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

[BostonDevil]

Haula is important to this *winning team*. Hes a guy that is playing very well defensively that helps Jack keep full throttle on his offensive game. He also has chemistry with Hughes.

Hes also fast enough to keep up with his linemates, wins tons of faceoffs, plays all facets well. Doesnt quit.

Why do we need to turn him into our new Zacha horse? Ok he his offensively snake bitten goal wise, but he is still picking up points.

Haula is forward Smith. All sorts of things are great except the things that aren’t. Lots of intangibles and locker room stuff with some on-ice things. Just depends on which side of the fence you’re on.

Haula wasting Jack’s setups is lIke Smith’s penalties.

Ideally, I would replace them with McDavid and Makar, but as long as they are winning I’m just gonna half-heartedly bitch about them because there’s always something. Even if they don’t deserve it or the team went 82-0.

 

[glenwo2]

Can’t get a concussion if there’s nothing to concuss…

daaamn...that's cold, yo. lol.

 

[glenwo2]

Panthers are a mess right now. Let's entertain ourselves with the thought that they'd be willing to ship Barkov out. Barkov hasnt exactly been great lately but has proven to be one of the best players in the league and should be in his prime.

Now, what would you be willing to trade for Barkov?

Id ship Haula and Bratt for the guy. Haula to take his spot as a C and Bratt as the value in the package.

With Barkov in the middle, he and Jack would do some nasty stuff. Barkov being defensively solid to babysit Jack with a matching hockey IQ and scoring capabilities.

Barkov is THAT good a player that the Devils would give Bratt up for him?

I mean...if things go south with Bratt regarding contract negotiations (which I don't foresee happening), I guess I can understand the thought process here but like others pointed out, it seems to be just wishful thinking at this point.

Besides, Fitz may value others more than Barkov anyway and like others said, it's doubtful the Panthers would be all that interested.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Haula covers for Jack so Jack can do what he does, Haula takes the faceoffs, etc. He's serving a purpose even if he's not scoring which is fairly obvious.

It’s literally just the faceoff excuse. The “etc.” is nothing else. I’d rather lose more faceoffs and give Jack a better player than stick Haula with him just to win an incrementally higher percentage of faceoffs. It’s beyond idiotic.

 

[glenwo2]

I am so done with Haula. He is a terrible hockey player and needs to be benched. He is another McLeod. Good at face-offs and nothing else.

I would take this more seriously if you had a different username.

Haula DID replace your guy, you know.

Definitely no "sour grapes" here. lol

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

youre forgetting that we're down a top 6 forward in Palat which pushes a few guys up

 

[Guttersniped]

We've gone without any major on-ice success (Hall's MVP season the only exception) for over a decade at this point. I'm enjoying this season thoroughly, but I understand the constant fear that the bottom will fall out in a spectacular way somehow.

The logical part of my brain sees this season as found money, and is loving every single second of it. This part of my brain understands the impact of new coaches, new players, and the progression of youth. It sees what's happening on the ice and says, "Of course, this was bound to happen eventually."

The poisoned sport fan part of my brain still has anxiety about 6 or 7 goaltenders failing a week and all the random chaos that embodied this team for the past few years. It's going to take a few good seasons for that part to go away, just like it took a few years for it to stop expecting the playoffs each year after the run of success we had.

We'll all come along eventually, but it'll require sustained success.

The thing is some people seem to think that having a good team means it’s a no worry, “walk through the park” to the playoffs.

Shit will go wrong and it would be more relaxing if people weren’t seeing every hiccup as a damning sign of a greater doom just around the corner.

If the bottom actually falls out then I’ll worry about then but I don’t see the need to create hypothetical scenarios to miserable about now.

Like Vanacek giving up 4 quick ones. That was going to happen and he’ll get lit up again at some point. It doesn’t make it “like last season”. Better goalies than him have rough games.

That’s a rough patch from Vasilevskiy’s Vezina winning season. You can see he had five 5-6 GA in a 10 game span. Now Tampa only lose 3 of those games, and grab a loser point in one of those, but that was the benefit of having the top offense in the NHL.

 

[Guttersniped]

I am so done with Haula. He is a terrible hockey player and needs to be benched. He is another McLeod. Good at face-offs and nothing else.

Not shooting well is not being terrible, not that I’m a huge fan of him with Hughes. Ruff has tried other lines combinations and still ended up back with that.

No forward gets regular playing time and then shoot the puck as infrequently or creates as few scoring chances as McLeod.

