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

[TrufleShufle]

Certainly reasonable point of view. But I don't agree with the thought process.

Perhaps I am off...but there is no doubt that this is at least somewhat personnel influenced... perhaps Jack's shoulder is worse than we know?

Having a McLeod and group of fast centers allows for more high to low coverage as opposed to a more traditional east-west from the hash marks coverage. You can argue that you are neutering their speed in a more traditional coverage ...but a lot of that speed is no longer there at the center position.

Bottom line is I don't know but personnel decisions seems a lot more plausible than a player mutiny or front office seige of the coaching staff conspiracy theories that got zero push back

I honestly don't know. But you and a few others including myself have said the system needed changing to stop the goal bleeding. Obviously always with the disclaimer that the goalies still need to be better to fend off the over sensitive. But with that said, what's more plausible, the coaching staff realized they were allowing way too many quality chances and making it far too easy for the opposing team to have their way in our D-zone or they realized they were losing a player and another one was hurt so they overhauled the entire system?

 

[Bleedred]

Big game by Kahkonnen last night. Decent numbers, on a bad team, for the season. 27 years old. Makes $2.7. UFA at season end., I'd look to extend him if he comes in and plays well.

How much could this guy possible cost?

He looked like he hurt himself right before he skated off the ice for the extra attacker.

The Jets didn’t score an empty netter, so we never got to see if he was gonna come back out or not. He did skate back to the locker room after the buzzer though.

 

[JimEIV]

I honestly don't know. But you and a few others including myself have said the system needed changing to stop the goal bleeding. Obviously always with the disclaimer that the goalies still need to be better to fend off the over sensitive. But with that said, what's more plausible, the coaching staff realized they were allowing way too many quality chances and making it far too easy for the opposing team to have their way in our D-zone or they realized they were losing a player and another one was hurt so they overhauled the entire system?

I think you're understating the "losing a player "

It's not losing one player.... it's a shuffle of 3 centers and adding two new...that's not really debatable that is the reality on the ice right now from where we started the season.

 

[Devils Trap]

More reinforcements

 

[Rhodes 81]

I'm fairly sure the pre-tweak system is the same system they used last season. It's just that this season's roster was terrible at executing it and probably also due to opposing teams having adjusted to it and know how to counter.

I think the more traditional assignments for wingers and centers is new as a mandate, but they naturally played that way last season.

They were also better at regaining possession immediately after the rush last year which masked a lot of the defensive structure to begin with.

 

[forceten]

Poulter being signed is huge. He’s developing well and was very poachable by other teams who need goaltending.

Now let’s poach the Gulls goalie who is in the same spot and fire Kalkgren into the sun. Or we can just loan him back to Gulls.

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[forceten]

Maybe Vanacek is being held out because he’s part of the return for a goalie…

 

[JimEIV]

I think the more traditional assignments for wingers and centers is new as a mandate, but they naturally played that way last season.

They were also better at regaining possession immediately after the rush last year which masked a lot of the defensive structure to begin with.

Puck retrieval and transition was so much better last season.

People want to make believe that Severson was no loss...but he was excellent at one on one battles, coming away with the puck and making jaw dropping outlet passes.

Replace Graves and Severson with Luke and Bahl and you are inevitably spending more time defending in your own zone.

 

[HBK27]

Two things around goalies:

1. I'm worried about another goaltending starved NHL team signing Isaac Poulter to an NHL contract. Why aren't we doing this ourselves? and
2. The Devils blogosphere suggested that we poach another team's AHL goalie who went undrafted three times - Tomas Suchanek - a 6'2" playing for Anaheim's Gulls AHL team.

Tomas Suchanek Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Tomas Suchanek, a hockey player from Prerov, Czech Rep. born Apr 30 2003 who was active from 2021 to 2024.

www.hockeydb.com

Good call! Poulter gets signed less than 24 hours later.

 

[JK3]

Fitz during his press conference literally said we need our players to help out our goaltenders, it has nothing to do with McShitbag or whatever, cmon. Ruff said the same thing.

