struggled vs Florida.

Sorry if you think it’s “weird” to prefer the team the Devils have matched up better against this year.

Yeah Devils matched up better against Tampa in 2017 too when we swept them. And the Islanders swept us this year but im guessing youd agree theyd beat us in the playoffs too?

Reg season matchups mean nothing in the playoffs and the Rangers are better in every facet of the game outside having a Tkachuk. Its a pretty ridiculous notion, to rather play NY than Florida, yes

 

[Nocashstyle]

They wouldnt have made the playoffs if they didnt get the hottest theyve been all year before the end of the season

Maybe youre just seriousny underestimating NY - theyre deeper and higher end at each position

2012 LA Kings

 

[Call Me Al]

Idk what voodoo reverse psychology some of you are trying here but the Panthers dont sniff the Rangers jockstraps on paper and on-ice

Its a big difference. Tbh anyone whod rather play NY is just fooling themselves for the sake of feeling better about the matchup. Its cheering Kakko over Hughes type vibes

the panthers beat us twice this year and we handled the rangers pretty well, it’s not crazy to think it’s a tougher match up, but it’s closer than the seeding. still prefer the panthers because i want our building to be all devils fans but it’s kind of a pick your poison for matchups

 

[Nocashstyle]

Yeah Devils matched up better against Tampa in 2017 too when we swept them. And the Islanders swept us this year but im guessing youd agree theyd beat us in the playoffs too?

Reg season matchups mean nothing in the playoffs and the Rangers are better in every facet of the game outside having a Tkachuk. Its a pretty ridiculous notion, to rather play NY than Florida, yes

I enjoy a good strawman

 

[NHL Fanatik]

2012 LA Kings

Your example is a team that did something bo one ever has in NHL history (win game 7s away each series)

They have no Kopitar or Doughty or Quick...

I enjoy a good strawman

Strawman? No, thats reality

Youre basing a playoff series off of regular season series - which is proven to not be an indicator of success

Its fine if you fear Florida but its for no reason other than your own personal belief. Nothing thats gone on this season shows Florida as a better team