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

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SpeakingOfTheDevils

SpeakingOfTheDevils

Devils Advocate
Jan 22, 2010
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I keep trying to think up roster and lineup possibilities for next year, but so much of it hinges on the amount and quality of surplus picks obtained at the deadline.

Free agency, of course, is unaffected by that. I'd love to see either Ferland (physical power-forward type with scoring touch) or Dzingel (good producer, fast and tenacious on PK) signed to round out an elite checking line with Coleman and Zajac. Both players can and have played on their off-wing at the NHL level, and I figure both of them would be upgrades over Noesen. This line would be better than Zajac and the Texans, in my book.

Hall - Hischier - Bratt/XXX
XXX/Bratt - Zacha - Palmieri
Coleman - Zajac - Ferland/Dzingel
Wood - Seney - Noesen/Anderson

From there, do you package Wood for an upgrade to fill in those XXX's? Or do you package Zacha for a 1B center and keep Bratt at RW1 and slide Wood/Coleman to LW2? Either trade would have to make a lot of sense for the Devils, obviously. Can Boqvist walk in and fill that void at Lw2?

There are a lot of possibilities, and it's exciting.

DISCLAIMER: I know the priority is fixing the defense, but I figure Shero will address that by acquiring a player at a discount from a cap team that needs to shed salary. Brodin comes to mind. In such a situation, the Devils would be sending back picks and futures, as opposed to the roster players discussed above. Besides, I don't even think the Devils are in much of a position to move a forward without one coming back. (Of course, Zacha becomes available for a defenseman if the Devils can sign Duchene, but I don't think that's realistic enough to discuss.)
 
Billdo

Billdo

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Oct 28, 2008
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This board is going to implode when Schneider is called back up and Blackwood is left in Binghamton after the break
 

Camille the Eel

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Nov 3, 2011
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Blackwood needs to play. Here or there. You see a very athletic kid with the tools. Flexible legs, good skater, strong to hold his net mouth, good reflexes.

However he’s begun playing nervous. Also constantly playing too deep in his net, which doesn’t allow him to use his raw athleticism, that’s his biggest asset. If you look at recent goals, fully half of them he’s deep in the net and off his angles.

But when he first came up he was playing free, having fun and had nothing to lose. Since becoming the great white hope, there’s pressure.

So where is it best for him to get back to playing with freedom in the moment? And where can he develop his game as to cutting down the angles and using his strengths?

There are arguments both ways.
 
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haak84

haak84

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Oct 18, 2017
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Jim dowds hockey camps must’ve helped. I remember taking mark howes camps at wall ice as a kid.
 
Billdo

Billdo

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Oct 28, 2008
19,479
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Ocean County
Camille the Eel said:
Blackwood needs to play. Here or there. You see a very athletic kid with the tools. Flexible legs, good skater, strong to hold his net mouth, good reflexes.

However he’s begun playing nervous. Also constantly playing too deep in his net, which doesn’t allow him to use his raw athleticism, that’s his biggest asset. If you look at recent goals, fully half of them he’s deep in the net and off his angles.

But when he first came up he was playing free, having fun and had nothing to lose. Since becoming the great white hope, there’s pressure.

So where is it best for him to get back to playing with freedom in the moment? And where can he develop his game as to cutting down the angles and using his strengths?

There are arguments both ways.
Click to expand...

Oddly enough playing deep is something Melanson suggested that he needs to do.
 

Camille the Eel

Registered User
Nov 3, 2011
6,584
5,603
New York, New York and Penobscot Bay, Maine
Billdo said:
Oddly enough playing deep is something Melanson suggested that he needs to do.
Click to expand...
Well father knows best. But I see him getting beat there twice yesterday and a bunch of times against Chicago, plus on several breakaways where he didn’t challenge the shooter. True there was a goal early when he went for a hard fake by a forward coming off the left wing.

Maybe he’s taken Melanson’s advice too much. That’s the thing about teaching. Who hasn’t had the experience in coaching someone who over applies what you teach.

The really good NHL goalies challenge the shooter. Half the tough saves are pucks that hit you through positioning. Corey was great at it during his good times.
 
RSeen

RSeen

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Oct 26, 2011
6,659
1,978
Toronto
SpeakingOfTheDevils said:
I keep trying to think up roster and lineup possibilities for next year, but so much of it hinges on the amount and quality of surplus picks obtained at the deadline.

Free agency, of course, is unaffected by that. I'd love to see either Ferland (physical power-forward type with scoring touch) or Dzingel (good producer, fast and tenacious on PK) signed to round out an elite checking line with Coleman and Zajac. Both players can and have played on their off-wing at the NHL level, and I figure both of them would be upgrades over Noesen. This line would be better than Zajac and the Texans, in my book.

Hall - Hischier - Bratt/XXX
XXX/Bratt - Zacha - Palmieri
Coleman - Zajac - Ferland/Dzingel
Wood - Seney - Noesen/Anderson

From there, do you package Wood for an upgrade to fill in those XXX's? Or do you package Zacha for a 1B center and keep Bratt at RW1 and slide Wood/Coleman to LW2? Either trade would have to make a lot of sense for the Devils, obviously. Can Boqvist walk in and fill that void at Lw2?

There are a lot of possibilities, and it's exciting.

DISCLAIMER: I know the priority is fixing the defense, but I figure Shero will address that by acquiring a player at a discount from a cap team that needs to shed salary. Brodin comes to mind. In such a situation, the Devils would be sending back picks and futures, as opposed to the roster players discussed above. Besides, I don't even think the Devils are in much of a position to move a forward without one coming back. (Of course, Zacha becomes available for a defenseman if the Devils can sign Duchene, but I don't think that's realistic enough to discuss.)
Click to expand...
Zacha cannot go into next season as the 2nd line center. And in terms of packaging him for a 1B center, he does not have anywhere near enough value to be the main component of that trade. If you want a top 6 center, you probably have to go free agency unless you want to trade Smith or our 1st.

Boqvist I think can have a top 9 role on this team next season. We definitely need a lot of pieces, hope we can find a way to make a push for someone like Mark Stone.
 
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