NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
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2-9, but he was used the first couple times this year and not impressive.
He hasn't been all that good on the whole the last ten or so games, he hasn't really deserved more icetime.
Damien Brunner
- Thread starter BinCookin
- Start date
2-9, but he was used the first couple times this year and not impressive.
He hasn't been all that good on the whole the last ten or so games, he hasn't really deserved more icetime.
"Lamoriello, 71, balding, is considered one of the most respected managers in U.S. professional sports."
Oh dear God, Google translate
Actually that is exactly what the German version says.
How could you describe a GM with 3 Stanley Cups? Let's speak about his lack of hairs.
Actually only forgot two words (i think). And no need for a translation source, i think being German is enough for that.
He didn't say anything offending about the organization, most things come from the author of the article. And the author Nicola Berger (yes, the one who very early in the summer said that Brunner appeared to be close to sign with the Devils) is a guy who usually mainly covers Brunners' former swiss club EV Zug. Now he's traveling to the US every once in a while and does NHL coverage as well. He's said to be quite close to Brunner and obviously himself feels bad for the guy and puts lot of the blame on the organization.
Let me try a basic translation, by no means perfect, some parts make it hard for a non-professional to transfer the right meaning to english
:Lost in the world of the conformists
by Nicola Berger, as published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung on nov 12, 2013, freely translated, by no means perfect by starfish
Damien Brunners' creativity isn't asked in NJs system, he's got two points in the last eleven matches. "Sometimes", Brunner says, "I feel like they don't really know what I'm best at here."
Nowhere in the NHL the players' everyday life is as restricted as in Newark, NJ, the big and aging city at the doorway to New York where the decay of the old, strong and shiny United States has long begun. With the New Jersey Devils Lou Lamoriello has it written on his banners to keep the order up, at least in his organization. Lamoriello, 71, bald patch, is said to be one of the most respected managers in all of us pro sports. In 26 years at the top of the New Jersey Devils he's won the Stanley Cup three times.
Discipline above everything
Lamoriello also appears to know what he does when he makes it part of the players' contracts that beards are only allowed during the playoffs. That they are not allowed to actively use Twitter or Facebook. That the hair may maximally reach their ears. That even on free days during traveling, suits have to be worn. Or that numbers with 30 may only be chosen in exceptional cases. If there were such disciplinary rules in Switzerland, there probably would be open riot. But Lamoriello calmly states:"In this organization things are done the way I say they are. If you don't like it, just leave."
Damien Brunner doesn't want to leave. He has only just arrived: On the 24th of September the 27-year old Swiss national player has signed with the Devils for two years and five million dollar. It was the conciliatory end of a frustrating summer for him, when he had to wait long to finally get an NHL offer. Ever since, Brunner tries to find his way in this cosmos of rules and orders. You can't say that he managed to do that especially well so far.
However, the orders off ice are only one thing and they're not the ones Brunner is struggling with. He's struggling with the tactical requirements put on him by coach Pete de Boer. In De Boers' system the Devils play the way they've always played during the Lamoriello era: Defense first, result-oriented, solid hockey - That's how a favorable description might sound like. Others would joke that the Devils played just as unattractive as the surroundings of Newark look like.
45-year old Pete De Boer instructs his players to play the puck along the boards into the offensive zone and then dig it out from there. There are no dribblings, no combinations, no one man rushes - and thus also no happy Damien Brunner.
The Zurich born is standing in the locker room at Prudential Center. It is Sunday, he's wearing his suit, a cap and has his car keys in his hand. No five minutes have passed since the 5:0 over Nashville. Brunner jokes: "I don't even have to take a shower after such a game." That is, not because the opponent was that weak, but because Brunner himself was a non factor in the game. He was put on the ice for 11 minutes and 24 seconds, which is nothing for someone who had twice as much ice time on good evenings with EV Zug. "Sometimes", Brunner says, "I feel like they don't really know what I'm capable of around here." [comment by starfish: the meaning of the german sentence lies somewhere between this translation and the one you find at the start of the article]
You can't really tell whether that is a fact or not, but in any case it does seem like the Devils have little interest to change anything about these circumstances. Brunner is everything what this team isn't; as an artist he's struggling among a group in which the system stands above all. He's an individualist in a world of conformists. And his stats show it: In 16 games for the Devils he has 4 goals and three assists, and after a promising start he's gone without a point for eleven matches. Brunner says:"I'm somewhat lost right now. I got zero confidence. Last time I played that bad I was 22 years old and played for the Kloten Flyers."[starfish:another swiss national league organization]
That was a long time ago, Brunner played at stadion Schluefweg on the fourth line and his career seemed to be about to come to an end. Ever since, however, the goalgetters' star has been raising, without interruptions for five years. Now he's again in a situation when things don't go the way he'd like them to and has to find a way to cope with it. "If this really was my best hockey, I can just as well simply throw my skates away and do something else." But he still hasn't lost the certainty that everything will turn out to the better eventually.
