Post-Game Talk: Opening Day - Devils 5, Oilers 2 (@ Sweden)

[JimEIV]

Boyle wasn't terrible yesterday, but I wish we had a faster 4th liner

I wouldn't be surprised to see Boyle "phased out" toward the end of the year.

Coleman McLeod Noesen? I think that could be interesting. But I would imagine that they wouldn't want McLeod on the 4th line?

 

[Darkauron]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Boyle "phased out" toward the end of the year.

Coleman McLeod Noesen? I think that could be interesting. But I would imagine that they wouldn't want McLeod on the 4th line?

They would probably do Coleman- Dea- Noesan.

 

[Classic Devil]

For who?

Coleman Boyle Noesen seems like the best option for the 4th line?

Noesen - Coleman - Dea maybe. Really though, we're just re-arranging deck chairs... any of these combinations is okay.

I'd like us to get a younger, faster 4th line center face-off specialist to center Noesen and Coleman, though. If Dea can be that guy, that'd be nice.

 

[Classic Devil]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Boyle "phased out" toward the end of the year.

Coleman McLeod Noesen? I think that could be interesting. But I would imagine that they wouldn't want McLeod on the 4th line?

I'd rather McLeod stay in Binghamton and work on his finesse game.

 

[Nubmer6]

Boyle wasn't terrible yesterday, but I wish we had a faster 4th liner

Actually, I thought he was really strong on the boards. I saw him come out with the puck basically every time he dug in the board battles. I can live with him for the rest of the year.

We'll see how he does with the pickle nose combo once Bratt's back.

 

[Oneiro]

Based on what we've seen, McLeod's best bet in this league is to be a grinder.

He doesn't have the hands or IQ to ride finesse as his identity. I find it hard to watch any showing outside of juniors and think this guy is top 6 at all.

 

[JimEIV]

They would probably do Coleman- Dea- Noesan.

I am not going to poo-poo Dea because I haven't seen much of him but I don't have a tremendous amount of confidence in him based on his age, size and AHL numbers as a package...going to be 25 in February, small and never really put up big numbers in any lower league.... I don't really see it. Just being honest.

Maybe he's just a late bloomer? But I think we have better options.

 

[JimEIV]

I'd rather McLeod stay in Binghamton and work on his finesse game.

He'll be working for while.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Not trying to be negative but, Boyle, he looked very slow yesterday.

Yesterday? And all last season.

Boyle is legitimately a net negative out there. Guys like that kill the way the Devils are trying to play the game.

 

[JimEIV]

Yesterday? And all last season.

Boyle is legitimately a net negative out there. Guys like that kill the way the Devils are trying to play the game.

I don't disagree...
But given the choice between a big slow guy who is a true NHLer vs a little speedy guy who is an average AHLer...

I'm taking Boyle every day of the week.

 

[Darkauron]

I am not going to poo-poo Dea because I haven't seen much of him but I don't have a tremendous amount of confidence in him based on his age, size and AHL numbers as a package...going to be 25 in February, small and never really put up big numbers in any lower league.... I don't really see it. Just being honest.

Maybe he's just a late bloomer? But I think we have better options.

Dea is pretty fast and a hard worker a-kin to gibbons last year. Also looks to be great on the PK which is very helpful and can play center and RW

 

[Triumph]

I am not going to poo-poo Dea because I haven't seen much of him but I don't have a tremendous amount of confidence in him based on his age, size and AHL numbers as a package...going to be 25 in February, small and never really put up big numbers in any lower league.... I don't really see it. Just being honest.

Maybe he's just a late bloomer? But I think we have better options.

If Dea had been in the Devils' organization you would've been talking him up for 4 years as an option for the NHL team. I agree that I don't think he's a long-term player here but he fills some organizational needs for the time being.

Yesterday? And all last season.

Boyle is legitimately a net negative out there. Guys like that kill the way the Devils are trying to play the game.

Boyle scored 8 ES goals last season and the 4th line wasn't pushed back when he was out there last season. He's fine, for now. People obsess over the bottom of the roster.

 

[JimEIV]

If Dea had been in the Devils' organization you would've been talking him up for 4 years as an option for the NHL team. I agree that I don't think he's a long-term player here but he fills some organizational needs for the time being.

