Devils 2021 training camp thread (news, notes and speculation)

[NJDevs26]

I didn't intend to sidetrack and only commented because the rash of posts regarding our non-vaxxed player. I don't like the judgment associated with the speculation. As far as your comment, vaxxed folks have also had positive tests after. My point was someone who has built immunity through fighting it should not be seen as inferior to vaxxed. But I don't intend to carry this on here, for the reason you mentioned. Thanks for the respectful reply.

I do think assuming a player isn't vaxxed because of where they come from (or who is repping them, lol) is an exercise in foolishness. There are people in Florida and Texas that are vaxxed too, they just happen to be in the minority in those states. And there are plenty of people in NJ that are unvaxxed, they're just in the minority - thankfully - too.

 

[Hisch13r]

Even if you're one of those on the fencers, or you're one of those people who think they don't need it because they have antibodies already, this should be more than enough of a reason to get it. At this point, you're letting your team down by deliberately missing games. Hopefully this player gets it, especially if they are a key player.

But from Athletic , they said 100% of the active roster is vaccinated , so I wonder if it's just a random prospect.

Also the restrictions f***ing suck. You're basically locked in your room on the road outside of games and practices. I'm confused as well because of the Athletic report about

 

[HyperX]

Did Ruff also start smoking legal pot?

he has Zacha and Boqvist as centers... does he realize theres only four forward lines?

In no rational world is Boqvist a better center for the fourth line over McLeod. Jack wont play wing. And Nico is our best center.

im so confused lol

 

[Whaddagoal]

This is generally a 'debate' for the actual COVID thread so I'll keep this short - you may believe it exists, and maybe for a short while that's true but it clearly isn't forever - exhibit A Lamar Jackson and his two positive tests inside a year.

Yeah but one can focus their analysis on the validity of the tests, accuracy, false positives, also. Being "clinically infected" medically is very different vs. having traces of the virus (do both turn up a positive result in these tests? Does it make a difference?). Not a lot of convo around that in media, although and many medical professionals have raised this point throughout the last 18 months, if you look around. /end sidetrack

ANyway back to training camp. I hope NJD doesn't force this further.....

 

[NJDevs26]

Did Ruff also start smoking legal pot?

he has Zacha and Boqvist as centers... does he realize theres only four forward lines?

In no rational world is Boqvist a better center for the fourth line over McLeod. Jack wont play wing. And Nico is our best center.

im so confused lol

I'd say Boqvist doesn't have much of a shot at breaking camp with the team if both he and Zacha remain at C unless they're looking to trade one.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Did Ruff also start smoking legal pot?

he has Zacha and Boqvist as centers... does he realize theres only four forward lines?

In no rational world is Boqvist a better center for the fourth line over McLeod. Jack wont play wing. And Nico is our best center.

im so confused lol

Zacha should be at wing, maybe its a Ruff bluff to get Zacha to pick up his center game (during camp) "just in case" he has to get stapled there for some reason later in season.

 

[Hisch13r]

Did Ruff also start smoking legal pot?

he has Zacha and Boqvist as centers... does he realize theres only four forward lines?

In no rationale world is Boqvist a better center for the fourth line over McLeod. Jack wont play wing. And Nico is our best center.

im so confused lol

I assume they're competing for the spot. If Boqvist loses but still looks good enough to play then maybe he's a winger. That still doesn't make sense to me because Winger Boqvist and center Zacha is worse than center Boqvist and winger Zacha.

 

[OmNomNom]

maybe macblack (assuming him) didn't want to get it bc he had covid already, and getting the vax could give him bad symptoms and potentially derail his training, so he was just waiting to do it in NJ. idk lol

 

[Hisch13r]

maybe macblack (assuming him) didn't want to get it bc he had covid already, and getting the vax could give him bad symptoms and potentially derail his training, so he was just waiting to do it in NJ. idk lol

So he'd wait and potentially have it derail training camp and the season start? This is why they should just outright tells us what happened instead of having us all speculate about who it is and why it happened

 

[NJDevs26]

I wonder how bad it is for the non-Canadian teams

 

[Whaddagoal]

I assume they're competing for the spot. If Boqvist loses but still looks good enough to play then maybe he's a winger. That still doesn't make sense to me because Winger Boqvist and center Zacha is worse than center Boqvist and winger Zacha.

Yup, your points make a lot of sense here. Your last sentence says it all. I think its gotta be some Ruff mind game. lol.

 

[The Devil In I]

Bit outside the box here but what if Ruff is saying Zacha will be a center to push the younger centers more, make them think there's increased competition for the 3/4 C spot. I think that makes more sense than them actually thinking moving him away from Nico-Bratt and back to a position he sucks ass at is a good idea.

