Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part I

[devilsblood]

Oh okay. We will go through the customary mourning period in accordance with your wishes.

Nice knee jerk.

I was just expressing my opinion, if you want to kum ba ya around the glowing quotes of a fringe NHL player about the captain of a team that massively under performed, have at it.

 

[Triumph]

Nice knee jerk.

I was just expressing my opinion, if you want to kum ba ya around the glowing quotes of a fringe NHL player about the captain of a team that massively under performed, have at it.

I was also just expressing my opinion, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that I'm known for around here, that while the season absolutely sucked, the Devils have a good team with good players and some of them actually had a good season, and that while they would tell you this was an unsuccessful season and obviously it was, that a player can be really good and his team might not win because of circumstances out of his control.

But glad you're here to throw some cold water on that idea. Finally, someone around here who's negative about the 23-24 Devils.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Sabres hired Ruff as HC, anyone care ?

 

[MasterofGrond]

Nice knee jerk.

I was just expressing my opinion, if you want to kum ba ya around the glowing quotes of a fringe NHL player about the captain of a team that massively under performed, have at it.

if you make a negative ass comment, I think it's reasonable to expect one in return.

 

[Xirik]

I was also just expressing my opinion, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that I'm known for around here, that while the season absolutely sucked, the Devils have a good team with good players and some of them actually had a good season, and that while they would tell you this was an unsuccessful season and obviously it was, that a player can be really good and his team might not win because of circumstances out of his control.

But glad you're here to throw some cold water on that idea. Finally, someone around here who's negative about the 23-24 Devils.

Nyhem! My Sarcasm detector is going off the charts!

 

[dzubrus8]

I love Nico, and I think 99% of Devils fans appreciate his all around game, but I really don't feel like now is the time to wax poetic about him, or anyone else on this team.

I think it’s fine especially for a guy (Tierney) who is likely not on the roster next year to share that. Plus what was the context? Was he asked who from the Devils inspires him or was he asked how he thought the season went or did he say this unprompted. Context matters

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

this notion that because the season overall was a failure, there couldn't be multiple positives from that season is nonsense tbh

 

[britdevil]

Sorry Chris, sucking up won't get you a contract for next season.

 

[devilsblood]

I was also just expressing my opinion, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that I'm known for around here, that while the season absolutely sucked, the Devils have a good team with good players and some of them actually had a good season, and that while they would tell you this was an unsuccessful season and obviously it was, that a player can be really good and his team might not win because of circumstances out of his control.

But glad you're here to throw some cold water on that idea. Finally, someone around here who's negative about the 23-24 Devils.

Pretty sure this is also tongue in cheek?

 

[devilsblood]

I think it’s fine especially for a guy (Tierney) who is likely not on the roster next year to share that. Plus what was the context? Was he asked who from the Devils inspires him or was he asked how he thought the season went or did he say this unprompted. Context matters

Don't know about context, but I do find it odd timing. Start of the playoffs, and we got an out of the playoffs fringe NHL player quotes?

I guess there is a small market for fans of sad sack teams who need a woobie.

 

[My3Sons]

Don't know about context, but I do find it odd timing. Start of the playoffs, and we got an out of the playoffs fringe NHL player quotes?

I guess there is a small market for fans of sad sack teams who need a woobie.

I'm sure the team's social media and content creator employees are looking to make themselves valuable and keep their jobs when they might otherwise have nothing to do. My only criticism would be that as tough as it is for the players to show some enthusiasm for those end of season message videos they really needed to coach them up a bit on showing like they cared. As @Guttersniped noted, it looked like Meier was being held hostage and threatened with torture to make that video.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm sure the team's social media and content creator employees are looking to make themselves valuable and keep their jobs when they might otherwise have nothing to do. My only criticism would be that as tough as it is for the players to show some enthusiasm for those end of season message videos they really needed to coach them up a bit on showing like they cared. As @Guttersniped noted, it looked like Meier was being held hostage and threatened with torture to make that video.

I was talking the hockeynews article. Which I'm sure is the talk of Canada right now.

The team stuff is whatever. I hadn't watched it, but you inspired me to, I made it till Luke.

 

[Zippy316]

The way I look at this season is just about everything you could imagine went wrong.

Hamilton out long term, two best forwards in Hughes/Meier clearly playing injured for most of the year, goaltending being catastrophically bad, horrendous performances 6-on-5, worst PP in the league outside of the first two months, awful regression from Marino/Siegenthaler, not taking care of business against teams they should’ve beat, giving up goals in rapid succession, not picking up loser points, etc.

