Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season part III

[Triumph]

They got goaltending last night and Timo Meier/Alex Holtz are playing in the bottom 6 in a game they got shutout in. And they're literally middle of the league of man games lost this year. Keep being obtuse. I really don't give a shit anymore lol

Using man games lost as a measure is really fatuous because it covers players on long-term contracts. Shea Weber is being counted under man-games lost. Almost all of the Devils' top players have missed games so far this season.

 

[BurntToast]

Where is my John Wayne?
Where is my prairie song?
Where is my happy ending?

Where have all the Devils’ scoring gone?!

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Using man games lost as a measure is really fatuous because it covers players on long-term contracts. Shea Weber is being counted under man-games lost. Almost all of the Devils' top players have missed games so far this season.

The overall point is that teams go through the injury bug, I said it yesterday where if you think the Devils need everything to go right on that side of the roster then it's a completely different discussion. The happy medium between this year and not going through any massive injury in 22-23 is the ideal spot but shit happens to teams, man. Vegas is still trucking along without Eichel, Theadore, they didn't have their cup winning goalie for a long stretch. Good teams and specifically good coaches adjust to those guys out. Ruff's first thought was putting Mercer back at C when he's been absolutely abysmal is my entire point of this team being behind the 8ball in regards to the Nico/Jack injuries.

 

[Triumph]

The overall point is that teams go through the injury bug, I said it yesterday where if you think the Devils need everything to go right on that side of the roster then it's a completely different discussion. The happy medium between this year and not going through any massive injury in 22-23 is the ideal spot but shit happens to teams, man. Vegas is still trucking along without Eichel, Theadore, they didn't have their cup winning goalie for a long stretch. Good teams and specifically good coaches adjust to those guys out. Ruff's first thought was putting Mercer back at C when he's been absolutely abysmal is my entire point of this team being behind the 8ball in regards to the Nico/Jack injuries.

Vegas just went through a streak where they dropped 6 out of 7 games, earning 2 points - were they 'trucking along' during that stretch? It's very easy to look at things from the way outside and then just say things, but when you follow a team close, you lose perspective.

Mercer was very good at center when he started here, which is where the Nico 3rd line center meme comes from. Mercer's had a tough year this year and it turns out most of him being good at center in 2021-22 was Jesper Bratt, but he's the most natural guy to slide over there and it hasn't worked. Haula also being unplayable at C until very recently also hasn't helped.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Vegas just went through a streak where they dropped 6 out of 7 games, earning 2 points - were they 'trucking along' during that stretch? It's very easy to look at things from the way outside and then just say things, but when you follow a team close, you lose perspective.

Mercer was very good at center when he started here, which is where the Nico 3rd line center meme comes from. Mercer's had a tough year this year and it turns out most of him being good at center in 2021-22 was Jesper Bratt, but he's the most natural guy to slide over there and it hasn't worked. Haula also being unplayable at C until very recently also hasn't helped.

Pre-Eichel injury but sure, they've lost 3 games since he went down versus Boston a couple of weeks ago. And lmao, if me and you see then why can't the coaching staff? And who cares if Haula has been bad, he's been a center and a good one at that most of his career. Literally a galaxy brain take to think a career center ice man would be worse than a guy who hasn't shown anything in 2 years.

 

[Oneiro]

I absolutely disagree with this, the entire point of getting Meier was to play him where he was in SJ to make an impact. Who cares how much he gets paid? If you're put into a shit situation, you're not gonna be good. We saw an almost identical situation with Dougie and he was bad his first full year to the point where people were saying the same thing. This guy just didn't forget to play hockey overnight.

This is incorrect. Dougie was very good before the injury, despite the team’s losing.

Meier was never a super high IQ player and he’s still pretty young. Again, no one is writing him off but if he’s healthy, the heat is deserved.

 

[devilsblood]

We've had a game recently where we ran these guys as our centers.

Nico
Lazar
Dowling
Tierney

Getting upset that Ruff has used Mercer at times is just getting mad at the coach because that's the de facto fall back position of fans when a team struggles.

 

[Mgd31]

This is incorrect. Dougie was very good before the injury, despite the team’s losing.

Meier was never a super high IQ player and he’s still pretty young. Again, no one is writing him off but if he’s healthy, the heat is deserved.

Too much coddling for Meier. Also let’s not act like Dan Quinn is some amazing coach that knew the right way to utilize Timo. When he’s been healthy this year he hasn’t shown the ability to fit anywhere but with Nico. That shouldn’t be the case for an 8.8m dollar player

 

[Triumph]

Pre-Eichel injury but sure, they've lost 3 games since he went down versus Boston a couple of weeks ago. And lmao, if me and you see then why can't the coaching staff? And who cares if Haula has been bad, he's been a center and a good one at that most of his career. Literally a galaxy brain take to think a career center ice man would be worse than a guy who hasn't shown anything in 2 years.

This is you just not paying attention. Haula has been nursing an injury all season and the Devils have not felt comfortable putting him at center as a result. This is something that has been said in the media. It is only recently that they've felt like he can play there now.

