Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season begins!

[JimEIV]

But then does he sign such a favorable long term deal?

I can see the argument for year 1. Not year 2.

But it seems like such a “who cares”argument right now.

I agree it is a who cares argument right now.

But there are some making believe that the lat 4 years were all a bed of roses...and that the people on Reddit which I have never even been to, are out to lunch on their negative analysis of Jack... when the reality is we watched a lot of the negative criticism come to life for his first two years. Almost spot on for some of the comments that being laughed at now

Just to bring it back full circle.

Would you rather a better product out of the ELC or this elite player we have now locked up for an insane contract? This is ignoring the "perhaps two" you threw in there again, but I know how sensitive it made you last time to point that out and how ridiculous it was, so I won't bring it up......

Honestly, I would have preferred to not watch Jack and the team struggle as much as they did to get to this point

 

[JimEIV]

Would you rather a better product out of the ELC or this elite player we have now locked up for an insane contract? This is ignoring the "perhaps two" you threw in there again, but I know how sensitive it made you last time to point that out and how ridiculous it was, so I won't bring it up......

And I wasn't sensitive about the comment...it was just a Richard move to look at 3 paragraphs about another topic, predominantly Kakko and go off on a diatribe over literally 2 words "Perhaps two"..

But Richard moves are more the norm for some.

 

[JimEIV]

B: Hughes had the best defensive numbers on the team. He had the fewest Corsi events against of any forward on the 2020-21 Devils (minimum 100 minutes).

This can't be correct he had the most CA events of forward on our team.
In 2021

 

[Devils731]

King Richard,
This can't be correct he had the most CA events of forward on our team.
In 2021

View attachment 757823

You didn’t adjust for TOI. I’m using 5 on 5 data, I’m not sure what you’re using because our CA slightly differ but almost match.

You’d think you’d stop name calling after asked to stop.

 

[Nubmer6]

I think if he didn’t play in the NHL year 1 it most likely would have been college.

Would it have been better for his development? I dunno. I mean how much better could he possibly be at 22?

Actually, when did he sign his contract? Was it shortly after he was drafted? Wouldn't that have precluded him from playing in the NCAA?

 

[TrufleShufle]

And I wasn't sensitive about the comment...it was just a Richard move to look at 3 paragraphs about another topic, predominantly Kakko and go off on a diatribe over literally 2 words "Perhaps two"..

But Richard moves are more the norm for some.

I typically am against cherry picking and ignoring, but you basically gave the equivalent of giving a whole talk on planting a garden while throwing in a line about "due to the earth being flat," like it wouldn't be the focal point of the entire post.

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[MasterofGrond]

Lazar is Actually Good defensively.

 

[britdevil]

So, can we talk about the team and not go in circles over the same old f***ing bullshit?

 

[Devs3cups]

So, can we talk about the team and not go in circles over the same old f***ing bullshit?

You’ve been here since 2007, you know the answer is no lol.


I wish it was yes, but alas lmao.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Of course not!

Load up, fam, we’re rolling out to Holtz junction.

 

[devilsblood]

Actually, when did he sign his contract? Was it shortly after he was drafted? Wouldn't that have precluded him from playing in the NCAA?

maybe, but I'm thinking the decision would have been made before he signed. Like with any player who goes the college route after being drafted.

 

[Maine Fan]

As I expected the Devils continue to come alive, first-time goals of the season for Holtz and, the Captain, Nico. Toffoli's hat trick first of the season for a Devil. Vitek had a good game in goal.

Tonight against the Capitals I am a little concerned, a back to back for the Devils and just maybe the Caps come alive. We shall see.

Lets Go Devils

 

[Brodeur]

Actually, when did he sign his contract? Was it shortly after he was drafted? Wouldn't that have precluded him from playing in the NCAA?

Jack officially signed his ELC on July 12 a few weeks after the draft. I don't remember any rumblings about Jack going to college in 2019 since he would have been a high profile recruit who would have committed before the draft. If Quinn had still been at Michigan for 2019-20, maybe that would have been more alluring option for Jack. But Quinn signed with Vancouver in March 2019.

U-M admissions preventing Jack Hughes, Bode Wilde from playing at Michigan | mgoblog

Think they were both fine students. But hockey with as much change in schools for the players as they jump junior programs can complicate transcripts and admissions.

mgoblog.com

Jack actually tried to get into Michigan for the 2018-19 season a la Zach Werenski who played for the Wolverines during his draft year. But he would have almost needed to cram two years of school into one and it didn't work out.

