GDT: Devils @ Rangers - 7 P.M. - MSGSN

[Whaddagoal]

Nemec needs to work on skating, after all his quotes I was expecting a jump in that area.

Many of the forwards were irresponsible with the puck coming out of the zone.

Toffoli is our Justin Williams and will go along way to improving the PP.

Kind of surprised by this, his skating looks good to me.

For Nemec, It looked a little choppy/slow yesterday when he took that penalty against (Kreider? or whomever).

I don't know if that is his usual stride but he looked like he was skating in slush and weighed down.. From the optics of it to me, i could assume he was even slightly nursing some injury by the way it looked.

(not saying that is the case, but that is how it appeared, choppy).

If that is his top end stride\speed, I'd be slightly worried - haha.

Probably need to watch a few more games, probably just an oddball catch in the moment and it's not normally like that.

 

[My3Sons]

For Nemec, It looked a little choppy/slow yesterday when he took that penalty against (Kreider? or whomever).

I don't know if that is his usual stride but he looked like he was skating in slush and weighed down.. From the optics of it to me, i could assume he was even slightly nursing some injury by the way it looked.

(not saying that is the case, but that is how it appeared, choppy).

If that is his top end stride\speed, I'd be slightly worried - haha.

Probably need to watch a few more games, probably just an oddball catch in the moment and it's not normally like that.

When I watch Nemec skate it looks to me to be proportional with his mental effort. When he is decisive he moves decisively. When he is processing he lags a bit. I have yet to see him dig in and really push himself in terms of skating. I'm sure it's in there. I don't doubt that last night's game was a step up from the practice scrimmage and even a step up from Utica games given the must win approach the Rangers took.

 

[Devs3cups]

If there is one thing that doesn’t concern me with Nemec right now it’s his skating. Kind of odd to see so many question his skating now. He’s a very good, smooth skater with a good acceleration through the zone.

 

[Whaddagoal]

When I watch Nemec skate it looks to me to be proportional with his mental effort. When he is decisive he moves decisively. When he is processing he lags a bit. I have yet to see him dig in and really push himself in terms of skating. I'm sure it's in there. I don't doubt that last night's game was a step up from the practice scrimmage and even a step up from Utica games given the must win approach the Rangers took.

(Skate Stride.........Computing.....)
(Skate Stride.....................................Commencing.)

Yeah, figure I have to see at least 3-4 games of straight watching the guy to really get a feel, it was just a clip that was in my memory.

TBH, I was a bit taken aback at first, because at first I was like "Is that really Nemec skating" (in realtime view on TV), and then MSG showed the replay of the penalty, and I kinda like: Really?

 

[JimEIV]

View attachment 747264

I'm partial to this one

 

[Whaddagoal]

If there is one thing that doesn’t concern me with Nemec right now it’s his skating. Kind of odd to see so many question his skating now. He’s a very good, smooth skater with a good acceleration through the zone.

We are kind of spoiling watching: Bratt, Hughes (Jack and Luke), and some other well-skating fellas (McLeod, etc)....

So i can easily see where my comparisons come from. A lot of gold standards recently on the team.

 

[My3Sons]

(Skate Stride.........Computing.....)
(Skate Stride.....................................Commencing.)

Yeah, figure I have to see at least 3-4 games of straight watching the guy.

TBH, I was a bit taken aback at first, because at first I was like "Is that really Nemec skating" (in realtime view on TV), and then MSG showed the replay of the penalty, and I kinda like: Really?

I think he is a very cerebral player and uses his physical tools to accomplish what his brain is telling him to do. When that clicks he looks great (tie up with 50 in front of the NJ net, the pass across to Toffoli, a couple of shots, and good number of smart passes to move the puck). When his brain is a step behind he looks awkward (the penalty where a veteran fooled him, a few ugly passes when he should have skated the puck). As opposed to Luke who relies on length and his quick feet for most of what he does and sort of reactionary thinks about it as the play unfolds. Two different approaches and both can be successful. It doesn't help a guy like Nemec that he's playing without much continuity and without knowing most of the guys he's playing with. His style to me is to be part of an ensemble as opposed to a soloist.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think he is a very cerebral player and uses his physical tools to accomplish what his brain is telling him to do. When that clicks he looks great (tie up with 50 in front of the NJ net, the pass across to Toffoli, a couple of shots, and good number of smart passes to move the puck). When his brain is a step behind he looks awkward (the penalty where a veteran fooled him, a few ugly passes when he should have skated the puck). As opposed to Luke who relies on length and his quick feet for most of what he does and sort of reactionary thinks about it as the play unfolds. Two different approaches and both can be successful. It doesn't help a guy like Nemec that he's playing without much continuity and without knowing most of the guys he's playing with. His style to me is to be part of an ensemble as opposed to a soloist.

