Post-Game Talk: Devils 2 Rangers 1 [9/16/2013]

[Trxjw]

Oh come on now - last night, Boyle legitimately WAS the right forward to have out under those circumstances given who was on the bench.

Not to mention Boyle was 65% on draws last night, so having him out there for any face-offs was important.

 

[Beacon]

Talbot has clearly improved, will give whoever the Rangers bring in next year as a backup a run for their money.

As I have been saying since the start of the last season when everyone thought I was talking crazy about a marginal career minor league non-prospect, Talbot is our backup next year. He has all the attributes of an NHL goalie except he needs to work on his concentration to avoid occasional WTF goals.

 

[SlingshotVv]

The good: Staal, MDZ, J. Moore
The bad: Nash
The indifferent: Kristo, Hrivik, Kreider, Asham, Boyle, D. Moore, Mashinter, Richards, Lundqvist

The pointless: Talbot, Powe, Bourque, O'donnel, Johnson

 

[NYR Viper]

Has anyone else taken a look now at the Devils roster? It really isn't that bad....

Jagr
Ryder
Clowe
Henrique
Zajac
Elias
Brunner
Zubrus
Bernier
Loktionov
Olezs
Josefson?

Salvador
Greene
Larsson
Fayne
Gelinas/Merril
Urbom
Volchenkov
Zidlicky

Brodeur
Schneider

They aren't the youngest group but they will be a good team.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Has anyone else taken a look now at the Devils roster? It really isn't that bad....

Jagr
Ryder
Clowe
Henrique
Zajac
Elias
Brunner
Zubrus
Bernier
Loktionov
Olezs
Josefson?

Salvador
Greene
Larsson
Fayne
Gelinas/Merril
Urbom
Volchenkov
Zidlicky

Brodeur
Schneider

They aren't the youngest group but they will be a good team.

They will indeed. They should see positive regression both in regard to shooting- and save percentage, especially if Schneider gets 50+ starts as he should.

I can see the Devils finishing 3rd-5th in the division.

 

[NYR Viper]

They will indeed. They should see positive regression both in regard to shooting- and save percentage, especially if Schneider gets 50+ starts as he should.

I can see the Devils finishing 3rd-5th in the division.

I agree. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see them battling for #2 either though.

 

[Blue Blooded]

I agree. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see them battling for #2 either though.

Either the Rangers or Penguins need to melt down for that to happen IMO, I see both teams as clear cut above the rest in the division.

In an 82 game season no teams should have as bad luck as the Devils and Rangers had last year, and no teams should be as lucky as the Leafs and Ducks were.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Can someone go more in depth about what John Moore did well other than skate? Do you guys think he can ever become a first pairing quality D-man? It's amazing that he's probably our #6 D-man. In fact if you're ranking D-men, MDZ might be our "worst". With everyone healthy we have ridiculous defensive depth. Compare this team's D that 100 point team in 05-06.

 

[OverTheCap]

If there's one thing I've learned in my years as a hockey fan, it's that you can never count out the Devils. They almost always find a way to be competitive.

I was really looking forward to the Devils struggling in the post-Marty era, but that is less likely to happen now with Schneider. Hopefully Marty overstays his welcome in NJ and gives Lou and the coaching staff some difficult decisions to make.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

Can someone go more in depth about what John Moore did well other than skate? Do you guys think he can ever become a first pairing quality D-man? It's amazing that he's probably our #6 D-man. In fact if you're ranking D-men, MDZ might be our "worst". With everyone healthy we have ridiculous defensive depth. Compare this team's D that 100 point team in 05-06.

Moore showed strong agility, acceleration and top speed, all with the puck on his stick. He also showed a big leap in confidence and willingness to be involved. In fact, I would go beyond willingness and say that he WANTED the puck on his stick and to be the one creating opportunities. He had a couple of nice, strong, confident and - most importantly, to me - decisive rushes where he took the puck from our end into the opposing zone. He also showed good strength and agility on his feet, once shaking a defender behind his own net with a sharp stop and change of direction, which started one of his rushes, and another time, being bumped by a Devil mid stride as he exited our zone with the puck and he just shrugged it off without missing a step and continued carrying the puck up ice. The Devil player may have even gone down as Moore just shrugged the contact off. He also was decisive with the puck on his stick inside the offensive zone, showed his strong shot and made a really, really nice heads up feed to Kristo in the slot which should have tied the game.

