Devils 2021 training camp thread (news, notes and speculation) - Part III [MOD warning in OP]

[Bad Goalie]

Fun game to watch especially it being the first action vs a real opponent of the year.

I don't have any real strong takeaways from the game. It was very nice to see Holtz perform well...his last season had me down from the WJC on. Last night brought much renewed hope.

The biggest positive for me is the emergence of new players that can really shoot the puck...losing Palmieri, I thought we lost a quality that couldn't be replaced but with the renewed hope for Holtz, Sharangovich and Zacha there is a potential for some real quality shooters on this team... that looks like it starting to gell. That makes me happy.

I wasn't too impressed with Nico or Jack..but it's early. Jack always makes some jaw dropping moves..his hands on his goal was spectacular but you know it was scored on a bad turnover with no one else around him...his in game play still leaves a lot to be desired. It just seems that he puts himself in a lot of "dead-end" and low percentage situations...I saw a lot of the same last night.

Was really hoping to see a little better showing from Okhotyuk. Of course it's just 1 preseason game but my early assessment would be too raw. Needs another full year of AHL hockey.

Bahl continues to impress in very small nuanced ways. I like a lot of little things he does and I am continually impressed by his agility for such a big dude.

A lot of fun stuff last night.

OK hasn't had a full year in the AHL unless you consider 28 games a full season. In reality this would be his first full year. There's a whole bunch of kids in that same boat and most with less than 28 games. They barely got their feet wet in pro hockey in an unusual, very short, and very weak AHL. Some played just enough games that the AHL won't consider them rookies, which in my opinion is bogus also.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

I agree. I think Bahl was called up ahead of Okhotiuk because Okhotiuk was injured at the time. If the season was longer, I think we would have seen Okhotiuk up for a cup of coffee too, but as it stands, it seems many if not most people here have Bahl ahead of him merely for the fact that he played some games up with the big club.

Okhotiuk had returned from injury before Bahl was called up.

Coach said it's a meritocracy. I had Bahl ahead of Okhotiuk before the call up.

 

[JimEIV]

OK hasn't had a full year in the AHL unless you consider 28 games a full season. In reality this would be his first full year. There's a whole bunch of kids in that same boat and most with less than 28 games. They barely got their feet wet in pro hockey in an unusual, very short, and very weak AHL. Some played just enough games that the AHL won't consider them rookies, which in my opinion is bogus also.

Certainly understandable...Even under normal circumstances it's pretty common to see 1st year Pro Dmen look a little on the wild side.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The positives I see in Shara's shot is that it is big and heavy and how consistently he is able to get it off especially when skating with speed. His shot stands out even when he misses, the sound it makes hitting the boards/glass behind the net. Not to say it's not an accurate shot, but I don't think he's a true sniper .

Only one shot, and one goal, but Holtz's shot really fit the scouting report of a true sniper. Pin point laser beam.

That glass comment makes me laugh. It brought to mind my college roommate. He was our top scorer and point man on the PP. He would intentionally miss the net on most of his pregame warmup shots. He said he could never lose the thrill he got hearing the puck go off the glass and the looks on the faces of the people sitting behind the net when the puck hit the glass in front of them, especially if they hadn't been watching.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Okhotiuk had returned from injury before Bahl was called up.

Coach said it's a meritocracy. I had Bahl ahead of Okhotiuk before the call up.

He was coming back right when Bahl got called up and hadn’t been playing for a while. He was never going to get called up right away coming back from an injury. Bahl wasn’t good in the AHL and most people who watched Bing agree with that. Okhotiuk has consistently been better than him since they’ve gone pro.

