Post-Game Talk: The 2017-18 New Jersey Devils.
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SJinNewJersey
Every single one of us, the devil inside
It really was a great season, no one, and I mean no one thought we would make the playoffs but we did. I think that this is a team on the rise, but they better spend that 1st draft pick on a defenseman.
Classic Devil
Spirit of 1988
I don't see the point in retaining Moore. We've got 7 NHL defensemen:
LD: Greene, Butcher, Mueller
RD: Vatanen, Severson, Lovejoy, Santini
Unless we're trading D and not getting any back, Moore's extraneous.
BenedictGomez
Corsi is GROSSLY overrated
Yeah, depending how other moves go or dont go, I'm entirely okay with not resigning Moore. But I think as a 1 year stop-gap he'd be fine if necessary.
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
This is all poetry as far I'm concerned. Good work, now I can type less.
Based Anime Fan
Himedanshi Bandit
Based Gibbons does his "I think I can think" for the season:
Forwards:
Hall - A+. What else can be said? Let's just keep that rolling.
Hischier - A+. Exactly as advertised. Slotted in at #1 and basically stayed there. Keep that rolling as well.
Palmieri - B+. Injuries slowed him down, and had some gaffes. Rebound is needed, but not a big one. Needs to be more consistant.
Zacha - B. Needs to find his offence, but the defense is there. Let's hope he can continue to develop into a solid #2 center.
Bratt - A. Lost some gas in the stretch, but considering where he came from and the expectations, a bright spot moving forward. Needs to attack the net a bit more.
Johansson - B. Injuries ruined his first season as a Devil, but looked good in what little he played. Let's hope for a better season next year.
Maroon - B. Added size, but slow. If we can keep him, that'd be OK. If we loose him, that's kinda OK. Good presense in front.
Coleman - A. Great PK, fearless on the forecheck. Willing to take lumps for a win. Let's keep it rolling into next year.
Zajac - B. While he started slowly, he did his job: defense and PK. Still has some vision that can be used, just not on the PP any more. Perfect 3C.
Noeson - A. Good season, much like Coleman. A few minor blips, but fine all around. Excellent 3rd line winger.
Wood. B-. Good offensive boost, needs to learn to control both his speed and his brain. If he can repeat that without some of the bonehead moves, perfect.
Gibbons - A. Can't fault him for much. PK was good, was good on the forecheck. Build on it for next year.
Boyle - B-. Started out great, started to grate near the end. Ultimately he looked fine in the playoffs. Let's keep him off of the PP moving forward (see: Maroon) and keep him on the 4th line.
Stafford - C. Not the worst, just couldn't buy a goal. If he could have scored more, he would have probably worked out.
Hayes - C-. Well, what did we expect? Good locker room guy from all accounts, but ultimately a failed experiment.
Grabner - D. Listless play, uninterested. Had a few moments, but not worth keeping around. Just our luck he'll burn us for 3 or 4 next season.
Defense:
Butcher - A+. Good effort, great season. Work on his skating and he'll be even better. Needs some grit to his game as well.
Vatanen - A. Started out his first few games a bit slow, then was fine. Our best defenseman for the season. Needs to learn when to not be too fancy though.
Santini - B. Not bad, just needed a bit more stewing in the AHL. I expect him to be around next year.
Severson - C+. Not sure what happened here, but looks to have taken a small step back, seems to not be playing with a lot of confidence. Rebuild the mind and go for it next year.
Moore - C. While most complained about it, he was the only defenseman to play with actual grit. If he came back, he'd be fine as a 5/6, but hopefully nothing more.
Greene - C-. He needs to be a 4/5/6, not 1/2. Less ice time, less responsibility.
Lovejoy - C-. Another D who gets a lot of slack. He did his job on the PK, which is all he is really good for at this point. Too slow as well.
Mueller - B. Looked fine, got outmatched at times. Needs to get his mind in order to get into the line up consistantly.