Yet despite that, this team was still somehow inexplicably in the playoff race until the last 3 weeks of the season.

A lot of those issues are fixable and personnel and health help a ton with others. If we revert to even league average on a lot of those issues, this team should be comfortably in the playoffs.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Not worried about making/missing playoffs next year.

Barring a series of extreme bad luck, the Devils will get in next season.

My concern is I am curious to see how Fitzgerald "toughens" this team up over the next few years.

Bratt, J Hughes, L Hughes, Hamilton, Holtz are all "easy to play against" in a playoff series.

The only guys that have "playoff toughness" on this roster are Palat, Haula, Meier, Nemec, Bastian, Bahl, and maybe Hischier?

Mercer, Marino, Siegenthaler, Lazar are all meh.

Devils would get severely pushed around and beaten in a playoff series against Florida or Vegas or Dallas.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Jack Hughes is an "easy to play against" player............?

hmm okay!

 

[devilsblood]

Jack Hughes is an "easy to play against" player............?

hmm okay!

Given how the term us commonly used, yes Hughes is easy to play against.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Jack Hughes is an "easy to play against" player............?

hmm okay!

Uhhh. Yes. He is very very easy to play against.

No opposing player is heading for a loose puck in the corner against Jack Hughes and is thinking about getting hit.

 

[devilsblood]

Not worried about making/missing playoffs next year.

Barring a series of extreme bad luck, the Devils will get in next season.

My concern is I am curious to see how Fitzgerald "toughens" this team up over the next few years.

Bratt, J Hughes, L Hughes, Hamilton, Holtz are all "easy to play against" in a playoff series.

The only guys that have "playoff toughness" on this roster are Palat, Haula, Meier, Nemec, Bastian, Bahl, and maybe Hischier?

Mercer, Marino, Siegenthaler, Lazar are all meh.

Devils would get severely pushed around and beaten in a playoff series against Florida or Vegas or Dallas.

I think our skill players need to get stronger and more physical. That to me is the key. Fitz certainly made it known he thinks the same.

Hoping he doesn’t go out and get more big slow unskilled players to address the issue.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Given how the term is commonly used, yes Hughes is easy to play against.

Luckily the way the term is commonly used is totally divorced from reality. I think NHL defensemen would laugh in your face if you said Jack Hughes was easy to play against. There aren’t many players more difficult to contain with the way the game is officiated today.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Uhhh. Yes. He is very very easy to play against.

No opposing player is heading for a loose puck in the corner against Jack Hughes and is thinking about getting hit.

so in this one very specific instance, sure okay maybe, I guess?

how often does this and only this exact situation occur?

"Jack Hughes is easy to play against"

lol.

 

[My3Sons]

The way I look at this season is just about everything you could imagine went wrong.

Hamilton out long term, two best forwards in Hughes/Meier clearly playing injured for most of the year, goaltending being catastrophically bad, horrendous performances 6-on-5, worst PP in the league outside of the first two months, awful regression from Marino/Siegenthaler, not taking care of business against teams they should’ve beat, giving up goals in rapid succession, not picking up loser points, etc.

Yet despite that, this team was still somehow inexplicably in the playoff race until the last 3 weeks of the season.

A lot of those issues are fixable and personnel and health help a ton with others. If we revert to even league average on a lot of those issues, this team should be comfortably in the playoffs.

I think Timo is great but it's hard for me to say he is second best forward on the team.

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

Sabres hired Ruff as HC, anyone care ?

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I think our skill players need to get stronger and more physical. That to me is the key. Fitz certainly made it known he thinks the same.

Hoping he doesn’t go out and get more big slow unskilled players to address the issue.

Agreed.

I think as J Hughes, L Hughes, and Mercer mature and get stronger, heavier, and bigger, they will naturally be tougher to play against. Mercer especially I think will develop into a great playoff type player.

Hamilton is just soft. and I think Bratt is too but Bratt is so so skilled and it's okay to have a couple of those players on your team as long as you surround them with the right mix.

 

[devilsblood]

Luckily the way the term is commonly used is totally divorced from reality. I think NHL defensemen would laugh in your face if you said Jack Hughes was easy to play against. There aren’t many players more difficult to contain with the way the game is officiated today.

But we can also accept that that is how it is commonly used.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I think Timo is great but it's hard for me to say he is second best forward on the team.

Love Timo, but I think he is the 4th best forward on the team.

I put Hughes Bratt and Hischier ahead of him