Post-Game Talk: Panthers 4, Devils 3 (OT) - another Florida meltdown

[MadDevil]

I wouldn't mind Yak if he was playing third pairing minutes where he could be sheltered, but we've already got Butcher in that spot. Having two defensemen who need to be sheltered is just asking for problems.

The fact that Mueller sat the last two is still mind boggling to me. I know he had a rough game against the Islanders, but you sit one of your best defenders against a team that blew your doors off once already this season? And then you sit him again the next night? Unless they were just giving Yak one last good look before sending him back it makes no sense.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

I wouldn't mind Yak if he was playing third pairing minutes where he could be sheltered, but we've already got Butcher in that spot. Having two defensemen who need to be sheltered is just asking for problems.

The fact that Mueller sat the last two is still mind boggling to me. I know he had a rough game against the Islanders, but you sit one of your best defenders against a team that blew your doors off once already this season? And then you sit him again the next night? Unless they were just giving Yak one last good look before sending him back it makes no sense.

Even if it was one last look - , you do take out your best LHD as well as the one YOU (the coach) gave the keys to the top pair on the left side. All of a sudden after a few games where he falters he is tugged immediately while others are left to continue making mistakes? Its a negative manner in terms of handling Mueller, a young defender. Hopefully he isn't too pissed otherwise it could affect his play which I liked prior to his scratches...

 

[Bleedred]

Fall guy should be nasreddine. D structure is non existent. Also, Nas literally got this job bc of hynes. Kowalsky paid his dues in the A, and earned the promo. Get rid of the guy who represents a part of hynes identity as a warning if anything

Maybe, but he also runs the PK and that's been the only area that we've been good.

I'd like to know who thinks Mueller needs to be sat so we can keep Lovejoy in there.

That guy needs to be one step closer to the door. I don't know if that was a Hynes/Nas by committee decision or what.

 

[NJ07102]

Don't even know what to say about this game. Unbelievable how they keep giving up leads. Just wondering how they keep forgetting all these things that made them respectable last season. Not being able to come back is one thing, but losing leads again and again is almost worse.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If we are talking about firing both assistants now, you might as well fire Hynes.

It’s his schemes they run, or lack of schemes. It’s just letting him off the hook to heap all the blame on the assistants.

It’s Hynes coaching staff. If his assistants can’t do their jobs then he is responsible.

 

[The 29th Pick]

This is a minor league team coached by a minor league coach, we get schooled by every team we play

 

[Maine Fan]

If we are talking about firing both assistants now, you might as well fire Hynes.

It’s his schemes they run, or lack of schemes. It’s just letting him off the hook to heap all the blame on the assistants.

It’s Hynes coaching staff. If his assistants can’t do their jobs then he is responsible.

Don't you think that some of Hynes and Company problems are because of the lack of skills or talented players they have to work with?

 

[Maine Fan]

This is a minor league team coached by a minor league coach, we get schooled by every team we play

Very good assessment. You hit the nail on the head. As fans we must accept what the owners have given us or not be a fan.

 

[The 29th Pick]

Very good assessment. You hit the nail on the head. As fans we must accept what the owners have given us or not be a fan.

I'll never leave this team, but I can be a critic, right now I'm a bit of a downer I admit it, not because of their record or place in the standings but because last year Shero was proactive and did things to get this team heading in the right direction, this year he's M.I.A.

 

[Billdo]

and yet they still lose. best case scenario seney is serviceable for a couple years while we sink to the bottom of the league. at least we won with JQ. i love how people think this move didnt shake up the team. he should be back by now. hynes is on some power trip with JQ and its obvious. but hey lets stick with seney. all these losses give us something to do. complain complain complain

Seney isn't why we are losing and JQ wasn't the reason why we were winning. Come on.

 

[MadDevil]

Don't you think that some of Hynes and Company problems are because of the lack of skills or talented players they have to work with?

So was last year just a fluke?

 

[Davegarri]

Maybe, but he also runs the PK and that's been the only area that we've been good.

I'd like to know who thinks Mueller needs to be sat so we can keep Lovejoy in there.

That guy needs to be one step closer to the door. I don't know if that was a Hynes/Nas by committee decision or what.

I don't really care about Nas' pk stats. His stats 6on5 vs a pulled goalie have to be one of the worst in the league and his defense constantly hemmorages goals late in the game. I'm done with that guy.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Teams aren’t built in Free agency, at least long good teams. Everyone is aware of this. It’s takes time and drafting the right players and developing them. Adding in UFA is when your about at the peak and you need someone to put you over the top. The only time that is different is if a guy like JT or EK hits UFA then you go because of who they are. Panerin is a guy like that too possibly.

But the reality is this team needs to be built around the young guys and we need to keep adding it. They aren’t 1 player away, hell they weren’t 1 player away last year.

Sheros plan he always been the same as the first day he walked in. Draft and develop, not all picks work out some take longer then others. Trades for young players to take advantage of another team have also come in play (Hall Palmieri Vataten Mueller). He saw a chance to improve the team near the deadline last year and reward the guys playing above their heads and made a could deals.

