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

[Captain3rdLine]

Holy sh*t. Just watched the highlights of last nights game and what the hell was Smith doing on that 3rd goal. Couldn’t have made a worse play and it was a terrible idea.


How did Holtz, Okhotiuk, and Bahl look?

Saw it mentioned in the GDT that Okhotiuk was -3 but just from watching those goals he wasn’t really terrible on them or majorly at fault.
1st was just terrible by Smith.
2nd one was a lost battle off a set draw and I’m not really sure who to blame. The collective group of players I’d say. But I don’t think there’s a whole lot Okhotiuk could’ve done. Tried to come out and block the shot but wasn’t able to.
3rd one he probably could’ve tied up that guys stick better but no one would really be expecting that from there and it was kind of a crazy deflection. Don’t think there’s a ton he should’ve done differently there either.

Also looks like Okhotiuk had his highest TOI yet with 18:59

 

[My3Sons]

Maybe I simply enjoy invoking you.

is that what the kids are calling it now?

Edit: apologies to @Guttersniped who deserves better than lame dad joke puns but that's more or less my job.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Holy sh*t. Just watched the highlights of last nights game and what the hell was Smith doing on that 3rd goal. Couldn’t have made a worse play and it was a terrible idea.


How did Holtz, Okhotiuk, and Bahl look?

Saw it mentioned in the GDT that Okhotiuk was -3 but just from watching those goals he wasn’t really terrible on them or majorly at fault.
1st was just terrible by Smith.
2nd one was a lost battle off a set draw and I’m not really sure who to blame. The collective group of players I’d say. But I don’t think there’s a whole lot Okhotiuk could’ve done. Tried to come out and block the shot but wasn’t able to.
3rd one he probably could’ve tied up that guys stick better but no one would really be expecting that from there and it was kind of a crazy deflection. Don’t think there’s a ton he should’ve done differently there either.

Also looks like Okhotiuk had his highest TOI yet with 18:59

It's easy to get minuses when playing with Smith. In the third period Okhotiuk made one mistake on the blue line, but it didn't cost anything. Otherwise I liked his game, again. He has been pretty steady, unlike some of our other defensemen.

 

[Bleedred]

Tonight could be Subbans last game for us. I don't think we got what anyone hoped for but I think he's been a good addition for us. By all accounts a good guy in the locker room and his defensively play has been serviceable. Without the price tag ppl would have way less complaints. I appreciated his time here. If he's open to signing an affordable deal I think it would be a decent move for third pairing unless they think Walsh is ready.

I would guarantee they don't feel Walsh is anywhere near ready, if they think he ever will be. This was his first call up (and if he was called up before, he didn't play a game because the other night was his first game in the NHL) in two years of now being a pro and he wasn't even played last night. They already made him a healthy scratch after one game.

These aren't necessarily my feelings that he's never gonna be NHL ready, just that I don't think the organization views him as such, but I also thought they weren't big on Okhotyuk either, but now they finally seem to be giving him a chance.

That said, I think the worst part about Subban was how he was always the answer early on when the power play was doing shit-all. It took this staff a LONG time to bump him down to a bottom pairing-ish guy and to ban him from the power play. It just took way too long.

I would take him back for one more year, but the new staff should have to sign a waiver that they will not put him on the power play unless half the team is out. I don't trust they won't try to feel him out on the power play because he scored a bunch of power play points 4+ years ago.

 

[Bleedred]

I don't think Ruff will be here next year. I'm pretty confident of that. Ruff, Recchi, more than likely Nas and definitely Chris Taylor, as he's clearly a Ruff lackey. I think Rogalski comes back, but he probably shouldn't. He should probably be the first to go, but at the same time is he really gonna get fired after 2 years because Gillies, Hammond and Daws (ALL AHL caliber goalies at best) played like BAD AHL caliber goalies at best at the NHL level?

I'm thinking we probably won't see an announcement made by this time tomorrow or maybe not even by Sunday or whenever break up day/exit interview day is, I'm assuming because of the back to back it will be Sunday and not Saturday.

