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

[NjDevsRR]

lol oh man, on Devils All Day All Night, one Steven Donald Scebelo got this picture w Graves and Marino at sportsminded

someone help marino w his buttons please

@MarinosButtons would be a great username

 

[mdj12784]

Fitz has done a ton of good here, however, if he ever gave up anything substantial for Anderson… bury him!

 

[Emperoreddy]

25 games in and we are on top of the entire league

 

[Ripshot 43]

lol oh man, on Devils All Day All Night, one Steven Donald Scebelo got this picture w Graves and Marino at sportsminded

someone help marino w his buttons please

Damn, it’s so hard to keep up with you kids and your style nowadays. Tucked/untucked, unbuttoned with an undershirt or no shirt, now lopsided buttons…

And apparently I need to step up my white shoe game too.

 

[glenwo2]

25 games in and we are on top of the entire league

If anyone would've told me before the season started that this would be our position at this point, I would've laughed at them.

 

[Better Call Sal]

@NjDevsRR now it’s your turn

 

[MauDevils]

Damn, it’s so hard to keep up with you kids and your style nowadays. Tucked/untucked, unbuttoned with an undershirt or no shirt, now lopsided buttons…

And apparently I need to step up my white shoe game too.

Just wait till you find out Graves' hoodie is $500. I thought Acne Studios was some lotion brand he was repping.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Just wait till you find out Graves' hoodie is $500. I thought Acne Studios was some lotion brand he was repping.

It better not be!

I thought that was the Coyote and Roadrunners brand

 

[FooteBahl]

If anyone would've told me before the season started that this would be our position at this point, I would've laughed at them.

I would have called Acute Psychiatric Services and had them committed.

 

[bigd]

So what is the goalie rotation the next two games or does Vitek get both?

 

[FooteBahl]

So what is the goalie rotation the next two games or does Vitek get both?

I’d give VV the net the next two and then he and Akira split the B2B against the Rags/Stars.

 

[TBF1972]

A December to Remember?

Note: Let's make an early New Year's Resolution and move all the goalie debate into the separate thread so as not to overwhelm the general team thread with it, especially when you get fifty new posts after breakfast.

Blackwood/Vanecek/We Really Need to Move On/Goalie Thread

I personally don’t care about Blackwood’s politics or choice regarding the vaccine. I do care that he can’t seem to stay healthy and when he has been healthy he’s been a sub-average NHL goalie. I'd be lying if I said I didn't care what kind of person he was. But yeah, ultimately it's just...

forums.hfboards.com

Everything aside from debating goalies that's team related should remain here.

you are aware you basically don't allow @Bleedred to post in this thread.

fortunately he has his alter ego DD, which won't be limited by your rules.

 

[TBF1972]

Johnsson is way better than most teams’ AHL call ups

if he plays better than schmid so far, johnsson can remain with the nhl team for the remainder of the season and throughout the playoffs.

 

[TBF1972]

Not worried about Bratt until after Jan 1.

And then only a little until the start of FA

at that point I will be legitimately concerned.

i am starting to not be concerned about bratt at all.

if he wants to be part of the team, he will sign a long-term contract at or below 8.5 million. if he isn't commited to the devils, he can be traded for good value. the general outlook won't change. the team is build around hischier/hughes. with or without bratt.

 

[MartyOwns]

So what is the goalie rotation the next two games or does Vitek get both?

schmid should be our starter right now, but i don’t expect that to happen.

 

[Zippy316]

Not sure if he’s been banged up, but Siegenthaler seems to be struggling a bit lately after his really strong start. He seems to be taking a lot more penalties and not ending plays and cleanly exiting the zone as much as he did. Both him and Dougie’s numbers have been coming down to earth a bit.

Oddly enough, it seems like Smith - Severson have stepped up a bit in their struggles. Smith was closing out the Rangers game in lieu of Siegenthaler that night, who really struggled in that one. Ruff seems to be relying on that pairing a little more of late.

 

[NjdPass]

So glad that this team is doing well. Its been 10 years since I have felt this confident in a team. In fact I am more confident in this group than the 2012. Obviously it is still early....that 2012 team just didnt know how to hold a lead....if you remember we had like the most shootout wins that year. Kovy and Parise were a sick that season.....

I personally think this team has it and we are just missing a pure sniper. That really can be Holtz or Shari.
Our 5 on 5 has been dominate, but games can still be won and lost on the special teams. Not scoring on the PP is a problem, and I feel like there are more penalties than ever. We have great looks....and even with Hughes and Bratt having really good shots.....they dont shoot enough on the PP. We need a Ovi or Kovy type to just clap it. Why I really think Holtz should be on that first PP unit.

