Devils 2020-21 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part VIII

[Billdo]

the article was basically:

- hughes sucked last year (obvi)
- that doesn't mean he will suck forever (obvi)
- the devils should have a plan b in case he does suck forever

so the only thing in the article worth reading (the devils should have a plan b, which was in the title) wasn't explored at all. sooo what's the point of the article? (i'm not asking you lol, i know you didnt write it). just seems clickbaity and pointless

In general I agree but they did use some stats to back it up although pretty much everyone sees that he sucked last year without the stats. Idk, I didn't think it was that bad.

 

[Billdo]

The plan b is to complain about Jack if he doesn’t pan out.

Some of the people on here started on plan B then before the season was even over.

 

[MadDevil]

There's nothing wrong with the actual substance of the article. The title is stupid though given that he never actually talks about what plan B should be.

 

[MartyOwns]

In general I agree but they did use some stats to back it up although pretty much everyone sees that he sucked last year without the stats. Idk, I didn't think it was that bad.

lol yes, im not disputing the stats, i think it was fair and well-written. but if youre even suggesting the possibility that this recent #1OA will bust, and the title of the article is The Devils Should Have a Plan B, shouldn't he take a crack at what the plan B would look like?

if he had, that would have been an interesting article to read. instead, it was stuff everybody already knew- he had a shitty season, and he'll probably rebound in a big way. my guess is he wouldn't have gotten as many clicks if he titled it 'things you already knew about jack hughes' but it wouldve been more honest.

 

[Emperoreddy]

the article was basically:

- hughes sucked last year (obvi)
- that doesn't mean he will suck forever (obvi)
- the devils should have a plan b in case he does suck forever

so the only thing in the article worth reading (the devils should have a plan b, which was in the title) wasn't explored at all. sooo what's the point of the article? (i'm not asking you lol, i know you didnt write it). just seems clickbaity and pointless

You answered the question. To get clicks from suckers like us.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

The plan B will be still being bad enough to get another top pick who can be a top center. If hughes doesn’t pan out, the team won’t be good enough to not have a high pick anytime soon so I’m not really sure what that article was about besides just getting some pageviews. I love Todd’s work, but idk i feel like it’s a weird article to write.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Does our owners’ meddling in 76ers’ affairs make anyone nervous about them possibly affecting the Devils negatively?

Rumor had it they wanted the Subban trade but I dont know if that was confirmed

 

[Camille the Eel]

I love all the James Bond movies but Sean Connery's Bond movies are what got me into the series in the first place. He passed away at the age of 90 and his clip from The Rock has been a staple at Devils games for a long time now. R.I.P.

Definitely Connery was THE Bond. The original and when I see or hear Bond in my mind, he’s the one.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Does our owners’ meddling in 76ers’ affairs make anyone nervous about them possibly affecting the Devils negatively?

Rumor had it they wanted the Subban trade but I dont know if that was confirmed

It was confirmed that Shero wanted to make the Subban trade.

"Perhaps the Subban trade played a role in the Devils' decision to fire former GM Ray Shero in January. According to Masisak, Shero was in support of the move, dispelling any narrative that Subban's arrival was orchestrated by ownership against the wishes of the front office."

NHL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding P.K. Subban and Henrik Lundqvist

 

[nugg]

What would a plan B even be in this context? Someone that can play in the top 6 if Hughes can't next year? I'd be fine adding someone like Erik Haula who can be a top 6 center in a pinch the next two years if Hughes has to move down the lineup or to wing for a spell.

But there's no plan B in case Hughes doesn't turn into a legit top 6 center over the next 6 years and I'm not sure there should be. If Hughes doesn't work out it's reload with (high) draft picks and onto the next prospect.

Mercer is a center, though many say he'll be a wing. He could be a plan B if it came to that.

 

[Billdo]

lol yes, im not disputing the stats, i think it was fair and well-written. but if youre even suggesting the possibility that this recent #1OA will bust, and the title of the article is The Devils Should Have a Plan B, shouldn't he take a crack at what the plan B would look like?

if he had, that would have been an interesting article to read. instead, it was stuff everybody already knew- he had a shitty season, and he'll probably rebound in a big way. my guess is he wouldn't have gotten as many clicks if he titled it 'things you already knew about jack hughes' but it wouldve been more honest.

100% agree on that. It's like this boards posts from some people. They want moves and want to ship people out but NEVER have an actual answer as to who, for what, the return etc. I don't think Hughes will bust, but if you write an article like that at least give us your opinion as far as what plan B should be.

 

[rrekaj13]

If the Devils really thought they needed to get insurance on Hughes, they would have picked a C like Rossi at the #7 spot in the Draft this year. They believe in Hughes, and they believe in Nico, which is why they drafted 2 RW in the first round.

Maybe they draft 1-2 C per year to continue building depth and optionality over time, but it’s not where we need help right now.

 

[Oneiro]

The Turturo article was silly and the lack of discernment from Cordell in publishing that one sort of bothers me. No player on this Devils team looks to be close to their projection (maybe Blackwood and even then the sample size isn't big enough) and that tells you something is amiss on a far broader scale, as opposed to assuming something specific to one player.

 

[Blackjack]

Mercer is a center, though many say he'll be a wing. He could be a plan B if it came to that.

