Devils 2017-18 team discussion (player news and notes) - Offseason part IX

[Jason MacIsaac]

For those rooting for the team to finish dead last you'll be disappointed I hope. Shame on you!

Nobody is rooting for NJ to finish dead last but many are realizing there aren't any teams on paper worse than us in the metro. Sure goaltending can equalize but you can't count on that.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Our minor league team used to have a cartoon rat as the logo

who really cares

its not THAT bad

I always assumed minor league teams had cartoony logos on purpose to appeal to kids

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't want to finish last either, but it is hard to ignore the reality that Dahlin could be the final major piece needed.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I rather have a decent year and hope some defensive prospect makes good like White and trust our scouting, than go through another year like last season. Plus, the only reason we picked first was due to getting lucky. We need to instill a wining attitude just for the kids alone.

 

[My3Sons]

It's not far fetched to see improvement over last season. The addition of Johansson gives some shape to the second line and probably makes Henrique a much better player. Some improvement from Zacha and you at least have some more goals. If Cory is a little better maybe you cut ten goals against and add twenty goals for?

 

[None Shall Pass]

Yeah. We weren't the worst team in the league last year, we were like 5th or 6th worst. Then add Vegas, who is going to be godawfulbad, and consider that we upgraded the forwards a lot this offseason, and you're going to be disappointed if you're hoping for big lottery odds next year.

I don't think we're going to be in the playoffs, but we're definitely going to be better.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

The only team in the Metro I truly think the Devils are better than is the Islanders.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The only team in the Metro I truly think the Devils are better than is the Islanders.

Half the Metro is extremely young. It is hard to tell who we are better or worse than

 

[Classic Devil]

I don't want to finish last either, but it is hard to ignore the reality that Dahlin could be the final major piece needed.

Yeah but even finishing last the probability of getting the needed pick is still only 25%.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Yeah but even finishing last the probability of getting the needed pick is still only 25%.

Getting the top draft pick this next year and getting the chance to land Dahilin (we'll see if his stock remains that high) would be nice but there are so many talented defensemen in this draft it almost doesn't really matter. If we end up with another top 10 pick we can still grab a solid defenseman. McIsaac, Boqvist, Hughes, Merkley, Woo, etc. This is a great draft for defenseman. Obviously we'll need to be patient with a few of those guys but it'll still set us up nicely for the future.

For now, IMO, we hope that Mueller can step up. If he can displace Moore on that 2nd pairing that'd be good enough for this year.

 

[Bleedred]

Carolina could be a bit better with the upgrade in goal (in before DD tells us they're a playoff team, along with the other 7 teams in our division, which is not at all possible) but would it really shock anyone here if Darling has 2 or 3 bad games and it's back to Wardo's remaining bone dust (must only be about 2.2 ounces of it left) for a stretch and they punt their season away?

I'd still be concerned about their scoring though, they've struggled with scoring for years, then the terrible goaltending just throws them overboard without a lifejacket.

 

[MadDevil]

The only team in the Metro I truly think the Devils are better than is the Islanders.

The Islanders are weird. It feels like they've been treading water after they were supposed to be the next up and coming team a few years ago.

 

[VoidCreature]

I feel like we need a little perspective on how far we've come in a short time. 3 years ago we were the oldest team in the league, now we're one of only 3 teams to have more than one former first overall pick.

 

[Toasterleavins*]

I think we have one more year before we can start realistically thinking about playoffs and then contending. Patience.

 

[MadDevil]

I feel like we need a little perspective on how far we've come in a short time. 3 years ago we were the oldest team in the league, now we're one of only 3 teams to have more than one former first overall pick.

I think Zajac and Boyle are our only forwards over the age of 27.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Devils vs Philly from last December on MSG+ right now.

 

[born2run24]

Getting the top draft pick this next year and getting the chance to land Dahilin (we'll see if his stock remains that high) would be nice but there are so many talented defensemen in this draft it almost doesn't really matter. If we end up with another top 10 pick we can still grab a solid defenseman. McIsaac, Boqvist, Hughes, Merkley, Woo, etc. This is a great draft for defenseman. Obviously we'll need to be patient with a few of those guys but it'll still set us up nicely for the future.

For now, IMO, we hope that Mueller can step up. If he can displace Moore on that 2nd pairing that'd be good enough for this year.

Dahlin will definitely go top 2 as it stands right now. But yeah even if we only get a top 12 pick, chances are a really good Dman falls to us.

Give me McIssac or Bode Wilde and Id be thrilled.

5 straight losing seasons, I cant root for draft positioning by January anymore.

If we're in it come deadline time maybe we make a trade for a servicable Dman. And hopefully if John Carlson makes it to free agency, Shero goes out and gets him.

To me thats what this fanbase should be rooting for. Not a 17 year old kid atleast 3 years away from making an NHL impact.

 

[mdj12784]

Devils vs Philly from last December on MSG+ right now.

Thanks sir!

 

[Tretyak 20]

I don't want to finish last either, but it is hard to ignore the reality that Dahlin could be the final major piece needed.

It's also hard to ignore the track record of Defensemen drafted 1st overall. Next year's draft is chock-full of solid D prospects. The likelihood we get one between 10 and 15 overall isn't exactly looking bad, at this point.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah but even finishing last the probability of getting the needed pick is still only 25%.

Plenty of stud D in this draft. We should get a key piece no matter what.

 

[Bleedred]

Devils vs Philly from last December on MSG+ right now.

I keep thinking that they should be further along into last season than December by now, with training camp in a little over 6 weeks.

Then I realize that we probably didn't have many games worth airing from late November onward, since we didn't win many games after that and that only show games we won.

I figure maybe the game in Calgary that we won in January, the OT win against the Rangers in March and the 1-0 OT win/Kinkaid shutout against the Flyers in the last week of the season are probably the only 3 after December that are probably worth showing. Maybe Cory's shutout against Boston in early January and our OT win against Vancouver in January.

 

[MadDevil]

Well, we had what, 3 wins the final 1/4 of the season?

 

[Bleedred]

Well, we had what, 3 wins the final 1/4 of the season?

Post-deadline I think it was 3.

2 of them were against the Flyers and only one was in regulation.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Is Zharkov the best player who could never score?

 

[Andre Palot]

Is Zharkov the best player who could never score?

Didn't Zharkov have the final goal of the 2010 NJD season?