GDT: Capitals at Devils, 7pm est NJD.TV

[devilsblood]

Just got home from the game, don't know what I can add that hasn't been said about Mercer and Holtz, first time watching Graves closely and was VERY impressed by his game, he's a presence out there and fast, was hitting everything and everyone.

Went in this game rooting for Boqvist to have a big game tonight and it just didn't happen for him, he had the puck on a 2 on 1 when he passed up a shot on ill-advised pass that got broken up, nothing went his way tonight.

I mention this above, but Boq had a pretty stellar corsi tonight, and has the best % amongst fwd's this preseason.

Now the rook's are showing high end offensive skills and putting pucks in the net(while also getting a lot more minutes, and a lot more pp minutes) so that could squeeze Boq, but I'm thinking he's been pretty solid thus far.

 

[ninetyeight]

Incredible that some people are still hating on Zacha. To me that just comes across as simple minded tribalism. You’ve picked your side and fight your opinion till the end, refuse to change regardless what is happening.

Zacha was our leading scorer last year and has had a hell of a preseason, both center and wing.

Also I’m not too concerned about Nico. It’s not like he looks bad, he’s been very solid in the dzone. He’s a true competitor and once the real games start I bet he steps up a gear. He’s the captain, his spot and role is set regardless of the pre-season, I think he’s just trying new things, trying not to get injured and seeing that everyone else is settling down (I’m speculating but it seems that’s the kinda captain he’s trying to be, based of what he’s said).

 

[FooteBahl]

I don’t want to jinx us, but are we going to go 104-0 this season?

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

So how did the goon we picked up from waivers look. Does he have enough skill to be an option for 4th line or are we better off giving the job to Vesey or Zetterlund.

 

[Call Me Al]

he looked ok enough to play 8 minutes once in a while against a team like the rangers or islanders without being a total liability but wouldn’t want him in the lineup every night

 

[OmNomNom]

Zacha sounded pretty pumped about his offseason, maybe he got rid of the dad bod.

Still looking for that pic

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

I don’t want to jinx us, but are we going to go 104-0 this season?

Seems like it but people cant see the cup from the zachas

 

[FooteBahl]

Seems like it but people cant see the cup from the zachas

I just looked at our schedule and out of our first 10 games, 8 are very winnable outside of Washington and Florida. A good start will do wonders for this team.

 

[swiiscompos]

I don’t want to jinx us, but are we going to go 104-0 this season?

I believe it was in 2016 that the Avalanches went 6-0 in the preseason and then ended up having a historically bad season (22-56-4). Actually historically the pre-season winner doesn't tend to do particularly well in regular season.

 

[Lou is God]

I mention this above, but Boq had a pretty stellar corsi tonight, and has the best % amongst fwd's this preseason.

Now the rook's are showing high end offensive skills and putting pucks in the net(while also getting a lot more minutes, and a lot more pp minutes) so that could squeeze Boq, but I'm thinking he's been pretty solid thus far.

I never said he had a bad night or overall he's not been solid, but having a good corsi doesn't translate into a "big night", and I made a point to watching him every time he was on the ice as I'm rooting for him to make the team and the 2 on 1 he mucked up (he should have shot or at least not telegraphed his pass) wasn't the only time he was squeezing his stick too hard whenever he had the puck.

And I think the coaching staff is seeing this as the only other player who had less shifts than him was the new guy Geertsen. I feel bad for the kid because immediately after the 2 on 1 was broken up his reaction told you he knew he blew it.

IMO he's got the talent to play in this league but he's caught between a rock and a hard place, the rock being established vets and the hard place being the impressive rookies.

 

[Nocashstyle]

I believe it was in 2016 that the Avalanches went 6-0 in the preseason and then ended up having a historically bad season (22-56-4). Actually historically the pre-season winner doesn't tend to do particularly well in regular season.

If there’s one thing this team has lacked for long enough: it’s confidence.

Winning in any form never hurts.

 

[Lou is God]

I do think one thing that hurts Boqvist is he's not a penalty killer. For a bottom six player that should be part of their game if they want to stick.

 

[JimEIV]

I mention this above, but Boq had a pretty stellar corsi tonight, and has the best % amongst fwd's this preseason.

Now the rook's are showing high end offensive skills and putting pucks in the net(while also getting a lot more minutes, and a lot more pp minutes) so that could squeeze Boq, but I'm thinking he's been pretty solid thus far.

Boqvist just doesn't produce...it's frightening how little he's produced. In the last two seasons he's 35th on this team in points per game...Connor Carrick, Andy Greene and Kevin Rooney had a better PPG over the last two years and Matt Tennyson is only slightly behind him. That's comically bad.

He's only played 63 NHL games so maybe things get better but I wouldn't put my money on it. It looks like Jacob Josefson syndrome to me. I personally wouldn't have him anywhere near this lineup...the upside is upstate NY is beautiful in the fall.

NHL Stats

 

[Nocashstyle]

Yeah I’ve seen enough of Boqvist to think he’s not going to amount to much of an NHLer. He’s not bad, but he’s not good enough for top 6 and doesn’t have the intangibles or “skills” to be an effective bottom 6 role player.

I’d love to be wrong, but he’s mostly just a warm body in the lineup.

 

[devilsblood]

I never said he had a bad night or overall he's not been solid, but having a good corsi doesn't translate into a "big night", and I made a point to watching him every time he was on the ice as I'm rooting for him to make the team and the 2 on 1 he mucked up (he should have shot or at least not telegraphed his pass) wasn't the only time he was squeezing his stick too hard whenever he had the puck.

