Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - camp edition

[Moist ReadOnly]

If that top line doesn’t work, it’ll be changed - that isn’t rocket science. They aren’t going to have Hughes, Bratt and Timo do nothing for a month just to lock in the second line

Why are we wasting a month to figure out what weve known for nearly two years now, and what basic logic tells us;

Timo Meier and Jack Hughes cannot be on the same line

They only are because our analytics department most certainly informed Sheldon about their 22-23 season (the Hischier line)

 

[NJDevs26]

Why are we wasting a month to figure out what weve known for nearly two years now, and what basic logic tells us;

Timo Meier and Jack Hughes cannot be on the same line

They only are because our analytics department most certainly informed Sheldon about their 22-23 season (the Hischier line)

Have we seen any of those lines in the Keefe system? No…this year has nothing to do with the last two.

And Timo had plenty of time on the third line under Ruff last year much to this board’s chagrin. You’re ranting about nothing…at some point they’re going to have the ‘wrong’ lines playing whether due to experimentation, injury or both.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Have we seen any of those lines in the Keefe system? No…this year has nothing to do with the last two.

You know what, Id love to agree with you...

EXCEPT THE HISCHIER LINE IS BASED ON TWO YEARS AGO

 

[NJDevs26]

You know what, Id love to agree with you...

EXCEPT THE HISCHIER LINE IS BASED ON TWO YEARS AGO

Again give them a try, if it doesn’t work it’ll be switched! They aren’t starting the playoffs next week or next month.

And Dawson was crap last year, if having Tatar helps him then get him off to a good start and go from there. Jack has to play with at least one of Bratt or Timo unless you think he can literally make a sixty point player out of any winger.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

If youre so obsessed with Tatar being on Nico's line (like as if anyone more skilled wouldnt do even better; Nico does some seriously heavy lifting here) then put Meier on their right wing

But they havent because this is about analytics of the entire line, not just Tatar - weve essentially forced a brand new coach's hand

I don’t think I’m the one obsessed with this stuff

 

[Guttersniped]

Ian Clark is one of the few goalie coaches I've actually heard of and has a stellar reputation / track record. I don't know what is going on in Vancouver and if they are maybe blaming him for Demko's injuries, or not foreseeing he'd fail to recover in the offseason, or what if things have "gone sour." I was under the impression he wanted to take a step back cause he's over 60 but he'd be a great get from everything I've heard.

If this is just a cruel tease…

 

[JrFischer54]

That would be fine, as long as we also put about 14 or 15 other guys (not all of whom are players) also in there.

If Pandolfo is in the ring of honor, then you gotta put MacLean in, you gotta put Madden in, you probably gotta put Colin White in, you probably gotta put Greene and Zajac in at some point. You gotta put Langenbrunner in. You probably gotta put Holik in there. Maybe even Randy McKay. Maybe even Rafalski. Maybe even Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez too. Arguably even a guy like Zubrus, although he played here in non-championship years. All of those guys best years were with the Devils, other than Zubrus. Claude Lemieux is another.

And then all 3 cup winning head coaches, as well as Doc and Chico and Lou.

All of these guys are either more or equally as worthy. I take back Zubrus. Putting him in may be like putting Parise in.

how bout we just put everyone that has won a cup in it? seems to be thats the main criteria a cup win.

 

[Guttersniped]

That''s fine but if they are going to add 1 person a year then he'll get in there eventually and it's deserved, that's why I said I would love to see it one day.

I really don't know who they'll pick, everyone was expecting someone older last year like Lou, Jacques, Doc or Chico and it ended up being Brylin so who knows. I assume it was because he was the only other player that won all 3 Cups here that it made the most sense to put him in first.

Bylin also has been a coach with the organization since 2012-13.

It should be Chico. It looks like they’re waiting for Lou to retire before doing something there.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

I don’t think I’m the one obsessed with this stuff

So no rebuttal toward the actual conversation

Again, just admit you have no where to land on this conversation

Tatar-Hischier-Mercer is only being played again because thats what our analytics department shoved down Sheldon Keefe's throat

The snarky responses Im sure make you feel good, but they just go to show youre out of your depth here because, for once, analytics is making poor decisions for your team and you know it

You know for a fact Timo should be on Nico's wing but cant admit it because youd be agreeing with me lmfao

Again give them a try, if it doesn’t work it’ll be switched! They aren’t starting the playoffs next week or next month.

