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

[MadDevil]

Its frustrating that Mercer cant cement himself as a top 6 winger. We would be looking better if that happened so a Palat or Noesen can shuffle down the lineup

I'm starting to think he's just going to be more of a ~40 point third liner long term. Which is still useful, but kind of disappointing given what we saw from him in 2022-23. I hope I'm wrong though and he gets back to that level.

 

[Billdo]

Hopefully when Haula comes back he's the straw that we need. Not the paper straw he's been.

 

[MadDevil]

Hopefully when Haula comes back he's the straw that we need. Not the paper straw he's been.

The thing is, he'll be 34 in like 2 months. Sometimes guys just lose it around that age. Hope I'm wrong.

Also, sorry if I'm overly pessimistic today. It's just that kind of day, for reasons better not discussed here lol

 

[Bleedred]

Tom McVie was only in his mid-50’s when he coached the Devils? He looked a lot older.

He was only late 40s the first time. I figured he couldn’t have been older than that or it would made him close to 100 by now. Much like Lemaire I don’t think he aged much later in his life after looking old pretty early. I remember he was interviewed on the broadcast about 10 years ago and didn’t look much older than than he did 25 years before that.

Lemaire was the same way. I remember thinking when Lemaire was first hired that he was my grandparents age, despite being about 12-13 years younger than them. I remember not believing Lemaire was actually 12 years younger than Scotty Bowman and being shocked that Scotty Bowman was once his head coach on cup teams for many years.

McVie was the first Devils head coach to serve two tenures as Devils head coach. Larry Robinson would later be head coach two different times and technically three for Lemaire, even though it felt like Lemaire was in jail in between his second and third tenure and John MacLean was our punishment for his crime.

Funny thing is that Lou didn’t even hire McVie his first time and had nothing to do with the organization or the NHL at all in McVie’s first tenure.

 

[My3Sons]

Tom McVie passed away today. Good coach, got them into the playoffs. Had some of the funniest interviews I've ever seen. Histerical. Tough coach. RIP

https://youtu.be/4QPqNdqDb-s

I see Fischler was quoted in the piece in thr Devils app. He talked about how McVie was a young g up and comer when Fischler first started covering the game in the preWW1 era.