Devils 2018-19 team discussion (news and notes)

[NJDevs26]

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[OmNomNom]

@NJDevs26 you forgot the "electric boogaloo" in the title

 

[Ripshot 43]

To reply to the previous Stafford question.... no thank you. I personally would rather give the 13th forward spot to a younger guy like Rooney or Lappin that would be fighting for their NHL lives than to watch Stafford for another season. We have plenty of capable tweeners that can sit in the press box and learn and then provide actual jump and energy when they are called upon.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Smith could be our best Dman next season. Let alone 3 years

 

[Billdo]

Smith could be our best Dman next season. Let alone 3 years

This type of thing needs to die down. He's 19, let's not rush this because if he's not what everyone thinks he is right now, everyone's going to lose their minds.

 

[AfroThunder396]

It's refreshing to have our top call-ups be skilled forwards and not 6 year AHL veterans or 5th round plugs who can only PK.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Smith could be our best Dman next season. Let alone 3 years

I doubt it considering he didn't make the squad and is going back to the WHL. If he was that good already he wouldn't need junior time and Im sure the staff would rather he get the practice and pro experience like training, etc etc..

 

[TrufleShufle]

Yea I'm in camp "let Stafford go." If we make or miss the playoffs this year I highly doubt either changes with him in or out of the lineup. So with that said, I would rather give a young guy that might just need NHL time to get that final push and switch them as needed with the random "energy" guy sitting in the box.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[TrufleShufle]

I doubt it considering he didn't make the squad and is going back to the WHL. If he was that good already he wouldn't need junior time and Im sure the staff would rather he get the practice and pro experience like training, etc etc..

I'm not saying he is going to be the best D-man coming in when he does. But I think he played well enough to not be a surprise if he stayed. He is pretty comparable to Butcher in that sense, but Butcher 1) made it very hard to send him away with the amount of points he was putting up, directly or indirectly. and 2) There was more room to make the case to stay with or with out the points last year.

I think points aside, Smith looked better than Butcher did in his first few games. But you can't argue with the way Butcher produced.

 

[Samuel Desbiens]

Yea I'm in camp "let Stafford go." If we make or miss the playoffs this year I highly doubt either changes with him in or out of the lineup. So with that said, I would rather give a young guy that might just need NHL time to get that final push and switch them as needed with the random "energy" guy sitting in the box.

I mean, I would rather have him than a young player as the 13F, he seems to be a good veteran who can help our young players and he certainly just want to be around an NHL team, even if it's not on a TOP9 and stuff like that. It's not that much about making the playoff or not...

He will probably accept to sit 75% of the games and could be useful if we have an injury (as our young guys continues to progress in the AHL).

I don't understand why the majority of you are so tough with him? I mean, it could be a win/win situation?

 

[Billdo]

I mean, I would rather have him than a young player as the 13F, he seems to be a good veteran who can help our young players and he certainly just want to be around an NHL team, even if it's not on a TOP9 and stuff like that. It's not that much about making the playoff or not...

He will probably accept to sit 75% of the games and could be useful if we have an injury (as our young guys continues to progress in the AHL).

I don't understand why the majority of you are so tough with him? I mean, it could be a win/win situation?

I'm with you. If someone is the 13th forward I'd rather it be someone who has peaked rather than someone whose development could be harmed by sitting so often.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I mean, I would rather have him than a young player as the 13F, he seems to be a good veteran who can help our young players and he certainly just want to be around an NHL team, even if it's not on a TOP9 and stuff like that. It's not that much on make the playoff or not...

He will probably accept to sit 75% of the games and could be useful if we have an injury (as our young guys continues to progress in the AHL).

I don't understand why the majority of you are so tough with him? I mean, it could be a win/win situation?

It's HF, you pick a side and die by it, duh.

But in all seriousness, you bring up good points, I get he's never really a liability, and he does have some good qualities. But there is a possibility whoever is knocked out due to him being around, could really take some big steps forward this year.

We are basically a bubble team at this point, whether other fans want to even give us THAT much credit, and I just don't think he tips the scales enough in either direction to change that, whether he is playing or not. He is kinda just... there. I would rather find out if a younger guy is ready for the step up and keep the new waiver fodder on the bench waiting to step in if that doesn't happen right away.

It would also give another spot to rotate a bigger crop from bingo through out the season to give guys looks every once in a while.

 

[GameSeven]

I'd like to see DEA chase Lehtera around the ice at some point this season.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Shero likes Pens players...

 

[Brodeur]

Shero likes Pens players...

People like players they're familiar with. If anything, this might be more of Tom Fitzgerald and John Hynes' fingerprints as they had a full year with Dea after Shero was let go by Pittsburgh.

 

[Billdo]

I'd like to see DEA chase Lehtera around the ice at some point this season.

This needs more likes

 

[Brodeur]

Just as long as they give him a tortoise that says "HOLA DEA" then I'll be happy.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I doubt it considering he didn't make the squad and is going back to the WHL. If he was that good already he wouldn't need junior time and Im sure the staff would rather he get the practice and pro experience like training, etc etc..

We don't have the room right now for him unfortunately because our staff does love its slow decaying veteran presence.

Smith could easily be playing over Lovejoy and Gryba, and probably should given his talent.

 

[Billdo]

I doubt it considering he didn't make the squad and is going back to the WHL. If he was that good already he wouldn't need junior time and Im sure the staff would rather he get the practice and pro experience like training, etc etc..

This isn't how the NHL works more often than not.

 

[mtnet]

I'd like to see DEA chase Lehtera around the ice at some point this season.

Well played

 

[MartyOwns]

I doubt it considering he didn't make the squad and is going back to the WHL. If he was that good already he wouldn't need junior time and Im sure the staff would rather he get the practice and pro experience like training, etc etc..

it has nothing to do with how “good” he is. we’re not throwing him to the wolves because it’s not best for his development

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

We don't have the room right now for him unfortunately because our staff does love its slow decaying veteran presence.

Smith could easily be playing over Lovejoy and Gryba, and probably should given his talent.

This isn't how the NHL works more often than not.

it has nothing to do with how “good” he is. we’re not throwing him to the wolves because it’s not best for his development

If Smith was that good that he could have made the roster but 'there was no need to rush him', than he has nothing left to be learning from juniors and would gain more from NHL practices, training, consulting, etc etc... I find it hard to believe that a player is about NHL ready but we sent him down for an entire year in the juniors just because we have .. worse players in front of him?

Seems very illogical. Even if he only plays a few games here and there, the NHL environment would be far better for a guy who is about ready versus an entire year against much lesser players. I get the feeling he showed great things but just isnt ready.

 

[NJDevs26]

We don't have the room right now for him unfortunately because our staff does love its slow decaying veteran presence.

Smith could easily be playing over Lovejoy and Gryba, and probably should given his talent.

Gryba is not going to be playing the majority of games and Lovejoy is a RD, while Smith is a LD. If he was playing over anyone it’s Mueller or Santini if Mueller plays off side.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Gryba is not going to be playing the majority of games and Lovejoy is a RD, while Smith is a LD. If he was playing over anyone it’s Mueller or Santini if Mueller plays off side.

Smith plays on his off side in juniors at times, and I would still feel more confident in him doing that as a rookie than watching Lovejoy bumble a simple pass causing our team having to defend a 2 on 1 or a breakaway because of his horrible puck skills.

And Santini has done nothing this preseason to show he deserves to be an NHL defenseman.