And Dawson was crap last year, if having Tatar helps him then get him off to a good start and go from there. Jack has to play with at least one of Bratt or Timo unless you think he can literally make a sixty point player out of any winger.

Id run:

Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Noesen

You want to switch it up sometimes throughout the year to get others going, then fine; but that, Id bet a lot of money, will be our best roster lineup of the season

 

[Triumph]

So no rebuttal toward the actual conversation

Again, just admit you have no where to land on this conversation

Tatar-Hischier-Mercer is only being played again because thats what our analytixs department shoved down Sheldon Keefe's throat

The snarky responses Im sure make you feel good, but they just go to show youre out of your depth here because, for once, analytics is making poor decisions for your team and you know it

You know for a fact Timo should be on Nico's wing but cant admit it because youd be agreeing with me lmfao

lol. I do love how there's one side of this sort of thing who thinks that analytics are responsible for the good moves the team makes and then the other side who thinks analytics are responsible for all the bad moves.

One thing I can say with the confidence you have here - I have absolutely no idea what role analytics plays in the Devils' line decisions. None whatsoever. Another thing I do know is that Tatar was really excellent with Hischier and Mercer.

I'm in favor of switching Meier and Palat and rolling with Meier on the 3rd line. There's any number of reasons not to start the season that way, though.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

lol. I do love how there's one side of this sort of thing who thinks that analytics are responsible for the good moves the team makes and then the other side who thinks analytics are responsible for all the bad moves.

One thing I can say with the confidence you have here - I have absolutely no idea what role analytics plays in the Devils' line decisions. None whatsoever. One thing I do know is that Tatar was really excellent with Hischier and Mercer.

Another thing you know is Meier Bratt Hughes cannot coexist on a single line because one or more wont be getting enough shots off

And I stated in the post you quote that 'for once' analytics makes a bad decision for the team (the Hischier line) - and that is why Steve cant possibly agree with me

Everyone wants Tatar with Nico, fine - theres no reason to then slap Mercer there just because of one good season under a different coach in a system that caught the entire league off-guard

Its not only foolhardy to expect two middling wingers to replicate such a thing, but it also worsens our other 1st overall center's line

 

[Guttersniped]

Ian Clark is one of the few goalie coaches I've actually heard of and has a stellar reputation / track record. I don't know what is going on in Vancouver and if they are maybe blaming him for Demko's injuries, or not foreseeing he'd fail to recover in the offseason, or what if things have "gone sour." I was under the impression he wanted to take a step back cause he's over 60 but he'd be a great get from everything I've heard.

I can’t remember if I took to this board to rage about it or not, but I immediately thought “here’s an upgrade! Why is Rogalski still here? Now’s our chance. And we can even use the excuse that he wasn’t available yet and now he is!” But from everything I heard, it seems like he may be doing one of those “Semi-retirement” things that guys like Mitch Korn did and Benoit Allaire just did this very offseason.

I honestly didn’t look into it too much, but it felt like from what I heard that he wasn’t really available.

Ian Clark is listed at 58 on Elite Prospects, with a May birthday. link

Benoit Allaire is 60 and still listed as the NY Rangers Goalie Coach, so I don’t know what “semi-retirement” you heard about with him. link

Mitch Korn is 67 with a Sept birthday, and has been just the Director of Goaltending for a while, but I would still take him. link

Unless he’s ill, I’m assuming Clark still wants to work. These guys hang on forever. The (great) Ducks goalie coach stayed on despite a bout with cancer.

Boston’s Bob Essensa is 59 and he’s arguably the other best goalie coach outside of these guys, Clark’s age isn’t a worry for me.

 

[Guttersniped]

Tatar-Hischier-Mercer is only being played again because thats what our analytics department shoved down Sheldon Keefe's throat

What lol?

I don’t care about any of this debate but this bit of fantasy made me chuckle.

