Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023 offseason part II

[beekay414]

Okay? He is the clear #2 IMO. But either way, who are you going to debate, MacKinnon? Okay so top 3? Jack is not there.

I can give you 10 off the top of my head that can be debated as equal or better than Matthews right now. There's nothing "clear #2" about him at this point.

MacKinnon
Tkachuk
Makar
Pastrnak
Draisaitl
Kucherov
Robertson
Rantanen
Hughes
Pettersson

Jack Hughes was a better hockey player in 2022-23 than Auston Matthews. Eye test and numbers back that up.

 

[Eggtimer]

Still poses me off we took Stillman with Zellweger , Stankoven , Heimosalmi still available . I wanted Stankoven in a big way and Zellweger if Stankoven was gone

 

[Clam Jensen]

By RankKing, creator of PNHLe. Looking good!

Needs moar Seamus

 

[Patrik26]

The way he left was wildly unprofessional tbh. He didn't know he had to speak? f*** off, he's done it every other year. He was told he wouldn't be back so he took his ball and went home. I liked Tatar and I wanted him back but he's an absolute ghost in the playoffs and we're a playoff team now.

THIS. THIS. THIS.

 

[theoptimist]

The way he left was wildly unprofessional tbh. He didn't know he had to speak? f*** off, he's done it every other year. He was told he wouldn't be back so he took his ball and went home. I liked Tatar and I wanted him back but he's an absolute ghost in the playoffs and we're a playoff team now.

He left in one of these

 

[MB3]

This is pretty biased IMO. Matthews is the second best player in the league. Jack is not on his level yet and not sure if he will be.

Marner is also better than Meier, not sure how calling them equal is fair? And Hishier is better than Taveres but not to the extent your trying to depict.

Lmfao. second best player in the league.

 

[njdevil26]

Has there been any rumor/chatter about Tatar at all? Like others have said it's weird how he just packed his shit and left. The Devils are the only team that's given him that much responsibility.

Unless he was straight up told that they weren't bringing him back.

 

[devsfan8]

I don't care about deadline cap space. Not even a little. Every playoff team will be up against the cap. They always are. The cap space increases each day. Adding a depth piece is fine. Last year we turned no cap space during rhe season to Timo Meier at the deadline. Even if Berniers LTIR played into it, there was still "a way". A good GM always finds a way when they are in a cap bind. I'm all in for Fitz to add another depth piece and be right up against the cap. That's just me.

At the same time if the season started tomorrow I like the team and more then happy with the offseason. I'm not for making a move just to make one.

 

[devsfan8]

Has there been any rumor/chatter about Tatar at all? Like others have said it's weird how he just packed his shit and left. The Devils are the only team that's given him that much responsibility.

Unless he was straight up told that they weren't bringing him back.

That's the assumption, that he was told he is not being brought back because of the way he left with no exit interview. But nobody knows for sure if he was told he won't be back.

All we do know is Fitz had said our UFAs are testing the market. That doesn't mean he won't circle back around. With the way he seemed to buy in this past season and had such a solid year I'd bring him back for a season. He had 20 goals. Every player doesnt have to be big playoff performers. Others disagree and don't want him here.

 

[Clam Jensen]

He left in one of these

View attachment 726023

“f*** y’all, I got a Urus”

 

[Hisch13r]

Has there been any rumor/chatter about Tatar at all? Like others have said it's weird how he just packed his shit and left. The Devils are the only team that's given him that much responsibility.

Unless he was straight up told that they weren't bringing him back.

 

[My3Sons]

“f*** y’all, I got a Urus”

Is it quartz?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I think Matthews is pretty clearly the second best player in the NHL. He leads the league in goals/60 (both at 5v5 and all strengths) since 16-17. He can stickhandle in a phone booth, he's built like a tank, and he plays defense. It's a shame he ended up in Toronto where they don't know what to do with good players.

 

[Bleedred]

The way he left was wildly unprofessional tbh. He didn't know he had to speak? f*** off, he's done it every other year. He was told he wouldn't be back so he took his ball and went home. I liked Tatar and I wanted him back but he's an absolute ghost in the playoffs and we're a playoff team now.

Are we sure it wasn’t just a big nothing? We initially thought he wasn’t there and maybe skipped town for the world championships, but when asked about him Ruff said he was there.

Is it possible he just wasn’t feeling great that day and didn’t skip out on interviews because he was upset at being told he wasn’t being brought back?

I just think it’s odd he’d no-show after being told he wasn’t coming back. Players always get told that and still show up to end of season interviews.

 

[Triumph]

I can give you 10 off the top of my head that can be debated as equal or better than Matthews right now. There's nothing "clear #2" about him at this point.

MacKinnon
Tkachuk
Makar
Pastrnak
Draisaitl
Kucherov
Robertson
Rantanen
Hughes
Pettersson

Jack Hughes was a better hockey player in 2022-23 than Auston Matthews. Eye test and numbers back that up.

I think the issue is that Matthews had a down year and was still pretty close to all of these players, many of whom likely had their peak season.

He has 21 more 5v5 goals than anyone over the last 3 seasons.

 

[Eggtimer]

I think Matthews is pretty clearly the second best player in the NHL. He leads the league in goals/60 (both at 5v5 and all strengths) since 16-17. He can stickhandle in a phone booth, he's built like a tank, and he plays defense. It's a shame he ended up in Toronto where they don't know what to do with good players.

