Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023 training camp edition

[Devs3cups]

If Hughes didn’t have a Second overall pick competing against him for one roster spot I would pretty much say Hughes is 100% on the team. But I’m willing to bet even the team is thinking it’s 95% to 5%.

I highly doubt the team sees Nemec and Luke as competing against each other as they don’t play on the same side. Luke is a LD and Nemec is a RD.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Wonder if timo switches to 28

 

[Puckclektr]

“Absurd” lol

yes. These kids have never been given anything. They aren't just guranteed a roster spot. Hughes is expected to go out there and prove that he is the best prospect and prove that he is good enough to make the team and way ahead of everyone. It is like that with every sport at virtually every level. I played competitive hockey and was easily the best player on the team growing up. I wasn't given a spot. It was me who had to prove to them that I was the player I was. They didn't want me to just go out there and play. They wanted me to give my all and not just take my roster spot for granted and prove that I had the heart and determination to be the best. What does that tell Nemec? Yeah we think that you have no chance at making the team so we aren't going to make Hughes play eventhough almost every single rookie that comes into the NHL plays intheis tournament.
I have coached at high levels of hockey including Junior. This is how we look at things.
No NHL team is going to say why bring Luke there when he already has a roster spot. They are going to sy lets watch Luke go play and prove that he is the best player in this tournament.
Preventing someone from playing becasue you don't want them to get hurt in preseason and a prospect tournament is literally absurd.

 

[Devs3cups]

Max Willman at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Max Willman, 1995-02-13 Barnstable, MA, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Utica Comets. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Puckclektr]

I highly doubt the team sees Nemec and Luke as competing against each other as they don’t play on the same side. Luke is a LD and Nemec is a RD.

well considering you have both Colin Miller and Brendan Smith on the roster who are Left and Right D then it is possible that they have the option to pick one of Nemec or Hughes while they have an NHL body ready to play the other side. Like I said. Hughes is most likely the guy to make the team. But it's not liek the other option isn't there

 

[My3Sons]

Max Willman at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Max Willman, 1995-02-13 Barnstable, MA, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Utica Comets. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

This seems pretty out of left field. I'm curious if it's a guy they want to consider for Utica or if they just did this as a courtesy for someone like the agent or a mutual friend of Fitz or something?

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Max Willman at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Max Willman, 1995-02-13 Barnstable, MA, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Utica Comets. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Recent scouting report here:

2021-22 Player Review: Max Willman finally makes it

In a season as bleak and brutal as last year’s, the feel good stories are relatively few and far between, but Willman’s certainly does make the cut. From getting his start in the organization fighting…

www.broadstreethockey.com

Speedy, works hard, 4th liner that can't score and doesn't have the skill set to be a regular NHLer. Even if we are looking at him purely for AHL team they should of picked someone else with a better offensive pedigree.

We have some talented wings at AHL in Clarke, Filmon and no center prospects to get them the puck.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Woah! I had no idea I was speaking to a peewee legend. My mistake. You’re right about everything!

He's clearly right about this, but way to make it petty

 

[mdj12784]

Oh dear Lord! KK being back, means a certain KK superfan is going to come out of the woodwork!

 

[Guttersniped]

View attachment 742791

Buffalo roster is deadly. They still have some good prospects in europe too.

Would be interesting to see how Luke and Simon will play against them.

The Sabres at center:
Prospects: Kulich, Savoie, Kozak
Rochester: Slaggert, Fiddler-Schultz, Giroux

Fiddler-Schultz was an unsigned FA center out of the WHL, somehow Buffalo manages to sign him despite being stacked at forward and we don’t. He’s also Vernon Fiddler’s nephew.

The Devils at center:
Prospects: uh…er…
At the last two camps Stillman started at center and then got bumped to LW. He only took 13 face-offs all last season (and won 2), he’s not a center.

Filmon played more center than Stillman, he had 151 face-offs, winning 65 (43%). 93 of those face-offs were over a 7 game span.

