Devils 2017-18 team discussion (player news and notes) VIII - Postseason Edition

[HoliksGhost]

Will be interesting to see how much MoJo has in the tank.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Yeah, we know. You spend half your time on here trashing him. You also think Mirco ****ing Mueller and John Moore are better than him...enough said.

I'm trashing him cause he's playing like trash... I'd be throwing him flowers if he was playing like a NHL caliber #3 but he isn't.

Stop being so defensive and start being objective, it might help your credibility around here.

 

[MartyOwns]

thrilled to see stafford in for grabner, who hasn't done jack shit.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Lets recap:

1) So the Devils have now benched BOTH of their top penalty killers (Gibbons & Grabner) against perhaps the best PowerPlay in the NHL.

2) Benched the guy (Mueller) who was arguably the best defenseman in Game 2

3) PLAY Brian Boyle who is a net negative, slow, plodding, and getting his azz kicked on Faceoffs (against a poor Tampa FO team).

4) PLAY Drew Stafford who contributes nothing.

5) Leave Bratt, who actually has some offensive ability on the bench.

Hopefully Schneider steals this game, because this likely doesn't go well.

1) I don't understand whats up with Gibbons since the injury. Hasn't looked great, Coleman basically stealing that role. Shame about Grabs, the guy is dangerous and should be making a difference but he's not.

2) Mueller was meh IMO.

3) I have no problem with Boyle in this game.

4) Stafford needs to show up

5) As much as I love Bratt, the kid can be a defensive liability at times

 

[R8Devs]

Lets recap:

1) So the Devils have now benched BOTH of their top penalty killers (Gibbons & Grabner) against perhaps the best PowerPlay in the NHL.

2) Benched the guy (Mueller) who was arguably the best defenseman in Game 2

3) PLAY Brian Boyle who is a net negative, slow, plodding, and getting his azz kicked on Faceoffs (against a poor Tampa FO team).

4) PLAY Drew Stafford who contributes nothing.

5) Leave Bratt, who actually has some offensive ability, on the bench.

Hopefully Schneider steals this game, because this likely doesn't go well.

devils PK was doing fine when Gibbons was out with injury and before Grabner was on the Devils. They'll just go back to Zajac-Coleman, and Zacha-Palmieri.

 

[The Devil In I]

You guys are soft as ****

Can we table the offseason talk for the... uh... offseason?

A win tonight changes everything. The last thing we should be talking about is taking on Milan Lucic's contract. Sheesh.

Yes yes we need to concentrate 100% on the playoffs because that will be the difference between the Devils winning and losing.

I mean, the f*** is Shero doing thinking about the future and signing Anderson!? We're still in the playoffs!

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

5) As much as I love Bratt, the kid can be a defensive liability at times

Yeah, I agree. I'm sure he is ready to play 82+ games when next season begins.

 

[Billdo]

While I’d much rather see someone other than Stafford, I’m fine with him coming in. The only gripe I have is that Boyle is still playing AND the Moore-Severson pairing which should NEVER see the ice when Kucherov is out there.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Yeah, that’s incredibly stupid. Taking on Lucic’s contract and swapping Severson for Nurse is a big time loss, not even close.

Nurse is already better then Severon, actually knows how to play in his zone and doesn't crap his pants when there's a scrum. Severson's best asset is his skating and Nurse is just as good.

I have no idea why you like the guy so much cause there's not that much to like. Can he become something, maybe... but he has a long way to go if he wants to play regular top #4 minutes.

 

[OmNomNom]

Nurse is already better then Severon, actually knows how to play in his zone and doesn't crap his pants when there's a scrum. Severson's best asset is his skating and Nurse is just as good.

I have no idea why you like the guy so much cause there's not that much to like. Can he become something, maybe... but he has a long way to go if he wants to play regular top #4 minutes.

not for the lucic contract though

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'm trashing him cause he's playing like trash... I'd be throwing him flowers if he was playing like a NHL caliber #3 but he isn't.

Stop being so defensive and start being objective, it might help your credibility around here.

Let’s trade Severson for Nurse who is somehow way better than Severson because...reasons? Not sure, don’t see any objective argument for that. PLUS let’s take on Lucic’s contract, one of the worst in the whole NHL. And my credibility is suffering here? Lmao

 

[NJDevs26]

Lets recap:

1) So the Devils have now benched BOTH of their top penalty killers (Gibbons & Grabner) against perhaps the best PowerPlay in the NHL.

It’s okay...Lovejoy is here to save the day

I’m not in love with the lineup changes tonight either (more for Lovejoy and Stafford being in than anyone else being out) but hey we win 5-1 and Hynes was right. I just don’t see the fascination with Stafford at all. I at least get if not agree with the rationale for Lovejoy but this fascination with Stafford who literally adds nothing is mind boggling.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I have no idea why Lovejoy is getting another chance after the horrible game he just had. The guy can't keep up with the play and wasn't even good on the PK. The Greene-Lovejoy duo on the PK isn't anything special.