I like Turturo, but this fact jumped off the page to me. Yes, they passed on Rossi and Perfetti at 7, but Mercer can't be a top 6 center? How is that not plan B?

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Tuturo fits in with the constant negative reporting out of the NY/NJ area. Was this necessary? No. I had a tweet lined up but then thought not to post because that is what he wants with this kind of article. Hughes is going to destroy projections for this year just as he didn't meet the projections last year. U18 straight to the NHL has never been done, now he has had 9 or 10 months of pure training to get bigger stronger and faster. Hughes will lead this team jn points, no doubt in my mind.

 

[BurntToast]

Let me start by saying “Holtz” is super dope.

By not taking Rossi, it’s like the Devils are giving their endorsement to Hughes and lesser extent Zacha as future centers. Personally, I prefer Rossi/Hischier type centers. Outside of being small, Rossi is an ideal center 200ft game, great at Face-Offs, Playmaker. (Hopefully, he does well converting to the NHL) I don’t really care if points are coming from the wings. I don’t find Hughes or Zacha good centers at this point.

Our bottom 6 needs to take notice because Sharangovich, Merkley and Kuokkanen might force themselves into the lineup. Zacha and Woods need to play much better. Luckily for them there are spots available but time is running out. Ironically, I think Seattle would be thrilled to get ether of them.

 

[BM67]

Loses from top 12 TOI on special teams last season:

PP: Hall, Vatanen, Simmonds
PK: Greene, Coleman, Mueller, Rooney, Vatanen, Anderson, Mermis

PP loses are mostly covered with Butcher, Smith, Johnsson, Merkley/Kuokkanen/Boqvist/???.

The PK is partially covered with Murray and Kulikov, but Johnsson wasn't a regular in TO (0:43/GP 3 years ago). Palmieri, Wood, Bratt and McLeod had the most PK TOI among the rest of the Fs.

Who gets the spots?

 

[Devils731]

Simmonds being removed from the PP is a net positive on its own.

Hopefully Butcher isn’t on the PP unless the team can design PP entry that doesn’t involve him. His only real ability on the PP is to lay puck off to a player at the halfboards, which is great if Hall is dominating there and not great if it’s basically anyone else.

 

[My3Sons]

Loses from top 12 TOI on special teams last season:

PP: Hall, Vatanen, Simmonds
PK: Greene, Coleman, Mueller, Rooney, Vatanen, Anderson, Mermis

PP loses are mostly covered with Butcher, Smith, Johnsson, Merkley/Kuokkanen/Boqvist/???.

The PK is partially covered with Murray and Kulikov, but Johnsson wasn't a regular in TO (0:43/GP 3 years ago). Palmieri, Wood, Bratt and McLeod had the most PK TOI among the rest of the Fs.

Who gets the spots?

On the PK? Assuming Murray and Kulikov can do a decent job in the Greene role they need Subban to embrace being the Lovejoy and hope that Sevs can expand his game and play at least a few of those minutes. Maybe he surprises us and the structure and simplified decision tree allows him to be better at it than anticipated. Again the physical ability is there if he just embraces the role. Up front Hischier can kill penalties and Zacha and Zajac and I’d find some way to teach Wood penalty killing since his speed might lead to a break or two and in turn slow down the defender at the point near him who will have to concede on plays high in the zone to avoid Wood going the other way.

PP I guess is a wait and see. Whoever does it is just keeping the seat warm until Hughes is ready.

 

[Zippy316]

Make the game easier on Hughes with reliable line mates and the points will come.

Last year was a case study of exactly what not to do with a young undersized skilled player in the NHL.

 

[Call Me Al]

simmonds of 5 years ago would have been a good linemate but it was a disaster last year

 

[AfroThunder396]

Simmonds was an enormous anchor last year and I think he definitely hurt everyone he played with at ES.

 

[devilsblood]

Let me start by saying “Holtz” is super dope.

By not taking Rossi, it’s like the Devils are giving their endorsement to Hughes and lesser extent Zacha as future centers. Personally, I prefer Rossi/Hischier type centers. Outside of being small, Rossi is an ideal center 200ft game, great at Face-Offs, Playmaker. (Hopefully, he does well converting to the NHL) I don’t really care if points are coming from the wings. I don’t find Hughes or Zacha good centers at this point.

Our bottom 6 needs to take notice because Sharangovich, Merkley and Kuokkanen might force themselves into the lineup. Zacha and Woods need to play much better. Luckily for them there are spots available but time is running out. Ironically, I think Seattle would be thrilled to get ether of them.

I think that is fair statement, moreso regarding Hughes, and given he was the #1 pick last year it is to be expected.

Zacha I guess allows some level of "plan B" if Dev's eventually decide to move Hughes to wing, but I think Hughes is still being penciled in as a long term top 6 center .

 

[hidek91]

If the Devils really thought they needed to get insurance on Hughes, they would have picked a C like Rossi at the #7 spot in the Draft this year. They believe in Hughes, and they believe in Nico, which is why they drafted 2 RW in the first round.

Maybe they draft 1-2 C per year to continue building depth and optionality over time, but it’s not where we need help right now.

Sorry but you go BPA every time in the draft. Especially in the first round.

 

[devilsblood]

Sorry but you go BPA every time in the draft. Especially in the first round.

I guess this will be a debate that goes on forever with people saying the same things over and over, but I'll say what I typically say.

What if there is no clear distinction between players?