Confirmed with Link: Devils to retain Fitz as GM, hire Ruff as coach

[glenwo2]

lol I was so hoping someone would post mac. +1 for you

But no "like". I am disappoint, sir.

 

[Maine Fan]

I am not talking about results...I have no expectations of results.

I talking about style...you will see the types of players Fitzgerald chooses to add. I think that will give us a good idea of what he's trying to build aND the direction he is looking to go.

OK, his style will be to win, he wants his job. His direction will be to keep his career, so he will try to get players that will improve the team's chances of winning consistently. If he doesn't start with the defense and goalie position, he will not last long. He needs too many player changes on defense to do it in one season. Fitzgerald's Style and Direction: "Keep my Job" "Build a Winning Reputation." "Keep the Owners Happy" "Get the Owners off My Ass" "Keep my Job" "Repeat" "Repeat"

 

[Zippy316]

I am not talking about results...I have no expectations of results.

I talking about style...you will see the types of players Fitzgerald choses to add. I think that will give us a good idea of what he's trying to build aND the direction he is looking to go.

I would think based on his comments and the makeup of Ruff's teams in Buffalo, they are going to look to add some more defenders with size. Not black holes offensively, but guys that can put up some ~20 points but are more known for their defensive game. Tallinder would be a good comparable. Maybe a guy like Dillon, Edmundsson, or Gudas can fill that spot this off-season.

I think if you can a defender or two like that to a group with Severson, Subban, and Butcher and eventually Smith or Walsh. The defense could be in good shape.

 

[Pitaya]

The sad reality is the Devils have reached Jets territory for me. Hope will only heighten the pain.

So, in that spirit...let it ride.

It can't get any worse, let's see what happens. These guys need to learn what structured hockey is and a veteran like Ruff may at least point them in the right direction.

This wreaks of being spoiled

The NY Jets were the laughing stock of the NFL for multiple decades. The NY Knicks are even worse. The NY Mets have been a joke for quite some time minus some seasons here and there.

Meanwhile the Devils have missed the playoffs TEN times since 1988... but somehow since most of those are recent we are comparable to teams with decades of turmoil

Give me a f***ing break

 

[glenwo2]

This wreaks of being spoiled

The NY Jets were the laughing stock of the NFL for multiple decades. The NY Knicks are even worse. The NY Mets have been a joke for quite some time minus some seasons here and there.

Meanwhile the Devils have missed the playoffs TEN times since 1988... but somehow since most of those are recent we are comparable to teams with decades of turmoil

Give me a f***ing break

I've said this to him before :

The Devils will NEVER reach the level of ineptitude that the Jets are.

They already have 3 championships to the Jets 1 so that, right of the bat, destroys the comparison.

 

[JimEIV]

OK, his style will be to win, he wants his job. His direction will be to keep his career, so he will try to get players that will improve the team's chances of winning consistently. If he doesn't start with the defense and goalie position, he will not last long. He needs too many player changes on defense to do it in one season. Fitzgerald's Style and Direction: "Keep my Job" "Build a Winning Reputation." "Keep the Owners Happy" "Get the Owners off My Ass" "Keep my Job" "Repeat" "Repeat"

I was talking are we going to see random 5'10 170 lbs skilled players snatched up like like an opportunistic t tarantula hiding behind a rock with a second and third round pick?

Or are we going to see someone who tries to address problems and builds a more balanced team? Is the defense going to be addressed in a real way for the first time since Zidlicky? Are we going to be any more difficult to play against under Fitzgerald? Is he willing to even move in that direction?

There is going to have to be players added to this team no matter what...what types of players will they be? Cheapest thing on the market or anything else you can get? Or are the players who come in going to be pieces that build toward new style of play.

 

[JimEIV]

I would think based on his comments and the makeup of Ruff's teams in Buffalo, they are going to look to add some more defenders with size. Not black holes offensively, but guys that can put up some ~20 points but are more known for their defensive game. Tallinder would be a good comparable. Maybe a guy like Dillon, Edmundsson, or Gudas can fill that spot this off-season.

I think if you can a defender or two like that to a group with Severson, Subban, and Butcher and eventually Smith or Walsh. The defense could be in good shape.

That's awfully specific...What did you hear from Fitzgerald that would indicate that kind of specificity?