If we arent going to give those guys a real chance on the PP. I would trade for one. Devils are primed to make a blockbuster trade. Do we need to make one? No, because I think Holtz can be that guy. There are a number things Fitzy can do. I can see him trading Blackwood, Sevo, first and Walsh for something....Maybe Chychrun or something we dont even know thats available. I say Chychrun because we have the pieces to make that move...and he would be signed longer than two years. His Cap hit is only 4.2....Graves is getting more than that this offseason and he might be on another team. That still leaves us room for Hughes and Nemec next year. Seriously, you can never be deep enough on the backend in my opinion. This also gives us that second PP QB. JUST a thought...

 

[Rhodes 81]

I've thought this before, but Marino even kind of looks like a guy that could play Severson in a b movie. Poor guy got replaced in every way.

 

[TBF1972]

We have no clue the numbers being discussed. To blame one side either way is just ridiculous at this point.

Everyone here wants Bratt signed long-term, but you don't just hand him a blank check.

if the ask is above 9m, you have to consider other avenues.

as good as bratt is, for the future cap structure it's not the best to pay a winger (who isn't even the best player on the team) substaintially more than hughes and hischier.

 

[FooteBahl]

So glad that this team is doing well. Its been 10 years since I have felt this confident in a team. In fact I am more confident in this group than the 2012. Obviously it is still early....that 2012 team just didnt know how to hold a lead....if you remember we had like the most shootout wins that year. Kovy and Parise were a sick that season.....

I personally think this team has it and we are just missing a pure sniper. That really can be Holtz or Shari.
Our 5 on 5 has been dominate, but games can still be won and lost on the special teams. Not scoring on the PP is a problem, and I feel like there are more penalties than ever. We have great looks....and even with Hughes and Bratt having really good shots.....they dont shoot enough on the PP. We need a Ovi or Kovy type to just clap it. Why I really think Holtz should be on that first PP unit.

If we arent going to give those guys a real chance on the PP. I would trade for one. Devils are primed to make a blockbuster trade. Do we need to make one? No, because I think Holtz can be that guy. There are a number things Fitzy can do. I can see him trading Blackwood, Sevo, first and Walsh for something....Maybe Chychrun or something we dont even know thats available. I say Chychrun because we have the pieces to make that move...and he would be signed longer than two years. His Cap hit is only 4.2....Graves is getting more than that this offseason and he might be on another team. That still leaves us room for Hughes and Nemec next year. Seriously, you can never be deep enough on the backend in my opinion. This also gives us that second PP QB. JUST a thought...

It’s been quite a while since I’m really looking forward to game day and not saying “oh, we play again tonight.”

The days of hoping for lottery ball luck are over for a decade…unless we acquire a pick from a non-playoff team.

 

[HBK27]

This is a few days old, did we already talk about it? Anyway, tough to see a former poster here fall from grace. Lol, rest in piss.

I missed this over the weekend - can somebody fill me in on what the tweet was? Guessing it was something from Bratt Pack?

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Devils are primed to make a blockbuster trade.

Great post. One problem is that the Devils are using LTIR to be cap compliant. Tough to make a blockbuster deal when the Devils cannot take cap back. I would think that is more of an offseason type of deal. The other issue is the Devils would have to trade someone off the roster to make a deal now and there are no obvious players to trade at this point IMO other than Johnnson who has no/negative value. This is likely Sevs last year but the Devils do not appear to have anyone in Utica ready to take his spot.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

What makes me nervous is that the Devils haven’t been playing well lately. Could be because of the flu going through the team? They just don’t seem to be playing as smart and fast as earlier in the season. I know they’re still winning, but they’ve been fortunate in the last few games.

 

[threeVo]

What were some of the positive you guys took away from last season? This years Sabres team is getting compared to 21 devils team. We are 2nd in the league in scoring but cant get saves at all right now. Its cool to see you guys turn the corner with the young talent you have.

 

[Eggtimer]

I’m sure it’s been mentioned but the emergence of Zetterlund is huge for this teams forward group.

He really gives us an additional Palat-like forward who can play with skill players, add some physicality, and has a finishing touch.

I’m sure we will see it eventually, but I’m really curious what he would look like with Hughes or Bratt.

While bored and my mind wandering , I thought about the Rangers and their struggles . ( enjoying every second of it ) , and thought about this - If Rangers offered Laff for Zetterlund , would you take the deal ?
It would never happen for numerous reasons . Rangers would not trade a former #1 pick overall for another player that was not drafted that high , unless said player was significantly better . Rangers would never trade Laff to us , if he broke out and haunted the Rangers for the next 10+ years .. They would never hear the end of it trading him to an arch rival.
I honestly don’t think I’d make the trade . I think a known commodity in what Z brings , with potential for more , is better than a gamble on a player that is not looking like he will come close to his potential .
Just my two cents . I know I am thinking like a video game where the trade will never ever be thought of in reality, but I was just curious what fellow devils fans thought of this hypothetical trade .

What makes me nervous is that the Devils haven’t been playing well lately. Could be because of the flu going through the team? They just don’t seem to be playing as smart and fast as earlier in the season. I know they’re still winning, but they’ve been fortunate in the last few games.

I thought ( hoped ) it was a flu bug , but post game interviews guys said they just played like crap .