 

[captainscott]

The way I look at it is that we have 11 or 10 ( if your not giving boqvuist a spot) forwards locked in:

That leaves two roster spots open cause i would assume 1 extra that doesn't dress.. Holtz/ Mercer/ Foote ( fills a size and boards play need) .. i thougth studenic looked good and they like thompson. Vesey.. has experience.. i could see that move...

pre season is ... is pre season.. but mercer made two plays last night that just wowed me... if thats his game i don't see how he is a kid that can't help the team right now.. holtz' made a lot of good plays , saw the ice well and obviously has a big time shot.

hughes
hischier
zacha
Mcleod
Bratt
Kouk
Sharif
Johnsson
Wood
Boqvuist ( assuming)
Tatar

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

He was coming back right when Bahl got called up and hadn’t been playing for a while. He was never going to get called up right away coming back from an injury. Bahl wasn’t good in the AHL and most people who watched Bing agree with that. Okhotiuk has consistently been better than him since they’ve gone pro.

Okhotiuk played five games after being injured before Bahl was called up.

He missed seven games due to injury.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

The way I look at it is that we have 11 or 10 ( if your not giving boqvuist a spot) forwards locked in:

That leaves two roster spots open cause i would assume 1 extra that doesn't dress.. Holtz/ Mercer/ Foote ( fills a size and boards play need) .. i thougth studenic looked good and they like thompson. Vesey.. has experience.. i could see that move...

pre season is ... is pre season.. but mercer made two plays last night that just wowed me... if thats his game i don't see how he is a kid that can't help the team right now.. holtz' made a lot of good plays , saw the ice well and obviously has a big time shot.

hughes
hischier
zacha
Mcleod
Bratt
Kouk
Sharif
Johnsson
Wood
Boqvuist ( assuming)
Tatar

I personally don’t think Boqvist should be or is locked into a spot.

 

[captainscott]

He was coming back right when Bahl got called up and hadn’t been playing for a while. He was never going to get called up right away coming back from an injury. Bahl wasn’t good in the AHL and most people who watched Bing agree with that. Okhotiuk has consistently been better than him since they’ve gone pro.

I though reilly walsh looked solid last night outside one or two mistakes... Bahl got torched once.. but you cant teach 6'6 ... he clogs things up nicely back there... I probably let these guys start in the A but looks like we have 3 nice NHL prospects in Okhotuik.. Bahl and walsh all will play in the NHL... top 6 .. throw Hughes into that mix.. and i like it.. team is in great shape moving forward

 

[JimEIV]

Talking about who you have on ignore or who is ignoring you on the board is a no-go, folks - it’s another form of personal sniping not to mention OT

I didn't know that wasn't allowed. I have seen that directed at me at least a dozen times and I don't recall ever seeing a mod warning before.

Thanks for the update.

 

[captainscott]

I personally don’t think Boqvist should be or is locked into a spot.

i would agree... I could see Johnsson being a healthy scratch often..

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Okhotiuk played five games after being injured before Bahl was called up.

He missed seven games due to injury.

IMO that’s still enough to influence his chances of getting called up. If they’re trying to decide between which of the two guys, they definitely take into account that one guy was just injured for 7 and has only been back for 5 and the other has been consistently playing since the start of the season.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Do we know when first round of cuts are happening?

Can only say that the Utica camp is supposed to happen "later this week".

It's Thursday.

The word came during the 2nd scrimmage.

Utica has announced nothing.

It has to be very soon. Utica's 1st of 2 scrimmages is Oct. 8 vs the Rochester Americans.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

IMO that’s still enough to influence his chances of getting called up. If they’re trying to decide between which of the two guys, they definitely take into account that one guy was just injured for 7 and has only been back for 5 and the other has been consistently playing since the start of the season.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

What?

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Can only say that the Utica camp is supposed to happen "later this week".

It's Thursday.

The word came during the 2nd scrimmage.

Utica has announced nothing.

It has to be very soon. Utica's 1st of 2 scrimmages is Oct. 8 vs the Rochester Americans.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

What?

Meritocracy.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Meritocracy.

