4 Nations Face Off - Feb 12-20

[Clam Jensen]

McDavid and MacKinnon are clearly in a tier alone with their production and just the way they move out there. They just stand out. Eichel is not in that tier. Never has been, probably never will be.

 

[Patrik26]

Treating that tin bean can as a trophy is a little appalling.

Get the medals, play the winners anthem and we're good...but it looks like they found that thing in somebody's attic 1955 Water Buffalo Grand Poobah bowling league championship trophy.

Fixed it.

 

[JrFischer54]

Lol Jack Hughes can't get above 39% on faceoffs and some people think team USA is gonna play him at Center. Give me a break. Nevermind the fact he was objectively Bambi on ice all tourney and was weak on the puck as a WING. Oh yea, sure, that'll be even better at Center vs the top players in the world. Like holy hell guys. Jack is a good player, but he's only "elite" to the people that just fanboy over the Devs and/or draft position. He was on the cusp of actually becoming an elite force in 2022. Unfortunate he hasn't progressed at all since then (and that's putting it nicely).

Devs need a more complete roster to seriously contend as a result. One day some fans will stop lying to themselves...hopefully. Or maybe Jack will actually mature and build off of his 2022 season. Tick tock.

i'm not saying i agree with whoever this guy is but jack does need to work on his ability to stay up and be stronger on the puck i dont know why he isn't/hasn't but makes me wonder in a tough physical playoff series is he going to no show like against the canes. you can dangle all you want and float avoiding contact over 82 games but playoffs or best of series you can't really hide

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

I remember Jack scored nicely in an All Star game a couple years ago. It isn't easy to score a goal when the game speed only allows a flash second opportunity. He is younger than most and his prime-time will come over the next 4-5 years.

What I do want to say though is our GM better get to work on fixing this team's deficiencies because we need to get back to winning more than losing. Change the chemistry with some fair swing trades. Nobody is going to be excited about watching Bastian give away another puck in the corner this weekend.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Lol Jack Hughes can't get above 39% on faceoffs and some people think team USA is gonna play him at Center. Give me a break. Nevermind the fact he was objectively Bambi on ice all tourney and was weak on the puck as a WING. Oh yea, sure, that'll be even better at Center vs the top players in the world. Like holy hell guys. Jack is a good player, but he's only "elite" to the people that just fanboy over the Devs and/or draft position. He was on the cusp of actually becoming an elite force in 2022. Unfortunate he hasn't progressed at all since then (and that's putting it nicely).

Devs need a more complete roster to seriously contend as a result. One day some fans will stop lying to themselves...hopefully. Or maybe Jack will actually mature and build off of his 2022 season. Tick tock.

HE HAS SPOKEN!!!!

 

[Devils731]

i'm not saying i agree with whoever this guy is but jack does need to work on his ability to stay up and be stronger on the puck i dont know why he isn't/hasn't but makes me wonder in a tough physical playoff series is he going to no show like against the canes. you can dangle all you want and float avoiding contact over 82 games but playoffs or best of series you can't really hide

the Devils had a playoff series against the Rangers where the Rangers made the game a slog and tried to be as physical as possible to neutralize Hughes and the Devils.

Hughes walked out of that series like he owned the Rangers.

It’s so weird people act like this series didn’t happen.

 

[Patrik26]

I'm not going to be surprised if Matthews is still dinged up.

Hughes was extremely obvious with the shying away from contact. I don't think he was terrible but when someone makes a list of disappointing players he very well might be at the top of it.

Having Kreider, Trochek, and Nelson over Keller, Thompson, Caufield, Robertson is still just inexcusable.

Agreed. No goals in his last 6 NHL games prior to this tournament. And who the f*** chose those 3, especially Brock Nelson?

 

[Jersey Fresh]

There was a lot of propaganda in here about “Jack Hughes is playing well ackshully” and it’s clear that wasn’t the case. And that’s okay. He had a bad tournament.

Sure, he was playing on the wing, but guess what, he’ll never be a center on Team USA so he needs to figure it out. Last night was pretty painful watching him outside of like three shifts in the first period. He couldn’t even stay on his skates.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I really couldnt give a single shit if Jack was the worst hockey player ever in this tournament.

As long as he plays like we know he can and has been in NJ, that is all that matters. If anyone takes ANYTHING away from a 4 game tournament, they are just hating just to hate.



lotta Ranger scum on the bottom half of the USA team

 

[Devils731]

I really couldnt give a single shit if Jack was the worst hockey player ever in this tournament.

