Is Pete Here Tomorrow?

[DevilSlovenia]

obviously the talent level isn't what we've had in the past, and i do think PDB has done an admirable job considering the defections of Parise and Kovy, but i think he could get more from the team. the East is pretty weak and while the lack of youth/skill is at the feet of Lou and Conte, DeBoer still doesnt manage this team to it's potential. perfect example again is seeing Josefson and Brunner look great and yet he sat them both so that slug Tootoo could float around the ice and commit penalties. this team has talent, albeit very aged, but there is no excuse for the mental errors and constant blown leads. it's not all on DeBoer, but if we keep sliding in the next month i'd like to see him go.

and Lou also needs to wake up and realize he needs to rebuild this team. get rid of the vets and get some prospects/draft picks in return if the season really unravels. not that any of them are worth much but it's time to dump the likes of Zubrus, Ruutu, Clowe, Ryder etc. Stop plugging in veterans and get some young guys in here.

Thats why is it more difficult.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

This team needs a new system. Whatever we have now is not working. A new set of heads and opinions will do only good.

 

[NJDFan4Life]

New system, new coach whatever it comes down too. So that this team gets back on track. I understand the hate towards Deboer for not playing Larsson which is totally understandable but as for the rest of the team. If you're the coach you can only do so much. People need to realize most of our roster is filled with 3rd line players aside from Jagr, Zajac, Cammalleri, Elias, Henrique, Havlat and maybe Ryder. Forwards like Zubrus, Clowe and Ruutu are so overplayed its unbelievable. For crying out loud Zubrus should not be in our top 6, Ruutu is making $4.5 million to play on the 4th line and Clowe is one hit or fight away from being brain dead. So I guess what i am trying to get at is maybe this isn't all Pete fault and maybe its on both him and Lou. Your coach can only do so much with the roster he is given. Its up to the players to produce so the team can have success.

 

[ScottyK]

If we do change coaches I hope we give Kowolski a chance…I still don't see Pete getting fired but I'm all for Rick taking over

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

New GM and head coach would be ideal

 

[Just Win]

I doubt Lou will do anything until at least mid November.

DeBoer should have been fired after last season already. This team simply has no identity anymore. Unless you consider playing bad an identity. Not enough offense, defense is swiss cheese, lack of discipline. Some of that is talent related, some of it is a lack of experience at the back end, some of it is simply a coach that has no answers. One of those three can be fixed in no time, the other two will take time.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

I doubt Lou will do anything until at least mid November.

DeBoer should have been fired after last season already. This team simply has no identity anymore. Unless you consider playing bad an identity. Not enough offense, defense is swiss cheese, lack of discipline. Some of that is talent related, some of it is a lack of experience at the back end, some of it is simply a coach that has no answers. One of those three can be fixed in no time, the other two will take time.

We look like the isles few years back. Bad attendance, inconsistent team with an emerging star. Ours is severson theirs was tavares.

 

[Bologna 1]

New system, new coach whatever it comes down too. So that this team gets back on track. I understand the hate towards Deboer for not playing Larsson which is totally understandable but as for the rest of the team. If you're the coach you can only do so much. People need to realize most of our roster is filled with 3rd line players aside from Jagr, Zajac, Cammalleri, Elias, Henrique, Havlat and maybe Ryder. Forwards like Zubrus, Clowe and Ruutu are so overplayed its unbelievable. For crying out loud Zubrus should not be in our top 6, Ruutu is making $4.5 million to play on the 4th line and Clowe is one hit or fight away from being brain dead. So I guess what i am trying to get at is maybe this isn't all Pete fault and maybe its on both him and Lou. Your coach can only do so much with the roster he is given. Its up to the players to produce so the team can have success.

i would argue elias and ryder are playing like 3rd liners so far, and havlat isnt much more than that these days.

 

[Devils Dominion]

We look like the isles few years back. Bad attendance, inconsistent team with an emerging star. Ours is severson theirs was tavares.

You could argue that the isles still have 2 out of those 3.

 

[theking72]

Do you all have amnesia? Do you remember how far down into the ground Maclean had to drag this team before Lou pulled the trigger?

 

[Devilsfanatic0421]

Really miss Big Bird, these young D need some better guidance.

Merrill has been awful this season, and Larsson continues to waste away in a press box. Severson hasn't been here long enough to pick up bad habits.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Do you all have amnesia? Do you remember how far down into the ground Maclean had to drag this team before Lou pulled the trigger?

we were going to pop out in China around New Years if Lou didn't finally do something.

Like someone said jokingly, he's going to ride it out just to go for Babcock. I honestly think that. If he cans Pete, Barr will be interim the rest of the year so expect no real change other than a wake up call to guys who have been sleepwalking this season so far.

