Is NJ one of the most improved offences in recent memory?

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Not making claims that they are the deepest offence in the league but was curious what folks think of their roster (when healthy). They went from being the worst offence in the league the last few seasons to one of the better in the league (definitely not the best).

not official lines but something just to picture it would be:

Hall - Hischier - Palmieri
Johansson - Zajac - Bratt
Henrique - Boyle - Stafford
Gibbons - Coleman - Wood

and leftover is still Zacha and Noesen.

Out of that forward roster the players bolded only joined THIS OFFSEASON. And the italicized were added the season before that. Oh and of course Butcher is on the backend putting up 18 points in 24 games. So only Zajac and Henrique are from 2014 and beyond.

Now again, I am not making claims that this is the best offence but instead I am saying this offence is the most improved in a single off-season that I have ever seen before.

What are your thoughts on how much they have improved and can you remember a team who added more talent to their offence (or defence for discussion sake) in one off-season?

Click to read more...

 

[Csonked Out]

It really is a symphony of amazing moves by Ray over the last couple of seasons
1) Trades a 2nd round pick in 15 and a 3rd round pick in 16 for Kyle Palmieri
2) Trades Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall
3) Trades the Florida panthers 2nd round pick in 18 and the Maple leafs 3rd round pick in 18 for Marcus Johannson
4) Drafts Jesper Bratt in the 6th round of the 16 draft with the 162nd overall pick
5) Lucks out and wins the lottery and than makes what looks like right now, the proper selection of Nico over Nolan
6) Gets Drew Stafford and Brian Gibbons on cheap and very effective 1 year contracts.
7) Convinces Will Butcher to sign as a free agent.

The fascinating part about this is that this team has yet to really play together due to injuries. Our defense is certainly weaker than what it used to be but the offense is tough to argue. We are at our most effective with our transition game and speed through the neutral zone.

Just to compare, here is what our roster was to start the 2015 season

Mike Cammalleri- Travis Zajac- Kyle Palmieiri
Patrick Elias- Adam Henrique- Jordin Tootoo
Tuomo Ruutu - Jacob Josefson- Reid Boucher
Jiri Tlusty- Stephen Gionta- Sergey Kalinin

That is an impressive roster overhaul in the last 2 years without trading any 1st round picks or free agent acquisitions at pricey contracts. Bravo Ray Shero, you have built your team in Jersey and it is fun to watch so far.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Wanted Ottawa to go after Boyle last season

 

[Super Hans]

They've also managed to have Jimmy Hayes get 3g-3a-6pts in 16 games after 2g-3a-5pts in 58 games last year. That might be the most impressive bit.

 

[Csonked Out]

They've also managed to have Jimmy Hayes get 3g-3a-6pts in 16 games after 2g-3a-5pts in 58 games last year. That might be the most impressive bit.

haha Hayes is still useless too, he is a big body on the power play but isn't really good at anything other than being big. I am fully expecting him to be either waived or traded when Palmieri comes back from his foot injury.

 

[Mrb1p]

Adding a first overall like Hischier does that.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Adding a first overall like Hischier does that.

Certainly helps. Devils really lucked into this kid - no reason he cant be right behind McDavid and Matthews.

But to be fair I think the Devils almost deserved him in a way for the Parise-Kovalchuk offseason fiascos.

 

[Rhodes 81]

It's improved a ton because they finally have depth. Bratt coming out of nowhere was lucky and Gibbons is shooting at an unreal pace right now, but even if those guys weren't performing the way they are, they would still be improved. Hischier has struggled at times, but he's been good enough as a 1c and slotted everyone else down where they should have been all along. The bottom six is producing consistently for the first time in half a decade thanks to guys like Henrique and Zacha being pushed there. Plus they are playing to their strengths by playing loose and making high risk plays.

It'll be interesting to see how the lines shake out if everyone is healthy at once.

 

[Mrb1p]

It's improved a ton because they finally have depth. Bratt coming out of nowhere was lucky and Gibbons is shooting at an unreal pace right now, but even if those guys weren't performing the way they are, they would still be improved. Hischier has struggled at times, but he's been good enough as a 1c and slotted everyone else down where they should have been all along. The bottom six is producing consistently for the first time in half a decade thanks to guys like Henrique and Zacha being pushed there. Plus they are playing to their strengths by playing loose and making high risk plays.

It'll be interesting to see how the lines shake out if everyone is healthy at once.

They always had depth, the problem is that their depth guys were forced into top 6 roles because they didnt have those.

 

[SabresSharks]

Phenomenal job by Shero. Had lots of luck too - getting 1OA, Gibbons' unsustainable shot%, and surely nobody on the Devils thought Bratt wouldn't be playing in London this season. Still, great work by Devils' management.

They're certainly a fun team to watch. That's a huge change in itself.

 

[trellaine201]

I’ve watched a few games and haven’t seen NJ like this in years. There actually fun to watch and provide entertainment good for NJ and Taylor Hall.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Now again, I am not making claims that this is the best offence but instead I am saying this offence is the most improved in a single off-season that I have ever seen before.

What are your thoughts on how much they have improved and can you remember a team who added more talent to their offence (or defence for discussion sake) in one off-season?

In terms of goals per game, they were 28th last season. They're tied for 7th this season, which is a huge improvement.