 

[MartyOwns]

Is the defense going to be addressed in a real way for the first time since Zidlicky?

 

[JimEIV]

I am not sure what you mean?

Are you suggesting that there has been a D man added since Zidlicky that has made any sort of difference?

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I was talking are we going to see random 5'10 170 lbs skilled players snatched up like like an opportunistic t tarantula hiding behind a rock with a second and third round pick?

Or are we going to see someone who tries to address problems and builds a more balanced team? Is the defense going to be addressed in a real way for the first time since Zidlicky? Are we going to be any more difficult to play against under Fitzgerald? Is he willing to even move in that direction?

There is going to have to be players added to this team no matter what...what types of players will they be? Cheapest thing on the market or anything else you can get? Or are the players who come in going to be pieces that build toward new style of play.

We couldn’t address our blueline via trade because we had to address our forwards as well. We gave up assets to try and build an entire team, not one or two positions.

We hit several homeruns with Hall, Palmieri, Vatanen, Gusev, Vatanen and Subban. The only roster players we had to give up to get the guys listed above were Larsson and Henrique. Despite adding all those players, we still sucked, so that just goes to show how bad of a shape we were in.

It’s not easy to add players, let alone good and elite players. With the cap staying as is for the next 3 years, it’s the best news we could’ve gotten this year. We have a boatload of cap space and major assets that we can dangle at teams looking to cut their payroll in order to get below the cap.

As much as you hate him, Shero put us in a very solid position. It’s now time for Fitzgerald to finish what was started and I’m confident that we’ll be landing at least one elite player from teams that are cap strapped.

 

[Maine Fan]

I was talking, are we going to see random 5'10 170 lbs skilled players snatched up like an opportunistic t tarantula hiding behind a rock with a second and third-round pick?

Or are we going to see someone who tries to address problems and builds a more balanced team? Is the defense going to be discussed in a real way for the first time since Zidlicky? Are we going to be any more challenging to play against under Fitzgerald? Is he willing to even move in that direction?

There is going to have to be players added to this team no matter what...what types of players will they be? The cheapest thing on the market or anything else you can get? Or are the players who come in going to be pieces that build toward a new style of play.

I got you. They will get players that will have an impact until the youth moves up. The owners don't want another season where the fans bail out on the team before the season is half over. It is the young fans that are their base in the future, if the family doesn't bring the young fans because of an inferior product on the ice, then the young fans go elsewhere to another team or sport. This has been happening for the past three years. That's why Fitzgerald must-win games. Our goaltending is a question mark and with a big hole. That must get fixed to move on. Then the defense must stop GA. So the defense must get fixed. With those set, Fitzgerald can play with the offense. Lindy is not a defensive coach. So let's see who he gets for assistant coaches. It will be fun to watch the management teamwork. As for the Devils game play, don't expect too much too soon that's all I am saying. I don't expect them to make the playoffs the first season of Fitzgerald and Rupp.

 

[JimEIV]

We couldn’t address our blueline via trade because we had to address our forwards as well. We gave up assets to try and build an entire team, not one or two positions.

We hit several homeruns with Hall, Palmieri, Vatanen, Gusev, Vatanen and Subban. The only roster players we had to give up to get the guys listed above were Larsson and Henrique. Despite adding all those players, we still sucked, so that just goes to show how bad of a shape we were in.

It’s not easy to add players, let alone good and elite players. With the cap staying as is for the next 3 years, it’s the best news we could’ve gotten this year. We have a boatload of cap space and major assets that we can dangle at teams looking to cut their payroll in order to get below the cap.

As much as you hate him, Shero put us in a very solid position. It’s now time for Fitzgerald to finish what was started and I’m confident that we’ll be landing at least one elite player from teams that are cap strapped.

We got 154 games out of Vatanen over 3 years, he was out of the lineup almost as much as he was in for Henrique, who would've been a top 2 or 3 goal scorer here....Vatanen was good for some stretches, even very good but his injuries were a real damper on his time here.

Hall was out of the lineup almost as much Vatanen. ..We got two full season out of Hall and one of those seasons he sucked because he was still sulking from being traded....two years...Larsson was signed for 6 years.... I mean however you want to analyze those deals is ok with me...but I don't think I would call them "home run"

Gusev we don't really know yet...I mean how excited are you really about 30 points in 60 games from top 6 forward? I certainly wouldn't call what we saw this season a home run...