Goaltending:
Kinkaid/Schneider - B+. Consistancy. Schnieds was great in the first half then crapped in the second half; Kink was the opposite. Get it together for next year... hire Bratt's therapist if needed.
Forwards:
Hall - A+. What else can be said? Let's just keep that rolling.
Hischier - A+. Exactly as advertised. Slotted in at #1 and basically stayed there. Keep that rolling as well.
Palmieri - B+. Injuries slowed him down, and had some gaffes. Rebound is needed, but not a big one. Needs to be more consistant.
Zacha - B. Needs to find his offence, but the defense is there. Let's hope he can continue to develop into a solid #2 center.
Bratt - A. Lost some gas in the stretch, but considering where he came from and the expectations, a bright spot moving forward. Needs to attack the net a bit more.
Johansson - B. Injuries ruined his first season as a Devil, but looked good in what little he played. Let's hope for a better season next year.
Maroon - B. Added size, but slow. If we can keep him, that'd be OK. If we loose him, that's kinda OK. Good presense in front.
Coleman - A. Great PK, fearless on the forecheck. Willing to take lumps for a win. Let's keep it rolling into next year.
Zajac - B. While he started slowly, he did his job: defense and PK. Still has some vision that can be used, just not on the PP any more. Perfect 3C.
Noeson - A. Good season, much like Coleman. A few minor blips, but fine all around. Excellent 3rd line winger.
Wood. B-. Good offensive boost, needs to learn to control both his speed and his brain. If he can repeat that without some of the bonehead moves, perfect.
Gibbons - A. Can't fault him for much. PK was good, was good on the forecheck. Build on it for next year.
Boyle - B-. Started out great, started to grate near the end. Ultimately he looked fine in the playoffs. Let's keep him off of the PP moving forward (see: Maroon) and keep him on the 4th line.
Stafford - C. Not the worst, just couldn't buy a goal. If he could have scored more, he would have probably worked out.
Hayes - C-. Well, what did we expect? Good locker room guy from all accounts, but ultimately a failed experiment.
Grabner - D. Listless play, uninterested. Had a few moments, but not worth keeping around. Just our luck he'll burn us for 3 or 4 next season.
Defense:
Butcher - A+. Good effort, great season. Work on his skating and he'll be even better. Needs some grit to his game as well.
Vatanen - A. Started out his first few games a bit slow, then was fine. Our best defenseman for the season. Needs to learn when to not be too fancy though.
Santini - B. Not bad, just needed a bit more stewing in the AHL. I expect him to be around next year.
Severson - C+. Not sure what happened here, but looks to have taken a small step back, seems to not be playing with a lot of confidence. Rebuild the mind and go for it next year.
Moore - C. While most complained about it, he was the only defenseman to play with actual grit. If he came back, he'd be fine as a 5/6, but hopefully nothing more.
Greene - C-. He needs to be a 4/5/6, not 1/2. Less ice time, less responsibility.
Lovejoy - C-. Another D who gets a lot of slack. He did his job on the PK, which is all he is really good for at this point. Too slow as well.
Mueller - B. Looked fine, got outmatched at times. Needs to get his mind in order to get into the line up consistantly.
Goaltending:
Kinkaid/Schneider - B+. Consistancy. Schnieds was great in the first half then crapped in the second half; Kink was the opposite. Get it together for next year... hire Bratt's therapist if needed.
The Devil In I
Registered User
Overall this was a very good season and leaves a lot to look forward to in the upcoming 2-3 years.
- I think we've got an actual gem in Butcher. Due to the history of overage Hobey Baker winners, I wasn't expecting much...but this guy has top notch hockey IQ. The smarts he displayed as a rookie defenseman reminded me most of when Andy Greene first broke into the league (thinking the first playoff series against Tampa back in like 07). Just always makes the right play...and unlike young Greene produces a lot of offense on top of that.
