Post-Game Talk: Devils 2, Bruins 1 - sudden death (to Boston)!

[Hisch13r]

I agree...but..it might be easier to take out Boqvist without disrupting as much?

But these guys are going to get at least a few more games before a decision has to be made...is Nico even skating yet?

The Wood-Zajac-Boqvist line has been the best possession line on the team

 

[Lou is God]

I just don't know if McLeod creates enough offense to stay in the lineup. He's basically a faster Kevin Rooney.

He does the little things Boqvist doesn't, I think Boqvist has more talent than McLoed but McLoed is a scrapper on the ice, always moving and relentless.

I mean goons might not matter much in today's NHL but plumbers still do.

 

[Lou is God]

The Wood-Zajac-Boqvist line has been the best possession line on the team

Wood's hockey IQ has taken big strides as I always hoped it would, he's now a more thinking bull in a china shop as opposed to before just being a bull.

He also has great hockey moxie, unmeasurable in analytics land.

 

[dinosaur33]

I'm not a Miles Wood fan but he was great these two games. I hate how soft to play against this team has been the past few years. It's not about fights or anything, just that the other team always looks so comfortable. If the Devils killed those two goalie interference calls everyone would be cool with it.

There are certain plays you have to make and if you run the goalie then you run the goalie. If you have to cross check one of their jerks then you do it. Just go kill the penalty. Right now that's a tall order, but once Nico and Bratt and Vatanen are back the PK will hopefully get much better.

 

[Emperoreddy]

He does the little things Boqvist doesn't, I think Boqvist has more talent than McLoed but McLoed is a scrapper on the ice, always moving and relentless.

I mean goons might not matter much in today's NHL but plumbers still do.

McLeod right now seems better suited to a bottom 6 role as well. He is playing fast and strong.

Not that Boqvist is playing bad, but AHL time near the top of the lineup might make more sense for him right now.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I agree...but..it might be easier to take out Boqvist without disrupting as much?

But these guys are going to get at least a few more games before a decision has to be made...is Nico even skating yet?

Not yet and Bratt hasn't gotten on a plane yet (and he needs to quarantine when he finally does get here)

So still time for this to sort out.

Kuokkanan has to be one of the ones sitting. Not much at all from him.

 

[Team Concept]

Love ripping Edwards at the 2 minute mark of the video.

 

[JimEIV]

Kuokkanen has been fine. He’s the subtle play driver on his line but with McLeod-Bastian they play a game that’s not particularly suited to his skill set. He still finds ways to push the puck up the ice though. Same with Boqvist with Wood-Zajac

I’m skeptical McLeod stays in the lineup as well, but he looks like he can be a good filler on the 4th line & PK from the last two games.

Ideally I would want to bump Wood-Zajac down and put Boqvist/Kuokkanen with some skill guys. Not so much the lines but a top nine and “fourth line” of this would be nice:

Sharangovich - Hughes - Palmieri
Bratt - Hischier - Gusev
Johnsson - Zacha - Boqvist/Kuokkanen
Wood - Zajac - Bastian/McLeod/Merkley

Subtle play driver that doesn't have a shot this season?

 

[glenwo2]

IIRC Lawrence Taylor was wrestling somebody and there were some football players there to prevent other wrestlers from interfering.

LT was wrestling Bam Bam Bigelow and had one hell of a jumping forearm finisher from the 2nd rope.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Love ripping Edwards at the 2 minute mark of the video.

He really liked our young guys game along with Wood and Blackwood.

Lots of praise for Hughes (and it was Jack Edwards shitting on Hughes that annoyed him) Smith praise. Wood praise.

 

[Nubmer6]

I don't remember LT wrestling either.

I actually do... and I wasn't really a big fan of wrestling.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I actually do... and I wasn't really a big fan of wrestling.

Its become a notorious match and Wrestlemania main event, though to be totally fair. LT was not that bad in the actual match. Especially for someone who isn't a wrestler.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I wasn't able to pay close attention to the first game because my two month old was screaming for most of it, but my thoughts so far:

1. The D-men look better. I thought they would, I think so much of the issues on the backend the past few years was due to shitty strategy more than anything. Murray is as advertised. I can't wait to see Smith next to Vatanen.

2. We've seen good Wood so far. I hope he can keep it up and not get all limp in the head. I'm an adult with a kid and a mortgage. Really though, I know he will frustrate us, but as long as he's working hard I can forgive the running the goalie shit. Just no coasting like he did at times last year. You're not good enough to coast, Miles.