Cam Squires took 273 face-offs and won 134 (49.1%). Cole Brown took 11 face-offs and won 3.
So Squires might have more potential at center. (Well, more than none at least.)

AHL: Xavier Parent played center in two games last year. He had 50 ECHL GP and 14 AHL GP though everyone loves this mighty mite. (Note: He didn’t actually play center in QMJHL, we don’t sign players who do that sort of thing.)

Filip Engaras was a rookie from U of New Hampshire, he had 26 ECHL GP and 37 AHL GP, and had real trouble producing in the AHL (5G 0A).

TJ Friedmann was a bottom six center on Quinnipiac, he was signed last April.

Invites: Jace Isley is a LW, he took 47 faceoffs last season. (He did win 23.)
Michael Horth is also a LW, he took 17 faceoffs last season. (And won 5.)

This team has a pathological aversion to acquiring centers, we didn’t even bother to invite one to camp.

 

[Bleedred]

Oh dear Lord! KK being back, means a certain KK superfan is going to come out of the woodwork!

This is finally the year Keith Kinkaid gets a starting job in the NHL, at 34 years old! After he usurps both of Vanecek and Schmid!

One thing is for sure, he WILL be BETTER than Braden Holtby this year!

 

[NjDevsRR]

So people are never the best players growing up. I used it as an example. I was a AAA level player living in an area that didn't have AAA and was on a team in a small town that had house league players. We had future NHL and college players in the same league but if I played in a AAA league I would be the guy trying hard to ensure I stayed on the team. That taught me a valuable lesson. You aren't better than everyone and that someone is alwasys right behind you. I wouldn't have been the best player on AAA. I was a good hockey player and used it as an example as how I was still made to give 100% at tryouts as there is alwasys someone looking to take you out and take your spot. In hockey you look better making the better players look bad. And Hughes is aperfect example of that. Everyone wants to make sure they make him look bad so they look good. He would be a target and management would probably want to see how well he plays under that kind of pressure.
The fact that this has turned into an argument and I am being attacekd just becasue I think that Luke Hughes should play ina torunament that even JAck Hughes and Eichel played is just stupid. I mean. It's like people are butthurt that I'm not admitting that Luke Hughes isnt' the second coming of Gretzky. Still so many dicks on this forum and I remmeber why I stop coming here when you question anything that deosn't make it seem like every player is a superstar.


Sure I did. lol You've done nothign but make childish comments becasue I proved a point that no NHL player is ever taugfht they are guranteed anything.

My guy, it was a simple Pepe reply. Did that warrant a 1,431 character response.

 

[DVision44]

He looked solid in the NHL last year. But he also had some of the worst boneheaded plays that normally end up putting people in the minors or in the press box.
I’m quite sure he has a spot on the team but you saying he’s doesn’t need to be there for reasons of risking injury is absurd.

Huh? What were you watching?

 

[Puckclektr]

The Sabres at center:
Prospects: Kulich, Savoie, Kozak
Rochester: Slaggert, Fiddler-Schultz, Giroux

Fiddler-Schultz was an unsigned FA center out of the WHL, somehow Buffalo manages to sign him despite being stacked at forward and we don’t. He’s also Vernon Fiddler’s nephew.

The Devils at center:
Prospects: uh…er…
At the last two camps Stillman started at center and then got bumped to LW. He only took 13 face-offs all last season (and won 2), he’s not a center.

Filmon played more center than Stillman, he had 151 face-offs, winning 65 (43%). 93 of those face-offs were over a 7 game span.

Cam Squires took 273 face-offs and won 134 (49.1%). Cole Brown took 11 face-offs and won 3.
So Squires might have more potential at center. (Well, more than none at least.)

AHL: Xavier Parent played center in two games last year. He had 50 ECHL GP and 14 AHL GP though everyone loves this mighty mite. (Note: He didn’t actually play center in QMJHL, we don’t sign players who do that sort of thing.)

