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

[MadDevil]

Does any player in the league fall down as much as Jack? He is one of the best skaters in the league but yet falls down probably more than anyone else - because he is weak.

Doesn't mean he would avoid all injury risk, but getting stronger would make a clear difference. He has yet to make meaningful strides here in the last couple of seasons.

He falls down so much because of the way he skates. Bulking up isn't going to make him stop falling down.

 

[RSeen]

He falls down so much because of the way he skates. Bulking up isn't going to make him stop falling down.

Please elaborate.

Would adding more lower body and core strength not help stabilize his skating and ability to stay on his feet?

 

[NjDevsRR]

Please elaborate.

Would adding more lower body and core strength not help stabilize his skating and ability to stay on his feet?

It’s the pivots and cuts that he attempts on a nightly basis that fans take for granted. When in reality, he is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL where the rest cannot even attempt some of the skating he is able to do.

Jack will naturally fall down more then average due to the insane stuff he attempts with his skating every game.

 

[Bcap88]

I think the bigger adjustment would be for Keefe not to put Jack on the pk in a 2-0 game with less than 2 minutes left

 

[NjDevsRR]

I think the bigger adjustment would be for Keefe not to put Jack on the pk in a 2-0 game with less than 2 minutes left

I think this is overblown, especially considering it was a simple trip that caused the injury, and in the offensive zone of all places. It wasn’t like he was blocking a shot. It was a 2 on 1 scoring chance.

Also, it was only a 2-0 deficit which is nothing in this league and they actually played a good game in Vegas. On the PK yes but we have seen many timely shorthanded goals in this league. Why wouldn’t Keefe play his top forwards in that spot when we are starving for goals? I am sure folks would complain if he didn't.

 

[Triumph]

I think the bigger adjustment would be for Keefe not to put Jack on the pk in a 2-0 game with less than 2 minutes left

Why would he not do that? That is absolutely standard behavior for NHL coaches, even if Hughes wasn't already a regular on the PK, he could very well be used in that spot.

Ovechkin killed penalties regularly for one season but he's still got 40 minutes of PK time over the last 15+ years, and it is probably in situations like this, where his team is trailing late.

 

[edevils]

Why would he not do that? That is absolutely standard behavior for NHL coaches, even if Hughes wasn't already a regular on the PK, he could very well be used in that spot.

Ovechkin killed penalties regularly for one season but he's still got 40 minutes of PK time over the last 15+ years, and it is probably in situations like this, where his team is trailing late.

Because he got hurt.

If he plays less, there's less of a chance to get hurt.

It's not an unreasonable idea.

Ovi is one of the most durable players in the history of the game. He's freakish. It's not a good comparison.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Because he got hurt.

If he plays less, there's less of a chance to get hurt.

It's not an unreasonable idea.

Ovi is one of the most durable players in the history of the game. He's freakish. It's not a good comparison.

Playing your best player less in important game situations is certainly an idea. I am sure Keefe would get zero flak from you folks on that one…


What on Earth are we doing here on this forum lol. It’s always damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Folks here screaming about the bottom 6 getting minutes over our stars and now want top players less ice time in important minutes.

 

[edevils]

It’s the pivots and cuts that he attempts on a nightly basis that fans take for granted. When in reality, he is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL where the rest cannot even attempt some of the skating he is able to do.

Jack will naturally fall down more then average due to the insane stuff he attempts with his skating every game.

I want him to do a little less skating and more thinking.

Playing your best player less in important game situations is certainly an idea. I am sure Keefe would get zero flak from you folks on that one…


What on Earth are we doing here on this forum lol. It’s always damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Folks here screaming about the bottom 6 getting minutes over our stars and now want top players less ice time in important minutes.

Two things can be true at once. Yes.

A better bottom 6 means less minutes for the top 6.

This is a good thing because Nico always looks like he wants to jump off a bridge and Jack is injured.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

"don't play our best offensive player when we're losing late in games" is one of the weirder takes I've seen on here lately and that's saying a lot

 

[devilsblood]

Playing your best player less in important game situations is certainly an idea. I am sure Keefe would get zero flak from you folks on that one…


What on Earth are we doing here on this forum lol. It’s always damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Folks here screaming about the bottom 6 getting minutes over our stars and now want top players less ice time in important minutes.

Fans are trying to find ways of solving what is the biggest issue this franchise is currently dealing with. Some of the idea's aren't great, but Jack continuing to do what he has been doing doesn't sound like a great idea either.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Fitz and Keefe are speaking at 11am apparently

 

[devilsblood]

"don't play our best offensive player when we're losing late in games" is one of the weirder takes I've seen on here lately and that's saying a lot

I'm thinking Jack should avoid odd man rushes, and definitely avoid getting out ahead of the defenders on odd man rushes.

 

[devilsblood]

It’s the pivots and cuts that he attempts on a nightly basis that fans take for granted. When in reality, he is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL where the rest cannot even attempt some of the skating he is able to do.

