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

[Emperoreddy]

Also really premature to assume the wild card spots are gone.

Follow the entire season and both Detroit and Tampa have been massively inconsistent. Tampa has looked bad since the break ends and I don't buy Detroit will keep it up either.

These aren't good teams we need to pass

 

[Mgd31]

Devils will need to win 75% of the next 13 games because after that starts a murderer’s row of games in early March

 

[BurntToast]

Its wild, we talk about punting Seasons like it’s nothing. I am sure there are some “old ass” Devils fans who like to see this team be successful before they die.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Its wild, we talk about punting Seasons like it’s nothing. I am sure there are some “old ass” Devils fans who like to see this team be successful before they die.

Their thinking I'm sure is fear of overpaying in futures to try and squeeze into the playoffs. My fear is whatever they do to get goaltending in season is not a legit solution and then they don't have the trade chips to address it in the offseason, where the goaltending market is significantly more liquid.

 

[RNCDevil]

I am so interested in tomorrow game. Was Saturday a breakthrough or a mirage? Will they play another solid game or continue to look lost in the d zone and transition?

 

[glenwo2]

Depending on what sports book you look at, Vegas seems to see us as ~48% chance of making it. Pretty close to a coin flip. It would be nice if Philly can just completely shit the bed.

Somebody needs to find out what s--t Vegas is smoking...

 

[Guttersniped]

And the Flyers would have to go 17-12 to make it to 96 pts. Of course it’s doable but it’s not a lock for them. Thats a slightly higher pts % than they currently have.

Everyone is fixated on this 96 mark when Metro 3 this season can be well below that. Especially if the Flyers start a downward trend if they sell at the TDL (which looks like they will do). Pens and Isles are .500 teams lately. NJ is the only team here with the potential to improve their play since they are healthy at forward now.

It’s wild to think, but it’s still right there for them if they want it and can play like they did last night more often than not in this final 32.

We’re still in it. A bunch of teams are fighting for the last Metro spot & wild card spot.

Jack needs to come alive, and the Meier/Mercer I saw in the Colorado game needs to be a regular thing.

We need to win here, starting this week, but games we’re playing matter.

Spoiler: Various prediction charts

Hockey Viz

 

[glenwo2]

I am so interested in tomorrow game. Was Saturday a breakthrough or a mirage? Will they play another solid game or continue to look lost in the d zone and transition?

I didn't trust Vitek or this team to win against Calgary and Vitek (himself) proved me right.

Now they got a Loser Point they otherwise had no business getting up there in Carolina but I'm not holding my breath that this is some turnaround for Vitek.

Knowing him, he'll probably get back to letting in softies and we're right back we started : RUNNING IN PLACE.

That's what this team is doing right now.

Running in place while the season dwindles away to the point where Playoffs are an impossibility.

 

[BostonDevil]

Its wild, we talk about punting Seasons like it’s nothing. I am sure there are some “old ass” Devils fans who like to see this team be successful before they die.

I'm so "old ass" that I've actually seen the team be successful!

I don't want to punt the season either but it seems like they wasted too much time that it might be too late.

Hope I'm wrong!

 

[kiwidevil]

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

 

[BurntToast]

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

Check Please.





(No way Boston does that, but I got the goalie wrong last time with Corey coming to the Devils)

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Its wild, we talk about punting Seasons like it’s nothing. I am sure there are some “old ass” Devils fans who like to see this team be successful before they die.

I became a fan after the Devils had their glory years, at least you guys saw them in their prime with cups. This younger generation doesn't even have that, lol. And it has nothing to do with that and more so that risking assets in a cooked season + possibly keeping Lindy in a late season run is worse for 24-25 and beyond. I've said multiple times that I don't hold it against Devils fans for wanting to be in the playoffs. At the end of the day, I'd love to make it too but what purpose does it serve if it hurts more in the long run?