Don’t think that Shero is going to just sign and ton of UFAs, first they need to want to be here, second the Devils need to want them. Also as for buying guys out that’s an ownership thing also. Do the Devils owners wanna pay to have Greene or Cory sit at home or play for another team for the next 6 or 5 years?

I get everyone wants results sometimes these things take longer then expected. The way I see it the current owners went threw 6 bad years with 76ers, they have the patients. Also I don’t think their run really started until they got Shero in because Lou controlled everything until then.

My point is there is no magic pill or player that will change anything as fast as you guys want. Just need to be patient. Maybe it’s the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals fan in me lol.

Great post. This is how you build a cup contender. The people arguing against this strategy are looking to build a perpetual 6-8 seed that is never a cup contender. Getting high lottery picks is a step every cup contender has to take. It is no fun while it is going on but in the long run it is for the best.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

not for nothing, but look at Winnipeg. Chevy was hired in 2011 and they didn't turn into a great team until last year.

Remember that Shero started with essentially no prospect pool because of what was left from the previous regime (which we won't get into). Take a look back to some of our rosters in 2015ish and compare it to now. Realistically, we have come a long way, but there is still work to be done.

 

[NJDevils17]

I’m a fan of having the coach stick it through but you’re seeing a team that has no compete.

It’s one thing to be bad and work hard but right now they’re bad and not working hard. I don’t think Hynes has the same command of the room that he used to. I don’t know since I’m obviously not there but their compete level isn’t where it needs to be and a lot of that falls onto Hynes.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I’m a fan of having the coach stick it through but you’re seeing a team that has no compete.

It’s one thing to be bad and work hard but right now they’re bad and not working hard. I don’t think Hynes has the same command of the room that he used to. I don’t know since I’m obviously not there but their compete level isn’t where it needs to be and a lot of that falls onto Hynes.

They are playing without enthusiasm too.
It's not fun for them to come to the rink

 

[R8Devs]

This is a minor league team coached by a minor league coach, we get schooled by every team we play

They’re really not, they could play better for sure but they haven’t got consistent goaltending for the past 15 games +. Just around average goaltending during that stretch would have the devils in a better place

 

[Call Me Al]

both things can be true that it takes more time to build a cup contender AND this team is taking a step back this season because of coaching.

you can argue that this team doesn't have the talent to compete with the top tier teams, but that does not explain routinely blowing leads late in games, giving up goals in bunches and completely failing in overtime situations. those things aren't just because of talent, they are issues with strategy and mindset that could all be fixed.

the players on the team are better than they've shown, but the team itself is exactly what it is showing- mentally weak, strategically unsound and easy to play against.

one of the biggest differences in watching tampa is that when they enter the zone, no matter what line it was, they had a plan to attack the net. they knew where their linemates were or were going to be, they moved around and they got shots on net. we look like we're winging it out there by comparison

 

[Devils Dominion]

Bottom line is it's not all of a sudden get better, unless there is a coaching change and/or roster improvement

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

So was last year just a fluke?

Yes?

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

not for nothing, but look at Winnipeg. Chevy was hired in 2011 and they didn't turn into a great team until last year.

Remember that Shero started with essentially no prospect pool because of what was left from the previous regime (which we won't get into). Take a look back to some of our rosters in 2015ish and compare it to now. Realistically, we have come a long way, but there is still work to be done.

The Jets have 7 of their own first round draft picks since 2008 on their roster and 3 they acquired. Ten first round picks 28 and younger. That is why they look like a bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled than the Devils. They did not take shortcuts.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Bottom line is it's not all of a sudden get better, unless there is a coaching change and/or roster improvement

You should have stopped at the comma:

Bottom line is it's not all of a sudden get better.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The Jets have 7 of their own first round draft picks since 2008 on their roster and 3 they acquired. Ten first round picks 28 and younger. That is why they look like a bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled than the Devils. They did not take shortcuts.

I don't really care where they were drafted. Bratt was a 6th round pick and he looks like a legit top 6 winger already so why should we care he was picked that late?

I agree that it takes time. My point was I would imagine there were Jets fans in year 3-4 that were pissed at Chevy for the team "not being good yet". It took them until year 7-8 to be legitimately good.

The poor drafted of the mid to late 2000s is coming around to bite us. That should be the core of the team right now and we have like 2 players to show from it

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

I don't really care where they were drafted. Bratt was a 6th round pick and he looks like a legit top 6 winger already so why should we care he was picked that late?

I agree that it takes time. My point was I would imagine there were Jets fans in year 3-4 that were pissed at Chevy for the team "not being good yet". It took them until year 7-8 to be legitimately good.

The poor drafted of the mid to late 2000s is coming around to bite us. That should be the core of the team right now and we have like 2 players to show from it

I love Bratt but I have been reading a lot of complaints about how small the Devils are. I would rather have big, skilled, fast players as opposed to smaller ones.

 

[Call Me Al]

i would rather have bratt over any forward not named hall or hischier. if you want to talk about players like dea, butcher, seney, or greene being small for their roles though then i'm in agreement here