Devils 2021-22 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XII

[Better Call Sal]

Gross

 

[JimEIV]

point. Unless the team gets a time machine those numbers you keep bitching about won’t actually change.

I am hoping for the player to change not the past to change...well, I am hoping Jack can change (change meaning becoming more consistent and a more refined as player... it's going extremely slow right now)

I don't expect Nico to....I think he's doing his best Travis Zajac impersonation and I will have to live with that level of player from the franchises 1st ever #1OA... disappointing but that's the reality.

 

[Bleedred]

The good news is that there was one goalie last night (Nedeljkovic) that passed Blackwood in stoppable goals this year, with a brutal 4 out of the 5 goals scored on him. But a lower percentage of his goals against are stoppable than Blackwood's.

Still just 3 behind Grubauer and 2 behind Koskinen.

 

[Guttersniped]

The thing I love about Nico is his compete level. Not necessarily his decisions with the puck. I think he'll be a terrific 2C for us for years.

I have no worries about him, nor Jack, nor Bratt - except in the health/size department, because you know they are going to be targets when games get interesting and I don't logically see how they'll be able to fight through that unless they are surrounded by guys who are hard to play against. I'm good with Mercer in all cases because he seems to be the kinda kid we need and has all kinds of confidence and talent. I can see him being a playoff mainstay.

I'm fine with Bastian/McLeod as 4th liners. Sad use of first and second rounders, but if they can form a 4th line that is one of the best in the league I'm on board with that.

The rest of the team is entirely hot garbage. All of them could have good statistical seasons if paired with Bratt or Jack - but that's the only way they will succeed here, and we need something ALOT better than what they bring because Tatar, Johnsson, Kuok, Boqvist, and Zacha are worthless if not scoring. Sharangovich *might* be a passable 3rd liner, or he might just be out of the league. I've liked him better at C this season, but there's no place for that on this team. Vesey is an ok plug on the 4th line and PK if Wood never comes back. I'd rather see Studenic.

Dougie is great. Siegs has been a find on 3rd pair. We need to sign Graves. The rest all of have question marks; and despite hating on Sevs (rightfully for at least half of the seasons he's been here) I'd like to have him back if he takes a hometown discount. Subban should be gone at TDL. I was high on Smith and still think he'll be good, but I don't know if he's what we need. White/Jaros and even Bahl probably don't belong (sad to say because I was Bahls deep on Bahl.)

I wrote an endless post but I forgot to mention that Kuok has been very good on the PK. He’s been a major contributor there now for a while as it rose to 11th in PK% in the league.

It’s 9th in Net PK% thanks to our SH goals (2 from Vesey, 1 from Kuok & 1 from Mercer).

 

[Guttersniped]

I think when most people say “Zacha has no value” they aren’t saying that he literally no value, it’s just that what you get back won’t be anything special so what is the point of trading him.

you might get someone similarly flawed, or a not premium draft choice but no one is giving up a good player/prospect/pick for Zacha.

Any team will have the same problem we will. What contract do give him?

It’s going to be short.

If he doesn’t score a lot more (he obviously will score some goals at some point) most teams, due to cap constraints, would pass on going 3m+. He has a qualifying offer of 3m.

He still strikes me as a little as candidate for Colorado reclamation project if their current ones price themselves off the team. He would have to cut them a break price wise but he might (because it would be a sneaky smart move).

Not sure teams with cap space are going to hand him out a long term deal since they’re mostly rebuilding.

I think we’re keeping him. He’s playing a lot, he’s 2nd in 5v5 ice time after Hughes. (Yep, Zacha is 13:41 and Nico is 13:31.)

We’re using him and Nico in tough minutes because “let the kids play” has left our bottom six a defensive mess. And he still is a back-up center.

 

[Guttersniped]

Yes and no. If a player that’s been terrible all year (and not good most of last year) like Blackwood particularly has a .920% stretch over his last 20 games that shouldn’t reach a verdict that he’s fixed and that he’s ready to go for 40-50 games next year again.

Zacha having close to a PPG over a 20 game stretch after he’s went 20 games doing nothing also shouldn’t return a verdict that he’s amazing. He will have also done this before while never actually having a season that was amazing.

Those are two particular examples.

I would take someone like Ty Smith seriously if he had a very strong second half because he wasn’t bad last season. If he can end the season just having an average year on the whole then that would be terrific.

The Zacha analysis is wrong though.

He started off in a whatever bottom six existence.

In 2018-19, he had a vaguely promising season (emphasis on vaguely but still some promise) when he got kicked up to bigger minutes, often with defensive guys.

He proceeded to do worse in 2019-20, like real bad. He really looked like he was headed for the fringes and then for the exig, his overall numbers were so bad. His defensive number imploded to about the worst in the NHL and his 5v5 goal scoring made angels weep.

