guitarguyvic
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- Mar 31, 2010
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Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season begins!
- Thread starter NJDevs26
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Can I enter games 1 and 2 as evidence please?
The man cannot motivate this team to be ready for puck drop.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
And this was before Jack had a casual 3 point night in Game 2.
Kid is pure box office. The rest of the team could dog it for the next 80 games and Jack alone will make sure we are in the playoffs.
guitarguyvic
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We have a group of professional athletes who are amongst the best in the league, and can apparently play up to potential by the second period, but they need their coach to do something special to get them motivated in the first period? This seems a bit of a reach to me.
And yes they've sucked in the first period of these two games. I still don't recall that being a regularly occurring thing last year. Perhaps they didn't dominate first periods to the same extent as the last two, but that's not the same as flat out stinking it up in the first. Which is what's happened in these two games.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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- Aug 24, 2020
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Excited to see Toffoli against a heavier forechecking team next week, felt like he was brought in part of what happened to do their young forwards against Carolina. The Panthers/Isles should be a good opportunity for him to get his first with that line buzzing right now.
Reach or not, it happens way more often than it should...
I won't clown on the man who had the best regular season record this franchise has ever had. That would be stupid. I'm simply pointing out what seems to be his absolute worst weakness.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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They're still an absurdly young roster, they can't rest on their laurels of being good + young which is where coaching comes in. The league is giving them their best every night now, they can't just sleep walk versus teams and expect to always win. Lindy doesn't seem like a screamer in his post game or whenever he's mic'd up so who knows, that's probably why Jack gravitates towards him as a player because they're both absurdly laid back.
SJinNewJersey
Every single one of us, the devil inside
I recall a few games last year where they had trouble getting going. I don't think this is a new thing for this team.
Blender
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- Dec 2, 2009
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These are human beings and the mental side of the game is a real thing. They had this problem last year as well, and whatever they are doing to prepare for home games especially isn't setting them up for success.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
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Mercer's been low-key awful the first two games. Maybe he started worrying about being put on the third line lol
NJDevilsFan21
Trade Everyone!!
- Nov 10, 2006
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I don't think anyone was bad. They all just look uncoordinated or hungover from going 7-0 in the preseason.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Barry Tallackson
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- Mar 4, 2014
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when is it time to panic that Timo has not looked great in more than a handful of games as a devil?
Darkauron
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He was amazing in the playoffs last year.
guitarguyvic
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This not being ready from the start thing is completely overblown. The players that have stunk the most so far in these two games have stunk for all six periods. And the assertion that they were this bad in first periods last year is goofy. They had dominant possession and xGF numbers last year, these first two games have not looked like that at all even with them being better in the last two periods of each game.
This is just typical HF putting way too much stock into a two game sample size.
Top six players in their prime don’t typically suddenly become third liners. You guys need to get a goddamn grip.
I’d also like to point out that there’s only one puck and 60 minutes to play. We have a lot of play drivers and producers, but they aren’t all going to be 90 point players on the same team. If that was possible they’d be a lock to break Boston’s points record easily.
This is just typical HF putting way too much stock into a two game sample size.
I recall Kovalchuk looking quite pedestrian after being traded here at the deadline all the way until like 30 games into the following season.
Top six players in their prime don’t typically suddenly become third liners. You guys need to get a goddamn grip.
I’d also like to point out that there’s only one puck and 60 minutes to play. We have a lot of play drivers and producers, but they aren’t all going to be 90 point players on the same team. If that was possible they’d be a lock to break Boston’s points record easily.
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guitarguyvic
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The only real issue through these first two games that can be seen as a possibly warning sign is the PK, being that we lost two mainstays with no clear replacement for them.
I still need someone to provide me some kind of explanation that makes sense for why our skilled guys do not lift the puck on breakaways/shootouts. It’s legitimately insane.
I still need someone to provide me some kind of explanation that makes sense for why our skilled guys do not lift the puck on breakaways/shootouts. It’s legitimately insane.
- May 1, 2011
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The PK was good when it was aggressive.
When it played like it was trying to shot block and defend to death, that’s when it looked terrible and that happened both nights.
With worse luck we could have easily let in one more power play goal each game. It was very passive and guys looked like they could do nothing but try and block shots. Clears weren’t a thing on a few of them.
When it played like it was trying to shot block and defend to death, that’s when it looked terrible and that happened both nights.
With worse luck we could have easily let in one more power play goal each game. It was very passive and guys looked like they could do nothing but try and block shots. Clears weren’t a thing on a few of them.
Clam Jensen
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- Feb 5, 2010
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One thing I'm really encouraged by so far is large Douglas picking right up where he left off offensively.
Darkauron
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He has been great. Very happy with him
Overall Our PK has been pretty good and our PP has been great. Regular play will pick up imo
Cheddabombs
Status Quo
- Mar 13, 2012
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and the preseason competition was very low grade too. Nobody was particularly aggressive or challenged us the way the opposition has come at us these last two nights. The new level of intensity looks like it’s surprised us. As someone said above, we were able to dictate the game on our terms in every pre season game. The other clubs were responding to us. While these first two nights the opposition has made us react to their aggressive games. We’ve been frequently turning over the puck and back on our heels. We should get it figured out. We haven’t brought our A game yet.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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I'd put him back there, I don't get why you'd use certain lines in preseason and then go away from them in the regular season. It's like Lindy saying "you took Wood and my other coaches pets, check this out!" lol
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