*cough* Elias *cough*

 

[Moe Syzlak]

The Pete DeBoer quote thread

Feel free to put any and all gems in here. Let's get it started.

“I don’t have those details,†Deboer said, before correcting himself and saying, “I’m not going to divulge those details.â€

“We beat ourselves starting with the bench minor ... which was on me."

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Absolutely he's still here, and probably til the start of December, at the very least. Devils are still on pace for 90+ points. Some of the losses have been ugly, but Lou's not the kind of person to overreact after less than 10 games to start the season. The biggest problem with the team at this point has been Schneider's play, and Schneider's play looks way worse on paper than it's been thanks to the PK. Small tweaks will go a long way with this team, same as they did in 11-12, which also started out with the team looking like garbage.

 

[tailfins]

New system, new coach whatever it comes down too. So that this team gets back on track. I understand the hate towards Deboer for not playing Larsson which is totally understandable but as for the rest of the team. If you're the coach you can only do so much. People need to realize most of our roster is filled with 3rd line players aside from Jagr, Zajac, Cammalleri, Elias, Henrique, Havlat and maybe Ryder. Forwards like Zubrus, Clowe and Ruutu are so overplayed its unbelievable. For crying out loud Zubrus should not be in our top 6, Ruutu is making $4.5 million to play on the 4th line and Clowe is one hit or fight away from being brain dead. So I guess what i am trying to get at is maybe this isn't all Pete fault and maybe its on both him and Lou. Your coach can only do so much with the roster he is given. Its up to the players to produce so the team can have success.

I actually agree with much of this, but it's funny that you listed 7 forwards as "non 3rd liners". That's how it's supposed to be, no?

I think you were clearly being generous in your "non-third line" definition. At the moment, only Cammy and maybe Henrique are playing like top 6 players. And, they haven't been put on the same line yet. So, we don't even have the makings of a single 1st or 2nd line. That's a problem.

 

[njdevil26]

I hope this ownership group knows that fancy food and 3d images don't put Devils fans in the seats. This team needs to win.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Survey Says: Yes....

 

[Richer's Ghost]

I hope this ownership group knows that fancy food and 3d images don't put Devils fans in the seats. This team needs to win.

what - you don't like salmon?

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

I hope this ownership group knows that fancy food and 3d images don't put Devils fans in the seats. This team needs to win.

I go for the 1% of the 1% meetings in the owner box.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

New system, new coach whatever it comes down too. So that this team gets back on track. I understand the hate towards Deboer for not playing Larsson which is totally understandable but as for the rest of the team. If you're the coach you can only do so much. People need to realize most of our roster is filled with 3rd line players aside from Jagr, Zajac, Cammalleri, Elias, Henrique, Havlat and maybe Ryder. Forwards like Zubrus, Clowe and Ruutu are so overplayed its unbelievable. For crying out loud Zubrus should not be in our top 6, Ruutu is making $4.5 million to play on the 4th line and Clowe is one hit or fight away from being brain dead. So I guess what i am trying to get at is maybe this isn't all Pete fault and maybe its on both him and Lou. Your coach can only do so much with the roster he is given. Its up to the players to produce so the team can have success.

How in the world do you watch the New Jersey/NHL body of work for all the players you just mentioned and then come away with the idea that Havlat and RYDER are top 6 players and not Clowe or Ruutu?

Pete has more capable NHL players on his roster now than he's ever had in his life, on any team, and he still wanted to start the season with Jordin Tootoo getting more than 0 minutes and Salvador playing 23+ every night.

 

[CKPLAYA]

This team needs a new system. Whatever we have now is not working. A new set of heads and opinions will do only good.

Tough to win when your $42mil goalie has been pulled twice already in 9 games.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Tough to win when your $42mil goalie has been pulled twice already in 9 games.

Brodeur's probably had more 9-game stretches of bad games over the past 5 years than any goalie who's played as much as he has. Schneider needs a break, and the PK needs fixing. Both of those are on Deboer, IMO.

 

[Zippy316]

58 wins in 139 games

he doesnt deserve to be coaching anymore.

I highly doubt you would find another coach to be more successful in that span either.

He actually coached the teams really well, it was just a lack of offense for the past two years.

 

[njdevil26]

We need a coach that holds the players accountable. Not a guy who was born with a dumbfounded look on his face and hands out days off like Halloween candy.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I highly doubt you would find another coach to be more successful in that span either.

He actually coached the teams really well, it was just a lack of offense for the past two years.

Agreed. What coach was going to turn last year's roster into a surefire playoff team? Deboer would've done that himself if not for a terrible goalie and some shootout losses.