Keeping Severson isn't a good idea either but I can get behind that decision for the only reason that we'll have the last change and Hynes will be able to manage his minutes more effectively.

 

[OmNomNom]

inb4 Lovejoy hattrick

 

[Cheddabombs]

I don't like Lovejoy being in but we're down two games, of course Hynes is going to lean on the veterans here. Even if the veterans suck lol

 

[Call Me Al]

why the f*** are you guys talking about trades right now?

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Let’s trade Severson for Nurse who is somehow way better than Severson because...reasons? Not sure, don’t see any objective argument for that. PLUS let’s take on Lucic’s contract, one of the worst in the whole NHL. And my credibility is suffering here? Lmao

Everyone was crapping on Travis Zajac and his contract but hockey players bring more to the game then just points. Travis is worth every penny and someone like Lucic brings alot of intangibles that you won't find on the stat sheet.

I'm not saying that he's the player he once was in Boston but he's no worst then Maroon. We'd get a upgrade on defense IMO and a solid pick to salvage the one we gave up for Grabner.

I know that trading your gf in Severson would scar you for life but at the end of the day, we'd be a better team with a move like that one.

Even if we don't land Carlson, I wouldn't be shocked if Damon was moved regardless.

 

[OmNomNom]

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I like this decision... I just hope he's in game shape cause playing in his 1st game back, in the postseason, on our 2nd line won't be easy.

 

[Bramskii]

Not a fan of Schneider starting this one. Hope he can prove me wrong, but I have zero confidence in his abilities over 60 right now.

Stafford in the lineup is a real head scratcher. He provides absolutely nothing. So now 2 of our best penalty killers are sitting out against one of the most dangerous PPs in the league.

Hynes never disappoints. I appreciate him trying to change things up, but sometimes I wonder what goes into his decision making process.

What bugs me the most about the lineup is the decision to play Brian Boyle every night. He has become absolutely useless. Nothing good ever happens when he's on the ice.

 

[BahlDeep]

Nurse is obviously better then Severson lol

If Oilers made the trade, I would personally drive Severson to Edmonton

 

[Smitty426]

And unless Santini got DRASTICALLY better over the last few months and over this off-season, he should not be pencilled in to make the roster this off-season. Again, this league is drifting further and further away from defenseman like Santini. If you want him to play on the 3rd pairing next year, fine, but if the opportunity comes to add a top RHD and push Severson/Vats down, then you do that. You don't guarantee someone like Santini a spot. Make him work for one if anything.

Santini got overworked early on and did fine (24 min as late as early Nov. 22 into Dec). Then got burnt out. He was the only one that did not have to clear waivers so it was logical choice. Part of the rebuild, I get it but if he is NOT penciled in, Shero should pkg him and move for a #1LHD, to a lesser extent #1 RHD.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Lets recap:

1) So the Devils have now benched BOTH of their top penalty killers (Gibbons & Grabner) against perhaps the best PowerPlay in the NHL.

2) Benched the guy (Mueller) who was arguably the best defenseman in Game 2

3) PLAY Brian Boyle who is a net negative, slow, plodding, and getting his azz kicked on Faceoffs (against a poor Tampa FO team).

4) PLAY Drew Stafford who contributes nothing.

5) Leave Bratt, who actually has some offensive ability, on the bench.

Hopefully Schneider steals this game, because this likely doesn't go well.

As to the forwards, this means Hynes wants to go with a heavier game. He saw the forecheck in the third period on Saturday and that's the game he wants. In effect, it's the only way we can beat them. A run and gun game is a loser between us and them. Our D just can't handle their forwards when they come at us with speed. Obviously, we need to clog up the neutral zone on Defense, forecheck and play in their end as much as possible on offense, and hope Schneider has a great game.

I don't know what his thinking is on Muellar but it may have to do with pairings and having Severson in, as much as it does with Muellar himself.

If Johanson does play, I can hardly believe it. The guy is going to be seriously rusty. Yet if there's a chance to go deeper into this series, getting him game minutes is the only way to cure the rust.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I don't give a f*** about the PK... we have more then enough players that can play that role. If we stop taking dumb penalties, we won't have to worry about our PK.

Zajac, Coleman, Zacha and Hischer... there you go, we have our 4 PK'ers up front.

 

[NJDevs26]

I don't give a **** about the PK... we have more then enough players that can play that role. If we stop taking dumb penalties, we won't have to worry about our PK.

Zajac, Coleman, Zacha and Hischer... there you go, we have our 4 PK'ers up front.

I’m fine with Grabner being out of the lineup cause he’s been space junk here but having Stafford over Gibbons makes little sense. I’ll take a one dimensional specialist over a no dimensional specialist anyday.

You can’t just throw anyone out on the PK against this team though, I get we have options but they disappear pretty quick if two of those guys just took a shift and another is in the box.