I’d take Draisaitl over him 100 times out of 100 . Drai played last playoffs on one leg , guy gives it his all . He us a beast in the puck and is probably the best passer in the game plus has a cannon one timer , can score goals any way you want him to.
I’d even say MacKinnon is someone I’d rather have than Matthews . Then I’d probably want Makar over him if we are talking best player .
No doubt Matthews is a stud but there are a few players I’d pick over him . Even if talking about C , there are 3 I’d take ahead of him .

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Matthews has more career goals than Mackinnon despite Mackinnon's 3 season head start. I don't think people appreciate (yet) that he's a generational goal scorer. I hope he wins a cup but I hope it's not with the Leafs.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Matthews, Mackinnon? They're both no Ja'Cuuze that's for sure!

 

[Devils731]

Oh my.

 

[beekay414]

I think the issue is that Matthews had a down year and was still pretty close to all of these players, many of whom likely had their peak season.

He has 21 more 5v5 goals than anyone over the last 3 seasons.

Are we talking about Matthews as a goal scorer or complete player here? Because that's where the distinction changes. He's an insane goal scorer, for certain, but I don't think he's anything close to the clear 2nd best player in hockey when talking overall game.

The only thing "clear" in hockey is that it's McDavid and then everyone else.

 

[Triumph]

Are we talking about Matthews as a goal scorer or complete player here? Because that's where the distinction changes. He's an insane goal scorer, for certain, but I don't think he's anything close to the clear 2nd best player in hockey when talking overall game.

The only thing "clear" in hockey is that it's McDavid and then everyone else.

As a complete player. He has a fantastic overall game, he's a huge playdriver; he has a phenomenal shot that has beaten his personal xG by 57 goals over the course of his career (5v5) and has posted an on-ice xG of 60% the last three seasons. Now, if he has the same year as he did this year, and guys like Hughes and M. Tkachuk repeat this season, he will have company, but yeah I think he's the 2nd best player in the league right now.

 

[Guttersniped]

Lundqvist on the TNT broadcast this year talked about how he’s very poor moving east to west and that’s why he struggles and has been on this decline.

The thing I noticed this past year particularly is that Anaheim gives up a whole lot of shots, many times over 40 and even 50 sometimes. They play so badly that conceding 4-5 goals is certainly understandable, but a lot of those times it would turn into 6 or 7 goals and look like a baseball score.

So Gibson would wind up making it an out of control blowout and terribly lopsided.

Anaheim had the worst team defense… ever?

Seriously, what is happening?

Spoiler: Here’s the Top 10 worst in 2022-23

Ducks run away with xGA/60 at EV

They don’t have the worst GA/60 at EV because lol Blue Jackets.

Spoiler: Ducks are also worst ever since 2007-08

Yep.
Again this is EV.

Make a nice showing at 3rd here.

Again, I can’t stress this enough, lol Blue Jackets.

We’re also 9th here in 2021-22 while coming in 173rd in CA/60 and 240th in xG/60, but it wasn’t the goaltending. (Good times, fun debate.)

 

[glenwo2]

“Alright, before you get in a tizzy, New Jersey Devils fans, I’m excited,” Daneyko said on NHL Network. “I like what they’ve done, no question about it, it’s going to be harder. Are they going to be in the playoffs? Absolutely. And do I hope they make a great playoff run and win it all? That’s what it’s about! But I’m still going to go with the Carolina Hurricanes, strictly from the standpoint they’ve been pretty consistent in the regular season for a long time here.

“(Andrei) Svechnikov’s going to be healthy. They’ve made some real good acquisitions as well, they’ve got Dmitry Orlov off on the back end and it’s just a good efficient team, well coached. Michael Bunting as well is going to bring some grit and some offense along the way. I think they’ve added some pieces they need. Again, Svechnikov’s a beast. Maybe they go further if he was in the playoffs. They didn’t make any excuses – I will for them. He’s that good of a player. I think he’s going to be hungry and really lead the charge for the Carolina Hurricanes.”


“I still think (the Hurricanes are) the team to beat in the Metro,” Daneyko added. “Do I think the Devils can? Well, we’ll wait and see – and I’m hoping (so)! I’m going to be brutally honest, of course.

“I’m just keeping things in perspective, Devils fans. We’re going to be good!”

Ex-Devils great Ken Daneyko makes surprising Metropolitan Division winner prediction on NHL Network

Mr. Devil himself is picking against the Devils in the division race next season.

www.nj.com

Predicting Carolina is the team to beat in the East still is fair.

Until the Devils defeat them, that will be the case.

 

[Guttersniped]

Oh my.

Holy shit, the “Dark Spot Corrector” is officially back in stock. Thanks Dano!

 

[Billdo]

Are we sure it wasn’t just a big nothing? We initially thought he wasn’t there and maybe skipped town for the world championships, but when asked about him Ruff said he was there.

Is it possible he just wasn’t feeling great that day and didn’t skip out on interviews because he was upset at being told he wasn’t being brought back?

I just think it’s odd he’d no-show after being told he wasn’t coming back. Players always get told that and still show up to end of season interviews.

All I know is that it was reported that he "didn't know he was supposed to stay" which I don't think anyone believed.