Filip Engaras was a rookie from U of New Hampshire, he had 26 ECHL GP and 37 AHL GP, and had real trouble producing in the AHL (5G 0A).

TJ Friedmann was a bottom six center on Quinnipiac, he was signed last April.

Invites: Jace Isley is a LW, he took 47 faceoffs last season. (He did win 23.)
Michael Horth is also a LW, he took 17 faceoffs last season. (And won 5.)

This team has a pathological aversion to acquiring centers, we didn’t even bother to invite one to camp.

From what I recall last year Filmon was better than Stillman by quite a bit. Stillman really didn’t nothing to prove he is going to be anything more than a middle six AHL. He’s also proved that in the OHL.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

There’s no “right” or wrong about it. It’s an opinion on a risk based decision. But happy to see you’re impressed.

I'm impressed with what exactly? So your opinion is Hughes is too good to play in a tournament that almost all rookies play in?

You can't honestly think he should be just handed a roster spot, can you? If so, I guess he shouldn't have to participate in pre-season games either, because he "could" get hurt.

And he and Jack shouldn't be permitted to ever play in the Olympics, because they "could" get hurt.

Injuries are part of the deal, they happen but to hold someone out just because of what might happen is silliness.

 

[Puckclektr]

My guy, it was a simple Pepe reply. Did that warrant a 1,431 character response.

From a childish response that was clearly meant to be a condescending attack? Of course it did and if you took the time to read my response you would see that instead of acting like a child I have given plenty of valid examples of why a player should be there. If I wasn’t given the original childish response of “okay there pal”(paraphrasing) i wouldn’t have continued the conversation and just would’ve left it.

Huh? What were you watching?

The numerous give aways and bad plays including one that led to a goal.

I'm impressed with what exactly? So your opinion is Hughes is too good to play in a tournament that almost all rookies play in?

You can't honestly think he should be just handed a roster spot, can you? If so, I guess he shouldn't have to participate in pre-season games either, because he "could" get hurt.

And he and Jack shouldn't be permitted to ever play in the Olympics, because they "could" get hurt.

Injuries are part of the deal, they happen but to hold someone out just because of what might happen is silliness.

I said absurd. But silliness can also be used. Lol

 

[Guttersniped]

Again, Luke could play like an in-house player in the tournament, but as long as he plays well enough in training camp and preseason, he’s on the team.

You really think management is going to be like “Luke looked very solid in his 5 NHL games last year. He looked good in training camp and the preseason games as well…but ohhhhh boy he didn’t play well in the 3 game prospect tournament. But you know who did play really well in the 3 game prospects tournament, Oscar Plandowski! We’re signing him and he’s starting the year up with the big club over Luke!”

Luke isn’t promised a spot, he should be expected to work his ass off to earn a spot like everyone else.

This is a rookie camp. Luke is a rookie. He already skipped development camp.

You don’t want a culture of entitlement, so it’s a good look for him to not be a smug little shit who thinks he’s above attending this. Players with more NHL experience than him have attended these prospect tournaments.

The Devils players not attending this year have played in several of them already.

I also think potential injury is a non-factor, injuries can happen in practice or a pre-season or in the off-season. A player can’t live in paranoid fear of injury.

 

[Guttersniped]

Recent scouting report here:

2021-22 Player Review: Max Willman finally makes it

In a season as bleak and brutal as last year’s, the feel good stories are relatively few and far between, but Willman’s certainly does make the cut. From getting his start in the organization fighting…

www.broadstreethockey.com

Speedy, works hard, 4th liner that can't score and doesn't have the skill set to be a regular NHLer. Even if we are looking at him purely for AHL team they should of picked someone else with a better offensive pedigree.

We have some talented wings at AHL in Clarke, Filmon and no center prospects to get them the puck.

Maybe he plays some center? At least he doesn’t fall under the Vet rule, he has 192 AHL/NHL GP.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[Nocashstyle]

I'm impressed with what exactly? So your opinion is Hughes is too good to play in a tournament that almost all rookies play in?

