Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season begins!
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- Dec 20, 2018
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That’s been Ruff’s MO since he’s been here, he Frankenstein’s the forward lines at the drop of the hat but he’s hesitant to mess with defensive pairing.
Is that a good approach? IDFK
I See two options with Mercer.
1. Put him with Jack to get his game giong again. It worked with Meier. Send Meier back down to the second line with Nico and BRatt. Hopefully Meieir is playing with confidence now and can get Nico going.
2. Or you demote HIM to the fourth line and not Holtz.
I prefer #1
I don't know Mercer. Lindy knows him as a person but keeping him on the third line and adding a career 12-13 forward isn't going to help Mercer.
Mercer is playing with zero confidence. The last thing would be to send him to the fourth. You need to boost it. Lazar isn't doing that.
Holtz is next to useless as a checking winger although he has improved that part of his game. You drafted him to score goals and virtualyl every other player has been give more offensive opportunity than him. Lets be honest. HAs he lit it up? No. BUt the same goes for every single player he is playing with. Aside from JAck and Bratt he is the one player that has shown an improvement since last year.
Toffoli-Hughes-Mercer
Meier-Nico-Bratt
Palat-Mcleod-Holtz
Lazar-Haula-BAstian.
I know some might not like the McLeod at third centre but he is the ONE guy who deserves a line promotion over anyone. he never has had one. He showed so much confidence last year and I still think he does everything right aside from finishing. Haula. is what he is. A good third line centre. I've seen McLeod play since he was 14. I've seen McLeod make more and more great offensive plays over the last year only to be given to Wood and Bastian to not really do anything. At least Holtz and Palat can finish.
It will never happen but thats my take.
1. Put him with Jack to get his game giong again. It worked with Meier. Send Meier back down to the second line with Nico and BRatt. Hopefully Meieir is playing with confidence now and can get Nico going.
2. Or you demote HIM to the fourth line and not Holtz.
I prefer #1
I don't know Mercer. Lindy knows him as a person but keeping him on the third line and adding a career 12-13 forward isn't going to help Mercer.
Mercer is playing with zero confidence. The last thing would be to send him to the fourth. You need to boost it. Lazar isn't doing that.
Holtz is next to useless as a checking winger although he has improved that part of his game. You drafted him to score goals and virtualyl every other player has been give more offensive opportunity than him. Lets be honest. HAs he lit it up? No. BUt the same goes for every single player he is playing with. Aside from JAck and Bratt he is the one player that has shown an improvement since last year.
Toffoli-Hughes-Mercer
Meier-Nico-Bratt
Palat-Mcleod-Holtz
Lazar-Haula-BAstian.
I know some might not like the McLeod at third centre but he is the ONE guy who deserves a line promotion over anyone. he never has had one. He showed so much confidence last year and I still think he does everything right aside from finishing. Haula. is what he is. A good third line centre. I've seen McLeod play since he was 14. I've seen McLeod make more and more great offensive plays over the last year only to be given to Wood and Bastian to not really do anything. At least Holtz and Palat can finish.
It will never happen but thats my take.
The top line has already been broken up. It could work but I don't think Nico is going to boost his confidence. Nico isn't doing anything offensivly either.
Nico looks to be at about 80% right now. I agree that I wouldn't count on him to get anyone going.
While I hate putting too much stock in individual numbers over a 6 game sample, Hischier is ~ top 5 forwards on the team in most individual and on-ice offensive metrics 5v5 but he's tied for 15th in on-ice shooting %. He's been playing fine.
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What I don't like right now is that Ruff is changing the personnel instead of the system.
I do understand it. Progression would be:
1. Teach everyone the system.
2. If they don't execute well, tell everyone to execute system better
3. If that doesn't work, put the people who are doing things correctly with people who aren't in hopes that things will rub off
4. If that doesn't work, bench some people
I tend to think that he should also look at simplifying the system / changing things to match the strengths of his team. Sometimes people aren't executing because they're being selfish or pig headed. In those cases, fair to push them to change. But, other times it's because the system is making them do things they can't or aren't good at. In those cases, simplifying the system or altering it slightly to better match your personnel is important.
Obviously Ruff's system was executed well last year and with great results. But, he does have 3 - 4 new forwards and basically two rookies on D (one who they are insisting on playing on his off-side). This isn't the same team as most of last year, and I hope Ruff realizes that.
I do understand it. Progression would be:
1. Teach everyone the system.
2. If they don't execute well, tell everyone to execute system better
3. If that doesn't work, put the people who are doing things correctly with people who aren't in hopes that things will rub off
4. If that doesn't work, bench some people
I tend to think that he should also look at simplifying the system / changing things to match the strengths of his team. Sometimes people aren't executing because they're being selfish or pig headed. In those cases, fair to push them to change. But, other times it's because the system is making them do things they can't or aren't good at. In those cases, simplifying the system or altering it slightly to better match your personnel is important.
