Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - playoff edition

[JimEIV]

Actually. Neither does it explain the Barkov or Bennet noms either. Nico outscored all three of these players, and in less games too.

Edit: Nvm on Barkov. He had more points in and around the same amount of games.

Barkov is the only one that makes sense here

I'd imagine Nico most definitely finished in the top 5?

I considered that something.

 

[glenwo2]

Pretty accurate.

Thanks.

I should've also put a picture of a troll accompany'ing that to make it more accurate.

 

[theoptimist]

It's a combination of cap and relatively small market to me. They would have to move Palat and/or Hamilton to make a big change and with NJ not a premier destination I just don't see Fitz playing hardball with anyone. You want guys to know if they sign they can count on the team. Not ideal but I just think that's how it ends up. We will see. If a team on either guy's trade list in willing to take them with no retention, great. But I'm skeptical it's that easy.

We are because of Jack Hughes. There are other considerations (coach, management philosophy, travel, etc.) but the roster is good and should entice any UFA.

With a better GM this offseason, we will be good enough to win the cup in two years because our core is elite.

 

[JimEIV]

Thanks.

I should've also put a picture of a troll accompany'ing that to make it more accurate.

No troll...just cause you don't like my opinion doesn't mean I'm trolling.

12 5v5 goals sucks a fat eggplant.

 

[glenwo2]

No troll...just cause you don't like my opinion doesn't mean I'm trolling.

12 5v5 goals sucks a fat eggplant.

You don't like eggplant?

lol

 

[NjDevsRR]

My dumbass read that as Bennett and not Reinhart

Carry on lol

 

[NjDevsRR]

You don't like eggplant?

lol

 

[My3Sons]

We are because of Jack Hughes. There are other considerations (coach, management philosophy, travel, etc.) but the roster is good and should entice any UFA.

With a better GM this offseason, we will be good enough to win the cup in two years because our core is elite.

I’m not sure it’s that simple. There are plenty of good teams to choose from and plenty of great players. I stil think geography favors certain teams to a much greater extent. We will see. I hope you are correct.

 

[edevils]

Who in the Metro is keeping them out next year?

That's a terrible way to look at it.

Even if we get in, we're setup to fail again rolling the same shit.

 

[CalamityX23]

Gotta improve, get back to the young, FAST/SPEEDY team with talent we use to be....

While Mercer should be here, he's not someone I'm holding back to get an equilavant on the more offensive end....

His performance in the series but really in gm 5 disappointed me and angered me so much. His DUMBASS gave the canes 4 mins of handicap hockey to seal the deal... cuz he was reckless.... can't stand for mistakes like that.

 

[JimEIV]

Gotta improve, get back to the young, FAST/SPEEDY team with talent we use to be....

While Mercer should be here, he's not someone I'm holding back to get an equilavant on the more offensive end....

His performance in the series but really in gm 5 disappointed me and angered me so much. His DUMBASS gave the canes 4 mins of handicap hockey to seal the deal... cuz he was reckless.... can't stand for mistakes like that.

The young years are behind us.

Nico is going to be 27 during next season.

Bratt turns 27 in a few months. Timo turns 29 in early October.


This is it...no significant push for championship in the next couple of years ... it's never going to happen.

 

[glenwo2]

The young years are behind us.

Nico is going to be 27 during next season.

Bratt turns 27 in a few months. Timo turns 29 in early October.


This is it...no significant push for championship in the next couple of years ... it's never going to happen.

So what do we do as fans?

Just follow another team that actually wins a championship and live vicariously through them?

 

[JimEIV]

So what do we do as fans?

Just follow another team that actually wins a championship and live vicariously through them?

You say weird things sometimes.

 

[glenwo2]

You say weird things sometimes.

What do you mean "sometimes"?

 

[Zippy316]

I’ve seen you mention Mantha a couple of times, but he hasn’t played since the first week of November. I had to look it up because I haven’t heard his name since early in the year. I actually forgot what team he played for. I was thinking Utah, but it was Calgary. He only played 13 games before getting injured for the rest of the year and never returning.

Not sure if he’s close to recovered, but he had ACL surgery and never played again this year.

I’d have to think he’s gonna be pretty slow, and he was already really slow before that.

It’s moreso my thoughts are the Devils are going to be cap strapped.

We need scoring talent but probably can’t afford to acquire any legit options.

