Post-Game Talk: Another day, another Devils loss (NJ gets blanked by EDM 4-0)

[Emperoreddy]

I’m usually not one to lament about how this should have happened and that happening caused this to happen or not happen or whatever, but the 2018 playoff berth might have hurt us more than helped in the long run.

The MVP has no doubt inflated Hall’s value on his next contract, it kept Hynes here longer. Can you imagine if Shero hired Trotz instead of Lou, after firing Hynes for three years and no playoffs in any of them?

We got Jack out of it so it isn’t the end of the world.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Everyone understood this team wasn’t a contender. We obviously need more players with more talent to get to that level, especially on the blue line.

That said the team we do have should not be this bad. This is something that gets said too often about Hynes teams.

 

[devilsblood]

Everyone understood this team wasn’t a contender. We obviously need more players with more talent to get to that level, especially on the blue line.

That said the team we do have should not be this bad. This is something that gets said too often about Hynes teams.

I'm not at all suggesting Hynes has done a good job.

But last year the goal tending was awful and then the injuries piled up.

Then this year I think we were all bedazzled by the incoming talent without considering the acclimation process these guys were going to have to deal with. That goes for Hughes, Gusev, Boqvist, and Smith too.

I also think we expect Hall to be MVP Hall which he has not been, and Subban to be Norris trophy Subban which he has not been.

Now I still think the talent could gel this year, guys like Hughes Gusev and Boqvist have already shown improvement while Hall I think is shaking some of the injury rust.

So I'm not sure Hynes has been the main problem these past couple years and I'm also not sure that he can't be the guy who leads the team as they make steps going fwd.

 

[Nubmer6]

I'm not at all suggesting Hynes has done a good job.

But last year the goal tending was awful and then the injuries piled up.

Then this year I think we were all bedazzled by the incoming talent without considering the acclimation process these guys were going to have to deal with. That goes for Hughes, Gusev, Boqvist, and Smith too.

I also think we expect Hall to be MVP Hall which he has not been, and Subban to be Norris trophy Subban which he has not been.

Now I still think the talent could gel this year, guys like Hughes Gusev and Boqvist have already shown improvement while Hall I think is shaking some of the injury rust.

So I'm not sure Hynes has been the main problem these past couple years and I'm also not sure that he can't be the guy who leads the team as they make steps going fwd.

Well, it's hard to acclimate and gel if you're playing with a different player every other game.

 

[devilsblood]

Well, it's hard to acclimate and gel if you're playing with a different player every other game.

So do you think Gusev should have stuck with Hughes?

Also consider that when Nico gets hurt, or Bratt gets hurt that lines are going to have be adjusted.

 

[Nubmer6]

So do you think Gusev should have stuck with Hughes?

Also consider that when Nico gets hurt, or Bratt gets hurt that lines are going to have be adjusted.

No. I think we should have gone back to Hall-Hughes-Palms, and Zacha-Hischier-Bratt. They seemed to work well, and I saw no reason to go away from that, unless they were trying to control Hughes' minutes.

I mean, Nico managed 1st line duties in his rookie year, and i see no reason Hughes can't do the same.

I also don't understand breaking up the Wood-Rooney-Simmonds line. They were also doing well.

 

[NJDevs26]

So did Burns before he came to us. As did Barry Trotz before he finally two years ago.

Which is definitely a fair point, although in Burns' case he never really had the best teams and did make deep runs in the playoffs.

 

[Nubmer6]

Which is definitely a fair point, although in Burns' case he never really had the best teams and did make deep runs in the playoffs.

Yeah, but there's a limited number of cup winning coaches. You can't limit your coaching search to ones who have won a cup, and as a result, you can't discount a coach if he's never won it all before.

 

[NJDevs26]

I’m usually not one to lament about how this should have happened and that happening caused this to happen or not happen or whatever, but the 2018 playoff berth might have hurt us more than helped in the long run.

The MVP has no doubt inflated Hall’s value on his next contract, it kept Hynes here longer. Can you imagine if Shero hired Trotz instead of Lou, after firing Hynes for three years and no playoffs in any of them?

Hynes was never getting canned after three years, maybe he would have been canned by last offseason though, if they'd come up short of the playoffs in 2018. I still don't think we would have gotten Quenneville but at least they would have gotten the process started of finding a better staff.

Hall's MVP run may have inflated his next contract, but it could also inflate the trade value we get back for him.

 

[devilsblood]

No. I think we should have gone back to Hall-Hughes-Palms, and Zacha-Hischier-Bratt. They seemed to work well, and I saw no reason to go away from that, unless they were trying to control Hughes' minutes.

I mean, Nico managed 1st line duties in his rookie year, and i see no reason Hughes can't do the same.

I also don't understand breaking up the Wood-Rooney-Simmonds line. They were also doing well.