Yup, definitely. I suspect I caught a random occurence, but it is funny that someone other than me brought up his skating so at least I feel I am not the only one who saw "something".

Are you saying Nemec is playing 2nd chair fiddle, to Luke's 1st chair virtuoso/soloist?? Oh da outrage! (J/K)

Will be very very interesting to watch how Nemec develops over the first course of games in the NHL (real season).

 

[Goptor]

Devils established nhlers were vastly superior to Rangers established nhlers.
Opposite was true with Rangers non-nhlers over the Devils.
Exception Mcleod who was awful on a line with Foote and Clarke.

Nemec made a bunch of rookie mistakes where he misjudged the amount of time and space he has available when making plays.
Luke didn't have that problem, created space with his skating. Luke was bad on the defensive side though.

Not the best game, but at least the players that matter were doing well. Bad sign for Utica though.

 

[Devs3cups]

We are kind of spoiling watching: Bratt, Hughes (Jack and Luke), and some other well-skating fellas (McLeod, etc)....

So i can easily see where my comparisons come from. A lot of gold standards recently on the team.

Luke should be used as an exception and not the norm imo, if we compare our D-men’s skating to his, they’re all going to look bad lol. I’ve watched Nemec a lot last year, from after the draft to right now, and his skating is not an issue imo. He’s efficient, moves well, has good speed and has a nice acceleration through the neutral zone.

(Maybe @Guttersniped can help me out here, I can remember a post that she made a few months back on this subject, but I can’t seem to find it anymore lol)

 

[Whaddagoal]

Devils established nhlers were vastly superior to Rangers established nhlers.
Opposite was true with Rangers non-nhlers over the Devils.
Exception Mcleod who was awful on a line with Foote and Clarke.

Nemec made a bunch of rookie mistakes where he misjudged the amount of time and space he has available when making plays.
Luke didn't have that problem, created space with his skating. Luke was bad on the defensive side though.

Not the best game, but at least the players that matter were doing well. Bad sign for Utica though.

Definitely a diluted squad last game. Still not amazed by our AHL guys that are supposed to rise (or at least 1 or 2 of them)

How many open forward spots do we think are out there?

I'm presuming:
Holtz will get Boqvists spot from last year,
Toffoli is now a new and improved Tatar.

Someone has to get Wood's spot (Lazar/Nosek?)
and also Sharangovich's (Foote/Clarke?)

But we added Meier so one of those guys was already sitting out... IIRC by the time we had Meier in the roster

I think I'm missing someone we brought in recently..... ok I had to look it up, the guy I was remembering is Chris Tierney, but i think he's also on a two-way contract.

 

[Goptor]

Definitely a diluted squad last game. Still not amazed by our AHL guys that are supposed to rise (or at least 1 or 2 of them)

How many open forward spots do we think are out there?

I'm presuming:
Holtz will get Boqvists spot from last year,
Toffoli is now a new and improved Tatar.

Someone has to get Wood's spot (Lazar/Nosek?)
and also Sharangovich's (Foote/Clarke?)

But we added Meier so one of those guys was already sitting out... IIRC by the time we had Meier in the roster

I think I'm missing someone we brought in recently..... ok I had to look it up, the guy I was remembering is Chris Tierney, but i think he's also on a two-way contract.

Nosek is the best and has played the best out of them. Lazar has played fine and I think the team is happy with him as the 13th forward because he's good in the locker room.

