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

[Bleedred]

Muzzatti was the first goalie picked in the 1988 draft

But he was off to Europe permanently by 98-99, where he had an extensive career and played in several different countries and leagues over 9 years.

 

[McDuffz88]

I think it's time for a trade. We need to ship off Severson. Tbh he's been absolute trash in that 3rd pairing role & I think we would be better off trading him for a top 6 forward. Put in Smith-Bahl as our 3rd pairing & call it a day. I don't think we would be worse off at all. We would be a much better team with a legitimate scoring threat rather than Severson, especially since we got Bahl whose no slouch to replace him temporarily.

 

[haak84]

Hear me out. Put Bahl on defense, sit Holtz and move severson up to wing.

 

[Bleedred]

Sean Burke was one of my favorite punching bags in the league. Hated how shitty he played here after that one season and playoff run as a rookie and his hold out. He was better in his career than Chris Terreri, but he certainly was not better when they were both Devils. The change of scenery did Burke some good, but it was really when he adapted his game and started playing butterfly and got bigger pads. I had a magazine from late 90’s/early 00’s where he talked about it. Probably early 00’s. And what his secret was to becoming a better goalie in his 30’s than he was in his 20’s and credited his goalie coach in Phoenix, who was none other than Benoit Allaire.

Guy was a nobody with the Devils, if not for that playoff run. He instantly got better in Hartford, before literally starting to become a journeyman around 30 years old and playing for FIVE different teams in 3 seasons. The fifth team was the charm and he stayed there for 4 years and pretty much had the best years of his career there at ages 32-36.

And he played like more of a standup goalie in the late 80’s/early 90’s than he did in the late 90’s/early 00’s. He played like Hextall earlier on, but was playing like Lundqvist later in his career. That’s why Hextall didn’t even play until 35. Became a dinosaur and was no longer effective.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

OK. Time for McLeod to be rewarded. Almost every single one of us are disapointed he never panned out to be that #1 or high end #2 that we hoped. . BUt he has been fantastic and outside of trouble scoring he has done his job and more. He made some great plays tonight and [played with confidence. Hit the post that woudl've tied the game. He has been quite succesful with zone entries and IMO has been one of the better players at doing so.
I truly believe he isn't going to be what we thought he was when we drafted him, but he is quietly becoming a heck of a better player than virtually ALL of us thought he was at the beginning of the season.

Give him a shot to play with better players. I'd like to try a Sharangovich-McLeod-Mercer line. Seriously. Stick Haula on the fourth line. He has no business playing on a line with Hughes. When you are on pace for 2 point something goals and 34 points in a season playing with Hughes you have no business being on that line. McLeod has earned a promotion. Haula has earned a demotion. If McLeod doesn't do anything after 4-5 games then send him back to the fourth. But when his confidence is high, and he seems to have the support form Ruff, there is NO better time to give him the shot to prove that he can be better.
When Palat comes back...

Tatar-Nico-Zetterlund

Palat-Hughes-Bratt

Sharangovich-McLeod-Mercer

Wood-Haula-BAstian-Holtz.

Boqvist

McLeod had a long look last year as a 3C playing with more talented offensive players and he fell flat on his face. He is not a player you try and force up the lineup. Even in juniors, he was the designated defensive specialist on the Canada WJC teams.

He is a very good 4C and that’s it. Nothing wrong with that. He knows his role and plays it well. If he is playing 3rd line or above minutes it is for defensive purposes only. Matching up against an opposition top center.

If you want to give him more minutes for him to generate offense, you’re going to fail badly. He just isn’t that player.

 

[Xirik]

Why can't Holtz simplify on the powerplay and setup in the office like Ovies done his whole career.

Holtz just looks like a guy who isn't comfortable with what he is and tries to be something different.

 

[theoptimist]

Are the statisticians awake yet?

 

[FooteBahl]

f*** it, let’s unload Sevo for a first (if we can get one) and roll Bahl on the third pair. Walsh or Okhotuk can be the 7th at this point.

 

[glenwo2]

We are 10 points off the Playoff-Cutoff line.

Still more-than-plenty of cushion but Devils cannot start letting this snowball.

Let's hope the bleeding can be stopped against Florida.

 

[JrFischer54]

team needs a legitimate scoring threat which holtz was suppose to be and maybe one day he will be but team has that need now. no idea why so many people are so reluctant to ship him and our 1 off for some offensive help. team had the 5on3 yesterday and you just knew they weren't going to sniff the net. same with the end of the game sure they had some little threats but nothing substantial everyone shot the puck into the body of hart. seeing people post we got goalied last night which is true but your going to run into that during the playoffs but you need that difference maker to score when given the chance. i dont care if the player is a rental or not if its the right player and the price is right.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Has it been confirmed that Bratt is in extension talks with the team currently? Wondering if mentally that may be weighing on him and that’s the cause of his recent dip in performance.

I think it's time for a trade. We need to ship off Severson. Tbh he's been absolute trash in that 3rd pairing role & I think we would be better off trading him for a top 6 forward. Put in Smith-Bahl as our 3rd pairing & call it a day. I don't think we would be worse off at all. We would be a much better team with a legitimate scoring threat rather than Severson, especially since we got Bahl whose no slouch to replace him temporarily.

I’d feel comfortable with this too. The only concern which has been pointed out by others is the sudden lack of depth. Who are we calling up should one of the d-men get injured? Unfortunately the stud prospects are not an option at this point.

 

[Devs3cups]

Has it been confirmed that Bratt is in extension talks with the team currently? Wondering if mentally that may be weighing on him and that’s the cause of his recent dip in performance.