Obviously Ruff's system was executed well last year and with great results. But, he does have 3 - 4 new forwards and basically two rookies on D (one who they are insisting on playing on his off-side). This isn't the same team as most of last year, and I hope Ruff realizes that.
Hischier and Hughes
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its also hard to get chemistry going when he changes the lines so often!!
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guitarguyvic
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Ya know, part of being a successful team is having an identity. And part of having an identity is having some reliable and predictable lines. Shaking it up is occasionally necessary of course, but there should be some known lines or at minimum pairings that the coach always eventually comes back to.
In 2009 we had the ZZ pops line and Elias-Zubrus as mainstays. 2012 it was Kovy-Henrique-Parise and Elias-Sykora. 2018 was kind of weak but we at least did have Hall-Hischier. All of these were lines or pairings that remained stable not for every game, but at least the majority of the season.
Even going back to last year…Lindy so frequently shuffles the puzzle pieces that I don’t think we even know what the picture is.
In 2009 we had the ZZ pops line and Elias-Zubrus as mainstays. 2012 it was Kovy-Henrique-Parise and Elias-Sykora. 2018 was kind of weak but we at least did have Hall-Hischier. All of these were lines or pairings that remained stable not for every game, but at least the majority of the season.
Even going back to last year…Lindy so frequently shuffles the puzzle pieces that I don’t think we even know what the picture is.
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Whaddagoal
The Sheldon Keefe Era Begins
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NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
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guitarguyvic
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It's bad enough Nico repeatedly puts himself in unnecessary bad situations that lead to injury, but I'm pretty sure he's also been playing injured. Just really dumb, high risk low reward decision making on his part. I normally wouldn't welcome his absence from the lineup, but he needs to stay the f*** off the ice for at least a few games to heal up and he needs to get out of this mentality of putting his body at risk for every inconsequential play in an early regular season game.
Holtz played a very good game tonight. Now that Nico is (probably, hopefully) going to miss some time...can Ruff please just give the kid a chance in the top 6 instead?
Mercer has all zeroes across the board through 7 games. Not even getting any good or memorable chances. Really shocking how bad he's been. He needs to ride shotgun with one of our big three play drivers.
Defense has been trash for about the half the periods they've played this season. I want Tampa to fire Jon Cooper so Fitz can hire him and teach these guys how to play responsibly.
The team is 4-2-1. If they can get their shit together and make life easy on their average goalies, they can win the division. Conversely, if they don't and Jack and Bratt slow down a bit, they could be in wildcard territory. It's a fine line in this league.
Holtz played a very good game tonight. Now that Nico is (probably, hopefully) going to miss some time...can Ruff please just give the kid a chance in the top 6 instead?
Mercer has all zeroes across the board through 7 games. Not even getting any good or memorable chances. Really shocking how bad he's been. He needs to ride shotgun with one of our big three play drivers.
Defense has been trash for about the half the periods they've played this season. I want Tampa to fire Jon Cooper so Fitz can hire him and teach these guys how to play responsibly.
The team is 4-2-1. If they can get their shit together and make life easy on their average goalies, they can win the division. Conversely, if they don't and Jack and Bratt slow down a bit, they could be in wildcard territory. It's a fine line in this league.
Assuming Nico is out.
Bratt Hughes Taffoli
Meier Haula Mercer
Palat McLeod Holtz
Tierny Lazar Bastian
For those looking to see Meier away from the top 2 centers, this may a bit of a silver lining.
Bratt Hughes Taffoli
Meier Haula Mercer
Palat McLeod Holtz
Tierny Lazar Bastian
For those looking to see Meier away from the top 2 centers, this may a bit of a silver lining.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
In general I don't think I agree. After tonight though, give him Sunday off. Next game after that is next Friday. That's a nice breather.
He played very well with McLeod, why not give them another go?
Hasn't been good, I thought OK tonight, but I'm not getting all worked up just yet.
I feel the issue is more lousy breakdowns then bad defense. Are they one in the same? Maybe. But I really think it's more about cleaning up the errors, some of which, like Hughes just falling down at mid ice, are not structural.
The potential of Cooper to the Devils is at least a year plus away and I'm not going to root for the Devils to play poorly enough to want to go hire him.
It is a fine line. But success this year is really going to be won in the playoffs. If we make the playoffs I'm not going to claim the reg season a disappointment.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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105 point pace even with the sluggish start
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
I would expect the usual green trim with maybe some laces around the collar.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
His first couple of games weren't good, but he picked it up. Just isn't getting the counting stats yet and this board always digs their heels in really hard with narratives.
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