Foote will need to outplay Nosek or there is a chance they put Nosek at center and sit McLeod.
McLeod playing himself out of a spot may be Foote's best chance.

Clarke doesn't look ready so he'll really need to blow up in the 1 or 2 more preseason games he gets.

Edit:
Forgot Thompson who has been the best out of all but Nosek. He's in the hunt as well

 

[Devs3cups]

Also, thinking back on that Nemec play/penalty, I was actually pretty impressed that he caught up to Kreider after Kreider came away with the puck after the block.

Kreider is a pretty fast skater on a straight line, and Nemec caught up to him after Kreider had a step on him and Nemec gave him a nice little battle. It was a pretty bad call though on Nemec. Even seemed like Kreider held his stick, hence why he lost it.

Someone mentioned it on a previous page (I think it was @Camille the Eel), but that didn’t seem like a negative to me.

 

[Classic Devil]

Nosek is the best and has played the best out of them. Lazar has played fine and I think the team is happy with him as the 13th forward because he's good in the locker room.

Foote will need to outplay Nosek or there is a chance they put Nosek at center and sit McLeod.
McLeod playing himself out of a spot may be Foote's best chance.

Clarke doesn't look ready so he'll really need to blow up in the 1 or 2 more preseason games he gets.

Edit:
Forgot Thompson who has been the best out of all but Nosek. He's in the hunt as well

McLeod has been excellent so I don't think there's any chance of him losing his spot, barring off-ice issues.

 

[JimEIV]

Nosek is the best and has played the best out of them. Lazar has played fine and I think the team is happy with him as the 13th forward because he's good in the locker room.

Foote will need to outplay Nosek or there is a chance they put Nosek at center and sit McLeod.
McLeod playing himself out of a spot may be Foote's best chance.

Clarke doesn't look ready so he'll really need to blow up in the 1 or 2 more preseason games he gets.

Edit:
Forgot Thompson who has been the best out of all but Nosek. He's in the hunt as well

There is no way McLeod is going be sat if healthy.

It sucks for the young guys but I believe the lines have been pretty much set for a long time with a couple of small exceptions...I would say even before camp started 95% of the team was locked in.

 

[JimEIV]

Really the only clear opportunity available is the 9th forward.

The Top 9 is/was nearly completely locked in before camp Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Meier, Toffoli, Mercer, Palat, Haula,

9th forward potentially open.

4th line McLeod, Bastian, Nosek, Lazar 13th forward.

I don't see how anyone has a shot at anything else but that 9th forward/ 3rdRW spot.

Barring injury of course.

 

[TBF1972]

Already in their twitter. $69.69 for a ticket

suck it

 

[BurntToast]

Nemec > L. Hughes last night.

 

[TBF1972]

You know who chubby is.

 

[JimEIV]

Nemec > L. Hughes last night.

Hmmm. I didn't think of it those terms but I think you're right.

But not wildly better. I think we saw a little bit of why both of these players are going to be very good

 

[Devs3cups]

Hmmm. I didn't think of it those terms but I think you're right.

But not wildly better. I think we saw a little bit of why both of these players are going to be very good

They’re both very different even though they’re both offensive D-men. Besides the fact one is a LD and the other is a RD, I feel like their skillsets are different in many aspects.

Point is, they compliment each other very well, and that’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

 

[BurntToast]

Hmmm. I didn't think of it those terms but I think you're right.

But not wildly better. I think we saw a little bit of why both of these players are going to be very good

I don’t get the Nemec bashing, when L. Hughes was rag-dolled most of the night and Bahl was just ok.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I don’t get the Nemec bashing, when L. Hughes was rag-dolled most of the night and Bahl was just ok.

The whole team kind looked off from the start. I though McLeod was terrible.

 

[Devs3cups]

I don’t get the Nemec bashing, when L. Hughes was rag-dolled most of the night and Bahl was just ok.

Yeah, I don’t get the Nemec discourse today, but I thought Luke and Bahl were both good lol.

 

[JimEIV]

I don’t get the Nemec bashing, when L. Hughes was rag-dolled most of the night and Bahl was just ok.

Who was bashing Nemec? I don't remember seeing it... There was a pure love fest for Nemec after the 1st period here last night