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

[Blender]

Janne Kuokkanen is now at 2.57 points/60 at 5 on 5 this season

That is good for 28th in the entire NHL among forwards. Better than Barzal, Backstrom, Pettersson, Rantanen, Barkov, etc

He's doing what I expected from Johnsson, who has been complete trash. Great that Kuokkanen looks good though.

 

[Derps]

again Bratt is shooting at like 2% this year which is obviously not sustainable

Coming into this season, his career shooting % was 12.7%. If he were shooting at his career norm, he would have 5-6 goals this year to go along with his 9 assists.

15-16 points in 19 games looks a lot better than 10. Especially on a team who is this anemic offensively.

He could also be shooting 8.79% like he did his second year and have 3-4 goals and 12-13 points. His shooting will obviously regress back towards the mean, but I find it silly to just add 5-6 points to someone's point total in 19 games and pretend like he's pushing point per game levels as a player like you just tried to do.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I didn't "pretend" anything....I laid out statistics which support that Bratt should have more goals than he does right now. Thats all.

 

[Derps]

Bratt could also shoot his average 12.7% the rest of the season at the current pace he is shooting and end with a shooting percentage that falls right in line with his career range, so again, I'm not really rushing to add 6 points to his season total right now.

 

[None Shall Pass]

again Bratt is shooting at like 2% this year which is obviously not sustainable

Coming into this season, his career shooting % was 12.7%. If he were shooting at his career norm, he would have 5-6 goals this year to go along with his 9 assists.

15-16 points in 19 games looks a lot better than 10. Especially on a team who is this anemic offensively.

What's weird is that if you look at the numbers, he's shooting more this season than last season.

 

[MartyOwns]

anyone know what's going on with talvitie? haven't heard anything about him in a while

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

anyone know what's going on with talvitie? haven't heard anything about him in a while

Plays Wisconsin this afternoon. Penn State could possibly get into the Frozen Four at large even if they lose.

This is yesterday:

 

[MartyOwns]

Plays Wisconsin this afternoon. Penn State could possibly get into the Frozen Four at large even if they lose.

This is yesterday:

thanks! are you watching him regularly? just wondering if there is any improvement in his game YOY.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

thanks! are you watching him regularly? just wondering if there is any improvement in his game YOY.

No. I watched yesterday. He's playing well without the puck paying attention to all the details, putting himself in good position. Just not showing up on the scoresheet.

 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Jack is more untouchable than Hischier is.

Absolutely. I love Nico, but Jack’s ceiling is much higher. I personally consider them both untouchable though. Along with Ty and Mac. That’s the core I want them to build around.

 

[Nubmer6]

We might get an update in a couple of days lol

Undead Nico sighting.

 

[MartyOwns]

No. I watched yesterday. He's playing well without the puck paying attention to all the details, putting himself in good position. Just not showing up on the scoresheet.

nice, thanks. hoping to see him in the bing in the near future so i can take a gander myself

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Janne Kuokkanen is now at 2.57 points/60 at 5 on 5 this season

That is good for 28th in the entire NHL among forwards. Better than Barzal, Backstrom, Pettersson, Rantanen, Barkov, etc

If you remember posters were ready to send him down after a couple of games while playing with Mikey and Bastian. Fortunately Fitz did not bring in any "blockers" so Kuok got a real chance to play.

 

[Blackjack]

No. I watched yesterday. He's playing well without the puck paying attention to all the details, putting himself in good position. Just not showing up on the scoresheet.

Sounds like he'd fit right in.

 

[MauDevils]

You do need to know what exactly goes into determining what makes a high danger chance in the model, if the information in that model is correct, and if that captures accurately what makes a high danger chance. That doesn't even get into what kind of differences there are between two players doing the exact same thing. There is so much going on around an isolated play and I don't think many of these models do a great job in illustrating all of them. They simply don't have the resources to do that.

It's the same thing with xGF and the like that people throw around like it's the be all end all in a discussion. xGF is an incredibly advanced stat. Each model varies considerably and uses quite a bit of advanced statistics in it. I think it behooves everyone to take 15 minutes and look at what someone is putting in their model that spits out this number they are posting everywhere. It matters, especially when it's being used to split as much hairs as it is.

So, no, you don't need to know Calculus. But you do need to know Statistics. And you do need to temper your conclusions. Not even the guys that make these models would make some of the outrageously concrete claims I see on here from time to time.

And anyone who has ever worked with the NHL shot location data will know how horribly inaccurate it is.