In 2015-2016, the Leafs were also 28th in goals per game. They finished 5th. So the Devils still have a couple spots to climb to match them as far as offensive jumps. They can definitely do it though.

 

[cgf]

The 2016-2017 avalanche scored 166 goals in 82 games; the 2017-2018 avalanche have scored 72 goals in 22 games & are on pace for 268 in 82 games. Has a team ever scored 100 more goals than they did the year before?

 

[Super Hans]

The 2016-2017 avalanche scored 166 goals in 82 games; the 2017-2018 avalanche have scored 72 goals in 22 games & are on pace for 268 in 82 games. Has a team ever scored 100 more goals than they did the year before?

Probably not likely since only about a dozen did so between 12-13 (48 games) and 13-14. Buffalo only had 32 more goals. Yikes.

 

[cgf]

Probably not likely since only about a dozen did so between 12-13 (48 games) and 13-14. Buffalo only had 32 more goals. Yikes.

Didn't think about the lockout year, I'd be curious to see if that's ever happened in full seasons.

 

[Knies iT]

Remove Marleau if you're looking for "one off-season". Otherwise, this transition outdoes New Jersey's.

JVR-Kadri-Boyes
Matthias-Bozak-Lupul
Winnik-Spaling-Parenteau
Komarov-Holland-Grabner

Into:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov
JVR-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Moore-Brown
[Soshnikov, Leivo]

 

[BomaLightDevils]

Remove Marleau if you're looking for "one off-season". Otherwise, this transition outdoes New Jersey's.

JVR-Kadri-Boyes
Matthias-Bozak-Lupul
Winnik-Spaling-Parenteau
Komarov-Holland-Grabner

Into:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov
JVR-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Moore-Brown
[Soshnikov, Leivo]

The big difference here is that Devils last season was just plain bad after a good year before that.

Leafs on the other hand was in all out tank mode that year to get matthews so you can't compare those two teams by any stretch.

When your coach at the start of the year goes out to the media and fans and say "there will be pain" the tank plan was already in place by Lou and Shanahan. A totally laughing stock organization that I have no respect for anymore.

Sorry for that this is about the Devils and yes they are very improved praise to Shero and especially the coaching staff for going hard on how and what kind of team they want.

 

[96]

The big difference here is that Devils last season was just plain bad after a good year before that.

Leafs on the other hand was in all out tank mode that year to get matthews so you can't compare those two teams by any stretch.

When your coach at the start of the year goes out to the media and fans and say "there will be pain" the tank plan was already in place by Lou and Shanahan. A totally laughing stock organization that I have no respect for anymore.

Sorry for that this is about the Devils and yes they are very improved praise to Shero and especially the coaching staff for going hard on how and what kind of team they want.

Leafs finished 4th last with Kessel and Phaneuf. Maybe the team was just bad?

 

[Crazy Cizikas]

this Devil team has me baffled. By all indication, they should be developing their team. But it looks like they skipped the development stage and just became good instead.

 

[Oneiro]

Tell me when the Leafs win the sort of trades the Devils have won (Hall, Palmieri, Johansson), have drafted any late round prospects that have become top 6 players (Bratt) and have any UFA signing work out to the level of Butcher or hell, even Brian Gibbons.

If the Leafs ever accomplish anything of value, it will have taken a Hall of Fame president, Hall of Fame GM and Hall of Fame coach, a generational pick, two more top ten picks and the biggest budget in hockey to win.

Yeah, there is nothing at all comparable or impressive about what Leafs have done.

 

[roflstomper]

Bruins 2009 (something to this effect) went from 25th in goals the previuos season to 2nd.

Lucic - Savard - Kessel
Ryder - Krejci - Wheeler
Kobasew - Bergeron* - Recchi
Axelsson - Yelle - Thornton

Chara/Wideman
Ward/Montador
Stuart /Hnidy

Bergeron had missed the previous year.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

What happened to the elite shot suppression and good analytics though?

 

[htpwn]

Tell me when the Leafs win the sort of trades the Devils have won (Hall, Palmieri, Johansson), have drafted any late round prospects that have become top 6 players (Bratt) and have any UFA signing work out to the level of Butcher or hell, even Brian Gibbons.

If the Leafs ever accomplish anything of value, it will have taken a Hall of Fame president, Hall of Fame GM and Hall of Fame coach, a generational pick, two more top ten picks and the biggest budget in hockey to win.

Yeah, there is nothing at all comparable or impressive about what Leafs have done.

You mean like James van Reimsdyk for Luke Schenn or Zach Hyman for Gregg McKegg? Connor Brown (156th overall)? Tyler Bozak and Nikita Zaitsev?

Devils fans in this thread are just embarrassing. The OP asked a question, people are answering.

 

[Zippy316]

Remove Marleau if you're looking for "one off-season". Otherwise, this transition outdoes New Jersey's.

JVR-Kadri-Boyes
Matthias-Bozak-Lupul
Winnik-Spaling-Parenteau
Komarov-Holland-Grabner

Into:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov
JVR-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Moore-Brown
[Soshnikov, Leivo]

It's about the same.

Impressive thing is outside of Coleman and Wood, Shero compiled all of that since taking over in May of 2015.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Knock off the BS.