 

[forceten]

Nosek and J Hughes are not 100%. I’d be surprised if Meier is.

 

[JimEIV]

Yeah as much as I want to complain, and I still probably will, I can't hold a banged up player accountable for shitty play.

 

[My3Sons]

Yeah as much as I want to complain, and I still probably will, I can't hold a banged up player accountable for shitty play.

You will have that statement thrown back at you at some point.

 

[JimEIV]

You will have that statement thrown back at you at some point.

It's ok. In the moment I'm still going to make irrational pissed off comments. I don't care.

 

[devilsblood]

Yeah as much as I want to complain, and I still probably will, I can't hold a banged up player accountable for shitty play.

The question is how much is this him being banged up? And I actually give him credit for playing through injuries. But he has been bad, no getting around that.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

remember when everyone hated Dougie after year 1 of his contract, when he was clearly playing injured?

remember what Dougie did in year 2 of his contract?

We are all frustrated by Meier, but it is clear he is not right. It also doesn't help that Ruff keeps moving him around every other game and won't play him at RW for some reason.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

We've had a game recently where we ran these guys as our centers.

Nico
Lazar
Dowling
Tierney

Getting upset that Ruff has used Mercer at times is just getting mad at the coach because that's the de facto fall back position of fans when a team struggles.

Look at Tierney the last 10 games vs Mercer the last 10 games. One is over 60% GF% and his name isn’t Mercer.

 

[devilsblood]

Look at Tierney the last 10 games vs Mercer the last 10 games. One is over 60% GF% and his name isn’t Mercer.

I noted recently that Tierney (like Bastian) has played well after some early season struggles.

Point is though, Ruff hasn't had the greatest options at times this year in terms of lineup.

 

[Call Me Al]

Look at Tierney the last 10 games vs Mercer the last 10 games. One is over 60% GF% and his name isn’t Mercer.

yeah but he got to play with holtz

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I missed last night's game live , was gonna watch a replay on this site that has all the games after they air without the scores so it doesn't spoil the game but when I got home at 12 am the game wasn't uploaded on there yet. Anyway I checked out RPI vs Colgate up in Troy/Rensselaer. It's the 3rd oldest building for NCAA hockey , it's probably the most unique building I've seen a fame in so far. Colgate won in a shootout 6 to 5 it was a crazy game. They had some RPI alumni in the house too , unfortunately Adam Oates wasn't there. RPI has alot of history despite only having won 2 Championships , one in 1954 & the other in 1985. I didn't even think they had NCAA hockey dating that far back to the 50's...lol. Cool building to check out if you ever get the chance or are in the area when they are playing at home.

There was some Devils fans in the building too and I only saw 1 Ranger fan so we outnumbered them up there haha. I thought seeing this dude in the Hughes 3rd jersey would be an omen that the Devils would beat the Canes last night but that wasn't the case

 

[Better Call Sal]

It shouldn’t boil down to just this, but the fact that we are trotting out one of (if not the) worst goalie in the league statistically and have a .500 hockey team is the most aggravating note of the season so far.

If we were even getting just below average goaltending as opposed to league worst, we’re likely in a wild card spot and have one less complaint to make about this season.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

This is incorrect. Dougie was very good before the injury, despite the team’s losing.

Meier was never a super high IQ player and he’s still pretty young. Again, no one is writing him off but if he’s healthy, the heat is deserved.

Then what about Timo's playoffs? You can't just look the other way on that lmao

 

[Homedresser]

the margin for the playoffs is so slim that you can point to any number of our glaring deficiencies as “the” reason we aren’t a playoff team -

- habit of slow starts and playing from behind almost every game

- horrible home record

- losing to crappy teams because there’s no killer instinct or sense of urgency to earn every single point

- unnecessarily complicated D structure/coaching in general

- injuries (not anyone’s fault)

- worst goaltending in the league

you fix any one of those problems and i’d guarantee we’d be sitting in a spot. yes the goaltending’s bad but aside from injuries, the other problems aren’t things that good teams deal with - at least not all of them compounded

after last season, just making the playoffs wasn't the goal. the next step was the ECF and serious cup consideration. Unfortunately, they were NEVER going to do that with the goaltending. The rest is just noise. Injuries, coaching whatever. As soon as this team went to camp with no goaltending the dye was cast.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Dougie had 16 points in 20 games before he got hurt. That kind of shocked me a bit because before he got hurt I could of sworn I thought he was slumping offensively but 16 points in 20 games isn't bad at all. His defensive side of the game was the thing that really stuck out before he got hurt. It was noticeably worse than usual.

 

[Homedresser]

after last season, just making the playoffs wasn't the goal. the next step was the ECF and serious cup consideration. Unfortunately, they were NEVER going to do that with the goaltending. The rest is just noise. Injuries, coaching whatever. As soon as this team went to camp with no goaltending the dye was cast.

and btw, until it's addressed everything else is moot inlcuding a coaching change. No one is coming in here and winning without goaltending.

 

[Forge]

I think we can all safely say that this is unsurprising lol