Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part II

TrufleShufle

Registered User
Aug 31, 2012
8,524
14,409
Wild that Dougie is out for a year and the team struggles. He comes back; they're a much better overall team, and now people are calling for him to be traded. Yikes

Dougie makes the team better and provides important Veteran Leadership.
Same could be said for Tatar.
 

Bleedred

#InstagramHockey
Sponsor
May 1, 2011
134,704
65,274
Wild that Dougie is out for a year and the team struggles. He comes back; they're a much better overall team, and now people are calling for him to be traded. Yikes

Dougie makes the team better and provides important Veteran Leadership.
I think mostly people just want him gone after this year for cap reasons.

I definitely think getting rid of Palat should be of much more importance. And worry about clearing out Dougie probably in the 2026 offseason,
 

Zajacs Bowl Cut

Lets Go Baby
Nov 6, 2005
73,422
48,290
PA
Again, my entire argument on Hamilton is not to say he sucks. He does not suck.

The entire point is that he makes a ton of money and has a skillset that could theoretically be replaced, plus we have a couple of young D prospects that are or will be knocking on the door.

I don't see a world where we can pay Luke and Dougie ~$17-18 million combined.
 

devilsblood

Registered User
Mar 10, 2010
30,498
13,002
Just looking at some team stats on NHL edge.

We are currently below the 50th percentile in terms of bursts over 20 mph. Even our top skating speed is "only" 64th percentile. But we are in the 99th percentile in terms of distance skated. Not sure how that is squared.

We are also below 50th percentile in terms of ES offensive zone time, which I imagine is due in part to protecting leads.

Anyways, despite the success, I am a little wary of our lack of speed throughout the lineup. Not saying we need to add speed, but If we were to add players, I would prefer they can skate. We see how much an effect our fast fwds have in late game defensive situation. They can't all be fast little guys, but sprinkling them in has clear disruptive effect on opposing teams. Bringing in another slow guy, such as Kakko, I think may be swinging that pendulum too far the other way.
 

SteveCangialosi123

Registered User
Feb 17, 2012
30,113
55,013
NJ
Just looking at some team stats on NHL edge.

We are currently below the 50th percentile in terms of bursts over 20 mph. Even our top skating speed is "only" 64th percentile. But we are in the 99th percentile in terms of distance skated. Not sure how that is squared.

We are also below 50th percentile in terms of ES offensive zone time, which I imagine is due in part to protecting leads.

Anyways, despite the success, I am a little wary of our lack of speed throughout the lineup. Not saying we need to add speed, but If we were to add players, I would prefer they can skate. We see how much an effect our fast fwds have in late game defensive situation. They can't all be fast little guys, but sprinkling them in has clear disruptive effect on opposing teams. Bringing in another slow guy, such as Kakko, I think may be swinging that pendulum too far the other way.
IMG_2260.jpeg


Will the prophecy finally be fulfilled?
 

TheBeerNerd

Registered User
Nov 13, 2024
441
880
NY side of the Hudson River
Just looking at some team stats on NHL edge.

We are currently below the 50th percentile in terms of bursts over 20 mph. Even our top skating speed is "only" 64th percentile. But we are in the 99th percentile in terms of distance skated. Not sure how that is squared.

We are also below 50th percentile in terms of ES offensive zone time, which I imagine is due in part to protecting leads.

Anyways, despite the success, I am a little wary of our lack of speed throughout the lineup. Not saying we need to add speed, but If we were to add players, I would prefer they can skate. We see how much an effect our fast fwds have in late game defensive situation. They can't all be fast little guys, but sprinkling them in has clear disruptive effect on opposing teams. Bringing in another slow guy, such as Kakko, I think may be swinging that pendulum too far the other way.
The bottom six could definitely use someone who has both speed and an edge to their game.
 

devilsblood

Registered User
Mar 10, 2010
30,498
13,002
How fitting is it that Noesen broke our mini slump on the PP?

The return of Ham's and Jack being healthy are obviously big keys, and I guess we have to give some love to the PP coach, but Noesen playing like an elite net front presence is the biggest factor to our PP success this season imo. Not only does he get a ton of shots, and not only does he bury a lot of goals, I think he has made some very savy passes out of that spot.

Minimum 50 minutes of PP time, Noesen is tied for 4th in the league in terms of SOG rate. 7th in terms of goal rate. 3rd in iSCF rate. 2nd in iHDCF rate.
 

Triumph

Registered User
Oct 2, 2007
14,178
15,333
Just looking at some team stats on NHL edge.

We are currently below the 50th percentile in terms of bursts over 20 mph. Even our top skating speed is "only" 64th percentile. But we are in the 99th percentile in terms of distance skated. Not sure how that is squared.

We are also below 50th percentile in terms of ES offensive zone time, which I imagine is due in part to protecting leads.

Anyways, despite the success, I am a little wary of our lack of speed throughout the lineup. Not saying we need to add speed, but If we were to add players, I would prefer they can skate. We see how much an effect our fast fwds have in late game defensive situation. They can't all be fast little guys, but sprinkling them in has clear disruptive effect on opposing teams. Bringing in another slow guy, such as Kakko, I think may be swinging that pendulum too far the other way.

Bursts over 20 mph are bad on defense because they imply that someone is out of position - if your team is in position, nobody on your team should be skating that fast. Even on offense, they're probably relatively rare - maybe during big rush chances/breakaway chances for.

I'm not sure how the Devils are 99th percentile in distance skated, obviously they talk on the broadcasts a lot about how Jack Hughes is the league leader in distance skated and he shows up everywhere on the ice, but no one else on the team really plays like that.
 
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devilsblood

Registered User
Mar 10, 2010
30,498
13,002
Bursts over 20 mph are bad on defense because they imply that someone is out of position - if your team is in position, nobody on your team should be skating that fast. Even on offense, they're probably relatively rare - maybe during big rush chances/breakaway chances for.

I'm not sure how the Devils are 99th percentile in distance skated, obviously they talk on the broadcasts a lot about how Jack Hughes is the league leader in distance skated and he shows up everywhere on the ice, but no one else on the team really plays like that.
Yet Carolina is 87th percentile. 99th in top skating speed and offensive zone time.

Conversely they are below 50th in distance.

Winnipeg looks to be pretty fast.

Washington pretty slow.

Edit: Need to look deeper here as I see Colorado is not fast in terms of top speed, but are 99th percentile in terms of all the different burst brackets.
 
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devilsblood

Registered User
Mar 10, 2010
30,498
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Aight so a little deeper look at the Devils.

64th percentil in terms of top speed
77th in terms of 22+ bursts
below 50th in terms of 20-22 mph
74th in terms of 18-20.

That last bracket makes me think of Noesen(and I will look this up next to see if this verifies) in that he is not fast, but because of his high energy, he has some quickness. Bastian is similar (though a little different:laugh:).

But an interesting mix of good high end speed, then a gap, and then what I think is slower but good effort guys.

Edit: Nope Noesen is slow even in terms of 18-20 bursts......but I bet if there were a 16-20 bursts.

Also, these are raw numbers, so given Hughes is such a minutes eater, he'll skew stats. Fast guys further down the lineup not so much. Meier and Mercer play a lot of minutes and are high distance guys.
 
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devilsblood

Registered User
Mar 10, 2010
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Mercer is not a top end speed guy, but really high ranks in terms of all the burst categories. He's really playing with pace.

Think he is a guy who Fitz was thinking about when he said this offseason "guys need to hit the weight room" think his game could really improve by getting bigger and stronger.
 

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