Still not sure what your point is

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Still not sure what your point is

Started with Bahl was called up because Okhotiuk was injured at the time.
I pointed out that Okhotiuk had returned from injury.
Then it was well he just returned from injury.
I provided that Okhotiuk had played five games since injury.
Then it was well Bahl didn't miss any time like Okhotiuk did.
Bahl got on the scoresheet and got called up.
What difference does that make?
Mentioned that coach said it was a meritocracy.
What are you talking about?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Started with Bahl was called up because Okhotiuk was injured at the time.
I pointed out that Okhotiuk had returned from injury.
Then it was well he just returned from injury.
I provided that Okhotiuk had played five games since injury.
Then it was well Bahl didn't miss any time like Okhotiuk did.
Bahl got on the scoresheet and got called up.
What difference does that make?
Mentioned that coach said it was a meritocracy.
What are you talking about?

Huh that is a terrible recount of how the conversation went but whatever. So Bahl got called up because he scored his first AHL goal a couple weeks before?
All I said was that Okhotiuk being injured not that long before would likely influence his chances of being the one they called up. You responded by posting a picture of Bahl holding his first AHL goal puck and seem to be suggesting that him scoring his first goal 3 months into the season is why he got called up.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Jack isnt elite at anything but skating, Tatar is overrated, Mercer shouldnt be brought up yet...

damn man, cant you have something good to talk about? Were a young upcoming team who just had every name we could want score last night..


.. how can Tatar be overhyped if he hasnt even played a game with us yet? The same way Mercer making the team was a bad idea to you before he showed us what he can do.

youre far too quick to judge and label things negatively; this isnt black and white, its fluid

For starters, please tell me what Jack Hughes is elite at. Secondly, don’t put words in my mouth. I said that based off of 2 prospects games and intra squad scrimmages, we shouldn’t be penciling Dawson Mercer in our lineup but if he has a solid/great showing during preseason games, he would definitely earn a spot as a 3rd line center so we can move Zacha to the win, where he belongs. As for Tatar I keep reading from a couple of posters that his analytics numbers are one of a 1st line forward when the eye test would confirm otherwise.

Being fair and objective isn’t being negative but to some, it might be perceived that way.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Huh that is a terrible recount of how the conversation went but whatever. So Bahl got called up because he scored his first AHL goal a couple weeks before?
All I said was that Okhotiuk being injured not that long before would likely influence his chances of being the one they called up. You responded by posting a picture of Bahl holding his first AHL goal puck and seem to be suggesting that him scoring his first goal 3 months into the season is why he got called up.

It was more than just the goal IMO.

I posted the pic because I was tired of the moving goal posts.

I don't even dislike Okhotiuk, but some here sure have it in for Bahl. I don't understand why it has to be one over the other succeeding. They're two different types of defencemen. Both of them succeeding is only good for the organisation, if only for a trade piece.

 

[devilsblood]

I think everyone is on the same page as the bolded, in fact you replied to my comment to Jim with my last sentence making the same point:

Now if Jack has another non-productive year with the talent around him much improved, THEN you got a leg to stand on, right now you don't.

No one is saying he doesn't have to prove himself, that's just silly.

I don't have a leg to stand on in terms of what? He hasn't produced much thus far despite playing a lot of minutes. Offensively favorable minutes.

I'm not in the "disgrace" camp, and I think his play, especially last year was good, despite the lack of production, but he didn't produce last year, and he needs to if we hope to be compete at high levels.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

It was more than just the goal IMO.

I posted the pic because I was tired of the moving goal posts.

I don't even dislike Okhotiuk, but some here sure have it in for Bahl. I don't understand why it has to be one over the other succeeding. They're two different types of defencemen. Both of them succeeding is only good for the organisation, if only for a trade piece.

I have no problem with Bahl and think he’s a legitimate NHL prospect. I just think he’s overrated by some devils fans and that Okhotiuk is the better prospect and has been outperforming him. Hopefully they both make it and become impactful players.