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

Boston would laugh at that

 

[Clam Jensen]

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

I would do it in a heartbeat

 

[JK3]

We've been waiting for this turnaround all year and it hasn't happened. There's just too much that plagues this team ATM, by the time we get completely healthy it'll be too late. TBH I don't think they played all that well even when they were fully healthy early on.

Waiting for other teams to stumble is a fools errand, sure we can go on a run but if the other teams win here and there it doesn't matter. I don't think people realize how hard it is to make up points and catch teams down the stretch. We might as well bring Cangi back to announce every game that we're still mathmatically in it with a week left just to feel good.

This year has been a hard ass lesson for the younger guys like Luke and Nemec but it'll make them much better in the future. People aren't going to like it but they are still super green, I think it's still going to be another year at least before they really shine. They're a massive part of our D core and it just takes time.

Last thing is hopefully Fitz doesn't do anything stupid here down the stretch and piss away more assets for a half assed push to make the playoffs.

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah, I have not much faith.

If they come out and lose to Seattle tomorrow, for whatever reason, our goalie sucks, their goalie was great, I don't give a f***. No excuse. Win the f***ing game or the season is over. Unless we're gonna start all over again and we win every single game for the next 2 weeks after losing tomorrow night.

That's the type of game we've been losing all year long. A BAD/MEDIOCRE team on home ice. Especially from the Western Conference.

It all started all the way back in game 2 against WORTHLESS shithole poverty franchise Arizona. Gee, I wonder if they can beat Philly tomorrow? Probably not. Maybe we'll beat them on the road in their concert hall?

I still remember Bill's dumbass shit that night about how ''Maybe they're a playoff team this year?''.

If we see his car getting taken away by the repo man, I think we can safely assume what happened there.

 

[NJDevils17]

I don’t really think this team is playoff bound and have shown no consistency this year.

However, even if it’s a lost year (and I think it probably will be), getting Luke and Nemec huge roles and responsibilities is certainly a blessing.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

Assuming it came with a reasonable contract for Swayman, yes I would do it. I think Boston would want more though.

 

[glenwo2]

I would do it in a heartbeat

Boston would hang up the phone on Fitz if that was his offer, though.

 

[kiwidevil]

Assuming it came with a reasonable contract for Swayman, yes I would do it. I think Boston would want more though.

Yep, agreed.thats the reason I mentioned baseline. How much more do we add?

Mercer is a very Boston type fwd.

 

[Guttersniped]

Yep, agreed.thats the reason I mentioned baseline. How much more do we add?

Mercer is a very Boston type fwd.

It’s not happing because Boston is better off keeping the 25 year old RFA then re-signing Ullmark when he’s 31.

 

[My3Sons]

Its wild, we talk about punting Seasons like it’s nothing. I am sure there are some “old ass” Devils fans who like to see this team be successful before they die.

Oh please as if there are any old Devils fans. The team has only been good since 1988 so maybe the oldest fans were born shortly after that. That makes the elderly among us maybe 40? I can’t imagine any person being older than that anyway.

 

[Billdo]

Mercer for Swayman as a baseline in the off season. Does it work?

Boston's not going to get rid of the younger goalie. If anyone leaves it'll be Ullmark who I'm not opposed to getting.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Boston would hang up the phone on Fitz if that was his offer, though.

Oh for sure, but a boy can dream

 

[forceten]

Burns was terrific against us last night. No defenseman in the league is better at getting his shot through or QB’ing the power play but he was also amazing on defense last night - guarding the crease and shutting down our passes and plays to keep us and the puck away from their net. If I’m Carolina right now I think he’s every bit as key to me as Slavin if we want to make a run in the playoffs.

Wow, I disagree. Burns was tentative and backed off committing to the player and played mini zone where he was. It wasn’t just me either - my Canes fan companion said the same and so did about 4 canes fans around us. I felt like he showed his age a bit last night - and I otherwise agree he’s been fantastic since leaving SJ but his age is what it is

 

[TheUnseenHand]

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.

Dougie's offense was one of the few things early that I was happy about. He was still bombing it. His defense looked worse than last year though.