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

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Happy for Lindy. If Devils win a cup with him that probably cements his hockey HOF entry.

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He might get in anyway with 850+ wins.

 

[theoptimist]

Despite the high regular season point totals, his model still projects us to have significantly less chances of advancing deep in the playoffs as compared to other top teams.

His model puts a lot of stock into prior performance and absolutely HATES young goalies. it assumes that all young goalies will struggle when they first enter the league (because historically many do). If a young goalie performs well, it assumes that he will regress the following year (because historically many do). Basically, his model will assume that Schmid is lucky/a fraud and due for a slide until it has a much larger sample size to evaluate his true quality (probably something like 80-100 career starts).

His model also doesn't like the fact that we exceeded its expectations last year - it thought we would be a bubble team and we dramatically overperformed. Instead of the model thinking that itself was wrong and we were a great team all along, it assumes that it was right and we just got lucky and overachieved. And therefore that we will regress back down to what it 'thinks' we should be.

And yet even with this skepticism and regression taken into account, it still thinks we'll win the President's trophy lmao.

Only model I will understand moving forward

 

[NJDevs26]

Typical straw stirring

 

[Clam Jensen]

Typical straw stirring

This teams chem is off the charts. Love when the boys love each other.

 

[Guttersniped]

Typical straw stirring

Haula!

 

[Triumph]

I think that idea was already squashed after last season. I imagine that was the plan all along but hard to not run with the guy after he had a record breaking regular season and won a round.

I don't know why people talk about this like it is something that is routine. Yes, teams have done it - they've also usually had shitty rookie head coaches who don't get hired elsewhere. Ruff has been a head coach for longer than just about anyone, he may not be very good, but he has tons of experience. Experience is weirdly in short supply these days - 3 of the most recent coaches to win Stanley Cups are unemployable, and most of the guys who've gotten to the Finals recently are still working somewhere.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[guitarguyvic]

Why should we expect a significant drop off from what they accomplished last season? The team is more talented up front and has the same two goalies from last year. Bahl is in year #3 and appears to be ready to replace what Graves gave us. The biggest question mark is Luke Hughes but I'd expect that the coaching staff will shelter him to some degree and nonetheless I don't think it's automatic that he would struggle so much as to cost us more than a few points in the standings.

This is not to say they are going to be breaking regular season records again (is anyone actually saying they will?). It just seems weird to me that some people are overcompensating and preparing for like ~100 point season. I mean obviously shit can happen to derail them like too many injuries or whatever. But that can happen to any team.

 

[devilsblood]

How deep you go in the playoffs isn't always about talent. Matchups, injuries...A 3 or 4 game hot streak or cold streak could change everything.

I have no expectations for how deep the Devils will get in the playoffs. Another good season of 40+ wins, 100+ points with a lot of goals and good play is all I care about.

Devils playing a 7 game series having one day off then playing game 1 on the road vs a well rested team definitely factored into the outcome of that series.

 

[Devs3cups]

Devils playing a 7 game series having one day off then playing game 1 on the road vs a well rested team definitely factored into the outcome of that series.

Jack and Nico admitted it in interviews too.

 

[Patrik26]

I’ll be surprised if they have as good a regular season this year as last year. A lot went right for the Devils last year from health and guys having career years to other teams having issues. I’m skeptical they repaeat whatever they went against Canadian teams for example and I’m skeptical they win so many late game heroics games. I don’t foresee a collapse but maybe they are closer to 99-100 points than 110-115. The playoffs should be a different matter assuming they are healthy. I expect it to take some time for Hughes and Bahl to get settled with their roles and if they need Nemec that’s not a good thing as i see it because it means Miller has completely failed. I could also see some bumps along the way from the goaltending. I do expect the offense to be better. Just my thoughts.

The bolded part for sure. Then again, maybe the late game heroics won't be necessary.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Devils playing a 7 game series having one day off then playing game 1 on the road vs a well rested team definitely factored into the outcome of that series.

Not just any series…a series against the rangers. Historically the devils do awful after beating the rangers in the playoffs. Way too much intensity and emotion expended…it always impacts them negatively afterward.

The canes series was a good learning experience for them. I wouldn’t take anything from it regarding their playoff potential though.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Not just any series…a series against the rangers. Historically the devils do awful after beating the rangers in the playoffs. Way too much intensity and emotion expended…it always impacts them negatively afterward.

The canes series was a good learning experience for them. I wouldn’t take anything from it regarding their playoff potential though.

I thought they fought well in game 5. It wasn’t a Picasso but they got it to OT and had some chances. Who knows what happens if they win that game. Maybe they even force a game 7 with that momentum.

But they definitely learned some lessons in that Canes series. Decent chance we see them again if we have another successful season. I foresee a nice rivalry starting with them.

 

[Goptor]

Typical straw stirring

How is Haula commenting when he disappeared from the team?

 

[JimEIV]

There seems to be fewer easy matchups in the playoffs these days as well. 25 years ago it seemed the first round was much more of a gimme.

 

[OmNomNom]

God's work is being done

 

[HBK27]

If you were to ask me the 5 best teams in the league I think I'd choose those 5. I expect the sabres to be better that's the only thing that really leaps out at me but I guess the model doesn't really respect Devon Levi / Their three headed goalie tandem.

I would choose that same top 5, though Dallas and Vegas would also get strong consideration. Don't think any other teams would be in the conversation.

Would absolutely expect Buffalo to exceed this projection.

 

[Devs3cups]

Jack and Lindy have good chem.

 

[Xirik]

Typical straw stirring

Lindy fires back "Only if you stir my drink!"

 

[My3Sons]

Jack and Lindy have good chem.

As long as Lindy has the room he’s not likely going anywhere. The team is good enough that they will win with any competent coach. Lindy may not be a genius but he’s not an idiot.

 

[Devs3cups]

So… did anybody have the first GDT locked up?? I volunteer to get one up at 12AM if no one else had it locked up.

I know @Better Call Sal did it last year, maybe he wants to do it for some good luck?

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Jack and Lindy have good chem.

God I hope Jack remains (relatively) candid in interviews compared to the baseline NHL star player. It really adds to being a fan of this team.

 

[NJDevs26]

There seems to be fewer easy matchups in the playoffs these days as well. 25 years ago it seemed the first round was much more of a gimme.

Well maybe 40 years ago when the playoffs were 16/21, 25 years ago were the back to back Damian Rhodes and Jagr beating us on one leg first round disasters

 

[Dialamo]

Well maybe 40 years ago when the playoffs were 16/21, 25 years ago were the back to back Damian Rhodes and Jagr beating us on one leg first round disasters

Oh my I just looked up the 1998 and 1999 playoffs. We lost to the 8th seed both times..... If HFBoards was around back then it would of been a tire fire!

 

[Classic Devil]

Oh my I just looked up the 1998 and 1999 playoffs. We lost to the 8th seed both times..... If HFBoards was around back then it would of been a tire fire!

1996-1999 was rough to be sure. We had some really, really good teams and just kept choking in the playoffs.