Devils 2018-19 team discussion (news and notes) part IV

[Cult of Hynes]

This is really interesting, although I'm very surprised that Tedenby and Josefson actually turned out to be a yes (and very ones back then) for ''Conte's choice better?''. Considering striking out on those two picks alone were killing us by the end of Lou/Conte's tenure.

I'm a little confused by some of this though. It says Rask was the BPA when Frazee was picked, but Rask was picked 21st overall in that draft and Frazee was picked at 38th. So Rask was no longer available by the time we got Frazee, because he was already taken.

Totally a mess up on the part of the person that wrote it haha.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Boy did this place go through hell and back overnight.

Thank god I’ve got a 7+ hour ride to Toronto today to concentrate on instead.

 

[NJDevs26]

Continue the tornado talk in the TAN, it's not team-related.

 

[RSeen]

What we need is a second line center and a top pair LHD. Definitely need to find a way to acquire someone to upgrade that spot, Zacha is not the answer. If he doesn't improve this season, he needs to be penciled into a bottom 6 role next season. I'm making a push if I'm Ray for Stone and Duchene. I'd offer $7.5-8 million to Stone and somewhere around $6.5-$7 million to Duchene. Either way that would be a big addition to our top 6, if you do not get Duchene, Ray needs to look at alternative options.

Pararin seems to be leaving Columbus, if he is an option, you obviously have to do what you can to acquire him. Eberle could be a less expensive option. Skinner could be a more than sufficient replacement for MJ.

Lots of potential options next offseason. Going to be a big one, have to start making a push IMO to spend more and contend at that point.

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

If we can get one of panarin, stone or Duchene it would be a grand slam of an off-season.

 

[FooteBahl]

If we can get one of panarin, stone or Duchene it would be a grand slam of an off-season.

Two would be a grand slam. One would be like a ground rule double.

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

The more I think about it the more I like Zacha in the ahl. He never got the time to round out his game. I really like him and hope he figures it out. We need to remember he's ONLY 21. So please no bust talk for at least another 2 years. Keep him down there for an extended time..I'd say 2 to 3 months and hopefully he comes back with a fire and confidence....

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

Two would be a grand slam. One would be like a ground rule double.

We get 2 I'm running around Newark naked.

 

[FooteBahl]

We get 2 I'm running around Newark naked.

Public displays of Dea are frowned upon in Newark

 

[Blender]

I don't post for a few days and come back to this...

 

[Devil X]

Win tonight and everyone will be talking about how awesome we are again.

Man, this board is bipolar lol (not that i didnt already realize that fact)

These idea of trading Hall are silly, hes a guy you want to keep around. Him and Nico are guys you need for the future. If you trade Hall this team is going backwards (a lot) not forwards.

 

[Maine Fan]

I agree with Zacha being sent down. I do not think it is fair to put this stat on Zacha, " with 5 on 5 Zacha's line has 2 goals for and 4 against". The line has 2 other players that are a part of this problem as well.

What should I expect from Zacha's replacement, IMO not much different. Hope I am wrong. If there is any sustained improvement then Zacha is done as top 6.

 

[Billdo]

Oh good, revisionism about Contes drafting.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I agree with Zacha being sent down. I do not think it is fair to put this stat on Zacha, " with 5 on 5 Zacha's line has 2 goals for and 4 against". The line has 2 other players that are a part of this problem as well.

What should I expect from Zacha's replacement, IMO not much different. Hope I am wrong. If there is any sustained improvement then Zacha is done as top 6.

we are forced to recall players either not NHL quality, Rooney, Gabriel, or not NHL ready, Anderson and prob Seney, because Ray did not address areas of weakness or lack of depth this past Summer.

 

[Maine Fan]

we are forced to recall players either not NHL quality, Rooney, Gabriel, or not NHL ready, Anderson and prob Seney, because Ray did not address areas of weakness or lack of depth this past Summer.

I understand your point but it was only this past off season.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

You know who would actually fit in like a glove here?

Alex Kerfoot.

 

[JimEIV]

Debating whether or not to head to Allentown tonight and hopes to see Zacha...really would like to see the body language of the first game...want to see if he is going to sulk or not.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Debating whether or not to head to Allentown tonight and hopes to see Zacha...really would like to see the body language of the first game...want to see if he is going to sulk or not.