So don't freak out if it's not announced by the weekend (I'm also talking to myself here) it doesn't mean this staff is coming back or even favor that this staff is coming back unless Fitz comes out and says they are before then. I do think it will be announced before the end of May at the latest. Some teams go about their business for a couple weeks after the season ends and usually the GM will say something like ''We're gonna continue to evaluate that and get together and talk about it'' on exit interview day and then there'll be an announcement within a few weeks. Kind of like David Quinn with the Rangers last year, who you kind of knew was getting fired anyway, if not just because of the GM/front office house cleaning.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I would guarantee they don't feel Walsh is anywhere near ready, if they think he ever will be. This was his first call up (and if he was called up before, he didn't play a game because the other night was his first game in the NHL) in two years of now being a pro and he wasn't even played last night. They already made him a healthy scratch after one game.

These aren't necessarily my feelings that he's never gonna be NHL ready, just that I don't think the organization views him as such, but I also thought they weren't big on Okhotyuk either, but now they finally seem to be giving him a chance.

That said, I think the worst part about Subban was how he was always the answer early on when the power play was doing shit-all. It took this staff a LONG time to bump him down to a bottom pairing-ish guy and to ban him from the power play. It just took way too long.

I would take him back for one more year, but the new staff should have to sign a waiver that they will not put him on the power play unless half the team is out. I don't trust they won't try to feel him out on the power play because he scored a bunch of power play points 4+ years ago.

Walsh is also older too. He’s 23 and was taken in 2017. Okhotiuk is 21 still, about 19.5 months younger than Walsh and a 2019 second round draft pick. Bahl is over a year younger too (about 5 months older than Okhotiuk). Walsh also doesn’t seem like a great stylistic fit. The outlook for Walsh isn’t very good.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Judge Advocate General

Post of the year so far right here

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

I don't think Ruff will be here next year. I'm pretty confident of that. Ruff, Recchi, more than likely Nas and definitely Chris Taylor, as he's clearly a Ruff lackey. I think Rogalski comes back, but he probably shouldn't. He should probably be the first to go, but at the same time is he really gonna get fired after 2 years because Gillies, Hammond and Daws (ALL AHL caliber goalies at best) played like BAD AHL caliber goalies at best at the NHL level?

I'm thinking we probably won't see an announcement made by this time tomorrow or maybe not even by Sunday or whenever break up day/exit interview day is, I'm assuming because of the back to back it will be Sunday and not Saturday.

So don't freak out if it's not announced by the weekend (I'm also talking to myself here) it doesn't mean this staff is coming back or even favor that this staff is coming back unless Fitz comes out and says they are before then. I do think it will be announced before the end of May at the latest. Some teams go about their business for a couple weeks after the season ends and usually the GM will say something like ''We're gonna continue to evaluate that and get together and talk about it'' on exit interview day and then there'll be an announcement within a few weeks. Kind of like David Quinn with the Rangers last year, who you kind of knew was getting fired anyway, if not just because of the GM/front office house cleaning.

Last season they did exit interviews for 13 players (most of the kids) the day after the last game which was on a Monday, and for 12 players, coaches, and GM, the day after.

In 2019 exit interviews were conducted the Monday following the last game on a Thursday.

I'm guessing Monday as well.

 

[Devs3cups]

Holy sh*t. Just watched the highlights of last nights game and what the hell was Smith doing on that 3rd goal. Couldn’t have made a worse play and it was a terrible idea.


How did Holtz, Okhotiuk, and Bahl look?

Saw it mentioned in the GDT that Okhotiuk was -3 but just from watching those goals he wasn’t really terrible on them or majorly at fault.
1st was just terrible by Smith.
2nd one was a lost battle off a set draw and I’m not really sure who to blame. The collective group of players I’d say. But I don’t think there’s a whole lot Okhotiuk could’ve done. Tried to come out and block the shot but wasn’t able to.
3rd one he probably could’ve tied up that guys stick better but no one would really be expecting that from there and it was kind of a crazy deflection. Don’t think there’s a ton he should’ve done differently there either.

Also looks like Okhotiuk had his highest TOI yet with 18:59

Holtz looked fine to me. His skating and positioning have improved since the start of the season, so that’s good. Still needs some work on his skating (which he’s been doing extensively since last off-season with Bratt’s skating coach it seems). He made a few nice plays to Boq/Bratt who couldn’t bury.