If he had been in the Devils organization for the last 4 years I would have seen him probably a dozen or more times. But I admittedly know almost nothing about him. So I can only go on the record.

 

[theoptimist]

At this moment I don’t mind Boyle as 4C.

As other posters noted, he is very strong along the boards.

I am content with Coleman-Boyle-Noesen.

 

[NJDevs26]

Boyle playing ten minutes a night is not making or breaking the overall team concept. If the fourth line starts to get dominated then it'll be an issue but not before then.

 

[My3Sons]

I don't think it's going to take a year. If Zacha can't produce on the 2nd line, he be demoted by Thanksgiving maybe Christmas. Zacha needs to show something in the the next couple of months...and you know if McLeod or Seney show the slightest bit of aptitude in Binghamton they'll be up sooner rather than later. Zacha needs to produce and do it quickly.

If Zajac plays well he could move back to 2C. That said if the team wins and if Bratt returns and that line is successful with mediocre offensive contributions from PZ it wouldn’t surprise me to see Hynes roll with PZ on that line.

 

[RangerDoggo]

Boyle will probably be playing much of the season as the fourth line center and a special teams guy. That’s what he is, he’s not being played as anything more, nor should he be.

Looking down at Binghamton, I think Seney is next in line. McLeod didn’t do a damn thing yesterday, which is alarming in a game where the team scored 7 goals.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Boyle will probably be playing much of the season as the fourth line center and a special teams guy. That’s what he is, he’s not being played as anything more, nor should he be.

Looking down at Binghamton, I think Seney is next in line. McLeod didn’t do a damn thing yesterday, which is alarming in a game where the team scored 7 goals.

McLeod is def not ready but 1 game
shoud not alarm anyone

 

[Blender]

If Zajac plays well he could move back to 2C. That said if the team wins and if Bratt returns and that line is successful with mediocre offensive contributions from PZ it wouldn’t surprise me to see Hynes roll with PZ on that line.

I'd prefer to keep Wood and Zajac together as they seem to be working really well.

 

[Triumph]

Just to be clear - Boyle scored 8 ES goals in 67 games.

In 2016-17, the 4th line centers were Josefson, Coleman, and Fiddler - these players combined for 3 goals. Even if you want to count Blandisi and Kalinin you still only get up to 6.

In 2015-16, Gionta scored 1 goal.

In 2014-15, Josefson was used as the 4th line center - he scored 3 ES goals.

In 2013-14, Stephen Gionta was mostly the 4th line guy - 3 ES goals

We can keep going like this back through the years, but the truth is that the Devils haven't gotten 8 ES goals out of their 4th line center(s) in well over a decade - maybe 2003, definitely 2002 if not 2003. Boyle looks awkward sometimes. But he scores goals. When that stops, so does his NHL career.

 

[RangerDoggo]

Boyle is what he is, the Devils know that, and they’re not using him any differently. He also only has one more year here on his current deal.

 

[Devils731]

I don’t mind Boyle at even strength but I don’t think he is a good fit on the PK.

He’s long, so he fills a lot of space but he’s slow both in footspeed and agility. He’ll fill passing lanes but he can get himself turned around if the play flows around him too fast and he can’t get to lose pucks fast enough for a clear.

 

[My3Sons]

I'd prefer to keep Wood and Zajac together as they seem to be working really well.

True. 2C remains an open question for NJ. Would be nice if PZ could get it together offensively.

 

[Triumph]

I don’t mind Boyle at even strength but I don’t think he is a good fit on the PK.

He’s long, so he fills a lot of space but he’s slow both in footspeed and agility. He’ll fill passing lanes but he can get himself turned around if the play flows around him too fast and he can’t get to lose pucks fast enough for a clear.

This is true and I hope Dea replaces him soon on the PK. I think/hope that's what they got him for and I think he can do a better job. He looked good when Boyle was in the box.

 

[Blender]

True. 2C remains an open question for NJ. Would be nice if PZ could get it together offensively.

My concern with how much Zacha scores will also depend on both team success, and the success of that line (when Bratt is back). If the team is winning and MoJo/Bratt are producing a healthy amount, as long as Zacha is playing a strong support role I won't get to uptight if he isn't keeping pace with their production.