If you didn't break up Wood Rooney Simmonds, who were you taking out of the lineup to get Bratt back in? Gusev? Boqvist?

And look, Hughes is a superior offensive talent, but Nico even as a rookie was a more complete player. So I don't think you are going to use Hughes this year like we did Nico his rookie year. Right now Hughes is getting pretty much the easiest minutes in the league, he's no where near top line minutes.

 

[Nubmer6]

If you didn't break up Wood Rooney Simmonds, who were you taking out of the lineup to get Bratt back in? Gusev? Boqvist?

And look, Hughes is a superior offensive talent, but Nico even as a rookie was a more complete player. So I don't think you are going to use Hughes this year like we did Nico his rookie year. Right now Hughes is getting pretty much the easiest minutes in the league, he's no where near top line minutes.

I would have Gusev and Boqvist split a spot next to Coleman-Zajac to have them cover for rookie defensive mistakes, and possibly spark the line.that's been offensively challenged the last few weeks.

Hughes on the top line seemed to work, but I understand your concern.

 

[jkrdevil]

Hynes was never getting canned after three years, maybe he would have been canned by last offseason though, if they'd come up short of the playoffs in 2018. I still don't think we would have gotten Quenneville but at least they would have gotten the process started of finding a better staff.

Hall's MVP run may have inflated his next contract, but it could also inflate the trade value we get back for him.

If they would have blown the playoff gap over Florida that year and missed, there would have been a strong case for turfing him then. That second half of the year was absolutely miserable. They went from being tied with the Caps for first around Christmas to needing a miracle west coast trip in March to preserve a playoff spot.

Now given they gave him an extension the next year while in last place, they probably fire don’t him at that point if they miss. But he definitely doesn’t get an extension and may have gotten fired December/January last year (his contract would have been up).

Management certainly ignored the waring signs from 2018.

 

[NJDevs26]

They would not have fired him after a 97-point third season when the first two he really had no shot in. It's not like people were expecting us to make the playoffs. Missing would have been blamed on Cory and not without merit. He would have had a much shorter leash the next year to be sure and (probably) doesn't get that extension which trolled us all in the middle of last year though.

 

[jkrdevil]

I'm not at all suggesting Hynes has done a good job.

But last year the goal tending was awful and then the injuries piled up.

Then this year I think we were all bedazzled by the incoming talent without considering the acclimation process these guys were going to have to deal with. That goes for Hughes, Gusev, Boqvist, and Smith too.

I also think we expect Hall to be MVP Hall which he has not been, and Subban to be Norris trophy Subban which he has not been.

Now I still think the talent could gel this year, guys like Hughes Gusev and Boqvist have already shown improvement while Hall I think is shaking some of the injury rust.

So I'm not sure Hynes has been the main problem these past couple years and I'm also not sure that he can't be the guy who leads the team as they make steps going fwd.

Yes, goaltending was awful. But outside the first two weeks (that was a favorable schedule) they were still a bad possession even before the injuries.

That’s the thing I always back to. There have also been a lot of stretches of like 2 or 3 regulation wins in like 20 games. Even the year they made the playoffs they had a stretch where they basically went blank for a month and half. Get the team to be at least competitive.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They would not have fired him after a 97-point third season when the first two he really had no shot in. It's not like people were expecting us to make the playoffs. Missing would have been blamed on Cory and not without merit. He would have had a much shorter leash the next year to be sure and (probably) doesn't get that extension which trolled us all in the middle of last year though.

Maybe. You can’t say for sure and the extension is meaningless. If they want him gone he will be gone.

 

[haak84]

Maybe. You can’t say for sure and the extension is meaningless. If they want him gone he will be gone.

The extension isn't meaningless until they fire him.

 

[devilsblood]

Maybe. You can’t say for sure and the extension is meaningless. If they want him gone he will be gone.

The extension is a pretty clear signal they don't want him gone. Most signs point to them wanting to ride it out with Hynes.

 

[devilsblood]

If they would have blown the playoff gap over Florida that year and missed, there would have been a strong case for turfing him then. That second half of the year was absolutely miserable. They went from being tied with the Caps for first around Christmas to needing a miracle west coast trip in March to preserve a playoff spot.

Now given they gave him an extension the next year while in last place, they probably fire don’t him at that point if they miss. But he definitely doesn’t get an extension and may have gotten fired December/January last year (his contract would have been up).

Management certainly ignored the waring signs from 2018.

They won 11 of their last 16. The west coast trip only accounted for 3 of those wins.

And the 2nd half of that year was more wild up and down swings, 4 losses followed by 3 wins followed by 4 losses, followed by 4 wins, then it was "absolutely miserable". Kink would not have put that record together if the 2nd half was that bad.

As a whole the 17-18 season was a surprising success, there were no warning signs to take from it.