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

[Hisch13r]

How come no one on the team can play effectively with this guy if he's so good already? You'd think at least one Hughes line would click.

Johnsson-Hughes-Bratt in their 89 minutes together at 5v5 have a 62.34% CF, 61.86% xGF, 64.29% SCF, 66.67% HDCF with 4GF - 1GA. They haven't been as amazing together recently but that line has clicked. They'd also have scored more if Bratt wasn't shooting ~2% when his career average coming into this year was nearly 13%

 

[guitarguyvic]

Is Nico less durable than other players? Idk. He played 82 games as a teenager so I don’t think he has glass bones. Have his bones degenerated to the point that they are more likely to break? Does he have osteoporosis as a 22 year old? I don’t think so. Sounds like he just had some rotten luck this year.

‘Prone’ literally means ‘likely to suffer from’. Is he more likely to suffer injuries than anyone else? Idk. Don’t think so. Not going to worry about it.

I’m concerned about it. Not just from the standpoint of future man games lost, but also the impact that this is currently having on his development. Can’t get better if you’re not actually playing.

The sarcastic quips about about osteoporosis are silly. There are plenty of people who are more susceptible to broken bones and injuries in general, with no specific medical explanation for it.

If you want to call it “bad luck” like so many of you guys do for everything, go for it...I’ll say Nico is “bad luck prone” to make you all feel better.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’m concerned about it. Not just from the standpoint of future man games lost, it also the impact that this is currently having on his development. Can’t get better if you’re not actually playing.

The sarcastic quips about about osteoporosis are silly. There are plenty of people who are more susceptible to broken bones and injuries in general, with no specific medical explanation for it.

If you want to call it “bad luck” like so many of you guys do for everything, go for it...I’ll say Nico is “bad luck prone” to make you all feel better.

Do people with medical conditions that make them more susceptible to bone breaks play 82 game seasons when they are 19? Probably not. But you can worry about it, just to be safe.

 

[Blender]

Johnsson-Hughes-Bratt in their 89 minutes together at 5v5 have a 62.34% CF, 61.86% xGF, 64.29% SCF, 66.67% HDCF with 4GF - 1GA. They haven't been as amazing together recently but that line has clicked. They'd also have scored more if Bratt wasn't shooting ~2% when his career average coming into this year was nearly 13%

They do well in possession but no one on that line is a shooter or will drive the net really. They need a big body who can shoot and keep up with Hughes and Bratt. Try Zacha at wing, Sharangovich, Maltsev, etc.

 

[VoidCreature]

Injuries are a part of hockey. I’m not worried about it.

 

[Billdo]

I think it would be wise to maybe put Hughes with Kuokkanen and Sharangovich for some offensive zone starts to see if they'd all work well together.

 

[Hisch13r]

They do well in possession but no one on that line is a shooter or will drive the net really. They need a big body who can shoot and keep up with Hughes and Bratt. Try Zacha at wing, Sharangovich, Maltsev, etc.

I don't think it's fair to say there's no shooter there. Bratt has been shooting the puck a ton this year. He's 2nd in 5v5 shots per 60 only behind Wood. 2nd in 5v5 ixG/60 only behind Palmieri. 3rd in iCF/60 behind Maltsev and Palms. 2nd in iSCF/60 behind Palms. 3rd in iHDCF behind Bastian and Palms. The guy just has no luck so far this year. His 5v5 SH% is 2.63%. Last year he was getting a bit lucky at over 16%. The year before he was at ~7.5%. His rookie year he was at ~10.5%. Cumulative over those 3 seasons he was at 11.69%.

I'd rather see Kuokkanen with Hughes and Bratt over any of those other 3. I think a Kuokkanen-Hughes-Bratt line could work together very well

 

[Auto Pilot]

 

[JimEIV]

People just need to relax and set their sights to next year, these kids have had two rough seasons that have been 100% FUBAR, last year with Hynes shitting the bed and Shero getting canned midseason and the Hall distraction and then Covid-19 killing that season and wrecking havoc on this season.

"We'll get em next year" says the Jets fan, the Mets fan and now newest member to the Shit Side Secret Society (That's the 4 S club)....Your New Jersey Devils...Gee great.

 

[glenwo2]

You keep putting these up.

I went to that website and tried to get them but it says I need access. You have to pay for them?

 

[Blender]

I don't think it's fair to say there's no shooter there. Bratt has been shooting the puck a ton this year. He's 2nd in 5v5 shots per 60 only behind Wood. 2nd in 5v5 ixG/60 only behind Palmieri. 3rd in iCF/60 behind Maltsev and Palms. 2nd in iSCF/60 behind Palms. 3rd in iHDCF behind Bastian and Palms. The guy just has no luck so far this year. His 5v5 SH% is 2.63%. Last year he was getting a bit lucky at over 16%. The year before he was at ~7.5%. His rookie year he was at ~10.5%. Cumulative over those 3 seasons he was at 11.69%.

I'd rather see Kuokkanen with Hughes and Bratt over any of those other 3. I think a Kuokkanen-Hughes-Bratt line could work together very well

Kuokkanen is a good choice as well, but I hate when the coach breaks the top line up when it's working.

 

[Hisch13r]

You keep putting these up.

I went to that website and tried to get them but it says I need access. You have to pay for them?

https://twitter.com/HockeyStatsCZ?lang=en

They accepted 20 requests on Twitter and then put up some others

 

[Lou is God]

"We'll get em next year" says the Jets fan, the Mets fan and now newest member to the Shit Side Secret Society (That's the 4 S club)....Your New Jersey Devils...Gee great.