And when I read Subban's name and home run together I nearly fell off my chair. I'm sorry but that deal has been shit so far.

Palmieri was a great deal, the others? I am not going to argue about it, the results speak for themselves. As far as Shero goes he set this organization back pretty badly...we are no better today than when he took over and we have almost nothing to show for the time aside from 2 underreforming #1 overalls.

 

[NJDevs26]

I am not sure what you mean?

Are you suggesting that there has been a D man added since Zidlicky that has made any sort of difference?

It didn't really work but Subban was actually a tangible attempt to address the D.

And Gusev had 44 points in 66 games, that's a LITTLE different than 30. It's more like 55 over an 82-game season and he should benefit from the Ruff system a lot more than he did under Hynes too.

 

[MadDevil]

To say Shero didn't attempt to address the defense is just patently false. You can certainly make the case that his moves, outside of Vatanen, didn't really work out, but he did at least make an attempt.

Who else should he have brought in that wouldn't have cost significantly more than he paid for Vatanen, Butcher, Mueller, Subban, Lovejoy, etc.?

 

[JimEIV]

It didn't really work but Subban was actually a tangible attempt to address the D.

And Gusev had 44 points in 66 games, that's a LITTLE different than 30. It's more like 55 over an 82-game season and he should benefit from the Ruff system a lot more than he did under Hynes too.

I'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative but I don't buy it...before Subban was even on our radar people were talking about how he lost a step...I saw Nashville fans calling him a 9million dollar bottom pairing power play specialist during the playpffs that year...it was still dumpster diving...just dumpster diving in a rich neighborhood.

I think it was pretty obvious Subban wasn't the player he once was...I also think it was pretty obvious that he was a cap dump for Nashville. Shooting to turn junk into magic isnt really addressing the Defense. In my opinion..that is not even getting into the fit discussion...you literally had nothing on the left side and our two best Dmen on the right side and spend 4 assets to get an aged cap dump for the right side...how can you look at that any other way than oblivious?

 

[MartyOwns]

I am not sure what you mean?

Are you suggesting that there has been a D man added since Zidlicky that has made any sort of difference?

in the short term, he added pk subban, vatanen, mueller...maybe others? i don’t remember. long term, he very drafted a crop of defensemen that not only have mid-to-high ceilings, but complement each other perfectly.

and yes, i understand they’re prospects, and yes, i know there’s a possibility that they all bust and never reach the level of a jon merrill. but to say there was no plan to improve the defense, or zidlicky was the last improvement...come on

edit: how could i forget the illustrious ben lovejoy

 

[Triumph]

I'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative but I don't buy it...before Subban was even on our radar people were talking about how he lost a step...I saw Nashville fans calling him a 9million dollar bottom pairing power play specialist during the playpffs that year...it was still dumpster diving...just dumpster diving in a rich neighborhood.

I think it was pretty obvious Subban wasn't the player he once was...I also think it was pretty obvious that he was a cap dump for Nashville. Shooting to turn junk into magic isnt really addressing the Defense. In my opinion..that is not even getting into the fit discussion...you literally had nothing on the left side and our two best Dmen on the right side and spend 4 assets to get an aged cap dump for the right side...how can you look at that any other way than oblivious?

This is blatant trolling. Of course Subban isn't the player he once was - the Devils got him for a bad defenseman, a decent prospect, and 2 2nd round picks. He still played 22:40 a game on a Nashville team that was pretty deep on defense, and he played 22 minutes a game here despite not playing on PP1 for much of the season. It absolutely is addressing the defense - Subban was cheap because his contract is so expensive, but the Devils thought they could be getting a top-pair defenseman. They didn't in year 1, but there's still 2 more years on the deal, and guys Subban's age can definitely rebound from bad seasons.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

We got 154 games out of Vatanen over 3 years, he was out of the lineup almost as much as he was in for Henrique, who would've been a top 2 or 3 goal scorer here....Vatanen was good for some stretches, even very good but his injuries were a real damper on his time here.

