JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 66,141
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GDT: That Ain't The Friggin' Christmas Star Gris: Stars @ Devils, 7 PM, MSG+
- Thread starter Better Call Sal
- Start date
Blender
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2009
- 51,399
- 45,290
iMissKovy
Registered User
tr83
Nope, still embarassed
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 66,141
- 28,472
Boyle is a great feel good story. He doesn't skate well and really doesn't fit this team. I prefer stating the obvious on the best of nights so I don't look like I'm piling on when he loses a face off on a game winning goal.
I personally like players like Boyle but it seems like a big divergence from everything they trying to do.
I personally like players like Boyle but it seems like a big divergence from everything they trying to do.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
every coach does dumb things
look, I am not big on Hynes one way or the other, but he deserves credit for this season.
JK3
Go Easy-Step Lightly-Stay Free
I honestly shit on Gibbons when the season roster came out but holy f***ing shit he's been absolutely amazing. @SteveCangialosi123 has been pumping him up all the time in a tongue and cheek kinda way but he's right, Gibby actually deserves it, he's been fantastic.
glenwo2
LINDY RUFF NEEDS VIAGRA!!
VaxjoDevil
No kids - Still a person
I don't know. I get what you are saying, but the character he has comes into play during an 82 game season where there will be downs and lulls.
- May 1, 2011
- 130,151
- 57,473
Last year he may have deserved it a little bit and he was looking like he might be continuing that play very early this season, but he's bounced back quite nicely in the last 1.5 months particularly. Just had a stretch of rough games in late October/early November and maybe an assorted bad game here or there at other parts of the season, but I'll take my chances with him more than not.
Devilsgrl35
Registered User
Wow, that's unreal. I can't say if I've ever seen that before. Never mind the fact that a rookie did that.
SteveCangialosi123
Registered User
Devil X
Call me Nostradamus
Boyle was brought in for leadership, defensive forward play, play physical, and winning faceoffs. Not his speed or anything like that. Sometimes you cant find the exact right player that checks all the boxes. Boyle checks other boxes beside the speed box. He has done exactly what you would expect, won some key faceoffs, scored some points, play physical, been a leader and mostly played well defensively. If your expecting more then your looking at the wrong player.
NJDevils17
Going Up?
Boyle doesn’t fit the identity of the team but brings some intangibles. Not in the ha ha ha intangibles way, but the team fought harder after his goal and scuffle afterwards. He’s a great influence on the team and there’s a reason he wears the an A 20 games in.
njdevils1982
Hell Toupée!!!
sure a divergence, but it takes all kinds of players to be successful
imagine 12 gretzkys as your lineup…….recipe for loss more times then not.
glenwo2
LINDY RUFF NEEDS VIAGRA!!
Speaking of Bratt, did anyone see a replay that Sal brought up during the broadcast of Bratt using his left skate to help the Devils win a faceoff draw?
That was gold.
- Oct 22, 2002
- 9,432
- 4,041
I’m giving props to Hynes.
His lineup usage has been excellent from training camp.
Started Hischier on 3rd line and bumped him up to top line when the performances warranted it. Ditto Jesper Bratt. I like how he has no problems giving youth a go. The decisions to keep Gibbons and Coleman ahead of Blandisi and Quenneville after camp has been a master stroke. Yes Blandisi and Quenneville were better scorers in camp but Hynes wanted Gibbons and Coleman on the team for PK ability and it has been paid off in spades.
He is very smart with how he has used Butcher. Shelter him on even strength and ramp him up on power play.
He has recognized that Lovejoy isn’t the player he once was and scratched him for most of the season. I’m sure there is a temptation is to continue to play him as he is a Stanley cup veteran over the likes of Severson, Santini, Mueller and Butcher. But Hynes has recognized quickly that The above 4 dman are the future of this team. Even when Lovejoy does play, he gives him minimal minutes and he has been every effective as a no. 7 dman this year.
Scratching of Santini and Severson has been good coaching. Severson wasn’t performing and got a deserved benching. But credit to Hynes, didn’t let him sit long and has been damn good since his scratching. Santini also has been good as well from his spell on the sidelines as Hynes has learned that Santini got overwhelmed playing top pairing minutes, so it best to give him a rest and then cut his minutes back on return. The acquisition of Vatanen has helped with this and I think Vatanen has also helped lessen the load of Andy Greene’s minutes which is a good thing.
Zajac completely sucked in his first 10 games back from injury but you just had to persist and the benefits are now showing. He looks great with Coleman and Gibbons. You could say the same with Brian Boyle after missing all of training camp. We now seeing the value what he brings, with his faceoff prowess and veteran leadership. The fact he is chipping in some goals now is a huge bonus.
And finally, as much as everyone hates how Zacha is being treated, Hynes is doing the right thing. Scratching him for multiple games is the only way he can learn that his compete level was holding him back. If he doesn’t bring it each game he is going to get scratched. Jimmy Hayes has outworked Zacha for the season to date but hopefully after the last 3 games, Zacha now realizes what he needs to go to stay in the lineup. So when the likes of MoJo and Palms returns from injury, it is Hayes and Stafford that go out, and Zacha stays in.
John Hynes is a top 3 Jack Adams candidate to date this season.
Blender
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2009
- 51,399
- 45,290
You just quoted me posting that clip.Speaking of Bratt, did anyone see a replay that Sal brought up during the broadcast of Bratt using his left skate to help the Devils win a faceoff draw?
That was gold.
glenwo2
LINDY RUFF NEEDS VIAGRA!!
iMissKovy
Registered User
Nah. we need a guy who can be apresence in front of the net and add toughness to our team . He fits that mold perfectly
Brooklyndevil
Registered User
- Oct 22, 2002
- 9,432
- 4,041
We have 3 very good lines at moment.
Hall-Hischier-Bratt
Just the tonic Hall needed to get going. Playing with offensive creative players has seen Hall’s game go to a new level in NJ and has helped tremendously ease the transition into the NHL of Hischier and Bratt. I think we all knew that Hischier was eventually going to become a no. 1 center. Bratt’s rise was completely out of the blue and much needed given the injuries to Palms and MoJo.
Coleman-Zajac-Gibbons
I’ve been vocal in calling for Zajac to play as a shutdown 3C for the last 2 seasons. Well it is finally happened and the results are great, as Hynes has found the right two line mates for Trav. Coleman and Gibbons are very disciplined and good defensively. These three can play big minutes at even strength if it is required to shutdown superstars like McDavid, Kopitar, Seguin etc.
Wood-Boyle-Noesen
Boyle is the perfect 4th line all rounder. Wins faceoffs, good defensively, can PK and can be effective on PP too in front of the net. Wood and Noesen bring energy, speed and grit. Which is what you want from a 4th line. Both of them block shots and willing to take a stick to the face to help their team.
That just leaves finding a secondary scoring line to take the pressure off Hall. We know two of them are going to Johansson and Palmieri. They haven’t had a chance to play together due to injury. And hopefully the third guy is Pavel Zacha as he has the skill set to play with MoJo and Palms. He just needs to not be complacent and compete hard each night. If he does, the points will start to come when playing with MoJo and Palms. And we will have a complete 4 line set. Things are looking up.
So has Zajac turned the corner? How does the Zacha/Zajac comparison looking now for 2C when Palms Hall and MarJo return?