Detroit is the past
After all he has already shown that he's of NHL caliber, in the shortened season when he played along superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg and didn't leave a bad impression next to the two. Does he regret having declined Detroits' offer for two years and five million in June? The more so as he did fit in better with their system? Brunner gives a clear answer: "No." This decision was made and is a thing of the past. He'd rather do something positive in the present. If only New Jersey let him.
I hope that helps a little
Last edited:
ThePSEGPowerPoster
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Tundra
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- Oct 20, 2005
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He didn't say anything offending about the organization, most things come from the author of the article. And the author Nicola Berger (yes, the one who very early in the summer said that Brunner appeared to be close to sign with the Devils) is a guy who usually mainly covers Brunners' former swiss club EV Zug. Now he's traveling to the US every once in a while and does NHL coverage as well. He's said to be quite close to Brunner and obviously himself feels bad for the guy and puts lot of the blame on the organization.
Let me try a basic translation, by no means perfect, some parts make it hard for a non-professional to transfer the right meaning to english
Lost in the world of the conformists
by Nicola Berger, as published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung on nov 12, 2013, freely translated, by no means perfect by starfish
Damien Brunners' creativity isn't asked in NJs system, he's got two points in the last eleven matches. "Sometimes", Brunner says, "I feel like they don't really know what I'm best at here."
Nowhere in the NHL the players' everyday life is as restricted as in Newark, NJ, the big and aging city at the doorway to New York where the decay of the old, strong and shiny United States has long begun. With the New Jersey Devils Lou Lamoriello has it written on his banners to keep the order up, at least in his organization. Lamoriello, 71, bald patch, is said to be one of the most respected managers in all of us pro sports. In 26 years at the top of the New Jersey Devils he's won the Stanley Cup three times.
Discipline above everything
Lamoriello also appears to know what he does when he makes it part of the players' contracts that beards are only allowed during the playoffs. That they are not allowed to actively use Twitter or Facebook. That the hair may maximally reach their ears. That even on free days during traveling, suits have to be worn. Or that numbers with 30 may only be chosen in exceptional cases. If there were such disciplinary rules in Switzerland, there probably would be open riot. But Lamoriello calmly states:"In this organization things are done the way I say they are. If you don't like it, just leave."
Damien Brunner doesn't want to leave. He has only just arrived: On the 24th of September the 27-year old Swiss national player has signed with the Devils for two years and five million dollar. It was the conciliatory end of a frustrating summer for him, when he had to wait long to finally get an NHL offer. Ever since, Brunner tries to find his way in this cosmos of rules and orders. You can't say that he managed to do that especially well so far.
However, the orders off ice are only one thing and they're not the ones Brunner is struggling with. He's struggling with the tactical requirements put on him by coach Pete de Boer. In De Boers' system the Devils play the way they've always played during the Lamoriello era: Defense first, result-oriented, solid hockey - That's how a favorable description might sound like. Others would joke that the Devils played just as unattractive as the surroundings of Newark look like.
45-year old Pete De Boer instructs his players to play the puck along the boards into the offensive zone and then dig it out from there. There are no dribblings, no combinations, no one man rushes - and thus also no happy Damien Brunner.
The Zurich born is standing in the locker room at Prudential Center. It is Sunday, he's wearing his suit, a cap and has his car keys in his hand. No five minutes have passed since the 5:0 over Nashville. Brunner jokes: "I don't even have to take a shower after such a game." That is, not because the opponent was that weak, but because Brunner himself was a non factor in the game. He was put on the ice for 11 minutes and 24 seconds, which is nothing for someone who had twice as much ice time on good evenings with EV Zug. "Sometimes", Brunner says, "I feel like they don't really know what I'm capable of around here." [comment by starfish: the meaning of the german sentence lies somewhere between this translation and the one you find at the start of the article]
You can't really tell whether that is a fact or not, but in any case it does seem like the Devils have little interest to change anything about these circumstances. Brunner is everything what this team isn't; as an artist he's struggling among a group in which the system stands above all. He's an individualist in a world of conformists. And his stats show it: In 16 games for the Devils he has 4 goals and three assists, and after a promising start he's gone without a point for eleven matches. Brunner says:"I'm somewhat lost right now. I got zero confidence. Last time I played that bad I was 22 years old and played for the Kloten Flyers."[starfish:another swiss national league organization]
That was a long time ago, Brunner played at stadion Schluefweg on the fourth line and his career seemed to be about to come to an end. Ever since, however, the goalgetters' star has been raising, without interruptions for five years. Now he's again in a situation when things don't go the way he'd like them to and has to find a way to cope with it. "If this really was my best hockey, I can just as well simply throw my skates away and do something else." But he still hasn't lost the certainty that everything will turn out to the better eventually.
