Devils Team Discussion (current team/player news and notes) ‎2014-2015 Part XIX

[Devils Dominion]

If Fraser never wears a Devils jersey again that's a step in the right direction. Obviously in the grand scheme he wasn't a big deal but it's indicative of the issues the team has had.

Add zubrus and ruutu to the list

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Season Recap:

 

[NorwegianDevil]

All I know is that I wont be going into next season with the same optimism as this year`s...

`` Ryder will shine this year, the kids will be freaking Lidstroms and Havlat seems like nice FA-Pickup ``

All my negativity will lead to a Stanley Cup next year.

 

[schoenfeld]

If Fraser never wears a Devils jersey again that's a step in the right direction. Obviously in the grand scheme he wasn't a big deal but it's indicative of the issues the team has had.

fraser has made a lot of money basically being a sub-replacement level d-man for years now and thats actually pretty admirable, get em for all they got. get paid son.

 

[Billdo]

Add zubrus and ruutu to the list

Agreed 100% with Zubrus, I don't necessarily mind Ruutu though. People expected more from him but he's tolerable if used in the right role.

 

[HughJazz3dg]

Agreed 100% with Zubrus, I don't necessarily mind Ruutu though. People expected more from him but he's tolerable if used in the right role.

Agreed. He's a good bottom 6 guy, and checks anytime he can. Getting him off the team shouldn't be a priority.

 

[njdevils1982]

Season Recap:

uh, thats the sabres season.

also…...would love to serve them fans some of that chocolate gelato youve shown in that picture

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

We need a veteran defenseman right? I know Oduya is a UFA but how about moving some assets for Chara? I'm sure he will be available since the Bruins missed the playoffs and he shouldn't come at as high of a cost as some would think. Of course Boston would have to retain some salary but him and Greene as the defensive mentors would just be out of this world.

A 2nd and a 3rd or two 2nds should get it done. Maybe a 2nd and a meh prospect

 

[Khione]

Is ending the season with a major penalty a thing for Bernier or what?

 

[MadDevil]

Is ending the season with a major penalty a thing for Bernier or what?

At least this time it was a meaningless game.

If we'd beaten the Panthers in regulation that second rounder could have been a couple spots higher. Thanks Jagr.

 

[Devil X]

We need a veteran defenseman right? I know Oduya is a UFA but how about moving some assets for Chara? I'm sure he will be available since the Bruins missed the playoffs and he shouldn't come at as high of a cost as some would think. Of course Boston would have to retain some salary but him and Greene as the defensive mentors would just be out of this world.

A 2nd and a 3rd or two 2nds should get it done. Maybe a 2nd and a meh prospect

Shouldnt be moving anything for a Defense man. If we are moving those picks it should be for a forward.

There is no reason to think that Larrson isnt good enough next season to start on the top paring with Greene. Merrill and Severson can take up the 2nd pairing most likely with a Vet Dman (ie Oduya) taking the 3rd parking with Gelly. If Merrill struggles then switch him and Oduya and tell him to be super Defensively aware.

Just dont see the point it moving pieces for something you could argue we have a log jam in, and maybe that log jam isnt deep now but it will be very soon.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm watching the 'top ten plays' now on the MSG site

Ten they clearly just put in for hilarity cause it looked so much like a famous Henrique goal.
Nine was inevitable (the alumni game), like I said I'd probably put it higher.
Eight was the Tootoo-Bortuzzo stuff, which I agree with sadly, especially since we did win that game
Seven was Kinkaid's first NHL win, eh an individual moment more than a team one
Six was the Montreal game with Matteau and Boucher both scoring, eh it wasn't their first NHL goals, in fact it was their only goals of the season
Five was Chico night, fine
Four was Cory's first home win against Vancouver lol
Three was the shootout streak-breaker, sadly I agree with that being included
'Both' 1 and 2 were Elias milestones lol (400th goal for #2, 1000th point for #1)

That list proves it really was near impossible to put ten good moments together lol, surprised they didn't add in a random OT winner or two though.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

do NOT spend ANY assets for a DMan

 

[Camille the Eel]

Have to say I have not been impressed with Boucher. Right now he looks like a bottom 6 prospect at most. He hasn't developed in the past two years.

I've only seen him on TV so this is somewhat skewered, but his skating looks weak - he doesn't stride, it's short, choppy leg strokes as he moves, not fluid, no glide, with the upper body staying very upright. But he does have a fair instinct for where to be for scoring chances, for not getting in too deep, for finding an open area where a scoring chance can develop.

Still I don't bank on him to provide the extra horsepower at forward that this team so badly needs. Unfortunately.

 

[Devil X]

Have to say I have not been impressed with Boucher. Right now he looks like a bottom 6 prospect at most. He hasn't developed in the past two years.