3. Sharangovich looks legit. Trying not to get too excited but if we have another legitimate middle six player from the late rounds, that's such a big jumpstart to the timeline. I'm imagining a line in a few years with him, Mercer, and Zacha or somebody better than Zacha and salivating.

4. No one should be surprised Hughes looks better. He was never going to succeed as an undersized 18 in the NHL. This was obvious before he was even drafted. He'll show what he's made of this year.

5. Don't worry too much about who suits up for any given game. People are going to get covid, get injured, and need to take rest days this year. Guys will get their chances.

6. All in all, I still think we'll be awful this year, but awful in the context that our division is hard. I'm encouraged that they looked competent two games into a new system with no preseason. The only thing that gives me pause is that I don't think Boston is as good this year as they normally are, so we will see how they look against the upper echelon.

Lindy so far is a great hire, great personality, good experience, seems adaptable and making this team at least interesting. Time will tell (obviously) but so far I’m much happier than I thought I’d be

One thing this team absolutely couldn't do again was hire a bad coach. With Lindy, you may not get the guy that will take you to the promised land, but you know you're getting someone that knows what they're doing. That's so critical for a young team, you just need someone who will put their guys in a position to succeed.

 

[tr83]

6. All in all, I still think we'll be awful this year, but awful in the context that our division is hard. I'm encouraged that they looked competent two games into a new system with no preseason. The only thing that gives me pause is that I don't think Boston is as good this year as they normally are, so we will see how they look against the upper echelon.

If they come in 6th, I think it is a successful year. If they make the playoffs, it's a wildly successful year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Looking at Cordell's shot contribution chart. Goose was really active. Dude really misses Bratt.

Johnsson and Kuokannan with a whole lot of nothing. Johnsson will get more rope to adjust, but Kuokannan is going to be sitting soon at the rate he is going.

 

[Lou is God]

The most amazing part of these two games is all the rookies and second year players in the lineup played very well against a tough Bruins team. In some cases they were the best players on the ice and it didn't come across as flukes.

 

[JimEIV]

Watching the Wood goal again it looked like a double deflection...which would make the scoring off...I think it shouldve been Wood from Boqvist and Smith.

 

[Lou is God]

Looking at Cordell's shot contribution chart. Goose was really active. Dude really misses Bratt.

Johnsson and Kuokannan with a whole lot of nothing. Johnsson will get more rope to adjust, but Kuokannan is going to be sitting soon at the rate he is going.

I thought Kuokkanen was solid enough, he might be the odd man out but he had some good moments today.

Johnsson however was practically invisible, he didn't make any glaring mistakes but I couldn't think of one time he really stood out. It's early but I don't know if he's a top 6 forward and wonder if his success at Toronto was more related to his linemates.

 

[JimEIV]

People keep saying Hughes needs a talented shooter but I really think he wood do better with a good garbage man.

A trenches guy.

 

[NjDevsRR]

If y’all are calling him Shaggy then I am taking it up a notch and calling him Mr. Boombastic.

 

[Guttersniped]

I thought Kuokkanen was solid enough, he might be the odd man out but he had some good moments today.

Johnsson however was practically invisible, he didn't make any glaring mistakes but I couldn't think of one time he really stood out. It's early but I don't know if he's a top 6 forward and wonder if his success at Toronto was more related to his linemates.

It’s two games and he might do better with a center other than Zacha.

 

[Emperoreddy]

People keep saying Hughes needs a talented shooter but I really think he wood do better with a good garbage man.

A trenches guy.

Could potentially use both. Hughes the playmaker with a sniper and a garbage man to clean up the scraps.

 

[JimEIV]

Could potentially use both. Hughes the playmaker with a sniper and a garbage man to clean up the scraps.

Tikkanen-Gretzky-Kurri

 

[Lou is God]

It’s two games and he might do better with a center other than Zacha.

I know, I said it was early but I tend to agree with you. So far his play was so underwhelming and from the short preview I've seen he doesn't seem like he can create offense, he has skills but its more in the mopping up duty, garbage goals (which isn't a slight, best teams in the league win because of plumbers), but usually they're more effective when their on a line with top players like he was with Matthews and Marner, him with a player like Zacha might not be a good fit.

 

[Lou is God]

People keep saying Hughes needs a talented shooter but I really think he wood do better with a good garbage man.

A trenches guy.

I think a Latika - Hughes - Holtz line down the road would be very effective, Latika can play the garbage game in front of the net plus he has great skills.

In fact I'd like to see Latika and Hughes a game without Palms, maybe put Goose with them and see if that wakes him up. On defense they could be problematic but who knows. But if Palms continues to struggle, mix it up.