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

[Darkauron]

lol at freaking out at the lines of the first practice of training camp. If you've ever read about other previous training camps...the lines change non-stop at the start

 

[RememberTheName]

Mango sounds motivated to show last year was a fluke. Here's hoping!

I hate that Mango is practicing in this group. That being said, just from watching him last year, he was far better than his stat line showed. He was ridiculously unlucky in pretty much everything that occurred on the ice and honestly made some pretty unreal gaffes that no doubt cost us at times. But, every time I watched him, I always thought to myself that I couldn't believe how unlucky this dude was (especially after the first 10 or so games of the season he played in, as those games were just flat out bad for him IIRC). He is a hard working guy, he showed solid promise defensively and was willing to play physical and in the dirty areas, he flashed some skill and a decent enough shot, but got rewarded on the score sheet for pretty much nothing he did. I am not saying he is going to go and light the world on fire, and 100% not saying that Johnsson deserves to be anywhere near a line with Hischier given how little production we saw from him last year. But what I will say is that I think he is a useful player if he can find his groove again, especially in a 3rd line winger role. I think he can be 15-20-35 3rd line winger next season, especially if he is motivated to bounce back.

 

[Eggtimer]

First day on the ice . Mercer will work his way up into one of the top three “ groups “ . ( I’m saying it over snd over until I will it into existence like Hamilton signing )
I’m glad they are working the younger kids on the lower groupings instead of tossing them on the high up groups. Hopefully one or two of them earn their way up the depth chart .
Any word on what the D pairings are so far today ?

 

[Bad Goalie]

+1

the issue is that our team is very young and we haven't had a stable system. combine those two, and how are you to expect his wingers to know how to get open?

as they mature and get stronger/more experienced, it'll (hopefully) come. call it an excuse if you'd like, i'd call it a valid reason

I know that many don't want to hear this, but this is an indication that having so many of these "very young" kids in the lineup "not knowing how to get open" and still needing to "mature", "get stronger", and more "experienced" says these kids were actually rushed due to the lack of anybody on the Devils roster to hold those positions while these "very young" guys developed all of those things you are saying they still need in the AHL which is the league created for them to do those exact things.

I think that may be why the management team has publicly let it be known they understand that and are going to start doing it the "right way" with the new prospects. Marty even explained it as "rushing guys in the past". This doesn't mean if a guy can show he has all of those things you listed in place, or at least most of them, that he doesn't force his way onto the roster. However, I think they are going to weigh those issues very heavily before making that move.

Therefore, I have a feeling, which might be wrong, that you are going to see the newbies started on the farm and if any of them set that league on its ear, they'll be brought up. I read posts saying let Mercer, Holtz, and Foote dominate the AHL. I have seen the same type of posts on other franchise pages. I don't know how much AHL you/they have actually watched for any length of time, but watching a rookie DOMINATE the AHL is a very rare event. Many show very well and a few show they are good enough to not be there and get elevated after a short stay and never return. I think that's what Fitz will be looking for.

We'll find out in a couple of weeks. Exciting isn't it?

 

[Nubmer6]

Maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't make a huge deal about the lines in the first 30 minutes of training camp...?

Just a recommendation....

But... but... but...

HFBoards

 

[MartyOwns]

You gotta respect the willingness to ask for help though. That's what I want in our future star playmaker.

a first overall pick should be able to make his own broccoli. you shouldn't need to surround him with other people that can make broccoli.

 

[Blender]

With a Johnsson bounceback that A group could be really good. B would get killed. C's great

"Here are some lines for people to overreact to."

Proceeds to overreact - "You call this progress? This is a disgrace."

 

[Billdo]

You gotta respect the willingness to ask for help though. That's what I want in our future star playmaker.

If he's a future stars other guys should be asking him how to cook broccoli

 

[TrufleShufle]

If he's a future stars other guys should be asking him how to cook broccoli

Maybe he is a master at steak, just needs some help with the sides. You know the saying, it takes a village to tango.

 

[My3Sons]

If we keep discussing vegetables they will close the thread.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Johnsson is going to have a good year. It’s going to make his haters very upset.

 

[Triumph]

Zacha was not the Devils' leading scorer at 5 on 5 or really all that close to being that.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Put me in the camp that thinks Johnsson will have a very good bounce back year. I foresee a 15-20 goal, 20-25 assist pace from him this season.

 

[OmNomNom]

we have the practice lines

would the nonvaxxer not be practicing?

 

[OmNomNom]

I know that many don't want to hear this, but this is an indication that having so many of these "very young" kids in the lineup "not knowing how to get open" and still needing to "mature", "get stronger", and more "experienced" says these kids were actually rushed due to the lack of anybody on the Devils roster to hold those positions while these "very young" guys developed all of those things you are saying they still need in the AHL which is the league created for them to do those exact things.

I think that may be why the management team has publicly let it be known they understand that and are going to start doing it the "right way" with the new prospects. Marty even explained it as "rushing guys in the past". This doesn't mean if a guy can show he has all of those things you listed in place, or at least most of them, that he doesn't force his way onto the roster. However, I think they are going to weigh those issues very heavily before making that move.

Therefore, I have a feeling, which might be wrong, that you are going to see the newbies started on the farm and if any of them set that league on its ear, they'll be brought up. I read posts saying let Mercer, Holtz, and Foote dominate the AHL. Ieen the same type of posts on other franchise pages. I don't know how much AHL you/they have actually watched for any length of time, but watching a rookie DOMINATE the AHL is a very rare event. Many show very well and a few show they are good enough to not be there and get elevated after short stay and never return. I think that's what Fitz will be looking for.

We'll find out in a couple of weeks. Exciting isn't it?

very good points - so it should be a safe bet that unless mercer or someone outplays a PTO, we should see jankowski as 3C, and the rest of the kids give utica a shot

 

[Stephen Gionta]

we have the practice lines

would the nonvaxxer not be practicing?

I see no reason for him not to practice.

 

[Eggtimer]

Can I see some advanced stats on players who can cook and their point totals vs those that cannot cook and their point totals ?
Also , Lou would not have players on his team that cannot cook .
Any other sensitive topics I can bring up …

 

[Stephen Gionta]

very good points - so it should be a safe bet that unless mercer or someone outplays a PTO, we should see jankowski as 3C, and the rest of the kids give utica a shot

I think more likely we would see McLeod as the 3C and Jankowski as the 4C.

I hope Jankowski gets signed I think he can be a useful player.

 

[MartyOwns]

Can I see some advanced stats on players who can cook and their point totals vs those that cannot cook and their point totals ?
Also , Lou would not have players on his team that cannot cook .
Any other sensitive topics I can bring up …

if i'm not mistaken, miles wood led the team last year in average time on rice.

 

[Nubmer6]

I think more likely we would see McLeod as the 3C and Jankowski as the 4C.

I hope Jankowski gets signed I think he can be a useful player.

I could see him as either, purely because McLeod seems to work well with Wood.

I'm also hoping one of the kids shows enough that he takes the 3C/4C and Jankowski swaps in and out of the lineup with him so we don't have a rookie sitting in the press box all season.

 

[Eggtimer]

Jankowski looked good his rookie year in Calgary. Showed glimpses why he was a high draft pick . Not sure what happened to him if it was injuries or a confidence thing or ?

 

[Mgd31]

Hamilton and Graves? Where they at?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

 

[Unknown Caller]

Wotherspoon on the ice. So much for the sleuth speculating that he was the one who wasn’t vaccinated because of who he was following on Twitter.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

So Blackwood it is? Hmmmm