 

[Bleedred]

Last season they did exit interviews for 13 players (most of the kids) the day after the last game which was on a Monday, and for 12 players, coaches, and GM, the day after.

In 2019 exit interviews were conducted the Monday following the last game on a Thursday.

I'm guessing Monday as well.

I was thinking Monday could also be possible, although I'm pretty sure we've had exit interviews on a weekend before.

This has gotta be one of the first seasons I can remember where the last day of the regular season for the entire league was on a Friday and not a Saturday. There is the one make-up game between the Kraken and Jets on Sunday, but that was a game that was only postponed just a couple weeks ago due to an impending snowstorm.

Last year was kind of weird with all the make up games that were postponed due to covid outbreaks, so I'm not even counting that year. There were a couple non-playoff making teams from Canada playing each other to finish out their schedule after the playoffs had already started.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

I was thinking Monday could also be possible, although I'm pretty sure we've had exit interviews on a weekend before.

This has gotta be one of the first seasons I can remember where the last day of the regular season for the entire league was on a Friday and not a Saturday. There is the one make-up game between the Kraken and Jets on Sunday, but that was a game that was only postponed just a couple weeks ago due to an impending snowstorm.

Last year was kind of weird with all the make up games that were postponed due to covid outbreaks, so I'm not even counting that year. There were a couple non-playoff making teams from Canada playing each other to finish out their schedule after the playoffs had already started.

Not familiar with this author or publication fwiw:

General manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils ownership will have a lot to discuss in May during exit interviews.

Are the New Jersey Devils Due for a Coaching Change? -

Belly Up contributor Ryan McCarthy wonders if the New Jersey Devils need to make a coaching change after back-to-back humiliating losses.

bellyupsports.com

 

[Bad Goalie]

I don’t believe anybody is getting fired anytime soon. Ruff gets some runway next year with some reasonable goaltending.
The PP has had no chance with the players Fitzy has pencilled in to use. Last night was the worst. Three super small guys (Holtz, bratt and boq) esentially guaranteed we would never gain possession and get set up. Holtz basically stood at the dot the one time like he was Ovi as the puck went flying by behind him along the boards. Guess that worked in Utica

Nope. That's his spot. He works to get into the dot and poses there with his stick raised set to shoot.

He will leave the dot and retreat to the half wall when a puck struggle occurs behind the net and moves to the corner in case the puck is freed up and comes up the boards.

If the pass isn't in the wheel house, but he can stop it, he either moves to the net releasing a wrister most often wide high to the right which ends up a puck ringing around the boards to the point man at the standard Rt point position or it goes down the ice.
Or
As he moves to the net, he tries to pass it through the slot to the right wing side (usually Deleo) for a shot.
Or
He dishes it back to the blueline, usually Walsh or Russo, and then resets in the dot for a return pass for his desired 1-timer.
Or
He will also rotate to the center point if the normal guy there gores to the half boards.

These are normal rotational moves for most teams.

However, the Utica PP is very stationary with Holtz in Ovi's spot and Walsh and Deleo doing most of the moving on the right side with both of them jockeying around to try and get that 1-timer pass to Holtz or Zetterlund or Foote depending upon which group of PPers are out there. Holtz, Z, or Foote all occupy that same left dot. It has become so repetitious that every team in the east prevents that pass, presses the forward on the right half boards and the Point D-man when he moves to the right point for an outlet from the pressured half boards forward who ends up out of time and space.

It's a very poor setup since there is so little player movement, poor puck management often results in turnovers, puck movement involves slow and deliberate passing around the perimeter, and the offensive setup usually ends up one and done with a shot. It's either in the net (least likely), a save and a whistle, blocked by the D-man going right to the dot and deflecting the shot out of play or right back out of the zone, shot into a net front quagmire and cleared out or eventually smothered in the crease by the keeper, or it ends up being misplayed by a couple of the Comets in the high slot who mispass it out of the zone themselves, or the point man can't handle a rushed blind pass and the puck goes down the ice, or the shot misses everything and goes out of the zone. From many of these plays the opponent ends up with an odd man rush (2 or even 3 on 1) or a breakaway.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don't think Ruff will be here next year. I'm pretty confident of that. Ruff, Recchi, more than likely Nas and definitely Chris Taylor, as he's clearly a Ruff lackey. I think Rogalski comes back, but he probably shouldn't. He should probably be the first to go, but at the same time is he really gonna get fired after 2 years because Gillies, Hammond and Daws (ALL AHL caliber goalies at best) played like BAD AHL caliber goalies at best at the NHL level?

