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

[Hischier and Hughes]

not that I think we are a good team or anything, but I think we are closer than some of you guys actually think

if we had league average goaltending this year WITH OUR SAME ROSTER, we'd be competing for a playoff spot.

I think this as well but does Hall think it, thats the question

I mean Hall was recorded twice earlier this season saying he was hoping for additions outside of the young guns - so what if he DOES think like some here and says ‘well sorry but im not ready to commit until I see a serious push to be better?’

Obviously that push can come between July 1st and the season opener but my point stands

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I think this as well but does Hall think it, thats the question

I mean Hall was recorded twice earlier this season saying he was hoping for additions outside of the young guns - so what if he DOES think like some here and says ‘well sorry but im not ready to commit until I see a serious push to be better?’

Obviously that push can come between July 1st and the season opener but my point stands

where did you hear this...?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

youre right! Theyve only played together for 75% of Seversons ES time this season yet somehow Greene is a +1 and Severson is a -13

is just HAS to be Greenes fault.... or is that just the agenda on this board?

i await your well thoughtout and unsarcastic rebuttal

How often does Greene play when we have an empty net? Hmmm. How often does he play on the PP when a minus is only possible and a plus isn’t? Hmm. How often does he play on the PK when only a plus is possible? Hmm.

 

[Bleedred]

Greene isn't good anymore.

He's a passable bottom pairing guy, but that's about it.

I think he's still NHL caliber (as of this very moment, who knows about next year?) and we could do A LOT worse than having a guy like him on the bottom pairing, but he's not good enough anymore.

And he blocks a lot of shots because he's in the D-zone more. When Greene was still a really good defenseman, look up his blocked shots per season/per minute. They weren't nearly as high. Was some of that because we were a better puck possession team? A little bit, I supposed, but the last few years he's been pretty poor.

 

[Billdo]

I mean Hall was recorded twice earlier this season saying he was hoping for additions outside of the young guns

Where did he say that?

 

[Billdo]

Greene isn't good anymore.

He's a passable bottom pairing guy, but that's about it.

I think he's still NHL caliber (as of this very moment, who knows about next year?) and we could do A LOT worse than having a guy like him on the bottom pairing, but he's not good enough anymore.

But that's the thing as far as relevance. If we were able to get a guy like Muzzin for example, our defense is changed a ton.

Muzzin-Vatanen
Greene-Severson
Butcher-Santini/Lovejoy

That defense is competent. An addition like that we even average goaltending makes us a borderline playoff team. If we actually get a 2C it's an even larger step towards perennially competing. This offseason has a lot of top notch UFAs and even if only a few actually get to 7/1 without a deal we can go hard after a guy like Duchene and then 2C is solved or bringing in a guy like Stone. We are literally three, albeit large pieces, pieces away from being a vastly improved team. This summer is unquestionably HUGE for Shero and Co.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

For the past two years it seems all I heard here was Moore was dragging down Severson, now this year it's Greene fault.

Next year he'll probably be playing with someone else new and that poor unnamed defenseman better watch out, because he will be the one holding Severson back from being a superstar I'm sure.

When does the blame for his lack of progress actually fall on Severson himself? Is a 25-35 points/year "defenseman" enough of an offensive hero that can escape all blame for his defensive shortcomings/lapses leading directly to goals against for people here? I mean, Vatanen has actually scored 35+ points twice in his career (Severson might get there this year for the first time) and gets roasted here with regularity for not playing defense properly.

John Moore is terrible, has been bad his whole career, and is having another crappy season. Andy Greene was once good but is old and not good anymore. What the hell are you talking about? Obviously Severson would be better with a better partner, as would every defenseman in the league. Will Butcher is the only above average left handed dman on the roster.

 

[Brodeur]

Colorado sent Tyson Jost to the AHL. Figured they might be one of the better options to sell Johansson since they might view him as a 2nd liner.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

@Billdo @Zajacs Bowl Cut and whoever else wants to see

Hall in a Tim and Sid interview over the summer stated he would 'love to see us add a couple of pieces, weve lost some guys to free agency...' and that comment did NOT include the youth as he goes on to mention them as well.

So Hall wants additions, we want additions - are players truly any different than fans minus the irrational fandom?

Quote starts at 3:30

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

meh. That is a nothing interview IMO

what player wouldn't want to see the team add more players? Of course he is going to say that. Could you imagine if he said "nah we don't ever need to add anymore guys, we're good"

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

meh. That is a nothing interview IMO

what player wouldn't want to see the team add more players? Of course he is going to say that. Could you imagine if he said "nah we don't ever need to add anymore guys, we're good"

To go out of his way to say it when unprovoked?

And I mean the tone in his voice and the sigh before, but thats just me reading into it.

It certainly meant something and Im sure Shero heard it loud and clear. He has quite the offseason ahead of him

 

[liquid1988]

Atleast we have summer to look forward to

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Atleast we have summer to look forward to

Someone get some papers or a glass piece for Hall this summer - he gon need it

 

[Cage Helmet]

But that's the thing as far as relevance. If we were able to get a guy like Muzzin for example, our defense is changed a ton.

Muzzin-Vatanen
Greene-Severson
Butcher-Santini/Lovejoy

That defense is competent. An addition like that we even average goaltending makes us a borderline playoff team. If we actually get a 2C it's an even larger step towards perennially competing. This offseason has a lot of top notch UFAs and even if only a few actually get to 7/1 without a deal we can go hard after a guy like Duchene and then 2C is solved or bringing in a guy like Stone. We are literally three, albeit large pieces, pieces away from being a vastly improved team. This summer is unquestionably HUGE for Shero and Co.