 

[NjDevsRR]

More reinforcements

#FreeSiegs
#PressBoxSmith

 

[MadDevil]

Maybe Vanacek is being held out because he’s part of the return for a goalie…

More likely he's just sick. Sounds like it's going through the team since Palat is not at practice because he's feeling ill.

 

[My3Sons]

More likely he's just sick. Sounds like it's going through the team since Palat is not at practice because he's feeling ill.

He has the elephantiasis now? We are gonna need another wheelbarrow stat.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I think you're understating the "losing a player "

It's not losing one player.... it's a shuffle of 3 centers and adding two new...that's not really debatable that is the reality on the ice right now from where we started the season.

Idk man, I guess I'm confused. You've been one of the most unapologetic, "it's not the goalies it's the team" guys here. Most of the time not even throwing in the disclaimer of "goalies stink too," which is an insane thing to do around here. And now that the coaching staff has basically come out and said "Jim has essentially been right this whole time," you are putting the change on something else all together.

If you believe they changed the whole system due to players getting hurt and/or getting gone, then so be it. I just don't know why you would ignore such an obvious "see the coaching staff agrees with me," especially in this economy.

 

[Nocashstyle]

I really hope Ruff doesn’t drive Daws into the ground. Feels like this could have been a good game to get Schmid back in.

 

[britdevil]

More likely he's just sick.

Much bad Hibachi...
To the shitter I must go...
I lost the starter net...
- Vitek Vanecek

 

[R8Devs]

I thought they'd start Schmid with this game to avoid overloading Daws because I assumed he's going to be the one starting against Philly and that'd be 4 games in 6 days for him if he plays today. But I guess Ruff's thought process is if Daws struggles/needs a rest then either Vanacek will be back for Sat or Schmid can play against Philly because he has really good numbers against them.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I thought they'd start Schmid with this game to avoid overloading Daws because I assumed he's going to be the one starting against Philly and that'd be 4 games in 6 days for him if he plays today. But I guess Ruff's thought process is if Daws struggles/needs a rest then either Vanacek will be back for Sat or Schmid can play against Philly because he has really good numbers against them.

I think they are going to start Vtek Saturday because he will be well rested due to not playing for a few games and it would be irresponsible to play Schmid because he is rusty on account of not playing for a few games.

 

[devilsblood]

Two things around goalies:

1. I'm worried about another goaltending starved NHL team signing Isaac Poulter to an NHL contract. Why aren't we doing this ourselves? and
2. The Devils blogosphere suggested that we poach another team's AHL goalie who went undrafted three times - Tomas Suchanek - a 6'2" playing for Anaheim's Gulls AHL team.

Tomas Suchanek Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Tomas Suchanek, a hockey player from Prerov, Czech Rep. born Apr 30 2003 who was active from 2021 to 2024.

www.hockeydb.com

Suchanek had meh to good numbers in the WHL but he outperformed his fellow team mates by a good stretch.

Excellent numbers in the AHL in this, his first pro season.

Not a ton of room at the moment but if we were to trade Schmid for an NHL goalie that would make sense.

 

[devilsblood]

I think they are going to start Vtek Saturday because he will be will rested due to not playing for a few games and it would be irresponsible to play Schmid because he is rusty on account of not playing for a few games.

Schmid had also gone from not good in the NHL to even worse in the AHL.

If Daws says he feels good, I think the call is pretty easy for tonight.

 

[MVP Zacha]

Maybe Vanacek is being held out because he’s part of the return for a goalie…

My thoughts excactly.

 

[Bleedred]

I highly doubt they let Schmid play the Saturday game.

Maybe after that if Vitek hasn’t come back yet.

The old men in Washington are on a death march right now, just as Ovechkin is getting hot.

 

[devilsblood]

For one of the best goalies in the league? We pay a wing more than that.

He'll be 29 in April. I'm more wary of the 7 years.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nemo b-day! 3 point night tonight, 1G and 2A for his birthday!