 

[Hisch13r]

I wonder how bad it is for the non-Canadian teams

Not nearly as bad for us. Players on Canadian teams would miss more time because of the constant traveling back and forth across the border. For American teams since there's <10 games in Canada they'd just stay home for those and not play

 

[HyperX]

Its probably Marty

'Im not a player, so I dont have to travel as much.. so f*** that shit'

 

[NJDevs26]

Bit outside the box here but what if Ruff is saying Zacha will be a center to push the younger centers more, make them think there's increased competition for the 3/4 C spot. I think that makes more sense than them actually thinking moving him away from Nico-Bratt and back to a position he sucks ass at is a good idea.

That's a generous way of thinking and I hope you're right. My cynical way of thinking is they STILL believe because Zacha's a big boy they need him down the middle since their other centers are smallish, at least compared to Pavel.

 

[Hisch13r]

A Johnsson bounceback due to not having to deal with the effects of Covid anymore would really go a long way in helping out the top 9. It would make sliding guys like Bratt, Tatar, or Sharangovich down to the 3rd line if it's needs some extra help so much easier or he could just be an effective 3rd liner himself

 

[TrufleShufle]

It's so wild to me that Govich being stapled to Jack's wing isn't more widely wanted or accepted as thing that should happen.

 

[Hisch13r]

It's so wild to me that Govich being stapled to Jack's wing isn't more widely wanted or accepted as thing that should happen.

Really? It seems like that's what most people want them together this year

 

[Bad Goalie]

2 Colton White
7 Dougie Hamilton
10 Alexander Holtz
11 Andreas Johnson
12 Tyce Thompson
13 Nico Hischier
14 Mark Jankowski
16 Jimmy Vesey
17 Yegor Sharangovich
18 Dawson Mercer
20 Michael McLeod
24 Ty Smith
25 Nolan Foote
28 Damon Severson
29 Mackenzie Blackwood
32 Reilly Walsh
33 Ryan Graves
34 Tyler Wotherspoon
36 Joseph Gambardella
37 Pavel Zacha
38 Frederik Gauthier
39 Robbie Russo
40 Akira Schmid
41 Scott Wedgewood
42 A.J. Greer
44 Miles Wood
45 Jonathan Bernier
46 Brian Flynn
47 Chase De Leo
48 Nate Schnarr
49 Fabian Zetterlund
50 Nicolas Daws
52 Luke Stevens
53 Tyler Irvine
54 Patrick Grasso
56 Joe Masonius
57 Jordan Kaplan
58 Zach Biggar
59 Janne Kuokkanen
60 Mareks Mitens
61 Chase Stillman
63 Jesper Bratt
67 Marian Studenic
70 Jesper Boqvist
71 Jonas Siegenthaler
75 Jeremy Groleau
76 P.K. Subban
77 Aarne Talvitie
79 Ryan Schmelzer
81 Michael Vukojevic
82 Nikita Okhotiuk
83 Christian Jaros
86 Jack Hughes
88 Kevin Bahl
90 Tomas Tatar
92 Graeme Clarke

As I said in a post a week ago or more ago (and was taken to task for it), those AHL signings that kept getting announced were to guys who wouldn't even be invited to the Devils training camp. You have nicely drawn a line through their name to denote they have been excluded.*

The only AHL invites went out to Mareks Mitens giving the camp 6 keepers, which is a necessity, and Ryan Schmelzer, a returning NJ AHL vet who was re-signed to an AHL contract for this season as well.

At best Masonius, McGraith, Kaplan, Grasso and Laberge are depth players who should be assigned to Adirondack where they can play. There is no way they can crack the lineup with the other players who will be there.

*I was a bit surprised to see Tyler Irvine was excluded. I guess I shouldn't have been considering the number of posts I read that felt he would not be back at all. An undrafted player who puts up a mere 4 points in 25 GP is usually not invited back unless he provides another kind of needed skill like penalty killing, shutdown capabilities, and (on some teams) fisticuffs. Tyler was not a + in any of those columns. Looks like one of the few in-house extras that gives the team the right practice numbers and serves as an emergency fill-in.

 

[SKNJD9]

Now I seriously doubt its Blackie

 

[HyperX]

It's so wild to me that Govich being stapled to Jack's wing isn't more widely wanted or accepted as thing that should happen.

My only issue with it is .. im of the belief you can stick ANY sniper with Jack and theyll do well

it was his rookie year, Id like to see Sharangovich prove himself further; then im okay with stapling him to Jack.

the goal for Jacks prime should be having two snipers around him who are bigger bodied, to fish pucks out of corners

 

[OmNomNom]

it HAS to be a prospect

 

[Nocashstyle]

Now I seriously doubt its Blackie

 

[Better Call Sal]

Now I seriously doubt its Blackie

He literally did a signing on Sunday with hundreds of people and willingly took pictures with them maskless, myself included.

I'd be floored if it was him.

 

[HyperX]

Now I seriously doubt its Blackie

We should work on that nickname.. lmfao