Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2022-23 season thread part I

[Better Call Sal]

Nico on IR was probably roster shenanigans so they can wait on waiving / demoting someone.

Lou looks on proudly.

 

[HBK27]

Nico on IR was probably roster shenanigans so they can wait on waiving / demoting someone.

I think having Nico on IR probably helped to maximize cap space and that may have been the primary reason versus buying time to move somebody. The obvious move should be to just send Johnsson to Utica once Nico is healthy - hopefully that's what happens.

 

[Devils731]

You can see the extreme pain on Nico’s face just doing a basic skating move. I expect he is shut down for the rest of the season and hopefully can be back for next training camp.

 

[TonySoprano]

There is a snitch among us...

 

[Better Call Sal]

Spittin Chiclets season preview for the Devils is brutal. Whitney says they have zero chance of sniffing a playoff spot and Biz calling Prudential Center the most boring building in the NHL. Amazing how guys who are so out of it have such a huge platform.

You know players around the league (including our own guys) listen to it too, which doesn’t help the perception.

I like Spittin' Chiclets for what it is, they get good interviews with ex-players who tell great stories. They've had Patty, Dano and of course Gomer on the pod and Gomer is one of the best interviews they've ever had. When they don't try to be too serious, they're more enjoyable.

That said, I could never listen to their entire podcast because they truly don't have much of a pulse on the league as a whole. One of their producers I want to say is a Devils fan too, so I think that encourages them to shit on us even further just to bug him.

Whit and Biz are funny guys, but they're clowns. When they try to be serious, it's a tough look. Biz is a Yotes lackey for god's sake, like he has the audacity to pick on anyone's team or arena.

 

[Nubmer6]

@Bleedred

I’ve been through some crap the past 2 weeks, but your random overly aggressive Internet hate on bratt just helped make my day

So I ask you… what is the chance that brattpackguy is really DD getting revenge on you for quoting him all these years?


I learned in my 30s to not sneeze with my head turned to the side in the slightest bit

Glad to see you're back (at least a bit). Hope you're recovering well.

As for sneezing, I blew my back out more than once from a sneeze

 

[Hisch13r]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

 

[Devils731]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

Hughes and Bratt should both be the focal point of their own PP unit.

First unit has Hughes doing wizardry and maybe some one timers from Hamilton.

Second unit has wizardry from Bratt and maybe some one timers from Holtz.

At least, that’s how I’d view these unit.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

TTITBPITNHL

 

[Better Call Sal]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

From a stance of attempting to spread the wealth, I don't mind it but I agree with your point.

My hope is that PP1 runs through Jack and PP2 runs through Bratt. Anything should be an overall improvement over last year's lol. We need to be able to run 2 solid units. When we had some remote success last year, it was PP1 or bust. PP2 couldn't even get in the zone.

 

[DevRickus]

Hello friends. I cant remember the last time I logged in here but @njdevil26 keeps telling me you guys are a bunch of assholes so I figured I would fit right in, seeing as how much of an asshole I am myself. Only part of that statement is true, you guys can decide for yourself which part.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

Hughes and Bratt should both be the focal point of their own PP unit.

First unit has Hughes doing wizardry and maybe some one timers from Hamilton.

Second unit has wizardry from Bratt and maybe some one timers from Holtz.

At least, that’s how I’d view these unit.

There’s some positives here.

First, this all but confirms Nico will be back for Thursday.

Second, Holtz on unit two

And third, I personally have been wanting to see Nico on one of the flanks for some time because I think he could do well there. Hope that’s what they’re trying.


On the other hand, Tatar probably doesn’t deserve to be on pp1 and there’s a couple players such as Sharangovich who deserve it more to be on a pp and could be used. But we’ll see how it goes. If they struggle I’m sure the personnel will change.

 

[njdevil26]

How is Sharangovich not even on the PP?

 

[Hisch13r]

Hughes and Bratt should both be the focal point of their own PP unit.

First unit has Hughes doing wizardry and maybe some one timers from Hamilton.

Second unit has wizardry from Bratt and maybe some one timers from Holtz.

At least, that’s how I’d view these unit.

From a stance of attempting to spread the wealth, I don't mind it but I agree with your point.

My hope is that PP1 runs through Jack and PP2 runs through Bratt. Anything should be an overall improvement over last year's lol. We need to be able to run 2 solid units. When we had some remote success last year, it was PP1 or bust. PP2 couldn't even get in the zone.

I have no interest in spreading out talent on PP units. Stack PP1 and run them a f*** ton of time.

 

[DevRickus]

How is Sharangovich not even on the PP?

I blame Mark Recchi regardless

 

[JimEIV]

so he’s a possibility for the opener?

It's an upper body cropped photo so you don't see the walker and leg braces

 

[Nubmer6]

so he’s a possibility for the opener?

I guess the bionic leg transplant went faster this year than when they replaced his other leg last year.

 

[HBK27]

Oh, crap - what the hell is Johnsson doing on the PK unit? He should be packing for Utica.

Guessing maybe it's just for practice against the PP and the guys on PP & PK will fill those spots in the games.

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah, ask all of our opponents. They probably had a blast watching us play.

We were extremely entertaining for the opposition, as goalies like Gillies, Hammond, Daws and Blackwood were GREAT for the other teams scoring.

 

[Hisch13r]

Ideally Mercer and Jack can start to win faceoffs. I'd take Nico off PP1 for Mercer at that point and run him in the Point/Oshie role as a one time option from Bratt/Jack from below the goal line/right circle. Holtz at the left circle

 

[Saugus]

f***ing lol at leaving Bratt off of PP1

Especially in favor of Tatar. And Shara should be on the second unit.

 

[Nubmer6]

I missed this mess.

Love this board and people are great here.

We suck.

 

[hidek91]

I’ll argue the opposite for B.

It’s better his contract doesn’t slide but that he does not accrue a season.

Why? It removes one year of a cheap ELC and one year of the very important RFA status.

 

[Devils731]

How is Sharangovich not even on the PP?

If you envision each PP as having one focused shooter, which I think would be Shara’s role, then you have Hamilton and Holtz in those roles on each unit.

So I think Shara has Hamilton ahead of him (also Shara won’t be the umbrella too) and Holtz being given a shot.

I don’t see Shara as much of a distributor or net front guy. His best shot is to get into one of the unit in the slot spot.

 

[TonySoprano]

Sharangovich not being on any PP unit is almost as troubling as when they got Johnny Sacks in his own house