Haula shoots way more, it’s mind-boggling and frustrating that he doesn’t have at least 1 5v5 goal by now but there’s some bad puck luck at work there.

McLeod 2022-23

McLeod 2021-22

McLeod 2020-21

Haula 2022-23

Haula 2021-22

Haula 2020-21

Haula 2019-20

 

[bossram]

FWIW the Haula - Hughes - Bratt combo has an xG of 72%. The Haula - Hughes - Mercer combo is 57%.

Shara - Hughes - Mercer was 54.5%.

I don't think Haula is dragging Hughes down at all. Obviously, there won't be as much offensive touch when Bratt gets moved off that line.

 

[glenwo2]

Not shooting well is not being terrible, not that I’m a huge fan of him with Hughes. Ruff has tried other lines combinations and still ended up back with that.

No forward gets regular playing time and then shoot the puck as infrequently or creates as few scoring chances as McLeod.

Haula shoots way more, it’s mind-boggling and frustrating that he doesn’t have at least 1 5v5 goal by now to but there’s some bad puck luck at work there.

McLeod 2022-23
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McLeod 2021-22
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McLeod 2020-21
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Haula 2022-23
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Haula 2021-22
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Haula 2020-21
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Haula 2019-20
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May I say that while I enjoy the Graphs and data you provide, it gets kind of tedious just scrolling down the page to the next post when it takes almost a minute to do so because of said graphs.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Did you know that Haula has as many ES points as Jonathan Huberdeau and only has 1 less that Alex Barkov?

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Did you know that Haula has as many ES points as Jonathan Huberdeau and only has 1 less that Alex Barkov?

 

[Triumph]

They has a long road trip , something like 13 games last year to kick the season off. They started bad and had a much better 2nd half of the season. They look to be a possible playoff team this year but someone posted with in the last day or two how awful their advanced statistics are. We must of had a really bad game on Thursday because the 2 games I watched the Islanders play at their arena the past week they scored a whopping 1 goal. Trotz should of had a longer leash. If he was still behind the bench I'm sure they would be having a somewhat good season like they have had up until now.

They were awful in the 2nd half of the year and were bailed out by Sorokin. The team was clearly quitting on Trotz. Their 'advanced stats' were worse last year. And yes the Devils had a bad game on Friday, but the Islanders are scoring enough and getting enough saves to be a playoff team this year.

 

[theoptimist]

We play NYR tonight and no GDT? The f***...

 

[OmNomNom]

oh we're talkin haula vs mcleod i see lol

 

[njdevil26]

Man I really just have a bad feeling about tonight's game.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Man I really just have a bad feeling about tonight's game.

I know we’re all “once bitten twice shy” (shout out Wham!) the past decade, but I think this team will respond appropriately tonight.

 

[njdevils1982]

I know we’re all “once bitten twice shy” (shout out Wham!) the past decade, but I think this team will respond appropriately tonight.

wham? ....dont you mean great white (who covered the ian thomas original)

 

[FooteBahl]

Man I really just have a bad feeling about tonight's game.

We tie the record for road winning streak tonight!

 

[Clam Jensen]

wham? ....dont you mean great white (who covered the ian thomas original)

You’re going to have to educate me, because I just did some googling and there’s nothing connecting that song to great white or Ian Thomas

 

[njdevils1982]

You’re going to have to educate me, because I just did some googling and there’s nothing connecting that song to great white or Ian Thomas

haha my bad...ian hunter....mixed them up

 

[GameSeven]

You’re going to have to educate me, because I just did some googling and there’s nothing connecting that song to great white or Ian Thomas

Lol, are we discussing Wham's "Last Christmas" b/c of the line "Once bitten, twice shy...." when Great White is sitting here with:



Oops... ninja'd

 

[Nocashstyle]

Yeah, Haula is not even close to a “terrible” hockey player. He does a lot of things well…besides scoring obviously. It is definitely impressive he’s played that many minutes with Hughes and still has next to nothing to show for it. He clearly has value, but it’s as a bottom 6 guy.

 

[Devils731]

Haula didn’t lose 90% of his shooting percentage overnight. He’s generating shots per 60 towards the high side of his career and we can see they’re not all cheap shots.

The goals will start coming at about his normal rate.

 

[Clam Jensen]

haha my bad...ian hunter....mixed them up

Lol, are we discussing Wham's "Last Christmas" b/c of the line "Once bitten, twice shy...." when Great White is sitting here with:



Oops... ninja'd

Ooo got it, thank you both