In 2019-20 he at least reached middle-six wingerville and in someways he’s actually in someways more comfortably situated there this season. (Even if this cold streak is pretty damn chilly.) He probably shouldn’t be a forward whose 2nd in 5v5 ice time on a NHL team though.

He always got a bonkers amount of ice time, considering his production, and there were all sorts of other problems, so his raw production isn’t the best thing to go by.

He shot well in 2018-19, badly in 2019-20 and then well in 2020-21 so assuming his shooting % would be higher this season wasn’t crazy. (At least that’s what I tell myself, about a lot of things come to think of it… hmmm...)

I get being frustrated with him, the Coyotes game was frustrating to be at and at times you can see him just not positioning himself well in scoring areas in a timely manner (or ever).

But our system sticks at least one forward behind the net and another at the side of the net (often not in the front part mind you). I swear to god, it’s like there’s lava in the slot and no cycling allowed. I hate so much about how this team is coached argh.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Andrei Shevchevnikoff does it again

EDIT: lol whoops wrong thread

 

[Maine Fan]

Nico is a gamer. I honestly don't get how you can dislike him, it's clear he is a warrior and plays his heart out. And he is an all situation center. Offense, defense, both special teams and he is what? 22?

He absolutely is a 1C, on the lower end for sure, but still a 1C and that's perfect because we have Jack (another player you got to be blind not to see how good he is playing)

Jack is the offensive dynamo and Nico is the 2 way center. It's a great 1/2 punch.

I don't understand being down on them right now. Especially when we got plenty of dead weight on the wings to complain about.

I think Nico, Jack, and Bratt are showing the progress we all wanted to see and why despairing long term isn't necessary.

Help me please. Did I read the billingtons ghost post wrong re: Nico or did you? I thought I read that BG like Nico? I think I read that you like Nico? So what am I missing? Do I need glasses?

 

[MadDevil]

Just wait... Zacha will get hot again for the last few weeks of the year and everyone will want to keep him around again.

You just had to say it didn't you?

 

[Nubmer6]

You just had to say it didn't you?

Its just too predictable

 

[Zippy316]

Would you put the 2021 first (protected of course) on the table for Chychrun? Keep in mind, Chychrun is signed for three seasons after this at 4.6 AAV.

To me, I would think long and hard about it. Zacha + Smith + 2021 1st technically fits their criteria. Zacha would be a hard sell as they'd probably be looking for Holtz or Mukhmadullin.

 

[Bleedred]

The Zacha analysis is wrong though.

He started off in a whatever bottom six existence.

In 2018-19, he had a vaguely promising season (emphasis on vaguely but still some promise) when he got kicked up to bigger minutes, often with defensive guys.

He proceeded to do worse in 2019-20, like real bad. He really looked like he was headed for the fringes and then for the exig, his overall numbers were so bad. His defensive number imploded to about the worst in the NHL and his 5v5 goal scoring made angels weep.

In 2019-20 he at least reached middle-six wingerville and in someways he’s actually in someways more comfortably situated there this season. (Even if this cold streak is pretty damn chilly.) He probably shouldn’t be a forward whose 2nd in 5v5 ice time on a NHL team though.

He always got a bonkers amount of ice time, considering his production, and there were all sorts of other problems, so his raw production isn’t the best thing to go by.

He shot well in 2018-19, badly in 2019-20 and then well in 2020-21 so assuming his shooting % would be higher this season wasn’t crazy. (At least that’s what I tell myself, about a lot of things come to think of it… hmmm...)

I get being frustrated with him, the Coyotes game was frustrating to be at and at times you can see him just not positioning himself well in scoring areas in a timely manner (or ever).

But our system sticks at least one forward behind the net and another at the side of the net (often not in the front part mind you). I swear to god, it’s like there’s lava in the slot and no cycling allowed. I hate so much about how this team is coached argh.

My point was precisely that Zacha was never as good as the ending to that season, nor was he as bad as the 5 points in 31 games either. That was the year of the famous ''Zacha's final third'' meme for his large increase in production over his last third of the season.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Would you put the 2021 first (protected of course) on the table for Chychrun? Keep in mind, Chychrun is signed for three seasons after this at 4.6 AAV.

To me, I would think long and hard about it. Zacha + Smith + 2021 1st technically fits their criteria. Zacha would be a hard sell as they'd probably be looking for Holtz or Mukhmadullin.

Shouldn’t even be a discussion since he should’ve been a Devil in 2016 over McLeod. Castron’s worst pick by far. As for your package, I’d 100% do the Smith, Zacha and first deal and depending on what else is in the deal if Holtz is added in terms of picks I’d lean slightly yes too. Luke Hughes + Chychrun as your two LHD for a decade would be a boom for this franchise.

