GDT: Devils @ Sharks, 10:30 PM, MSG

[vtdevils2k]

I am not gonna judge hughes too harshly this season as he shouldn't be playing in the NHL yet. I have said this for awhile however, he has some bad habits in his game, that will not translate into a successful NHL career if they are not broken. . His speed and talent is not questioned. I think he will get is all figured out and be a great player, but they need to coach this kid up.

Fair take and no issues with this at all. Coaching staff has mentioned he's learned/learning what can and what can't work. Remember how he used to take the puck in front of his own net with speed like he used to do with the US team? He stopped doing that nonsense because it won't work at this level. He almost got scored on several times doing that.

Let him learn what works at this level. Team isn't going anywhere.

I expect a better kid next year. Has a lot to work on, especially in the weight room.

It's really remarkable what this kid has gone through this season compared to Nico's first year. Just night and day from coaching, GM, MVP Taylor Hall, etc.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Missed this game but saw the highlights, just wanted to say HONK

 

[EnglishDevil]

I will say this about Hughes. While I feel like he has shown glimpses of the future and is only scratching the surface, he would've been better served going to college and tearing it up for a year.

Agreed, he wasn’t NHL ready this season, but he’ll be an excellent player before too long.

He should at least benefit from the experience.

 

[Camille the Eel]

What do you expect from Severson?

This is already Friday morning but I wondered why we didn’t match up 1 on 1 with Kane, Couture and their defenseman from the start and just stick with them? You see pure man-on-man coverage in OT all the time, it’s the default. So at the start of the sequence leading up to the OT goal I was shocked to see Sev’s just standing alone in front of our goal - apparently defending a zone - while a San Jose player roamed free in the high slot with the puck, looking like every option was open to him. Once you are out of man coverage it seems more difficult to match back up, to be clear who your man is, or to work switches in coverage with your team mates.

It seemed Sevs never found his man, or had lost him at that point, and it’s hard to match back up when you’ve lost coverage. Maybe even you don’t know who you’ve got? 10 seconds later 2 of our guys go to one Shark and Couture is alone for the tap in.

But I haven’t watched the replay.

 

[glenwo2]

Having not watched the game, did we play well for a period then fall apart, or was it really that the Sharks played like garbage for a period then woke up?

The former.

 

[glenwo2]

just woke up, but this being posted more and more by you. What an embarrassment/embarrassing take.

be disappointed with the kid or say he’s having a rough season, but to say this garbage every game just goes way too far

I'd venture to say it's just as embarassing as Triumph's continuous "Bratt is not that good a player" take, imo.

It's always a particular fan who, for some reason, dislikes a young Devils player and looks for every single flaw to point to reasons to get rid of him(or at least show the desire to get rid of him). smh.

 

[The Wumpus]

So I DVR'd the 2-hour recap from last night and watched it this morning. It starts with 8 minutes of an unrelated Eddie Olczyk interview, and then at the end cuts off before regulation ended.

#MSG

 

[Bleedred]

Blackwood has given up some weak goals at times, but you’re not gonna beat him with a clean wrist shot from the blue line hardly ever. Not even with a screen. Because he knows where to be.

I suspect Cory still knows where to be, he’s just no longer fast enough at getting to there.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I will say this about Hughes. While I feel like he has shown glimpses of the future and is only scratching the surface, he would've been better served going to college and tearing it up for a year.

Question is which way will he develop most quickly into the best NHL player.

We have thrown him into the league to make his mistakes and learn from them in the big show in real time. Maybe that is the fastest way for him to adapt and grow? Throw him in the deep end. (Although you have people here, then, saying he’s a fraud, a bust, will never make it, someone actually wrote here last night that they “despise” his game, yes, “despise” was the word - strong feelings being provoked here).

If we’d sheltered him and sent him to college or Jr.’s or wherever, maybe the NHL adjustment period would still have been necessary. But would have involved less negativity to him, personal attacks, possible loss of confidence?

Very hard to say. He’s learning the hard way on the job. Making his mistakes in public.

 

[Triumph]

Last night Hughes was very bad, and it seems like his confidence isn't there - he's forcing plays he must know that he shouldn't. It's been a difficult season for him. He's still going to be a star in this league.

 

[Billdo]

Question is which way will he develop most quickly into the best NHL player.

We have thrown him into the league to make his mistakes and learn from them in the big show in real time. Maybe that is the fastest way for him to adapt and grow? Throw him in the deep end. (Although you have people here, then, saying he’s a fraud, a bust, will never make it, someone actually wrote here last night that they “despise” his game, yes, “despise” was the word - strong feelings being provoked here).

If we’d sheltered him and sent him to college or Jr.’s or wherever, maybe the NHL adjustment period would still have been necessary. But would have involved less negativity to him, personal attacks, possible loss of confidence?

Very hard to say. He’s learning the hard way on the job. Making his mistakes in public.

If he's in college putting up a billion points I don't see anyone complaining in all likelihood.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Right. But then when he transitions to the NHL is he behind or ahead of the development curve towards mature NHL play he’s on now? Which path gets him playing top NHL form the fastest?

sink or swim or on the other hand the kiddy pool?

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Last night Hughes was very bad, and it seems like his confidence isn't there - he's forcing plays he must know that he shouldn't. It's been a difficult season for him. He's still going to be a star in this league.

I honestly don't think he lacks confidence he's just trying to figure out what works....I mean he is 18 and playing against men at the highest level of hockey in the world....I agree that he could be a star but he will have to get stronger and more aware of what works in the nhl and what doesn't.....could come next yr or year 3 like Nico where he got much stronger on his skates big difference....

 

[Emperoreddy]

Nah his confidence has definitely been lacking for the last month or so. He isn’t making the kinds of high end plays he was making in November or December.