Jack Hughes, Taylor Hall, PK Subban: Devils a contender?

[koyvoo]

Until they get a decent goalie they are a pretender. I could see then fighting for a wildcard spot and that’s it.

Goaltending has not been the biggest problem so far this season. I wouldn’t say they’ve had great goaltending, but they definitely haven’t had bad goaltending either thus far.

 

[Curufinwe]

there a bad team

where a bad team?

 

[BonMorrison]

where a bad team?

There! A bad team! **

 

[Bonzo111]

Goaltending has not been the biggest problem so far this season. I wouldn’t say they’ve had great goaltending, but they definitely haven’t had bad goaltending either thus far.

uhh Schneids is sporting an .876sv% and Blackwood has an .821.

What is considered bad these days?

 

[TheGoldenGod]

I had them finishing last.

Didn't like their coaching, goaltending, blueline depth, and that mix up front. There's obviously talent there but I saw what happens 1st hand when a team throws a bunch of big new pieces into a lineup. St. Louis did the same thing last season and had to win the lottery with Berube and Binnginton to help turn things around. Plus the pieces they brought in complemented their existing core a much better than what I see in New Jersey. Again there's talent but New Jersey's lineup seems like it was just randomly thrown together. Subban did not look good at all last season; Simmonds has been in decline for years now; Hall is coming off a serious injury; I thought and still believe Hughes will struggle his 1st year - showed obvious signs of being physically outmatched at worlds over the summer and there is more room on the international sheets of ice; I like Gusev but I didn't really see him as a good fit in their top 6.

 

[Zezel22]

Ray Shero traded 2 2nd Rd picks this summer for players who are in their Upper 20's/Low 30's and have combined 5 years of team control. He was planning on this team being in the hunt for a playoff spot. If this continues much longer, that will be all but eliminated on or around Halloween. He's going to have to act in some fashion.

 

[Curufinwe]

Any chance Shero gets canned?

Last year when the Flyers started out terribly we were all expecting Hak to get fired, and he did, but Hextall went first.

 

[NJDevs26]

I keep seeing all the fire Hynes stuff but as he just signed a multi-year extension that kicked in this season can they afford to do that?

I mean financially are they the type of team that can pay two head coach salaries at once?

Financially they’re fine. The owners are billionaires who added a lot of payroll this offseason and it’s not like Hynes has a huge salary anyway. The main impediment is he’s Shero’s guy. Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess

 

[Kranix]

Any chance Shero gets canned?

Last year when the Flyers started out terribly we were all expecting Hak to get fired, and he did, but Hextall went first.

He's past that 4 year mark where bottom feeder GMs get fired, but he did make the playoffs one season so he has a longer leash probably.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

Hall is gone and PK is declining. Devils will still be bottom of the metro.

June 24th. Didn't take much to see they only have an offense.

 

[PaulD]

I had them finishing last.

Didn't like their coaching, goaltending, blueline depth, and that mix up front. There's obviously talent there but I saw what happens 1st hand when a team throws a bunch of big new pieces into a lineup. St. Louis did the same thing last season and had to win the lottery with Berube and Binnginton to help turn things around. Plus the pieces they brought in complemented their existing core a much better than what I see in New Jersey. Again there's talent but New Jersey's lineup seems like it was just randomly thrown together. Subban did not look good at all last season; Simmonds has been in decline for years now; Hall is coming off a serious injury; I thought and still believe Hughes will struggle his 1st year - showed obvious signs of being physically outmatched at worlds over the summer and there is more room on the international sheets of ice; I like Gusev but I didn't really see him as a good fit in their top 6.

I must say, this sums up this bad "team" quite accurately.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Until they get a decent goalie they are a pretender. I could see then fighting for a wildcard spot and that’s it.

Still don’t understand how they could leave that position untouched after making go for it moves this offseason. Goalies were there to be had but I guess they put all their faith in Schneider.

 

[Spirits]

Are the Devils now a serious contender?

This will age well...

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

This place is known for some outlandish stuff. Zajac over ROR might be the worst take I’ve ever seen here. And I’ve been here a while.

Saw that this was bumped for other reasons, but don’t EVER forget the Zajac>OReilly guy. Honestly he should be in prison for that take.

 

[robbieberns]

If they play their cards right, five years from now they’ll have have a fantastic young core with Hischier, Hughes, and whatever defenseman they draft in the top 5-10 of next two or three drafts. Blackwood might even have turned out to be exactly what NJ fans hope he will.

The last thing they should be doing is trying to win now, which would leave Hischier and Hughes with absolutely zero support as they approach their mid twenties.

 

[Dialamo]

Saw that this was bumped for other reasons, but don’t EVER forget the Zajac>OReilly guy. Honestly he should be in prison for that take.

I think our board exiled that guy.

We love Zajac, he's a great 2-way center. But O'Reilly is a better player to say the least.

 

[My3Sons]

If they play their cards right, five years from now they’ll have have a fantastic young core with Hischier, Hughes, and whatever defenseman they draft in the top 5-10 of next two or three drafts. Blackwood might even have turned out to be exactly what NJ fans hope he will.

The last thing they should be doing is trying to win now, which would leave Hischier and Hughes with absolutely zero support as they approach their mid twenties.

if you look closely Shero hasn’t obligated NJ to anything for more than three years. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that is when the Hughes ELC ends. The players acquired can all be moved if necessary to recapture extra draft picks. I think the short term moves were made to show Hall he could sign with NJ and expect the team to try and improve. If it doesn’t work I’d expect him to get moved at the TDL and maybe also Vatanen Simmonds and Greene. NJ will also be shedding Schneider and Zajac contracts in the next couple of years. They should have plenty of cap opening up just when they will need it.