Detroit is the past
After all he has already shown that he's of NHL caliber, in the shortened season when he played along superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg and didn't leave a bad impression next to the two. Does he regret having declined Detroits' offer for two years and five million in June? The more so as he did fit in better with their system? Brunner gives a clear answer: "No." This decision was made and is a thing of the past. He'd rather do something positive in the present. If only New Jersey let him.
I hope that helps a little
Brunner and Tedenby need to get drunk together and exchange notes. The article was spot on.
CerebralGenesis
Registered User
- Jul 23, 2009
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RNCDevil
Registered User
Thanks for the translation. This seems a lot less controversial and a better mindset to improve. Good luck DB. I'm sure we'll need him in the coming weeks.
Better Call Sal
Salnalysis
I like Brunner and what he can bring. If he gets his confidence back to the place it was at in the first 4 games of the season, or hell even the Boston game, I think he will get back to playing better hockey.
He honestly just needs to play his game. It sounds like he is thinking too much when he's out there.
He honestly just needs to play his game. It sounds like he is thinking too much when he's out there.
ThePSEGPowerPoster
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The Devils have alienated a ton of very talented forwards because of their system. I've always been fine with it because our franchise mentality and, I guess, system has always proven to be the best fit for a run at the Cup. It's frustrating and some might call it "boring" to watch but it works when the games matter most.
Brunner, Tedenby, Loktionov, Kovalchuk - it takes time to adjust for those kind of players. Guys born and bred to bring the puck up on the rush and not dump and forecheck. Some get it, most don't. It's the nature of the beast here in NJ.
I'm not at all offended by what Brunner said - he's absolutely right. NJ doesn't encourage creativity and doesn't give a damn what you can do Mr. Brunner. NJ does things NJ's way. Sometimes to a fault.
Brunner, Tedenby, Loktionov, Kovalchuk - it takes time to adjust for those kind of players. Guys born and bred to bring the puck up on the rush and not dump and forecheck. Some get it, most don't. It's the nature of the beast here in NJ.
I'm not at all offended by what Brunner said - he's absolutely right. NJ doesn't encourage creativity and doesn't give a damn what you can do Mr. Brunner. NJ does things NJ's way. Sometimes to a fault.
swisdan
Registered User
I like that way you see things guys. If we would be in Montreal, half of the people would say it's a bust or whatever wrong stuffs.
I'm like you and I just hope Brunner will adapt to this team, but it's possible it takes time. But believe me, it would be a real pity if he doesnt fit cause I'm pretty sure Brunner has a lot to bring to a team.
I'm like you and I just hope Brunner will adapt to this team, but it's possible it takes time. But believe me, it would be a real pity if he doesnt fit cause I'm pretty sure Brunner has a lot to bring to a team.
Devils Dominion
Now we Plummet
Better Call Sal
Salnalysis
I liked the Zubrus-Loktionov-Brunner line when they were briefly together at the beginning of the year.
RNCDevil
Registered User
I disagree. Elias has tons of creativity. The Devils preach a complete game and I think that's the Devils's identity and I love it. When Kovy bought in, he became a much better teammate. His goals went down, but wins went up.
I don't want human highlight reels. I want wins. Gomez, Mogilny, Richer, Sykora, they all had great seasons as Devils. I'm happy with the Devils's culture.
ThePSEGPowerPoster
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I was probably a little unclear. I'm totally fine with our franchise mentality. I take no issue with it. We prefer power-forward over one-way forwards that play no defense. Ideally, we want complete players, but those are few and far between.
My overall point is that the Devils stifle creativity with their dump and chase system. Inherently it's not a system designed for creative players to flourish (skill players I guess. Maybe creative is the wrong word). Players like Teddy, Josefson, Loktionov are bred rushing and bringing the puck up the ice. It's an adjustment. Some get it, most don't. But when they do get it they're often better players for it.