Jack will naturally fall down more then average due to the insane stuff he attempts with his skating every game.

Bratt is a great skater who pivots and cuts as well. Doesn't fall nearly as much as Jack.

My theory is Jack needs to bend deeper into his skating stride. He's too upright. Stronger legs would benefit him if this were true.

Stronger in general just sounds like a good idea.

 

[MadDevil]

Fans are trying to find ways of solving what is the biggest issue this franchise is currently dealing with. Some of the idea's aren't great, but Jack continuing to do what he has been doing doesn't sound like a great idea either.

Personally I think people are overreacting to a shit luck play that could have injured any player. Short of telling Jack to never skate within 5 feet of the boards or ever go to any high traffic areas where he could get hit I'm not sure what they can actually do. Would adding muscle help? I don't know, maybe. But I don't think stronger necessarily means less injury prone.

 

[NJDevs26]

Personally I think people are overreacting to a shit luck play that could have injured any player. Short of telling Jack to never skate within 5 feet of the boards or ever go to any high traffic areas where he could get hit I'm not sure what they can actually do. Would adding muscle help? I don't know, maybe. But I don't think stronger necessarily means less injury prone.

I’m not saying you’re wrong but I remember making similar arguments with Nolan Patrick…sometimes guys are just injury prone

 

[Devils731]

Bratt is a great skater who pivots and cuts as well. Doesn't fall nearly as much as Jack.

My theory is Jack needs to bend deeper into his skating stride. He's too upright. Stronger legs would benefit him if this were true.

Stronger in general just sounds like a good idea.

Bratt and Jack are both great skaters but they use their skating differently.

Bratt wants to bait you into losing to his skating. Bratt saunters up and asks, “I’m going slightly faster than you can keep up, do you want to try?” and then changes what he will do in reaction to the opponent.

Jack wants to beat you by overwhelming you. Jack skates up screaming, “You can’t keep up!” and dares you to try.

They both should learn from the other when to pick and choose between deception and outclassing. Bratt can sometimes just beat a guy but chooses to slow down to deceive when he doesn’t have to and Jack sometimes tries to overwhelm a guy with too good and angle and too good a skater for that situation.

How that relates to slipping, Jack is going at it near 100% of maximum much more often than Bratt and when you’re near your max, that’s when you’re most likely to spin out.

 

[MadDevil]

I’m not saying you’re wrong but I remember making similar arguments with Nolan Patrick…sometimes guys are just injury prone

It's possible, although with Patrick it was head injuries that ended up shortening his career, so at least Jack's injuries haven't been quite so severe.

 

[Bleedred]

I remember being irate that Jack had to be out there with a minute or two left when we were down 2-0, because we can’t f***ing score goals.

I don’t blame anyone for putting him out there, but that would have been a nice game to get blown out in, rather than the 2-0 loss, which was a 2024-2025 Devils special.

 

[devsfan8]

I’m not saying you’re wrong but I remember making similar arguments with Nolan Patrick…sometimes guys are just injury prone

lol. Jack Hughes is as injury prone as Dawson Mercer when comparing him to Nolan Patrick. We had a sample size of what Jack means to us and can do in a full season, if he can stay healthy for another.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I know this probably won't be a popular take, but "injury prone" to me, indicates someone that misses tons of time with nagging groin or muscle injuries or stuff like that. Jack has had serious injuries where he has crashed basically head first into the boards. Now, does he need to learn to put himself in better position to avoid that type of stuff? Yeah, I think that is absolutely fair. But it isnt like he is missing weeks at a time with pulled muscles or stuff like that.

I guess its just semantics, but yeah.

 

[thebeernerd]

You know how it's hard to unlearn things that you learn as a kid the more time passes? Now apply that to being taught by a world-class hockey skater whose technique got you to the highest level of professional hockey in the world. Also, that skater happens to be your mom.

Like it or not, Jack ain't changing his technique. It is what it is at this point.

 

[devsfan8]

I am really curious how Fitzy and Keefe will respond to questions/a question about any possibility of Quinn being acquired this summer. You have to assume it will be asked.

I guess the easy answer is he could say it's not something we have discussed internally or given much thought to.

 

[devilsblood]

I am really curious how Fitzy and Keefe will respond to questions/a question about any possibility of Quinn being acquired this summer. You have to assume it will be asked.

I guess the easy answer is he could say it's not something we have discussed internally or given much thought to.

They won't touch that question. I guess the media needs to ask, but there is zero chance they answer it.

 

[Devils731]

I am really curious how Fitzy and Keefe will respond to questions/a question about any possibility of Quinn being acquired this summer. You have to assume it will be asked.

I guess the easy answer is he could say it's not something we have discussed internally or given much thought to.

Ya, they can’t really say anything.

I think the most aggressive you can get is “Quinn is obviously a great player who any team would love to have but he’s a member of the Canucks, he loves it there, and our focus is on the Devils.”