You can't honestly think he should be just handed a roster spot, can you? If so, I guess he shouldn't have to participate in pre-season games either, because he "could" get hurt.

And he and Jack shouldn't be permitted to ever play in the Olympics, because they "could" get hurt.

Injuries are part of the deal, they happen but to hold someone out just because of what might happen is silliness.

That’s what training camp and preseason games are for. No one is handing him a spot, but playing in a 3 game prospect tournament when he already has 5 NHL games under his belt and played in the WC, is completely pointless.

I’m sure everyone arguing for Luke playing in the tournament against some guys that will never even play a second in the AHL will still think it was completely worth it if he gets hurt and misses a substantial amount of time, right?

Severson wasn’t resigned. Graves wasn’t resigned. Everyone can pretend like it’s an open competition and he needs to “earn it,” but the reality is, something major would need to go wrong for Luke not to make the team.

And nice comparison of the Olympics vs. a glorified shiny prospect tournament.

 

[Goptor]

That’s what training camp and preseason games are for. No one is handing him a spot, but playing in a 3 game prospect tournament when he already has 5 NHL games under his belt and played in the WC, is completely pointless.

I’m sure everyone arguing for Luke playing in the tournament against some guys that will never even play a second in the AHL will still think it was completely worth it if he gets hurt and misses a substantial amount of time, right?

Severson wasn’t resigned. Graves wasn’t resigned. Everyone can pretend like it’s an open competition and he needs to “earn it,” but the reality is, something major would need to go wrong for Luke not to make the team.

And nice comparison of the Olympics vs. a glorified shiny prospect tournament.

He hasn't been to one and the team uses these rookie camps and prospect tournaments for team building.

Its good that he is going.

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

You can do worse then Kinky as a third emergency goalie.

 

[Puckclektr]

That’s what training camp and preseason games are for. No one is handing him a spot, but playing in a 3 game prospect tournament when he already has 5 NHL games under his belt and played in the WC, is completely pointless.

I’m sure everyone arguing for Luke playing in the tournament against some guys that will never even play a second in the AHL will still think it was completely worth it if he gets hurt and misses a substantial amount of time, right?

Severson wasn’t resigned. Graves wasn’t resigned. Everyone can pretend like it’s an open competition and he needs to “earn it,” but the reality is, something major would need to go wrong for Luke not to make the team.

And nice comparison of the Olympics vs. a glorified shiny prospect tournament.

It’s not about being the best player it’s about how you react being the best player. Every single game he’s going to be the main target by the other team. Like I said every single player wants to take the puck or make a Luke Hughes look bad. It makes them look good when you make a great defensive play against a top offensive threat or make a nice offensive play against a top defensive prospect
And you guys Can laugh at me all you want about saying that I’m a good hockey player. Even playing pick up people want to take the puck off of me more than They want to take the puck off of other people.
Star players are targeted for a reason. I’m quite sure they want to see how he reacts in the situation under pressure.
Every single player out there is trying to impress every single person involved with that organization. You make Luke Hughes look stupid is better than making Riley Dawson look stupid. Many star players struggle with that pressure.

 

[Puckclektr]

He hasn't been to one and the team uses these rookie camps and prospect tournaments for team building.

Its good that he is going.

It’s a great way to team build. Going on the road with a group of guys is generally the best way to see how strong leadership and character is. That also goes a long way when it comes to a hockey player and at that age some players are too immature mentally to play in the NHL depending on their development prior to being drafted. Not saying he his not a good character. I don’t really know. But I’ve coached some junior kids that were good enough to be on the team but we’re more concerned about drinks and p***y after the games during the preseason that we decided to cut them.

 

[Guttersniped]

A mummified alien reveal during a Mexican congressional hearing and a Keith Kinkaid signing. What a day.

Lol, that’s hilariously fake looking.

Notes: super tiny, Harry Potter House Elves weren’t fiction!