As long as he plays like we know he can and has been in NJ, that is all that matters. If anyone takes ANYTHING away from a 4 game tournament, they are just hating just to hate.



lotta Ranger scum on the bottom half of the USA team

Hughes rating makes sense to my eye test.

Hughes’ line created chances but they didn’t finish well at all and his defense was really strong.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The one big takeaway for me is that the US really blundered bringing the old Rangers and Islanders crap over Tage. Why would we want a 6-6 dude that can score with the best of them?

 

[Billdo]

Not surprising at all that the three guys almost EVERYONE questioned had 3 of the 5 worst ratings throughout the tournament. There is no reason they should've even been there.

The one big takeaway for me is that the US really blundered bringing the old Rangers and Islanders crap over Tage. Why would we want a 6-6 dude that can score with the best of them?

And Keller. And Robertson. And Caufield.

 

[MadDevil]

Take your best players. It's really not that hard.

 

[Devils731]

Take your best players. It's really not that hard.

That’s too easy.

It’s takes a true expert to craft a “team” where everyone has the right roles filled and the team is objectively worse.

 

[Patrik26]

Not surprising at all that the three guys almost EVERYONE questioned had 3 of the 5 worst ratings throughout the tournament. There is no reason they should've even been there.


And Keller. And Robertson. And Caufield.

I thought I heard mention all but the Capitals were represented in this tournament. Conspiracy theory warning! It's almost as if there was an edict from very high up to ensure this. How else to explain Kreider, Trocheck and Nelson.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

Anybody else as excited as I am to see Justin Dowling sink his teeth into another wrister on Saturday's game.

 

[Clam Jensen]

View attachment 980232Anybody else as excited as I am to see Justin Dowling sink his teeth into another wrister on Saturday's game.

Looks like Slavin

 

[MadDevil]

View attachment 980232Anybody else as excited as I am to see Justin Dowling sink his teeth into another wrister on Saturday's game.

When did he wear an "A"?

 

[JrFischer54]

the Devils had a playoff series against the Rangers where the Rangers made the game a slog and tried to be as physical as possible to neutralize Hughes and the Devils.

Hughes walked out of that series like he owned the Rangers.

It’s so weird people act like this series didn’t happen.

i know the rangers series happened and he played well in it but it wasn't a team like the canes.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

When did he wear an "A"?

probably a random preseason game

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Vegas is probably happy they can abuse the LTIR with Theadore, Mark Stone will probably fall down the stairs while hungover leaving his hotel room tomorrow to be put on LTIR for Vegas lol. What other injuries are there? Groins are tough, Matt Tkachuk could be fine in 2 days or be out 2 months. It's also on the latter for even playing this game, he hurt the US a bit for not sitting out if he wasn't 100%. It's not the Olympics so it's whatever but he can't pull that shit next year lol



The NBA and MLB are asking for the NHL to take them over popularity wise. The NHL just markets like a bunch of bozos. Notice how when the product has its high end product that the views come in.

Brady was playing hurt too, and obviously McAvoy. I'm sure there are others. I wouldn't be surprised is Jack is dinged up a bit.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

i know the rangers series happened and he played well in it but it wasn't a team like the canes.

It's a stepping stone and learning experience. Beating the rags in that series was not meaningless. Nor was losing to the Canes.

 

[glenwo2]

NBA has been losing steady momentum. Like a lead balloon.

But the NHL needs to focus on beating MLS before they can on the NBA.

oh yeah...forgot the MLS even existed.

Even though many watch that.

Guess I'm not a Soccer fan.

Sorry but I'm pretty sure this tournament has helped the NHL product a big amount. It was wildly more successful than they could have planned it out. They themselves I think were shocked by how much attention it got

I know a lot non hockey folks watching this tournament. NBA is falling a lot too recently.

I'm not suggesting it hadn't had an impact.

But I'm responding to Fischer's post that a U.S. loss cost the LEAGUE any type of relevancy which is absurd to me.

And besides, even if the NBA is falling a lot, it will never fall far enough where the NHL overtakes it.

 

[glenwo2]

He won't.

And why should he?

Jack's game is not of the bulking-up-so-he-can-knock-your-head-off style.

HIs game is of the "I'm going to skate circles around you, score on you, then style on you, and there's nothing you can do about it" style.

 

[RNCDevil]

I don't think anybody sees Clayton Keller either. He's a special talent. I wish he was on team USA. Keller, Tage, Caufield...oh well. Again, I wanted to be entertained and I definitely was.