I’d feel comfortable with this too. The only concern which has been pointed out by others is the sudden lack of depth. Who are we calling up should one of the d-men get injured? Unfortunately the stud prospects are not an option at this point.

Fitz has said that he has reached out and the two camps are talking apparently.

 

[Clam Jensen]

They weren’t going to play .800 hockey all season and they’re not going to go winless in 4 many times either. Can’t be too reactionary one way or the other. Also, Palat coming back is absolute massive.

 

[Triumph]

Why can't Holtz simplify on the powerplay and setup in the office like Ovies done his whole career.

Holtz just looks like a guy who isn't comfortable with what he is and tries to be something different.

Once Ovechkin and Stamkos are gone, you won't see this anymore - obviously four forwards on the PP is here to stay, but the idea that you put your best shooter where those guys tend to set up, I think that is going away. The Devils power play is not going to be built around feeding pucks exclusively to Holtz.

 

[Guttersniped]

its gonna happen eventually...

.....nfl did it, the nba did it, mlb did it......f***, the next soccer world cup will have 48! teams instead of 32.... $$$$$$



top 16 is ENOUGH

1990-91
5 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1991-92
6 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1992-93
8 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1993-94
10 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1998-99
11 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1999-00
12 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2000-01
14 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2017-18
15 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2021-22
16 teams didn’t make the playoffs

Having a ton of teams not make the playoffs is new and the other leagues have just expanded their playoffs. The NHL isn’t innovative but usually ends up following trends.

 

[Guttersniped]

Well this is the question. Is this just a to be expected mini slump after a great start? Or is this beginning of something worse? And while we fans are merely grumbling online or grumbling at the game, but the team can't be looking at his like "hey shit happens". They need to figure it out. We've slowed down a bit, teams have adjusted and are prepared for what we are trying to do. Now we need to make adjustments to our game in order to get back on track.

But if the team, from players to coaches, is rolling with the mindset of "look at our record" or "look at the shot totals" that would be not good. Obviously I don't think they are, but they do need to work their way back to winning games, it's not going to be handed to them.

What team ever said “look at our record” and shrugs at a losing streak?

They couldn’t get the puck to go in the net for two games in a row. Both games were 1-2, the difference was Dallas got two EN goals. Scoring is like that.

This is frustrating and disappointing and not fun but making it out to be worse than it is just creates more anxiety than you need as a fan of a team still in 1st IMO.

However if you crave anxiety about an imaginary future epic collapse then I guess you can see that in every losing streak if you want.

 

[Devils090]

Severson needs to be gone, a lot of teams would love him as their RD2 as well so he does have some decent value.

 

[njdevils1982]

1990-91
5 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1991-92
6 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1992-93
8 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1993-94
10 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1998-99
11 teams didn’t make the playoffs
1999-00
12 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2000-01
14 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2017-18
15 teams didn’t make the playoffs
2021-22
16 teams didn’t make the playoffs

Having a ton of teams not make the playoffs is new and the other leagues have just expanded their playoffs. The NHL isn’t innovative but usually ends up following trends.

in all those time frames only 16 teams made the playoffs

but gary and the owners love their parity so they will find a convoluted way to add more teams soon enough

also cant wait for the special jerseys these playoff teams will get for getting to the dance

 

[glenwo2]

Fitz has said that he has reached out and the two camps are talking apparently.

well that explains it.

Bratt's mind is not 100% on the game.

 

[bigd]

f*** it, let’s unload Sevo for a first (if we can get one) and roll Bahl on the third pair. Walsh or Okhotuk can be the 7th at this point.

If they could get a first for him he'd be gone by now!

 

[FooteBahl]

Severson needs to be gone, a lot of teams would love him as their RD2 as well so he does have some decent value.

9 years in and still making bone-headed plays. Let Bahl make a bone-headed play every once in awhile and hope he learns from it—Severson still hasn’t learned.

 

[Triumph]

If they could get a first for him he'd be gone by now!

No, he wouldn't. The Devils need a defenseman much more than they need a first round pick.

 

[Devs3cups]

well that explains it.

Bratt's mind is not 100% on the game.

I mean, we’ve heard all of last summer how Bratt let all the work to his agent and wasn’t involved… And, to be completely honest, if he wanted to have a free mind during the season, he should’ve signed a deal lol. Not really giving him a pass because of a contract season. Dude wanted to prove it, so prove it.

I’m also not saying he’s been bad, he’s been far from it. He’s just been a little dry lately, I’m sure he’ll pick it up.

 

[guitarguyvic]

9 years in and still making bone-headed plays. Let Bahl make a bone-headed play every once in awhile and hope he learns from it—Severson still hasn’t learned.

It's so gross to see a veteran player routinely make ill-advised risky plays during critical moments of a game like a rookie. And then sort of shrug his shoulders about it after the game. Severson is not a bad player overall, but he's the kind of guy you absolutely cannot trust to put out there in a tight tied game where the next goal likely wins it for either team. For a team looking to be a contender, you can't have that weak of a link on your blue line.

Let some mediocre club take him for what he is, we've got our eyes set on greater things now.

 

[Guttersniped]

in all those time frames only 16 teams made the playoffs

but gary and the owners love their parity so they will find a convoluted way to add more teams soon enough

also cant wait for the special jerseys these playoff teams will get for getting to the dance

No kidding, I picked up on that.

You don’t see the difference between 5-10 teams not making the playoffs and 16 teams not making the playoffs? Because there’s a difference.

People act like this is some grand unchanging tradition when the format has changed before too.
The semi-finals became a best of 7 in 1986-87.