Elias is one of the players who bought in and became a better player.
RNCDevil
Registered User
I hear what you mean. I guess I would also add, that I'm ok winning ugly. It has been great to see the blue-liners not be black-holes / turnover machines in the last few weeks though.
ThePSEGPowerPoster
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Yes I agree. I'm all for winning ugly. I actually don't even think it's ugly. I love the game we play. Sure dumping and chasing is frustrating when it doesn't work but when you watch Zajac, Jagr, and Zubrus do it - it's fun for me to watch (at least).
As long as we win I don't care what we do.
A)Lets not forget that Brunner was without a team at the beggining of training camp, so lets not get all "NJ destroys creativity".
B)Brunner should have known what he was getting into when he signed here.
But it sounds like he is putting it on himself so Im not upset with his comments. Just keep working.
B)Brunner should have known what he was getting into when he signed here.
But it sounds like he is putting it on himself so Im not upset with his comments. Just keep working.
MachoDiablo
Registered User
It's an interesting discussion to get into, how the Devils' system gels with a modern NHL that focuses on speed and driving toward the net on offense.
Kovy is the poster-child, one would think, for a superstar sniper who could be a human highlight reel coming over here and still finding success once he adapted his game to suit the team a bit more. But does that work for everybody, and given the new state of the game do the Devils need to do some adjusting on the system side of things, as well?
If a player can do what Kovy and, in years past, what Patty did, then great; they become complete players, strong on D and still fully capable of 30+ goal seasons.
But at some point a team has to show at least a bit of willingness, at least in my opinion, to suit their style to the horses they've got on hand. I'd like nothing better than to see Brunner go all-in with the system and be productive AND responsible, but when you've got more than one player with his profile on the team, you can't always force the square peg into a round hole.
By no means am I arguing to ditch the system, considering the strong forecheck/strong D system just produced yet another Prince of Wales trophy very recently, but some flexibility isn't a terrible thing, either.
Kovy is the poster-child, one would think, for a superstar sniper who could be a human highlight reel coming over here and still finding success once he adapted his game to suit the team a bit more. But does that work for everybody, and given the new state of the game do the Devils need to do some adjusting on the system side of things, as well?
If a player can do what Kovy and, in years past, what Patty did, then great; they become complete players, strong on D and still fully capable of 30+ goal seasons.
But at some point a team has to show at least a bit of willingness, at least in my opinion, to suit their style to the horses they've got on hand. I'd like nothing better than to see Brunner go all-in with the system and be productive AND responsible, but when you've got more than one player with his profile on the team, you can't always force the square peg into a round hole.
By no means am I arguing to ditch the system, considering the strong forecheck/strong D system just produced yet another Prince of Wales trophy very recently, but some flexibility isn't a terrible thing, either.
ThePSEGPowerPoster
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I agree. I think one day it might bite us. We might run out of players unwilling to play our style (at least at a high enough level where we will be competitive) and we will be forced to adjust. The rules of the game are changing in a way that it's making it harder for us to play within our system.
First you had the rules on clutching and grabbing.
Then you had the drastic limitations on hitting.
Now you have hybrid icing.
These things are in play to increase offense and prevent injuries. Unfortunately they also make it hard for teams like New Jersey to succeed. At least harder than it was.
We all have our eyes on elite caliber talent like Paul Statsny, Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov...However, looking at it realistically, why would any of those guys want to come to NJ given how our system stifles their game? Heck Kovy had his best complete season here but his numbers dropped pretty drastically. It takes a special player to want to play here. I doubt someone like Yak would want to play here given how this system might restrict him from putting up the gaudy numbers he needs to get paid in UFA (or have fun playing hockey).
If you want elite caliber offensive talent, you need to have a more liberal system most of the time. How many players in their prime are going to want to willingly come to NJ and relearn the game? How many young guys are going to embrace being drafted/traded by/to NJ? Especially if their game is predicated on skill and creativity.
Which is why we can't operate in a vacuum when we make trades for guys like Yak or Eberle. You have to operate under the reality of our system and the very real possibility that these guys might just not fit here. And do you really want to pay a premium for a "might not fit here?"
Tundra
Registered User
- Oct 20, 2005
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We should have a different system set in place for the personnel on a given line. I don't understand the devil mantra when it's a coach's job to maximize talent. If I'm DeBoer and know I can get more out of Brunner or Tedenby playing fire wagon, I probably do it. It can't be much worse being near the bottom of goals for.
Wingman77
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- Mar 16, 2010
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