I'm thinking we probably won't see an announcement made by this time tomorrow or maybe not even by Sunday or whenever break up day/exit interview day is, I'm assuming because of the back to back it will be Sunday and not Saturday.

So don't freak out if it's not announced by the weekend (I'm also talking to myself here) it doesn't mean this staff is coming back or even favor that this staff is coming back unless Fitz comes out and says they are before then. I do think it will be announced before the end of May at the latest. Some teams go about their business for a couple weeks after the season ends and usually the GM will say something like ''We're gonna continue to evaluate that and get together and talk about it'' on exit interview day and then there'll be an announcement within a few weeks. Kind of like David Quinn with the Rangers last year, who you kind of knew was getting fired anyway, if not just because of the GM/front office house cleaning.

David Quinn was fired on May 12th, a Wednesday, and the Rangers last game was on May 8th.

That was a little different because Gorton and Davidson both got taken out on May 5th* so it didn’t need any discussion. (And Drury didn’t have that many people to talk it out with to at that point. Sather?)

*The 1st Caps game with the Wilson scrum/Panaren rag doll (note: which was had nothing to do with the firing! No really, nothing at all, move along!) was on May 3rd.

The “Revenge” game with a 141 PIM and not much actual revenge per se (note: which also had nothing to do with the firing that happened the same day!) was on May 5th.

 

[JK3]

Holy sh*t. Just watched the highlights of last nights game and what the hell was Smith doing on that 3rd goal. Couldn’t have made a worse play and it was a terrible idea.


How did Holtz, Okhotiuk, and Bahl look?

Saw it mentioned in the GDT that Okhotiuk was -3 but just from watching those goals he wasn’t really terrible on them or majorly at fault.
1st was just terrible by Smith.
2nd one was a lost battle off a set draw and I’m not really sure who to blame. The collective group of players I’d say. But I don’t think there’s a whole lot Okhotiuk could’ve done. Tried to come out and block the shot but wasn’t able to.
3rd one he probably could’ve tied up that guys stick better but no one would really be expecting that from there and it was kind of a crazy deflection. Don’t think there’s a ton he should’ve done differently there either.

Also looks like Okhotiuk had his highest TOI yet with 18:59

Okhotiuk was solid again, nothing crazy, just smart little defensive plays but they stand out to me cause we're not used to seeing that stuff. He's low key physical along the wall and in the corners, again nothing crazy but I'm amazed at how many times someone ends up on their ass when he's out there. If you paired Scott Stevens with Smith he'd end up with a few minuses on most nights, Smith was absolutely brutal, a complete mess all night.

Holtz was OK, he had some really nice passes setting up and breaking out Boq and Bratt but it was very noticeable to me that he had a tough time keeping up with those guys. That being said not many can keep up with those two but he's been much more involved than his last call up.

 

[Bleedred]

David Quinn was fired on May 12th, a Wednesday, and the Rangers last game was on May 8th.

That was a little different because Gorton and Davidson both got taken out on May 5th* so it didn’t need any discussion. (And Drury didn’t have that many people to talk it out with to at that point. Sather?)

*The 1st Caps game with the Wilson scrum/Panaren rag doll (note: which was had nothing to do with the firing! No really, nothing at all, move along!) was on May 3rd.

The “Revenge” game with a 141 PIM and not much actual revenge per se (note: which also had nothing to do with the firing that happened the same day!) was on May 5th.

I don't know why I thought it was two weeks later that Quinn got fired, but I do know there have been instances where it took several weeks from the season finale for the announcement that the head coach would not be brought back.