- We've got the foundation for our top line for the foreseeable future in Hall-Hischier-Bratt. Just need a little more development from the younger 2 and that line is going to give other teams fits for years to come.
- We currently are lacking secondary scoring...but with all the available guys in Palmieri, Zacha, Johansson, Anderson, McLeod, Boqvist, and Wood we've got the available depth. Just need to put it together/find the right chemistry.
- The defense can get better this off season with Santini hopefully making improvements and the possibility of signing Carlson (someone on the main board mentioned being a family friend and them saying NJ is one of the only places he'd consider leaving WSH for).
- Schneider I think showed this series that his mid/late season struggles are not a permanent reflection of his current ability. He had a great showing this series.
- We've got a shit load of cap space to make moves over the next year or 2.
- I think we've got an actual gem in Butcher. Due to the history of overage Hobey Baker winners, I wasn't expecting much...but this guy has top notch hockey IQ. The smarts he displayed as a rookie defenseman reminded me most of when Andy Greene first broke into the league (thinking the first playoff series against Tampa back in like 07). Just always makes the right play...and unlike young Greene produces a lot of offense on top of that.
- We've got the foundation for our top line for the foreseeable future in Hall-Hischier-Bratt. Just need a little more development from the younger 2 and that line is going to give other teams fits for years to come.
- We currently are lacking secondary scoring...but with all the available guys in Palmieri, Zacha, Johansson, Anderson, McLeod, Boqvist, and Wood we've got the available depth. Just need to put it together/find the right chemistry.
- The defense can get better this off season with Santini hopefully making improvements and the possibility of signing Carlson (someone on the main board mentioned being a family friend and them saying NJ is one of the only places he'd consider leaving WSH for).
- Schneider I think showed this series that his mid/late season struggles are not a permanent reflection of his current ability. He had a great showing this series.
- We've got a shit load of cap space to make moves over the next year or 2.
Blender
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2009
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Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
I'm still so proud of the way this team stepped up during crunch time to even get us to the playoffs. The season was supposed to be over with that tough road trip, but instead they rallied and got themselves in.
This series to me was pretty much your typical experienced top seed vs inexperienced bottom seed. I wish we would have made it a bit more of a series, but this is still valuable experience for this team.
This series to me was pretty much your typical experienced top seed vs inexperienced bottom seed. I wish we would have made it a bit more of a series, but this is still valuable experience for this team.
glenwo2
LINDY RUFF NEEDS VIAGRA!!
Where was the "Professionalism" when Hedman tried to castrate Nico?
Or when Kucherov tried to separate Vats brain from his skull?
Blender
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- Dec 2, 2009
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Thanks. Interesting, but I don't expect much out of KHL defensemen really.
Darkauron
Registered User
Blender
Registered User
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Yea, best case scenario for a signing like that is a solid 2nd or 3rd pairing minute eater.
glenwo2
LINDY RUFF NEEDS VIAGRA!!
A season where I thought we would be just on the outside looking in and just staying in range of the playoff chase would've been ruled a successful season moving forward in the rebuild.
What we got was a 1st round playoff berth so in essence, we are 2 seasons ahead of schedule with this.
I am Satisfied.
Not happy because we lost(who would be?) but Satisfied.
What we got was a 1st round playoff berth so in essence, we are 2 seasons ahead of schedule with this.
I am Satisfied.
Not happy because we lost(who would be?) but Satisfied.
VaxjoDevil
No kids - Still a person
“We can be proud, but we can’t be satisfied.”
Hynes summed it up pretty well.
Hynes summed it up pretty well.
Blender
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2009
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Any more college free agent defensemen available this summer? 
BenedictGomez
Corsi is GROSSLY overrated
IF it's true (which is a big if as so much out of Russia is tabloid nonsense) it's a depth move.
Doubly hard to believe it's true as you can make WAY more in the KHL than on an AHL deal.
New Jersey Devils
Doc & Chico Forever
liquid1988
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