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

[SansaStark]

This is very funny because Nico was the least of the Devils' problems last year, and while Jack was terrible when he was injured, he was incredible when he wasn't. It was pretty much everything else besides Bratt that was the problem.

The Oilers missed the playoffs when McDavid had 116 points and Draisaitl had 105. Your stars can carry you only so far.

When you're the captain and #1 overall pick of a team with high expectations like this, you need to do more than be adequate on the ice. I am holding him to a higher standard. Again, its preseason so there's no nail in the coffin for me yet, but I'm holding both the hammer and the nail.

 

[Devils731]

We tried the Timo on the 3rd line experiment. It doesn't work. You don't pay a player $9 million dollars to play on the 3rd line for him to be the "best player on the ice".

The Devils had Timo on the 3rd line was he was so badly hurt he could barely stand, I don’t think that is good evidence. You can put Bratt, Timo, or Hughes on the 3rd line and they’ll produce when healthy.

You do put a player on the 3rd line making $9 million if it makes your team win the most.

I think you want Bratt, Hughes, and Timo to be puck hogs. If any of them aren’t then you’re losing part of what makes them so good.

I don’t think any lines are set in stone; they would get stale if you don’t mix them up periodically, so guys will play all over the lineup at different times. The Devils should try many different looks during the season and they will end up doing this.

I do think the Devils are overwhelming if they have 3 lines with a puck dominant guy that is hard to stop rather than 2 lines with a puck dominant guy and one of those lines has a second guy who is now taking a back seat.

 

[Better Call Sal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840080011656679751

 

[SJinNewJersey]

This team hasn’t earned any benefit of the doubt. They have no equity. Until they prove it this year and change my mind, I will continue to put the blame squarely on the players. Specifically Nico and Jack. They need to dominate or they can go somewhere else.

Glad you are not part of the front office.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

When you're the captain and #1 overall pick of a team with high expectations like this, you need to do more than be adequate on the ice. I am holding him to a higher standard. Again, its preseason so there's no nail in the coffin for me yet, but I'm holding both the hammer and the nail.

thank u for letting us know!

 

[SansaStark]

thank u for letting us know!

No thank you(!) for creating an atmosphere where any critical discourse about the team is met with snide comments. The results on the ice speak for themselves. If any of us choose to vent our frustration on a message board, why not present your argument. I'm certainly willing to change my mind should you have some optimistic angle I haven't considered.

 

[njdevils1982]

This team hasn’t earned any benefit of the doubt. They have no equity. Until they prove it this year and change my mind, I will continue to put the blame squarely on the players. Specifically Nico and Jack. They need to dominate or they can go somewhere else.

a bold statement

one which i wholeheartedly disagree with

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

No thank you(!) for creating an atmosphere where any critical discourse about the team is met with snide comments. The results on the ice speak for themselves. If any of us choose to vent our frustration on a message board, why not present your argument. I'm certainly willing to change my mind should you have some optimistic angle I haven't considered.

You started this out by criticizing two of the only players who were and have been worth a shit recently.

"I am holding the hammer and the nail" is not "critical discourse" lol

 

[Mgd31]

I’ve had a lot of high noons today on this rainy day. I don’t like the vibes but I would be appalled if this team can’t grab a top 3 spot in a crappy Metro.

 

[Hisch13r]

The Devils had Timo on the 3rd line was he was so badly hurt he could barely stand, I don’t think that is good evidence. You can put Bratt, Timo, or Hughes on the 3rd line and they’ll produce when healthy.

You do put a player on the 3rd line making $9 million if it makes your team win the most.

I think you want Bratt, Hughes, and Timo to be puck hogs. If any of them aren’t then you’re losing part of what makes them so good.

I don’t think any lines are set in stone; they would get stale if you don’t mix them up periodically, so guys will play all over the lineup at different times. The Devils should try many different looks during the season and they will end up doing this.

I do think the Devils are overwhelming if they have 3 lines with a puck dominant guy that is hard to stop rather than 2 lines with a puck dominant guy and one of those lines has a second guy who is now taking a back seat.