 

[glenwo2]

I think Bratt's better than Zacha, but i'm not certain he is any more, and there's parts of Bratt's game that seem like they may never be fixed (weak on the boards, easily pushed to the perimeter). Both are probably "better" than Wood, but Wood has rare skills that you can't pick up in FA. That might make him more valuable than Zacha at least who if he can't play C then becomes a decent middle 6 winger and those are always available in FA. All three are going to be useful players I think for NJ the next 4 years, which is more than I can say for pretty much all the vets and half the guys on ELCs right now.

Again Bratt's 22 and shooting 2% so he's gonna start putting up goals, but I'm also disappointed by what I see on the ice this year (yes in 19 games).

So what is Bratt, exactly?

You said in the previous post that he was a "Role player".

Role Players are tantamount to basically "PLUGS" which Bratt isn't with that skill.

 

[glenwo2]

What's weird is that if you look at the numbers, he's shooting more this season than last season.

What's weird is your sudden outburst yesterday in the GDT.

Never saw such vitriol before from you as you are usually a chill person.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

So what is Bratt, exactly?

You said in the previous post that he was a "Role player".

Role Players are tantamount to basically "PLUGS" which Bratt isn't with that skill.

I don't know what he is. Maybe he's a 2nd line line driver with Nico + another guy. Maybe he's an elite PKer who can add some pop to the 3rd line. Maybe he's a guy who can make the perfect pass on the PP and help anywhere at even strength. Maybe he's not a part of the next devils playoffs team.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't know what he is. Maybe he's a 2nd line line driver with Nico + another guy. Maybe he's an elite PKer who can add some pop to the 3rd line. Maybe he's a guy who can make the perfect pass on the PP and help anywhere at even strength. Maybe he's not a part of the next devils playoffs team.

Sounds like he could turn into a Swiss-Army-Knife (or is that Swedish-Army-Knife?) for this team (maybe?).

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

NJ needs some skilled big men in their lineup. They are just too easy to defend at this point if they don't score off the rush. Foote has the potential to be one but isn't there yet. There really isn't much skilled size in the system, Pytlik probably isn't the answer as well.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Sounds like he could turn into a Swiss-Army-Knife (or is that Swedish-Army-Knife?) for this team (maybe?).

That would be nice.

To be clear, I like Bratt, he can tantalize with his play at times. I'm just focusing on him instead of say Johnsson who's been far worse cause at this point Johnsson is more likely to be in the AHL / SHL than on the next Devils playoff team, not worth worrying about. It didn't work out, it happens. The other young guys on 2nd contracts who are expiring RFAs have taken steps forward this year (Zacha, Wood), I'd like to see Bratt do the same.

 

[Blackjack]

NJ needs some skilled big men in their lineup. They are just too easy to defend at this point if they don't score off the rush. Foote has the potential to be one but isn't there yet. There really isn't much skilled size in the system, Pytlik probably isn't the answer as well.

I think it's more of a style thing than a size thing. Pavel Zacha is easier to defend than Blake Coleman was. That said, Hughes, Bratt, and Johnsson are all fairly lightweight and easy to handle down low, so I know what you mean. Sharangovich and Maltsev have added size to the forward group, but they don't really play heavy games either.

Mercer should help in this area, I think Foote is pretty solid along the boards, so he may help as well.

 

[glenwo2]

That would be nice.

To be clear, I like Bratt, he can tantalize with his play at times. I'm just focusing on him instead of say Johnsson who's been far worse cause at this point Johnsson is more likely to be in the AHL / SHL than on the next Devils playoff team, not worth worrying about. It didn't work out, it happens. The other young guys on 2nd contracts who are expiring RFAs have taken steps forward this year (Zacha, Wood), I'd like to see Bratt do the same.

So would I but this year has been anything but ordinary.

This whole condensed schedule has screwed the Devils over a ton.

I'm sure that if they had regular practice time, Bratt would be better than he is now.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I think it's more of a style thing than a size thing. Pavel Zacha is easier to defend than Blake Coleman was. That said, Hughes, Bratt, and Johnsson are all fairly lightweight and easy to handle down low, so I know what you mean. Sharangovich and Maltsev have added size to the forward group, but they don't really play heavy games either.

Mercer should help in this area, I think Foote is pretty solid along the boards, so he may help as well.

I know they are hard to come by but I always felt we lacked that prototypical 6'3/6'4 American powerwinger who is fast and can score from far out. JVR, Krieder, Miller, Boeser or Pacioretty like player.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

So would I but this year has been anything but ordinary.

This whole condensed schedule has screwed the Devils over a ton.

I'm sure that if they had regular practice time, Bratt would be better than he is now.

Well he bet on himself with his contract + dispute, if this year ends up a wash in terms of his development then he's got next year to earn that payday. I'll root for him to.