 

[devilsblood]

Would you put the 2021 first (protected of course) on the table for Chychrun? Keep in mind, Chychrun is signed for three seasons after this at 4.6 AAV.

To me, I would think long and hard about it. Zacha + Smith + 2021 1st technically fits their criteria. Zacha would be a hard sell as they'd probably be looking for Holtz or Mukhmadullin.

I'll say something that would have been absolutely crazy to say a year ago. We don't really need D.

Our top 4 right now looks good. We still have Smith. We have Luke and Shak on the horizon.

What we need is a goalie.

And with the regression of Shara and Zacha from last year to this, I think a scoring winger has risen to very near the top of the need list.

 

[devilsblood]

Shouldn’t even be a discussion since he should’ve been a Devil in 2016 over McLeod. Castron’s worst pick by far. As for your package, I’d 100% do the Smith, Zacha and first deal and depending on what else is in the deal if Holtz is added in terms of picks I’d lean slightly yes too. Luke Hughes + Chychrun as your two LHD for a decade would be a boom for this franchise.

Oddly, there are 3 guys who were picked ahead of McLeod who it could be argued McLeod has outplayed thus far, plus the guy picked right after him as well.

And I wouldn't be surprised if McLeod proves to be a more valuable player then Jost in a couple years.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Jost was the guy everyone wanted when we got to the podium in 2016

 

[My3Sons]

NJ needs to find Nico a complementary winger. Tatar and Vesey are barely stopgaps. Hopefully Zacha goes on a run now that puts him on Nico’s wing and playing well.

 

[Lou is God]

NJ needs to find Nico a complementary winger. Tatar and Vesey are barely stopgaps. Hopefully Zacha goes on a run now that puts him on Nico’s wing and playing well.

Zacha is an enigma to me, you see the talent and sometimes the stats to back up his skill, but I never get the "born to be a hockey player" vibe from him like you do from Jack and Nico, the drive to be better every day, it seems like he's content on being a good pro and plays the sport more for a living than the love of it.

 

[My3Sons]

Zacha is an enigma to me, you see the talent and sometimes the stats to back up his skill, but I never get the "born to be a hockey player" vibe from him like you do from Jack and Nico, the drive to be better every day, it seems like he's content on being a good pro and plays the sport more for a living than the love of it.

i 100% agree. It’s a shame. He could be quite a good NHL player with just a bit more care and passion.

 

[Lou is God]

i 100% agree. It’s a shame. He could be quite a good NHL player with just a bit more care and passion.

But the thing with him is put him in a right situation and he could thrive, a spot where expectations are not high and his responsibilities are low, maybe with a team like the Penguins.

 

[My3Sons]

But the thing with him is put him in a right situation and he could thrive, a spot where expectations are not high and his responsibilities are low, maybe with a team like the Penguins.

he will have a tough time on any team where the coach demands good board play and compete. He can only play a skill game most of the time and good teams have scrap and claw and grab and hook and hit and interfere and punch with gloves on in their bottom six and he doesn’t do nearly enough of that.

 

[Lou is God]

he will have a tough time on any team where the coach demands good board play and compete. He can only play a skill game most of the time and good teams have scrap and claw and grab and hook and hit and interfere and punch with gloves on in their bottom six and he doesn’t do nearly enough of that.

I think he does his best competing, like I hinted he's a good pro, he just doesn't have the knack to get his hands dirty, but it's not from lack of hustle. He reminds me of a poor man's Petr Nedved, who in the right spots was effective but left a lot to desire.

 

[My3Sons]

I think he does his best competing, like I hinted he's a good pro, he just doesn't have the knack to get his hands dirty, but it's not from lack of hustle. He reminds me of a poor man's Petr Nedved, who in the right spots was effective but left a lot to desire.

he seems like a good kid and I don’t doubt he’s trying. It’s got to be hard when it’s not a consuming passion.

 

[Lou is God]

he seems like a good kid and I don’t doubt he’s trying. It’s got to be hard when it’s not a consuming passion.

I don't think it's hard on players like him at all if they're content with the effort they're giving, I mean he's making millions and will continue to do so if not here than across the seas. I get the sense Zacha sleeps the same no matter how good or crappy his game was that night, unlike Jack or Nico.

 

[Hisch13r]

NJ needs to find Nico a complementary winger. Tatar and Vesey are barely stopgaps. Hopefully Zacha goes on a run now that puts him on Nico’s wing and playing well.

We cannot get fooled again... Keep him down with Johnsson-Merer. That could be a good 3rd line and that's where Zacha belongs