I've only seen him on TV so this is somewhat skewered, but his skating looks weak - he doesn't stride, it's short, choppy leg strokes as he moves, not fluid, no glide, with the upper body staying very upright. But he does have a fair instinct for where to be for scoring chances, for not getting in too deep, for finding an open area where a scoring chance can develop.

Still I don't bank on him to provide the extra horsepower at forward that this team so badly needs. Unfortunately.

Boucher is a goal scorer i believe. He is a guy that needs to find the soft areas of the ice and get his shot off. Someone compared him to Sykora which is pretty good. What Boucher need is playmakers on his line to get him the pucks in those areas. He is a shooter.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Boucher is a goal scorer i believe. He is a guy that needs to find the soft areas of the ice and get his shot off. Someone compared him to Sykora which is pretty good. What Boucher need is playmakers on his line to get him the pucks in those areas. He is a shooter.

Agree completely with this. Ideally, Boucher is the guy who finishes plays (hopefully putting the puck in the net) but he is not really a player who will be creating chances for others or setting up plays. He is the trigger, not the playmaker.

 

[Devils090]

our first 3 picks better all be forwards and none of this grinder crap. speed, speed and speed.

 

[Bologna 1]

am I seeing correctly that the devils ended up with the 8th best PP in the league?

 

[Devil X]

our first 3 picks better all be forwards and none of this grinder crap. speed, speed and speed.

Grinders can be fast!

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

am I seeing correctly that the devils ended up with the 8th best PP in the league?

yes

however, we were 21st in PPG for. so we didnt get many power plays.

 

[Emperoreddy]

am I seeing correctly that the devils ended up with the 8th best PP in the league?

One thing Pete and crew did right was they ran a decent PP. They lived off that and then when new coaching they got so few it didn't ruin the percentage despite Oates PP being hot garbage.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm watching the 'top ten plays' now on the MSG site

Ten they clearly just put in for hilarity cause it looked so much like a famous Henrique goal.
Nine was inevitable (the alumni game), like I said I'd probably put it higher.
Eight was the Tootoo-Bortuzzo stuff, which I agree with sadly, especially since we did win that game
Seven was Kinkaid's first NHL win, eh an individual moment more than a team one
Six was the Montreal game with Matteau and Boucher both scoring, eh it wasn't their first NHL goals, in fact it was their only goals of the season
Five was Chico night, fine
Four was Cory's first home win against Vancouver lol
Three was the shootout streak-breaker, sadly I agree with that being included
'Both' 1 and 2 were Elias milestones lol (400th goal for #2, 1000th point for #1)

That list proves it really was near impossible to put ten good moments together lol, surprised they didn't add in a random OT winner or two though.

A random OT winner or two? Sadly we only had one OT winner to choose from. It was Jagr's in Ottawa back in October. Think it was a PP goal.

And if I'm not mistaken, this is was one of at least a handful of games in the first 5 or 6 weeks in which we gave up more than one PP goal. Thanks again Foligno!

 

[NJDevs26]

A random OT winner or two? Sadly we only had one OT winner to choose from. It was Jagr's in Ottawa back in October. Think it was a PP goal.

And if I'm not mistaken, this is was one of at least a handful of games in the first 5 or 6 weeks in which we gave up more than one PP goal. Thanks again Foligno!

lol good grief you're right...what a switch from the 9-10 we had last year - I would have thought we at least got three or four but instead we were freaking 1-7 in OT-decided games and 5-7 in the shootout. Last year we were either 9 or 10-5 in OT games and 0-13 in the shootout. So really not a lot different when you add up 6-14 this year and 9-18 last year

Geez we really didn't have a lot of MOMENTS this year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

lol good grief you're right...what a switch from the 9-10 we had last year - I would have thought we at least got three or four but instead we were freaking 1-7 in OT-decided games and 5-7 in the shootout. Last year we were either 9 or 10-5 in OT games and 0-13 in the shootout. So really not a lot different when you add up 6-14 this year and 9-18 last year

Geez we really didn't have a lot of MOMENTS this year.

They also pushed harder to avoid the shootout last year because of how bad we were.

Once the monkey went off the back it seems it stopped being a priority.

That and we didn't have a very good 4 on 4 roster.

All the more reason to get better forwards with 3 on 3 coming.

 

[NJD1982]

and whats your reasoning for this, exactly?

Oates is a Hall of Famer and a good teacher for the young players. With all the young players we're gonna have coming through in the coming years it'd be good to have a respected player around to teach them. I personally don't care if he rubs some vets the wrong way, its about the future and if he can benefit young players then I want him around. We saw what Stevens is doing with the young guys on D, he commands respect from them and they learn from him. I think the more young forwards we get, the more we'll see that Oates can be beneficial to their development.