 

[Bleedred]

Ian Clark is listed at 58 on Elite Prospects, with a May birthday. link

Benoit Allaire is 60 and still listed as the NY Rangers Goalie Coach, so I don’t know what “semi-retirement” you heard about with him. link

Mitch Korn is 67 with a Sept birthday, and has been just the Director of Goaltending for a while, but I would still take him. link

Unless he’s ill, I’m assuming Clark still wants to work. These guys hang on forever. The (great) Ducks goalie coach stayed on despite a bout with cancer.

Boston’s Bob Essensa is 59 and he’s arguably the other best goalie coach outside of these guys, Clark’s age isn’t a worry for me.

I remember either reading or hearing on a podcast this offseason that Benoit Allaire is still with the team, but maybe he's not travelling with the team anymore or part of the daily operation anymore? I actually remember hearing somewhere else last year that he wasn't going on all the road trips.

NYR News > Benoit Allaire will remain Director of Goaltending but not Goalie Coach

Benoit Allaire, who this season had the title of “Head Goaltending Coach and Director of New York Rangers Goaltending, will remain as the team’s Director of Goaltending but will step ba…

nyrangersnews.com

Rangers’ longtime goalie guru Benoit Allaire scaling back coaching duties

The Rangers’ Goaltending Guru is scaling back his workload.

nypost.com

Jeff Malcolm named new Rangers goalie coach

It's the end of an era for the New York Rangers. After 20 years as an assistant/goalie coach, Benoit Allaire is taking a step back. Jeff Malcolm is the new Rang

blueseatblogs.com

I found these. Apparently he's now the director of goaltending (like Korn) but no longer the day to day goalie coach.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

What lol?

I don’t care about any of this debate but this bit of fantasy made me chuckle.

If you dont care about any of this debate, then its best not to chime in

I too can pull something out of context for a good laugh

"I didnt read any of the conversation, but found this funny"

 

[Guttersniped]

If you dont care about any of this debate, then its best not to chime in

I too can pull something out of context for a good laugh

"I didnt read any of the conversation, but found this funny"

Well, I did find it funny. It happens.

 

[HBK27]

Ian Clark is listed at 58 on Elite Prospects, with a May birthday. link

Benoit Allaire is 60 and still listed as the NY Rangers Goalie Coach, so I don’t know what “semi-retirement” you heard about with him. link

Mitch Korn is 67 with a Sept birthday, and has been just the Director of Goaltending for a while, but I would still take him. link

Unless he’s ill, I’m assuming Clark still wants to work. These guys hang on forever. The (great) Ducks goalie coach stayed on despite a bout with cancer.

Boston’s Bob Essensa is 59 and he’s arguably the other best goalie coach outside of these guys, Clark’s age isn’t a worry for me.

Friedman on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (around the 22 minute mark) commented that those that follow the situation closely noted that "after it was decided that Clark could not go on the ice everyday this season for his own health because of injuries he suffered, that maybe this marriage wouldn't continue". Goes on to mention that the relationship between Clark and the Canucks has turned in a bad direction, then notes that he's a really sharp guy that really knows goaltending a played a huge role in getting Demko to where he is.

Also said that he may be on the move with the Canucks' blessing. Notes that the Devils already have a goaltending department, but know Markstrom well.

So my read on this is that there's smoke to him coming to the Devils, but he wouldn't necessarily be a Rogalski replacement as the amount of coaching he could do would be somewhat limited. Still, would seem to be a huge add for the goaltending department if this does come to fruition.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Ian Clark is listed at 58 on Elite Prospects, with a May birthday. link

Looks like I trusted an AI response that he was 61 when I said that he was over 60 that quoted this profile: Ian Clark - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

If anyone cares.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Why can't we see the same line from two years ago, with a new coach?

It's a new coach, with a completely non-Ruff system. I don't want to come to any conclusions until we've got through at least 10-12 regular season games seeing this team in flow.

If anything - there is every reason in my mind to try all the same combos we've ever tried with this core all over again because there is a new coach + new system.

We need to see what will work in this new system and coaching style.

Even after a few preseason games I can see Nico is better in the Keefe PP bumper system than whatever PP system Ruff and crew had used.