GDT: Preseason begins - Rangers at Devils 7 PM MSG+, Devils at Montreal 7:30 PM (split-squad)

[glenwo2]

Agreed. We could probably get a 6th rounder.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I think we see less coasting and more work ethic when Hynes gets behind the bench.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Any word on how Zacha looked?

 

[glenwo2]

I think we see less coasting and more work ethic when Hynes gets behind the bench.

You may have a point there.

They took full advantage of the "substitute teacher" teaching the class, so to speak.

Hynes is going to destroy them all in the locker room.

 

[NJDevs26]

So many things that you could actually kind of be worried (worried as in "pre-season worried", not actually worried) about. Why this?

Literally half of our team is playing a game in another country right now, there will be other options.

Not many...just Vatanen and Butcher, assuming they don't shelve him for the OT because they're more worried about having the safer guy in Greene out there. I'm not even sure Severson gets out there 3-on-3 before Greene, he never seems to be that good at it anyway. Santini, Lovejoy and Mueller probably would never see the ice in an OT, well maybe Mueller but that's a stretch. There are some 3-on-3 minutes to be had without Moore here this year so it's an issue, albeit a minor one atm.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I thought Zacha looked good in the other game.

Vets were coasting even worse in that one tough.

Agreed. For me Zacha and Mueller stood out. I was also pleasantly surprised by Studenic and Gignac.

 

[Darkauron]

Yeah Zacha and Mueller were the only good players. Also Lack

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I’m also not a big fan of these drop passes to our defensemen. I get the concept of entering the zone with speed, however, if he coughs up the puck it’s an easy odd man rush or breakaway.

 

[Call Me Al]

if you told me smith was 22 then based on tonights game i'd say he's a lock. if he keeps this up he'll get the 9 game look at least.

thought yakovlev was decent in that he didn't make any noticable defensive gaffs and moved the puck decently

 

[Tretyak 20]

Any word on how Zacha looked?

Pretty solid.

 

[haak84]

You forget that the other half of our team is in Montreal.

MarJo being back will help a TON.

And Palms being there will help as well.

Oh and Noesen/Zajac/Coleman.......we only had Noesen tonight.

Comment was more about how much better they look then anyone on the ice without even looking like they were trying.

Nico looks bigger, stronger, faster. Have a feeling he is going to just take over games especially as teams tire.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I am very excited with how stronger and faster Nico looked. He really could explode this year.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Smith and Erika impressive debuts

 

[Emperoreddy]

Smith looked like a seasoned pro out there.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Johnson looked good in goal. We have something there. Fluid, quick, athletic, great reactions, tracking the puck, skated well, up and down from knees to feet. Just a short look tonight but a lot to like about this guy.

I thought McLeod looked like a true center. Made a couple of good defensive plays covering the mid ice down low in our end. First look at him too but I think he will have a decent career in this league at that position. He is responsible about the defensive end of the game, has more size than I thought and decent hands. Could be a # 3 or 4 guy if Zajac or Boyle weren’t in those slots.

Ty Smith certainly didn’t look out of place with the puck on his stick on D. Will his size and defensive inexperience allow him to play the actual defensive game at this point against a heavy forecheck? That is the immediate question. But then again he knows how to move the puck and man can he skate. This is going to be an interesting camp as it pertains to him. He moves the puck on that first play from down low better than a lot of our veterans, both here and in Montreal.

Gryba may have a shot at making the club too. The battle for the defense spots is going to be fascinating. The Russian guy also looked like he knew what he was about. (Maybe more capable than Green right now, both of them, much as I love the captain).

How ruthless is Shero willing to be about maybe even releasing or waiving some of the older dead wood in order to upgrade the D? Lovejoy and Greene are not our best players in camp for those spots but are signed for substantial dollars and Greene is also the beloved captain. Hard choices.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

So many things that you could actually kind of be worried (worried as in "pre-season worried", not actually worried) about. Why this?

Literally half of our team is playing a game in another country right now, there will be other options.

Because they could have thrown anyone else out there in preseason game, and they decided lest go with the veteran slug not the talented young guys and see what they have.

And because they tossed him out there last year when we had Moore who was money in OT.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Johnson looked good in goal. We have something there. Fluid, quick, athletic, great reactions, tracking the puck, skated well, up and down from knees to feet. Just a short look tonight but a lot to like about this guy.