Hall was out of the lineup almost as much Vatanen. ..We got two full season out of Hall and one of those seasons he sucked because he was still sulking from being traded....two years...Larsson was signed for 6 years.... I mean however you want to analyze those deals is ok with me...but I don't think I would call them "home run"

Gusev we don't really know yet...I mean how excited are you really about 30 points in 60 games from top 6 forward? I certainly wouldn't call what we saw this season a home run...

And when I read Subban's name and home run together I nearly fell off my chair. I'm sorry but that deal has been shit so far.

Palmieri was a great deal, the others? I am not going to argue about it, the results speak for themselves. As far as Shero goes he set this organization back pretty badly...we are no better today than when he took over and we have almost nothing to show for the time aside from 2 underreforming #1 overalls.

Your assessment of Shero’s tenure is, to put it lightly, comical.

I didn’t know that when making trades, you can project the future as well. Murray probably knew before pulling the trigger that Vatanen was going to suffer multiple concussions and Chiarelli, for all the flack he got from the entire hockey world, knew that Hall would miss some time with a knee injury!

As for Subban, we gave up peanuts and got a top #4 dman. Did he live up to the expectations we had, absolutely not, but nonetheless was our best all around dman... which again, shows you how poorly the team was left in by the past administration.

I’m not going to take the bait in regards to how Shero left the team versus how he got it but I’ll just say that your opinion wreaks of homerism and possibly nostalgia for someone that was one of the best in the business, who fell off a cliff right after the lockout.

 

[JimEIV]

This is blatant trolling. Of course Subban isn't the player he once was - the Devils got him for a bad defenseman, a decent prospect, and 2 2nd round picks. He still played 22:40 a game on a Nashville team that was pretty deep on defense, and he played 22 minutes a game here despite not playing on PP1 for much of the season. It absolutely is addressing the defense - Subban was cheap because his contract is so expensive, but the Devils thought they could be getting a top-pair defenseman. They didn't in year 1, but there's still 2 more years on the deal, and guys Subban's age can definitely rebound from bad seasons.

Look at the Trouba deal...that is the kind of deal NJ should've been looking to complete...Subban was dumpster diving.

 

[JimEIV]

Your assessment of Shero’s tenure is, to put it lightly, comical.

I didn’t know that when making trades, you can project the future as well. Murray probably knew before pulling the trigger that Vatanen was going to suffer multiple concussions and Chiarelli, for all the flack he got from the entire hockey world, knew that Hall would miss some time with a knee injury!

As for Subban, we gave up peanuts and got a top #4 dman. Did he live up to the expectations we had, absolutely not, but nonetheless was our best all around dman... which again, shows you how poorly the team was left in by the past administration.

I’m not going to take the bait in regards to how Shero left the team versus how he got it but I’ll just say that your opinion wreaks of homerism and possibly nostalgia for someone that was one of the best in the business, who fell off a cliff right after the lockout.

Only thing that is comical is the record.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Look at the Trouba deal...that is the kind of deal NJ should've been looking to complete...Subban was dumpster diving.

Once again, you’re spot on!

Shero should’ve forced Trouba to resign with us despite telling the entire world that he wanted to play for our rivals.

Shero is a such a failure for not playing Jedi mind tricks on Trouba.

 

[Billdo]

I picture Jim sitting in an office filled with leather bound books, sitting in one of those big evil genius type wooden chairs that extends 2 ft above his head, with a hairless cat on leg. He's got a nice glass of whiskey or scotch, neat, as he types these bait posts while laughing mischievously.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I picture Jim sitting in an office filled with leather bound books, sitting in one of those big evil genius type wooden chairs that extends 2 ft above his head, with a hairless cat on leg. He's got a nice glass of whiskey or scotch, neat, as he types these bait posts while laughing mischievously.

Jim is essentially the Michael Jordan cackling at Gary Payton meme as he types his posts on here.

 

[Better Call Sal]

As far as the Trouba deal goes, didn’t he basically say it’s either the Rags or Detroit? He kind of limited Winnipeg’s options in the first place.

Subban being dubbed “dumpster diving” is a stretch. And his negative play this season has been grossly exaggerated by many on this board. The entire team was bad, he was far from the worst player on our defense. That might not be saying very much but it’s the truth. His cap hit is also irrelevant with the amount of cap space we’re currently swimming in.

 

[Billdo]

Although the points weren't there, obviously, I thought Subban provided pretty darn good defense most nights.