I do get the logic of spreading them out but Jack has always been substantially better with Bratt than without Bratt. They’ve got like a +60% xG together over the past 4 years. I keep them together.

I’ve had a lot of high noons today on this rainy day. I don’t like the vibes but I would be appalled if this team can’t grab a top 3 spot in a crappy Metro.

Yeah I also said somewhere else that we’re very lucky to be in the Metro rather than the Atlantic.

 

[SansaStark]

You started this out by criticizing two of the only players who were and have been worth a shit recently.

"I am holding the hammer and the nail" is not "critical discourse" lol

Jack was absolutely terrible last year regardless of his injury he was making plays and decisions with the puck that transcend his injury, in a bad way. I will criticize him until he both stops getting hurt so often and stops being selfish and making shit plays with the puck. I don't care if your pressing, you don't play the way he played last year, period. That's not debatable, its right there on the tape.

And while Nico is a nice player, he's been a part of, and the captain of, a team that has significantly underachieved besides one season where the stars aligned via health, decent goaltending and a 13 game winning streak. They locked it down defensively and beat a good but flawed ranger team and when they went into the Carolina series they folded like a piece of cardboard.

And if we're being objective, the player who has been worth a shit recently is Bratt. That's it. He legitimately looks like a player who is a cut above. Nico does occasionally but his leadership is certainly in doubt.

These two players are the core and if they don't dominate on a more permanent basis then they're just guys. Good players, not core pieces. They need to prove it, they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt


Edit: We don't have to agree. I would be absolutely thrilled if they prove me wrong and we can cheers a beer over it. I am willing to change my mind.

 

[Forge]

Bring Geertsen home

 

[JK3]

Oh boy here we go.

 

[Bleedred]

Bring Geertsen home

 

[Billdo]

Jack was absolutely terrible last year regardless of his injury he was making plays and decisions with the puck that transcend his injury, in a bad way. I will criticize him until he both stops getting hurt so often and stops being selfish and making shit plays with the puck. I don't care if your pressing, you don't play the way he played last year, period. That's not debatable, its right there on the tape.

And while Nico is a nice player, he's been a part of, and the captain of, a team that has significantly underachieved besides one season where the stars aligned via health, decent goaltending and a 13 game winning streak. They locked it down defensively and beat a good but flawed ranger team and when they went into the Carolina series they folded like a piece of cardboard.

And if we're being objective, the player who has been worth a shit recently is Bratt. That's it. He legitimately looks like a player who is a cut above. Nico does occasionally but his leadership is certainly in doubt.

These two players are the core and if they don't dominate on a more permanent basis then they're just guys. Good players, not core pieces. They need to prove it, they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt


Edit: We don't have to agree. I would be absolutely thrilled if they prove me wrong and we can cheers a beer over it. I am willing to change my mind.

Man if 74 points in 62 games is terrible, while clearly hurt, is "absolutely terrible", I can't wait to see when he's even decent.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Jack was absolutely terrible last year regardless of his injury he was making plays and decisions with the puck that transcend his injury, in a bad way. I will criticize him until he both stops getting hurt so often and stops being selfish and making shit plays with the puck. I don't care if your pressing, you don't play the way he played last year, period. That's not debatable, its right there on the tape.

And while Nico is a nice player, he's been a part of, and the captain of, a team that has significantly underachieved besides one season where the stars aligned via health, decent goaltending and a 13 game winning streak. They locked it down defensively and beat a good but flawed ranger team and when they went into the Carolina series they folded like a piece of cardboard.

And if we're being objective, the player who has been worth a shit recently is Bratt. That's it. He legitimately looks like a player who is a cut above. Nico does occasionally but his leadership is certainly in doubt.

These two players are the core and if they don't dominate on a more permanent basis then they're just guys. Good players, not core pieces. They need to prove it, they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt


Edit: We don't have to agree. I would be absolutely thrilled if they prove me wrong and we can cheers a beer over it. I am willing to change my mind.