I'm pretty sure it was about a week after the 14-15 season ended ended when Todd McLellan said he was ''Stepping down'' and that this was an ''Amicable split'', but in reality, if Todd didn't wanna step down, Doug Wilson was definitely gonna fire him.

I'd expect an announcement in the next couple of weeks, perhaps earlier though. It could be as soon as this weekend or Monday, but I doubt it will be any later than the end of May and even that's a huge stretch.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I don’t believe anybody is getting fired anytime soon. Ruff gets some runway next year with some reasonable goaltending.
The PP has had no chance with the players Fitzy has pencilled in to use. Last night was the worst. Three super small guys (Holtz, bratt and boq) esentially guaranteed we would never gain possession and get set up. Holtz basically stood at the dot the one time like he was Ovi as the puck went flying by behind him along the boards. Guess that worked in Utica

What? When did 6’0” 195lbs become super small. And Boqvist is 6 feet too. Bratt is smaller but doesn’t really play small or get knocked off the puck very easily. Also not sure how having smaller guys stops you from getting setup. Skill is the easiest way to consistently get in and get setup. Sometimes you have to dump and try to win it back but the best way to get in is with skill and passing. So many things about this post don’t make sense.
And yes it seems that did work in Utica and has worked for him and lots of others at all levels. Maybe it will work at some point in the NHL for him as well but that remains to be seen.

 

[My3Sons]

I have been ambivalent about Ruff, and to some extent, I still am because I'm not sure if prime Scotty Bowman or Al Arbour get great results from this roster with the injuries and goalie mess. That said, anyone not sure about whether coaching really makes a difference should google and read about the changes in the New Orleans Pelicans wrought by Willie Green. He's not a brilliant strategist but he is competent there. It's the culture buy in and belief the players have shown that has made the difference. That team was 3-16. They were four games above .500 the rest of the way missing their best player for the entire season and their second best player for 30 games. They missed a number of good players for other parts of the season. They won two win or go home games to get into the playoffs and pushed the number one seed hard to six games. If a few shots fall differently there may have been a game seven. The turnaround was dramatic if gradual. Next year look for the Pelicans to win about 50 games with a healthy roster.

The Pelicans had a respected older coach in Stan Van Gundy the prior year. Clearly a brilliant basketball mind and someone who has probably forgotten more about basketball than Willie Green will ever know. None of that mattered. It's hard to explain but Willie Green took a young team looking for leadership and pressed all the right buttons and turned the entire franchise around. It was night and day.

Adding CJ McCollum as a respected vet who can still play and was all in helped as well.

If NJ can find their Willie Green I'd thank Ruff and the rest of the staff and go from there. Maybe Nas can stay in some capacity (sorry @glenwo2 I think he's an organization guy like Fitz and they often have ongoing value even if removed from day to day responsibility). It's not easy but he's out there.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don't know why I thought it was two weeks later that Quinn got fired, but I do know there have been instances where it took several weeks from the season finale for the announcement that the head coach would not be brought back.

I'm pretty sure it was about a week after the 14-15 season ended ended when Todd McLellan said he was ''Stepping down'' and that this was an ''Amicable split'', but in reality, if Todd didn't wanna step down, Doug Wilson was definitely gonna fire him.

I'd expect an announcement in the next couple of weeks, perhaps earlier though. It could be as soon as this weekend or Monday, but I doubt it will be any later than the end of May and even that's a huge stretch.

GMs definitely have taken longer to fire guys. t
The Rangers happened quickly because it was a house cleaning and Drury was going to hire his own guy.

Examples of slower killing blows…

The two Calgary Flames coaches Treliving fired at the end of the season for missing the playoffs:

Glen Gulutzan was fired on 4/17/18. Their last game was on 4/7/18.

Bob Hartley was fired on 5/3/16. Their last game was on 4/9/16. Hartley had just won the Jack Adams the year before so that was harder I guess.

 

[Bleedred]

GMs definitely have taken longer to fire guys. t
The Rangers happened quickly because it was a house cleaning and Drury was going to hire his own guy.

Examples of slower killing blows…

The two Calgary Flames coaches Treliving fired at the end of the season for missing the playoffs:

Glen Gulutzan was fired on 4/17/18. Their last game was on 4/7/18.