Quinn, Jack Hughes: The present, and maybe future, of Michigan hockey

Michigan defenseman Quinn Hughes is expected to be a top 15 pick in the NHL draft in June. Jack Hughes could be the No.1 pick in the 2019 draft.

www.freep.com

There’s a chance Jack could join his older brother at Michigan next season. The middle Hughes has not committed anywhere, and Ellen and Jim acknowledge U-M is one possibility.

Michigan has had players accelerate to play college hockey early. Jack is currently in his junior year of high school, but, through online courses, he could go on an accelerated academic track, and graduate early to be able to play collegiality next year.

Jack sought exceptional status to play in the Ontario Hockey League as a 15-year-old, but was denied. Among the short list of players who have been granted that status to play a year early are John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid, who are now in the NHL.

I had no recollection that Jack tried to get into the OHL early.

 

[devilsblood]

Is sect 7 free food?

 

[Saugus]

So, can we talk about the team and not go in circles over the same old f***ing bullshit?

We have to fill in the hours somehow, and there’s only so much to talk about.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Those guys score Jack was not. There in lies the problem. .55 ppg while leading the league in giveaways is ass.

I am glad you have set the arbitrary barometer on this. Thank you for your service!

 

[AfroThunder396]

So it took a while, but we did indeed get bingo last night! Counting this Subban tweet from today as the last thing we needed, because the Devils haven't played since.

 

[devilsblood]

So it took a while, but we did indeed get bingo last night! Counting this Subban tweet from today as the last thing we needed, because the Devils haven't played since.

Did I hear "Hughes is pulling Tyler Taffoli's pants down on every shift"?

 

[AfroThunder396]

Did I hear "Hughes is pulling Tyler Taffoli's pants down on every shift"?

I mean, Toffoli has already kissed Hughes this season. This is the logical next step.

 

[glenwo2]

View attachment 757651
When your takes are so bad you end up having to delete your whole account.

Some of the other comments even supporting this were LOL-inducing.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I mean, I wasn't exactly shocked that Jack wasn't lighting it up in his first few years. To be clear, anyone who pushed for Kaako 1st overall is a complete moron and should never be trusted with a hockey opinion worth listening to again, but there was more than a fraction of truth to the idea that Kaako was more "NHL ready" than Jack by virtue of size. And we did see Jack struggle with that for a while.

We hockey fans expect the 1st overall pick of any year to come in and light the world on fire, because we are spoiled by the Crosbys, Ovechkins, McDavids, Matthews, etc. who have done just that in their 1st NHL seasons. But there's also the Hischiers, Halls, MacKinnons, Tavareses, and Nugent-Hopkinses who maybe take a few years before breaking out.

You don't draft a tiny kid who never played in an adult league first overall to have him dominate the league in his first year. If you expect that, that's a You problem, not the player's fault. You get him experience, let him learn the league and take his bumps, and mature into an elite player. Sure enough, Jack's years 1 and 2 were that learning period, year 3 he was PPG before getting injured, and then? Year 4 he sets the franchise record in points and makes a legitimate MVP case, and so far in Year 5, he's looking among the best players in the league.

Enjoy the process, baby.

 

[glenwo2]

So we’re not missing Wood’s Ozone penalties and non-existent hockey IQ?

I just thought of something....

How many penalties has the 4th line committed since Wood was gonzo?

I can't recall.

 

[Triumph]

I typically am against cherry picking and ignoring, but you basically gave the equivalent of giving a whole talk on planting a garden while throwing in a line about "due to the earth being flat," like it wouldn't be the focal point of the entire post.

This is a perfect analogy.

This can't be correct he had the most CA events of forward on our team.
In 2021

View attachment 757823

Not adjusting for ice time is either ignorance or trolling, I cannot figure out which. It's obvious that Jack would be on for the most Corsi events as a forward because he was on the ice the most as a forward. He had the best rate against of anyone. It's how he ended up being +1 5v5. It was abundantly clear that he was an NHL player at age 19. He just didn't put up first overall numbers in his D+2 so that broke your brain.

Did I think he would become such a great goal scorer? No, I did not. But even at 19, it was very obvious that he was going to be a top line center sooner rather than later, that he had all the skills he needed except a shot.

 

[youryeah]

So it took a while, but we did indeed get bingo last night! Counting this Subban tweet from today as the last thing we needed, because the Devils haven't played since.

PKs biggest contribution to his devils tenure including on and off the ice has been fluffing the devils' pillow on national tv