And I think the coaching staff is seeing this as the only other player who had less shifts than him was the new guy Geertsen. I feel bad for the kid because immediately after the 2 on 1 was broken up his reaction told you he knew he blew it.

IMO he's got the talent to play in this league but he's caught between a rock and a hard place, the rock being established vets and the hard place being the impressive rookies.

I'm not too sure how much can be read from TOI thus far.

Holtz and Mercer are getting a lot of minutes, but I think that is because they want to get a good look at those guys. Yes as they play well they get more of a look, and this probably snow balls toward them starting the season in the NHL, but I do think their minutes thus far is to see how they perform. Much like Vesey.

Now Boq is getting a pretty regular 5v5 shift in preseason, he's just not getting much in terms of special teams.

 

[swiiscompos]

If there’s one thing this team has lacked for long enough: it’s confidence.

Winning in any form never hurts.

Absolutely. I simply think that it's important to keep things in context, otherwise some people might end up very disappointed and over-react the moment the Devils loose a couple of games in a row... but who am I kidding, that will happen anyway!

 

[devilsblood]

Boqvist just doesn't produce...it's frightening how little he's produced. In the last two seasons he's 35th on this team in points per game...Connor Carrick, Andy Greene and Kevin Rooney had a better PPG over the last two years and Matt Tennyson is only slightly behind him. That's comically bad.

He's only played 63 NHL games so maybe things get better but I wouldn't put my money on it. It looks like Jacob Josefson syndrome to me. I personally wouldn't have him anywhere near this lineup...the upside is upstate NY is beautiful in the fall.

NHL Stats

I know we went over this one, but he produced at a pretty solid rate once he was moved to center last year.

He didn't get a ton of minutes, he played a very defensive role, Johnsson was his most common linemate, and Johnsson literally put up zero points there, but Boq in those minutes, and with those linemates produced pretty well.

 

[Lou is God]

I'm not too sure how much can be read from TOI thus far.

Holtz and Mercer are getting a lot of minutes, but I think that is because they want to get a good look at those guys. Yes as they play well they get more of a look, and this probably snow balls toward them starting the season in the NHL, but I do think their minutes thus far is to see how they perform. Much like Vesey.

Now Boq is getting a pretty regular 5v5 shift in preseason, he's just not getting much in terms of special teams.

You will see him occasionally on the PP but rarely if ever on the PK and that might be his setback, if you're not a strong offensive player 5X5 and are a bottom six forward, you got to bring something else to the table like Vesey does on the PK or bring chaos on the ice like Wood does.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Call me when Zacha does something 5-on-5. Piling up PP points vs a depleted roster doesn’t move the needle.

Think the problem is that entire group as a whole. They may be friendly off the ice - and individually skilled - but for whatever reason the productivity never seems to match the potential. And in their own end it always seems to be a misadventure.

 

[devilsblood]

You will see him occasionally on the PP but rarely if ever on the PK and that might be his setback, if you're not a strong offensive player 5X5 and are a bottom six forward, you got to bring something else to the table like Vesey does on the PK or bring chaos on the ice like Wood does.

Which is a little interesting given how defensive a role he played last year 5v5. Would think they would give him more of a look on the PK.

But I do agree, a guy who plays low 5v5 minutes, and is given little to no specialty teams minutes is very replaceable.

 

[Lou is God]

Which is a little interesting given how defensive a role he played last year 5v5. Would think they would give him more of a look on the PK.

But I do agree, a guy who plays low 5v5 minutes, and is given little to no specialty teams minutes is very replaceable.

I'm trying to find any kind of advanced stats from the AHL to see if Boqvist has any time on the PK, if he's not even playing PK down in the farm, then that's pretty telling. But yeah, it's odd that someone with his defensive skills doesn't get a look on the PK.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm trying to find any kind of advanced stats from the AHL to see if Boqvist has any time on the PK, if he's not even playing PK down in the farm, then that's pretty telling. But yeah, it's odd that someone with his defensive skills doesn't get a look on the PK.

As much as he might not like it, it may do him well to go start the season in the AHL, play a ton of minutes in all situations, and wait for the call up, which would undoubtedly happen.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Boqvist needs to start in Utica, now that we actually have talent and depth he just simply doesn't bring enough to the lineup to warrant a spot. He'll get a cup of coffee later in the season and if he doesn't stick by then we can ship him off to someone else at the deadline.

 

[Triumph]

Boqvist needs to start in Utica, now that we actually have talent and depth he just simply doesn't bring enough to the lineup to warrant a spot. He'll get a cup of coffee later in the season and if he doesn't stick by then we can ship him off to someone else at the deadline.

He won't get a cup of coffee. If he's the last guy sent down and Mercer and Holtz stay here, Boqvist is likely to play most of the season here.

 

[OmNomNom]

Yeah I’ve seen enough of Boqvist to think he’s not going to amount to much of an NHLer. He’s not bad, but he’s not good enough for top 6 and doesn’t have the intangibles or “skills” to be an effective bottom 6 role player.

I’d love to be wrong, but he’s mostly just a warm body in the lineup.

i mean didn't mcleod prove that theory wrong? he worked on becoming a solid bottom 6er, and if there's anyone we can point to when thinking about evolving your game, look at zacha over the years