I thought McLeod looked like a true center. Made a couple of good defensive plays covering the mid ice down low in our end. First look at him too but I think he will have a decent career in this league at that position. He is responsible about the defensive end of the game, has more size than I thought and decent hands. Could be a # 3 or 4 guy if Zajac or Boyle weren’t in those slots.

Ty Smith certainly didn’t look out of place with the puck on his stick on D. Will his size and defensive inexperience allow him to play the actual defensive game at this point against a heavy forecheck? That is the immediate question. But then again he knows how to move the puck and man can he skate. This is going to be an interesting camp as it pertains to him. He moves the puck on that first play from down low better than a lot of our veterans, both here and in Montreal.

Gryba may have a shot at making the club too. The battle for the defense spots is going to be fascinating. The Russian guy also looked like he knew what he was about. (Maybe more capable than Green right now, both of them, much as I love the captain).

How ruthless is Shero willing to be about maybe even releasing or waiving some of the older dead wood in order to upgrade the D? Lovejoy and Greene are not our best players in camp for those spots but are signed for substantial dollars and Greene is also the beloved captain. Hard choices.

Gryba?
He was dreadful

McLeod is not NHL ready.

JQ will make the team if he continues to play like tonight. Especially if Wood's holdout prolongs.

Yakolov was OK, I need to see more of him.

Our vets, especially Vats, were coasting and not interested in tonight's game, which is quite normal early in the preseason

Kink let in a savable goal

PP was vile

I hated seeing Greene out there in OT

 

[Blender]

Gryba may have a shot at making the club too.

What? Gryba was horrible.

 

[My3Sons]

Johnson looked good in goal. We have something there. Fluid, quick, athletic, great reactions, tracking the puck, skated well, up and down from knees to feet. Just a short look tonight but a lot to like about this guy.

I thought McLeod looked like a true center. Made a couple of good defensive plays covering the mid ice down low in our end. First look at him too but I think he will have a decent career in this league at that position. He is responsible about the defensive end of the game, has more size than I thought and decent hands. Could be a # 3 or 4 guy if Zajac or Boyle weren’t in those slots.

Ty Smith certainly didn’t look out of place with the puck on his stick on D. Will his size and defensive inexperience allow him to play the actual defensive game at this point against a heavy forecheck? That is the immediate question. But then again he knows how to move the puck and man can he skate. This is going to be an interesting camp as it pertains to him. He moves the puck on that first play from down low better than a lot of our veterans, both here and in Montreal.

Gryba may have a shot at making the club too. The battle for the defense spots is going to be fascinating. The Russian guy also looked like he knew what he was about. (Maybe more capable than Green right now, both of them, much as I love the captain).

How ruthless is Shero willing to be about maybe even releasing or waiving some of the older dead wood in order to upgrade the D? Lovejoy and Greene are not our best players in camp for those spots but are signed for substantial dollars and Greene is also the beloved captain. Hard choices.

Can always move Lovejoy to a team in need of leadership and a cup winning vet presence for a first and an A prospect. Ok maybe a bag of slightly chipped pucks.

 

[devilsfan35]

Zacha and Coleman were impressive
Blackwood and severson played like garbage

 

[Devils Dominion]

800 posts in the preseason is not bad

 

[MartyOwns]

I’m also not a big fan of these drop passes to our defensemen. I get the concept of entering the zone with speed, however, if he coughs up the puck it’s an easy odd man rush or breakaway.

its a shame, because on the rare occasion that the drop pass play worked and they made it into the zone, the power play looked really good (all things considered)

 

[Camille the Eel]

Just fun to have hockey back. I liked Gryba’s hit on that guy coming into the zone. He’s got some size we can use. He’s probably a slug but he played regularly for Ottawa didn’t he two or three years ago when they made a decent run? Maybe I’m thinking of someone else.

Santini was pretty invisible tonight but then again there was so much power play.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

800 posts in the preseason is not bad

Most of the posts were bad though

 

[New Jersey]

Highlight of the night: My 68-year-old dad calling the wasted NYR fan (who I’m fairly certain was underage) and his friends cretins.

Man, I miss undergrad years when it wasn’t socially unacceptable to be drunk on a Monday night.

Other than that, meh. Was nice to get back to the Rock. PJ Ryan’s is good, albeit pricey.