GDT: NJ vs. CAR

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Keep drinking the kool-aid. One of these safe two way slugs will pan out one of these years. We have Boucher, the only thing that remotely represents an offensive player but we need to neuter him so he be a "safe" player. Maybe we can turn him into another black hole like Zajac.

At the very least we should be able to get a blue chip forward prospect out of this draft, so that will help with this team's offensive future, and if the future really is as bleak as you portray, I'm sure we'll miss the playoffs again next season and be able to draft another good forward. With two good forwards, we could have the building blocks for a decent top six once they've matured.

Things have been rough for Devils fans lately, but it's not like we've been waiting for a Cup for decades a la Toronto. No need for everyone to act like we're trapped in an endless dark tunnel. That's just depressing.

 

[MadDevil]

Honestly, I'm tired of how much people ***** about the term "two way forward" around here. It's like people think we purposely draft and develop all our forwards to be grinders. Then, when we take a more skilled player and they don't pan out, our scouts suck and should all be fired.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Honestly, I'm tired of how much people ***** about the term "two way forward" around here. It's like people think we purposely draft and develop all our forwards to be grinders. Then, when we take a more skilled player and they don't pan out, our scouts suck and should all be fired.

A lot of the best forwards in Devils franchise history have been what I would define as "two way" forwards. I think the issue is that some people think of two way forwards as checking/shutdown forwards or grinders who are basically offensively inept when my definition of a two way forward is a player who is equally competent (or elite) in all zones.

To me, the problem with a lot Devils forwards right now is that they are not two way forwards (since they are rubbish in the offensive zone). If the Devils actually had more two way forwards, they would be much better in the offensive zone and could score more reliably. The Devils tend to do better when drafting and developing two way forwards rather than pure offensive forwards. I don't think they need to change the blueprint, just get some different pieces, in order to build a competitive, successful team. Just my Kool-Aid opinion, of course.

 

[tr83]

What disappointed me most in this game is that they couldn't seem to complete an important pass, except the breakaway pass to Zajac. They didn't go to the dirty areas either. MOAR optional practices please.

Boucher disappointed me tonight. He cheated on defense on one of the Carolina goals and couldn't release the only good chance he had. Severson wasn't much better.

Bleed's right. Zubrus is useless. He's not even good along the boards anymore. He CAN'T be on this team next year.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

What disappointed me most in this game is that they couldn't seem to complete an important pass, except the breakaway pass to Zajac. They didn't go to the dirty areas either. MOAR optional practices please.

Boucher disappointed me tonight. He cheated on defense on one of the Carolina goals and couldn't release the only good chance he had. Severson wasn't much better.

Bleed's right. Zubrus is useless. He's not even good along the boards anymore. He CAN'T be on this team next year.

Team definitely struggled with actually completing passes tonight, and the effort was pretty pathetic. You'll get no arguments from me about that.

 

[Bologna 1]

Christ, zajac 23 points...that's hideous

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Christ, zajac 23 points...that's hideous

Yikes. Depressing stat right there.

 

[NJDevs26]

A lot of the best forwards in Devils franchise history have been what I would define as "two way" forwards. I think the issue is that some people think of two way forwards as checking/shutdown forwards or grinders who are basically offensively inept when my definition of a two way forward is a player who is equally competent (or elite) in all zones.

To me, the problem with a lot Devils forwards right now is that they are not two way forwards (since they are rubbish in the offensive zone). If the Devils actually had more two way forwards, they would be much better in the offensive zone and could score more reliably. The Devils tend to do better when drafting and developing two way forwards rather than pure offensive forwards. I don't think they need to change the blueprint, just get some different pieces, in order to build a competitive, successful team. Just my Kool-Aid opinion, of course.

You're right on the first part of the bolded and the reason people have been conditioned to think that way cause that's what most of our forwards have been the last few years

And the latter part is an accurate comment too...two way forwards would be an IMPROVEMENT over most of what we have.

 

[NJDevs26]

Christ, zajac 23 points...that's hideous

And this is why people don't break out the champagne when he FINALLY scores a goal on Thursday. Well that and the fact few were actually watching the game to begin with

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

You're right on the first part of the bolded and the reason people have been conditioned to think that way cause that's what most of our forwards have been the last few years

And the latter part is an accurate comment too...two way forwards would be an IMPROVEMENT over most of what we have.

Yep, I think Devils fans might have become jaded about the whole concept of two way forwards since we haven't had them around lately and have mostly just been stuck with grinders in their place. Real two way forwards would be a major upgrade over most of our Island of Misfit Toys forwards, that's for certain. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that this year's draft will help out in that department a few years down the line.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Parise is a two way forward. Either understand what the term actually means or just stop using it. It's pretty simple.

 

[NJDevils#4]

Cami is a top 6 player on most teams in the league.

Other than that, I agree. Zajac is best suited as a 3rd line center and Henrique is best suited as a 2nd or 3rd line tweener depending on who he is playing with. The forward group is really a disaster and it's gonna take years of really savvy moves and good drafting to fix it without gutting the young D. That said, I don't think they are too far away from being a respectable team with an outside shot at the playoffs.

Yea, at least in net and on defense things look good for the future. That's more than, say, Buffalo can say.

 

[Devilswede]

The feeling I get when I watch this team is like I'm watching a whole team full of replacements.......

It's a sad sad hockey team...

 

[Marv4Life]

It doesn't matter how good you are defensively; if you can't score you can't win and you can't make the playoffs. End of. Goalies can't stop everything.