I think Moore has mid-pairing potential though. He should be a strong middle pairing guy with, perhaps, more offensive upside than we thought. The truth is, with a shot of his caliber and the skating and size that Moore possesses, how far he rises is really entirely up to how hard he wants to work. You can't teach size, few players skate at his level and the shot is there. He's showing confidence, decision making and vision. If he wants to put the work in, the sky could be the limit. Well, perhaps I shouldn't be too hyperbolic. He'll never be Subban or Pietrangelo, but there's no reason that he can't perhaps live up to the "McDonagh clone" billing. He often looked like McD last night.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I agree. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see them battling for #2 either though.

I'd be pretty floored if they were. That would be one of the bigger shocks this season. They'll be battling the Islanders for a playoff spot.

 

[Levitate]

If there's one thing I've learned in my years as a hockey fan, it's that you can never count out the Devils. They almost always find a way to be competitive.

I was really looking forward to the Devils struggling in the post-Marty era, but that is less likely to happen now with Schneider. Hopefully Marty overstays his welcome in NJ and gives Lou and the coaching staff some difficult decisions to make.

Schnieder's an UFA in two years!

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

If there's one thing I've learned in my years as a hockey fan, it's that you can never count out the Devils. They almost always find a way to be competitive.

I was really looking forward to the Devils struggling in the post-Marty era, but that is less likely to happen now with Schneider. Hopefully Marty overstays his welcome in NJ and gives Lou and the coaching staff some difficult decisions to make.

Schneider has never played even a half season worth of games in any given season in the NHL. He's played just over a full season's worth of games for his career. And he's going to be 28 before the end of the season. I'll wait and see before I anoint him the next big thing in NJ.

 

[Boom Boom Geoffrion*]

Not to mention Boyle was 65% on draws last night, so having him out there for any face-offs was important.

Draws? Not important in a hockey game. Only thing that matters is points.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Moore showed strong agility, acceleration and top speed, all with the puck on his stick. He also showed a big leap in confidence and willingness to be involved. In fact, I would go beyond willingness and say that he WANTED the puck on his stick and to be the one creating opportunities. He had a couple of nice, strong, confident and - most importantly, to me - decisive rushes where he took the puck from our end into the opposing zone. He also showed good strength and agility on his feet, once shaking a defender behind his own net with a sharp stop and change of direction, which started one of his rushes, and another time, being bumped by a Devil mid stride as he exited our zone with the puck and he just shrugged it off without missing a step and continued carrying the puck up ice. The Devil player may have even gone down as Moore just shrugged the contact off. He also was decisive with the puck on his stick inside the offensive zone, showed his strong shot and made a really, really nice heads up feed to Kristo in the slot which should have tied the game.

I think Moore has mid-pairing potential though. He should be a strong middle pairing guy with, perhaps, more offensive upside than we thought. The truth is, with a shot of his caliber and the skating and size that Moore possesses, how far he rises is really entirely up to how hard he wants to work. You can't teach size, few players skate at his level and the shot is there. He's showing confidence, decision making and vision. If he wants to put the work in, the sky could be the limit. Well, perhaps I shouldn't be too hyperbolic. He'll never be Subban or Pietrangelo, but there's no reason that he can't perhaps live up to the "McDonagh clone" billing. He often looked like McD last night.

Thanks! Seems like his shot is better than McDonagh too. If our D stays healthy, this should be a good group.

 

[egelband]

Schneider has never played even a half season worth of games in any given season in the NHL. He's played just over a full season's worth of games for his career. And he's going to be 28 before the end of the season. I'll wait and see before I anoint him the next big thing in NJ.

surprised to hear he's only 28...after all those years with the indians. people forget, he was a pretty darn good third baseman too.