I think that pointing the finger at the team’s best players for the lack of success is misplaced blame. You’re entitled to your opinion, but realistically, Jack should have been shut down to just have the surgery he ended up having at the end of the season earlier. I get it, it’s hockey mentality to play through things but it lead to him deferring to the poor decision making that you’re referring to. Jack is an incredible talent, but it’s imperative he stays healthy this year. If he suffers another significant injury this year, we don’t have the depth down the middle to really withstand it for a lengthy period of time.

I’m a self-admitted Nico defender, so I’ll definitely take the full stance there. I don’t think it’s fair to put the failures of prior teams he’s been a part of solely on his shoulders for wearing the C while also diminishing the success of 22-23. If there is one player I would identify that leads by example and busts his ass each and every night, it’s him. I have no questions about his leadership, he’s absolutely the guy of this core group that should wear that letter.

If your point is that our team will ultimately live and die by their production, I’d argue that Bratt and Meier are also of importance. But past teams have had their share of flaws and issues that exacerbated the problems (lack of structure, lack of goaltending, stockpile of injuries last year). If our most important players can stay healthy, I’d be surprised if we don’t return to the postseason.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Man if 74 points in 62 games is terrible, while clearly hurt, is "absolutely terrible", I can't wait to see when he's even decent.

He was pretty bad last season

 

[Better Call Sal]

Bring Geertsen home

What about Tyce!?

 

[Hisch13r]

He was pretty bad last season

Incredible start to the year. Then he fell off a cliff following the Vancouver game at the start of December. IIRC he was under PPG after that and he was also a PP and 2nd assist merchant. I mean like sure in a vacuum those are good results for a player but for Jack Hughes standards he was awful

 

[None Shall Pass]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840080011656679751

I like this sentiment but man is this place going to be a mess while we go through that first month of growing pains.

 

[MasterofGrond]

He was pretty bad last season

No he wasn’t, at least not in any sense other than compared to how good he can be. He was still a net positive on the ice even with one f***ing shoulder

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Jack was absolutely terrible last year regardless of his injury he was making plays and decisions with the puck that transcend his injury, in a bad way. I will criticize him until he both stops getting hurt so often and stops being selfish and making shit plays with the puck. I don't care if your pressing, you don't play the way he played last year, period. That's not debatable, its right there on the tape.

And while Nico is a nice player, he's been a part of, and the captain of, a team that has significantly underachieved besides one season where the stars aligned via health, decent goaltending and a 13 game winning streak. They locked it down defensively and beat a good but flawed ranger team and when they went into the Carolina series they folded like a piece of cardboard.

And if we're being objective, the player who has been worth a shit recently is Bratt. That's it. He legitimately looks like a player who is a cut above. Nico does occasionally but his leadership is certainly in doubt.

These two players are the core and if they don't dominate on a more permanent basis then they're just guys. Good players, not core pieces. They need to prove it, they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt


Edit: We don't have to agree. I would be absolutely thrilled if they prove me wrong and we can cheers a beer over it. I am willing to change my mind.

I mean look, if you feel this way thats fine, but at least you laid it out here. I don't agree with you, but its whatever. We literally could have had the exact same roster last year and if we had a competent goalie, we probably would have made the playoffs. Is that good enough? No, it isn't. But the point remains.

Not "I AM READY TO CANCEL THEM!" That isn't deep discussion.

 

[My3Sons]

Incredible start to the year. Then he fell off a cliff following the Vancouver game at the start of December. IIRC he was under PPG after that and he was also a PP and 2nd assist merchant. I mean like sure in a vacuum those are good results for a player but for Jack Hughes standards he was awful

The only thing that can slow him down is injury. If he was bad he probably shouldn’t have been playing.

 

[MadDevil]

The only thing that can slow him down is injury. If he was bad he probably shouldn’t have been playing.

That first part is the thing that worries me with him long term. I don't want him to become that superstar that is constantly injured. Although I guess Crosby had that stretch of 3 years where he was always injured and then rattled off like 6 straight years of 75+ games played, so hopefully Jack is due for a stretch of good health here.