Who really believe we were going to get them this year? I had hope but I knew there are still holes.

 

[Hisch13r]

Kuokkanen is a good choice as well, but I hate when the coach breaks the top line up when it's working.

I get that. If we're not going to break that up then I'd like to see Hughsev get tried out. Gusev has been bad but I still want to see it at least attempted.

 

[Blackjack]

View attachment 409518

I get that he won't return a 1st round pick because of reputation, but he's a top 4 quality LD on a $1 million contract. That should be very valuable.

 

[hidek91]

How come no one on the team can play effectively with this guy if he's so good already? You'd think at least one Hughes line would click.

Because his offense is so sophisticated that it's really hard to find a good fit. Palmieri IMO has no hockey IQ necessary to play with Hughes (he fits much better with Nico/Zajac), Johnsson doesn't bring anything, Bratt is IMO a good fit due to high hockey IQ but both of them lack physicality so they make this line quite soft, Gusev is on a cold streak since January but last season's Gusev would have the same problem as Bratt plus Gusev is worse defensively, Wood lacks both hands and hockey IQ. Out of all options that we have, I think Zacha and Bratt could be the best but it's still far from ideal because I think that the 3rd wheel on this line should be someone akin to Tom Wilson.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Lebrun says we are an "action team" at the deadline...whatever that means and everyone on the bubble has been giving us calls.

Reiterated the Palms situation that they are going to see if he wants to resign and for what and go from there.

 

[devilsblood]

I get that. If we're not going to break that up then I'd like to see Hughsev get tried out. Gusev has been bad but I still want to see it at least attempted.

Why do you want to see Hughes with someone that you yourself say has been bad this year?

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Because his offense is so sophisticated that it's really hard to find a good fit. Palmieri IMO has no hockey IQ necessary to play with Hughes (he fits much better with Nico/Zajac), Johnsson doesn't bring anything, Bratt is IMO a good fit due to high hockey IQ but both of them lack physicality so they make this line quite soft, Gusev is on a cold streak since January but last season's Gusev would have the same problem as Bratt plus Gusev is worse defensively, Wood lacks both hands and hockey IQ. Out of all options that we have, I think Zacha and Bratt could be the best but it's still far from ideal because I think that the 3rd wheel on this line should be someone akin to Tom Wilson.

Maybe Wood and Bastian experiment will work. IDK, we have the luxury of being able to try experiments given we don't care about the playoffs anymore. I thought Bratt/Hughes/Johnsson was the best line he's been on all year, sounds like the possession stats bare that out. They did seem soft on the boards / near the net and fatally flawed as a result though.

As other have stated, Sharangovich is the last guy on the roster I really have hopes for working with Hughes at evens. Otherwise it's someone off the roster, hopefully Foote.

Edit: Or not, looks like Palmieri/Bratt are his linemates tonight.

 

[devilsblood]

Because his offense is so sophisticated that it's really hard to find a good fit. Palmieri IMO has no hockey IQ necessary to play with Hughes (he fits much better with Nico/Zajac), Johnsson doesn't bring anything, Bratt is IMO a good fit due to high hockey IQ but both of them lack physicality so they make this line quite soft, Gusev is on a cold streak since January but last season's Gusev would have the same problem as Bratt plus Gusev is worse defensively, Wood lacks both hands and hockey IQ. Out of all options that we have, I think Zacha and Bratt could be the best but it's still far from ideal because I think that the 3rd wheel on this line should be someone akin to Tom Wilson.

Ya digging a post that says Palm's has no hockey IQ. Especially when saying Bratt has a high hockey IQ.

Not trying to knock Bratt but I have to call out those statements.

Also not so sure Hughes offensive game is "so sophisticated".

 

[Hisch13r]

Why do you want to see Hughes with someone that you yourself say has been bad this year?

The other options are Maltsev (no offensive talent), Zacha (can get a try after Nico comes back and he gets moved back to the wing), Wood (is not a fit there), Johnsson (not opposed to that since those 3 have worked), Bastian (maybe he could work but I don't think he has the talent to make it work), Palms (getting tried out tonight and could work). Gusev was great last year. There's nothing left to lose at this point so why not try and see if you can get him going?

 

[Hisch13r]

Ya digging a post that says Palm's has no hockey IQ. Especially when saying Bratt has a high hockey IQ.

Not trying to knock Bratt but I have to call out those statements.

To say Palms has no hockey IQ is just wrong. To think Brat doesn't have an extremely high hockey IQ is also very wrong.

 

[devilsblood]

The other options are Maltsev (no offensive talent), Zacha (can get a try after Nico comes back and he gets moved back to the wing), Wood (is not a fit there), Johnsson (not opposed to that since those 3 have worked), Bastian (maybe he could work but I don't think he has the talent to make it work), Palms (getting tried out tonight and could work). Gusev was great last year. There's nothing left to lose at this point so why not try and see if you can get him going?

I guess if we are going with the "nothing left to lose" angle I'd say why not.

Personally I still like Palms. He's due to start burying some shots. Perhaps Bratt Hughes Palms?

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Lebrun says we are an "action team" at the deadline...whatever that means and everyone on the bubble has been giving us calls.

Reiterated the Palms situation that they are going to see if he wants to resign and for what and go from there.

I personally think it means we will facilitate trades by taking on cap dumps.

 

[devilsblood]

To say Palms has no hockey IQ is just wrong. To think Brat doesn't have an extremely high hockey IQ is also very wrong.

Bratt with an extremely high IQ? I dunno. Not saying he's dumb, nor am I saying he lacks talent. But extremely high hockey IQ? Sounds like a stretch.