Bob Hartley was fired on 5/3/16. Their last game was on 4/9/16. Hartley had just won the Jack Adams the year before so that was harder I guess.

Ahh, yes. Bob Hartley, one of my favorite head coaches of ALL TIME!

NOT!

Guy sucked. Bob Newhart could have coached the 2001 Avs to the cup.

Did he finally go back to working on the windshield assembly line where he belongs?

More proof the Jack Adams (Jackass Adams as I call it) means nothing. LOSER TODD MCLELLAN is probably a strong candidate for it this year.

Speaking of worthless coaches that won that award, there's a guy that works at a local gas station/convenient store I frequent that looks just like Paul MacLean the walrus guy. I've been tempted quite a few times to ask him if he's Paul MacLean, but he probably doesn't know who Paul MacLean is.

At the very least, I wonder if he's the Paul MacLean doppelganger that appeared sitting behind the glass right behind Paul MacLean on the bench that time?

 

[Guttersniped]

Ahh, yes. Bob Hartley, one of my favorite head coaches of ALL TIME!

NOT!

Guy sucked. Bob Newhart could have coached the 2001 Avs to the cup.

Did he finally go back to working on the windshield assembly line where he belongs?

Hartley won the KHL Gagarin Cup in 2021 for Omsk after losing in Finals in 2019. Show some respect! (Hey, Gritsyuk was on that team.)

 

[RangerDoggo]

I have been ambivalent about Ruff, and to some extent, I still am because I'm not sure if prime Scotty Bowman or Al Arbour get great results from this roster with the injuries and goalie mess. That said, anyone not sure about whether coaching really makes a difference should google and read about the changes in the New Orleans Pelicans wrought by Willie Green. He's not a brilliant strategist but he is competent there. It's the culture buy in and belief the players have shown that has made the difference. That team was 3-16. They were four games above .500 the rest of the way missing their best player for the entire season and their second best player for 30 games. They missed a number of good players for other parts of the season. They won two win or go home games to get into the playoffs and pushed the number one seed hard to six games. If a few shots fall differently there may have been a game seven. The turnaround was dramatic if gradual. Next year look for the Pelicans to win about 50 games with a healthy roster.

The Pelicans had a respected older coach in Stan Van Gundy the prior year. Clearly a brilliant basketball mind and someone who has probably forgotten more about basketball than Willie Green will ever know. None of that mattered. It's hard to explain but Willie Green took a young team looking for leadership and pressed all the right buttons and turned the entire franchise around. It was night and day.

Adding CJ McCollum as a respected vet who can still play and was all in helped as well.

If NJ can find their Willie Green I'd thank Ruff and the rest of the staff and go from there. Maybe Nas can stay in some capacity (sorry @glenwo2 I think he's an organization guy like Fitz and they often have ongoing value even if removed from day to day responsibility). It's not easy but he's out there.

You don’t even have to leave the NHL, the Canucks have done much better with Boudreau. If Ruff isn’t gone a week after the end of the season, then I don’t think he is going anywhere, and we’re going to be out of the running by December again.

I have a hunch that Fitz has already made up his mind, he seems confident in the direction we’re going in. Not completely unfounded but we’ve been dire for almost a decade, uninterrupted.

 

[Bleedred]

Hartley won the KHL Gagarin Cup in 2021 for Omsk after losing in Finals in 2019. Show some respect! (Hey, Gritsyuk was on that team.)

Ahh, I'm surprised this did not re-ignite the rumors (or maybe it did last year? I know it's been brought up in the last several years, maybe that was last year?) of ''Hartley back to the NHL!''.

Between him and Freddy's cousin they brought into Buffalo, which was a massive failure.

 

[Hisch13r]

Gusev 2.0 has a ton of skating work to do if he doesn't want to end up as Gusev 2.0.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Tyler Bertuzzi puts a cap on things. While Damon and Dougie watch.

A metaphor for the entire season.

 

[Bleedred]

Tyler Bertuzzi puts a cap on things. While Damon and Dougie watch.

A metaphor for the entire season.

And Blackwood lets in FOUR SOFTIES to cost us ONE LAST GAME THIS YEAR!

Now that's a metaphor.