How could you tell with him? His default look is borderline sulking. I can't think of a single time he's looked engaged and shown outward emotion.

 

[JimEIV]

Win tonight and everyone will be talking about how awesome we are again.

Man, this board is bipolar lol (not that i didnt already realize that fact)

These idea of trading Hall are silly, hes a guy you want to keep around. Him and Nico are guys you need for the future. If you trade Hall this team is going backwards (a lot) not forwards.

Look at the record and how this season has gone... it's the team that is bipolar not the fans.

 

[Blender]

we are forced to recall players either not NHL quality, Rooney, Gabriel, or not NHL ready, Anderson and prob Seney, because Ray did not address areas of weakness or lack of depth this past Summer.

Address them with who? We tried to sign a couple of forwards, but in free agency you can't force someone to sign with you like many on this board seem to think. Overpaying someone just to coerce them to your team is also horrible asset management that f***s teams over every time they do it.

 

[JimEIV]

How could you tell with him? His default look is borderline sulking. I cam't think of a single time he's looked engaged and shown outward emotion.

Well... I think you can see a guy just going through the motions vs giving an honest effort.

I remember two years ago I went to Albany to see a game against Bridgeport and the Islanders had recently sent Strome down...he literally did nothing but skate along the boards from one set of harsh marks to the other. The last two minutes of the game when they down by one he started to play. It was of the worst sulking, "I'm to good to be here" performances I've ever seen.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Your logic is very flawed both mathematically as well as rationally.

I'm sorry you don't understand sample sizes.

But if you think 10 games is significant you should be concerned that Hall is on pace for only 16 goals and 32 ES points.

 

[My3Sons]

I'm sorry you don't understand sample sizes.

But if you think 10 games is significant you should be concerned that Hall is on pace for only 16 goals and 32 ES points.

I understand your thought that a better defense to get the puck out of the defensive end is a better structure then hoping your meh defenders can get the puck to your great forward. That’s a stylistic choice and certainly NJ won cups with that approach. The other approach can work as well as shown by PIT which has influenced Shero it seems.

That said I think trading Hall for one good defender is just spinning the team’s wheels. One player can only do so much and NJ needs an entire second line and yes a true number one defender. The trick as I see it is to get those pieces somehow without losing Hall.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Shero is keeping his powder dry until after Hall and Nico extend this offseason. He’ll have to overpay for a UFA or two and doing that before Hall and Nico signed could have really backfired.

Sure if Hall doesn’t extend you trade him before it becomes a distraction but not until then in my view. Again I see your point and if you could get a true number one pairing of defenders 26 or younger then sure but another one for one trade doesn’t move the needle enough as I see it. The D hasn’t been horrible even icing Lovejoy on a regular basis. The forwards right now need all the help they can get. Coleman and Wood are great third liners but not top 6 guys the team can pencil in for consistent secondary scoring. Take Hall off this team right now and it’s hard to see them scoring much beyond Nico and Palms.

 

[JimEIV]

I must be in the minority in thinking we have a very good group of "young-ish" forwards to build around...

Hall, Hischier, Palmieri, Bratt, Wood, Coleman...that's half of the forward group today, all young and good in their roles.

Are they contender level? No.

But the group is solid enough to make a few additions to start to approach that conversation.

Zacha and McLeod have hurt this rebuild badly. 3 and 2 years out from #6 and #11 and today we have nothing in the lineup contributing. Those are the two additions that should've moved a good group to a better group.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I must be in the minority in thinking we have a very good group of "young-ish" forwards to build around...

Hall, Hischier, Palmieri, Bratt, Wood, Coleman...that's half of the forward group today, all young and good in their roles.

Are they contender level? No.

But the group is solid enough to make a few additions to start to approach that conversation.

Zacha and McLeod have hurt this rebuild badly. 3 and 2 years out from #6 and #11 and today we have nothing in the lineup contributing. Those are the two additions that should've moved a good group to a better group.

I do like our group of young forwards. Not great, but solid. Problem is our defense is just awful - we would need a group of young forwards like Toronto or Edmonton to offset our lack of defensive depth.

I think Ty Smith was a great pickup but still we are hurting for shut down defenseman.