The MO should be to go after a few guys who have shown offensive talent (similar to Sprong) that we can see if Hughes, Bratt, Hischier, and Meier can carry to a 40-50 point season.

 

[Zippy316]

I would run with Mercer as the 3C.

Let him get comfortable there. They really have been moving him around a lot the last couple/few years...sure it's been out of necessity but it would be nice to see him play a season at one position with relatively stable linemates

Cotter Mercer Noesen seems like a fine third line to me

Palat Haula Bastian or someone

Seems like a good bottom 6 to me.

Cotter doesn’t have the vision offensively to play above the fourth line, in my opinion. Sure he can skate the puck up the ice by himself but it just goes straight into the corner regardless of if there’s a wide open teammate.

Mercer also just hasn’t show the ability to drive play unless he’s with one of the top four. I think that’s always going to hold him back at center unless he’s with Bratt or Meier.

 

[Billdo]

Cotter doesn’t have the vision offensively to play above the fourth line, in my opinion. Sure he can skate the puck up the ice by himself but it just goes straight into the corner regardless of if there’s a wide open teammate.

Mercer also just hasn’t show the ability to drive play unless he’s with one of the top four. I think that’s always going to hold him back at center unless he’s with Bratt or Meier.

Maybe if it's broken into pairs then we go Hughes-Bratt, Hischier-Gristyuk, Mercer-Meier. Meier is better as THE guy on a line anyway so Mercer wouldn't have to drive the line and he can just get the greasy goals off Meiers driving.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

No troll...just cause you don't like my opinion doesn't mean I'm trolling.

12 5v5 goals sucks a fat eggplant.

Jim asking you once again to tell me how many your boy Brady Tkachuk had

 

[JimEIV]

Cotter doesn’t have the vision offensively to play above the fourth line, in my opinion. Sure he can skate the puck up the ice by himself but it just goes straight into the corner regardless of if there’s a wide open teammate.

Mercer also just hasn’t show the ability to drive play unless he’s with one of the top four. I think that’s always going to hold him back at center unless he’s with Bratt or Meier.

I don't think we know what Mercer is or isn't. Honestly he's moved around too much to have any idea what he truly is....just my opinion here but...

Consider this

In 4 seasons he's played roughly 4436 5v5 minutes.... he's played 250 or more minutes with 12 different forwards from the 4th line to 1st line, from a grinding role to a primary scoring role...
he has been used everywhere in every way....

I'm not saying anything positive or negative about his deployment necessarily but it has to have some effect.. my thought is what can we really say about this player if his linemates and role is changing every 20 or so games for the last 3 years?

I don't know maybe I'm off on this but I don't think this is a proper way to handle a young player and I personally think it's a sure fire way to slow any growth.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

"we don't know what Mercer is or isn't" at almost 24 years old and nearly 350 total games played, yet we knew that Jack Hughes was a disgrace when he was still not legally allowed to drink a beer.

Got to love the hyperbole.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[thebeernerd]

I just realized something: Paul Cotter is our new Miles Wood. Make of that what you will.

 

[thebeernerd]

Well that's a major strike for the "Bratt sucked this playoffs" crowd.

 

[Derps]

I don't think we know what Mercer is or isn't. Honestly he's moved around too much to have any idea what he truly is....just my opinion here but...

Consider this

In 4 seasons he's played roughly 4436 5v5 minutes.... he's played 250 or more minutes with 12 different forwards from the 4th line to 1st line, from a grinding role to a primary scoring role...
he has been used everywhere in every way....

I'm not saying anything positive or negative about his deployment necessarily but it has to have some effect.. my thought is what can we really say about this player if his linemates and role is changing every 20 or so games for the last 3 years?

I don't know maybe I'm off on this but I don't think this is a proper way to handle a young player and I personally think it's a sure fire way to slow any growth.

I think a perfectly plausible explanation is that he gets bounced around with all of these different types of lines and linemates because he cant establish any offensive consistency. If he scored more and did less dumb shit, he wouldn't be bounced around. It's the not the reverse.

 

[JimEIV]

I think a perfectly plausible explanation is that he gets bounced around with all of these different types of lines and linemates because he cant establish any offensive consistency. If he scored more and did less dumb shit, he wouldn't be bounced around. It's the not the reverse.

Since he's been in the league only 3 guys on this team have produced more points than he has for this team...

Bratt, Hughes, and Nico in that order.

During the same time he's 5th on the team in playoff scoring and 3rd on the team in playoff goals

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