Swap Santini/Lovejoy with Mueller. Mueller is much better than Santini and LJ is very probably a walker in FA. Never understood the Santini love here. Mueller has been very good this year. Reminds me of a less physical Colin White that can skate.

 

[My3Sons]

Nico and Bratt made that happen

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Colorado sent Tyson Jost to the AHL. Figured they might be one of the better options to sell Johansson since they might view him as a 2nd liner.

The Avs did the "make the playoffs as a low seed and get beat in the first round thing" last year. I am not sure if they would be looking at a rental to do the same thing again if they do not start playing better before the deadline. I certainly have no idea if he would do that, but Sakic thinks long term. Look at that brilliant Duchene deal as an example.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Id gauge Blackwood’s attitude on whats occuring right now and if he isnt completely ecstatic about being up right now, ugly losses aside, Id have him back down for his own good.

Let Kinkaid writhe in this pile of poop hes been with for some years and Johnson back-up.

Id also rather sign a Varlamov type for 2-3 if possible then have Blackwood up next year as well unless drastic changes are made. On top of that can we really depend on a rookie goaltender next year?

 

[NJDevs26]

There’s literally no way Blackwood chooses to be on a bad AHL team with AHL salary over being on a bad NHL team with NHL salary.

 

[tailfins]

I don't know why we are talking about the talent on the Devils team.

The Isles seem like a good example of what good management can do for an organization. Maybe it's all luck, and they'll fall apart next year. We'll see. But everyone laughed at what Lamoriello did in the off-season. The Isles are 1 point out of first in the Metro right now, and tied in wins. This is a team that was picked by "experts" (in the media and on this board) to be bottom third of the league. It's not like talent suddenly materialized over there. They are simply playing well together - the way the Devils used to.

IMO, comparing what's happening with the Islanders to what's happening in NJ is an indictment of New Jersey's management. This is a forward looking comment. I'm not saying we should never have fired Lou, etc. I'm saying that Shero and Hynes have the talent to work with, and failure at this point is on them.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

There’s literally no way Blackwood chooses to be on a bad AHL team with AHL salary over being on a bad NHL team with NHL salary.

Well to be honest, its not a matter of what he WANTS. You sit him down and talk to him and gauge how he is feeling - if things dont come back seeming like he isnt totally in love with his time up as of now or he has any shred of doubt, you send him down.

He may have had some really good games but hes done nothing to be demanding a permanent spot up as of now

 

[Better Call Sal]

The difference between the Islanders and the Devils is simple. Barry Trotz vs. John Hynes.

And this isn't even a knock on Hynes. Trotz has been doing this and doing this successfully for 2 decades in the NHL. Guess what? He had an expansion team and missed the playoffs the first 5 years of his coaching tenure in Nashville, only to then proceed to make the playoffs 4 years in a row and lose in the first round each time.

That team stuck with him for another 6 seasons after that, missing the playoffs 3 of those 6 times. Before all of that, he was an AHL coach for 5 years in Baltimore and Portland, ME. Just like John Hynes.

No I don't believe Hynes is Trotz reincarnate, but there's something to actually be said for patience when it comes to coaches. It's extremely minimal league wide and Trotz is the exception. However, we've clearly elected to employ a coach to grow with a growing team through this rebuild. Any comparison to an experienced NHL coach such as Trotz or Babcock is ultimately unfair.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

I don't know why we are talking about the talent on the Devils team.

The Isles seem like a good example of what good management can do for an organization. Maybe it's all luck, and they'll fall apart next year. We'll see. But everyone laughed at what Lamoriello did in the off-season. The Isles are 1 point out of first in the Metro right now, and tied in wins. This is a team that was picked by "experts" (in the media and on this board) to be bottom third of the league. It's not like talent suddenly materialized over there. They are simply playing well together - the way the Devils used to.

IMO, comparing what's happening with the Islanders to what's happening in NJ is an indictment of New Jersey's management. This is a forward looking comment. I'm not saying we should never have fired Lou, etc. I'm saying that Shero and Hynes have the talent to work with, and failure at this point is on them.

The islanders are doing what the Devils did last year and its not sustainable. They are relatively loaded with good prospects so it may work out long term but I dont think the roster they have is constructed for consistent success. Their coach is one of the best coaches in terms of regular season success of all time and they were coached so so so poorly the last few years. I think it's a great story this year that they are doing well, but I'm not exactly envious of the Islanders situation compared to ours. I think they are very similar and would expect them to come back down to earth next year as we have.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Colorado sent Tyson Jost to the AHL. Figured they might be one of the better options to sell Johansson since they might view him as a 2nd liner.

Out of the West, I figure Colorado and Dallas to be two of the most logical landing spots for Johansson.

Two teams with serious top-line talent but little depth as far as 2nd line talent is concerned.

 

[Goptor]

@Billdo @Zajacs Bowl Cut and whoever else wants to see

Hall in a Tim and Sid interview over the summer stated he would 'love to see us add a couple of pieces, weve lost some guys to free agency...' and that comment did NOT include the youth as he goes on to mention them as well.

So Hall wants additions, we want additions - are players truly any different than fans minus the irrational fandom?

Quote starts at 3:30

The Winnipeg Jets went through the same situation the Devils are going through right now. They had a solid playoff team based off of strong forward depth and decided to let a bunch of veterans go and fill the spots with rookies.

Now all the Devils need to do is pick someone like Patrik Laine 2nd overall and they'll be one of the elite teams in the league.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]