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

[devlzfan]

Late to the party here, but I hope Fitzgerald is not bamboozled by Jack Hughes' endorsement of Lindy Ruff. What kid wouldn't want a coach where there's virtually no accountability. Of course Hughes is going to support him. He's afraid of a coach that will come here and kick these kids in the ass.

 

[RangerDoggo]

Can’t wait for nothing to be done, for the collaborative management to endorse pond hockey, and to continue being terrible for years to come. I don’t think Fitz sees a problem.

 

[Devs3cups]

Can’t wait for nothing to be done, for the collaborative management to endorse pond hockey, and to continue being terrible for years to come. I don’t think Fitz sees a problem.

Man, you’re really going all in these last few days on the doom and gloom train hehe!

I understand being frustrated, I think we all are, but Fitz has done a variety of changes to this team and has been proactive in the less than 2 years he’s been here. If he thought there was no problem, he wouldn’t have done that. He has a plan and is executing, he’s not doing nothing as some have suggested here. Now, if nothing extra is done before the start of the season, I’ll be alarmed, but that won’t happen. The season didn’t go how we wanted, but I think we should wait a little more than 3 days after season’s end before making conclusions, no?

 

[McDuffz88]

Can’t wait for nothing to be done, for the collaborative management to endorse pond hockey, and to continue being terrible for years to come. I don’t think Fitz sees a problem.

I think Fitz knows there's a problem. The question is does he have the balls to make the moves that need to be done? As in not be loyal to his buddies/coaching staff. Its also time to make a bold trade. His entire time here he has made tons of tiny moves with little risk/reward ratio. Every move he has made were safe moves. Its time for a big change & that requires the purge. If Fitz doesn't do it this offseason his seat gets hot, real hot.

 

[tailfins]

Culture is not about working hard (though, hard work can be part of a culture).
It's not about growing together (though, those shared experiences can help build a strong culture).

People within a strong culture usually have a shared set of values. A strong culture allows people within an organization to know how to react and interpret situations quickly and consistently.

Generally, a strong culture allows people to do more than they could elsewhere. "The whole is greater than sum of the parts." They waste less time thinking about how other people might react / interpret something. They waste less time on trying to interpret things themselves. They are confident when they act because they know how to determine right and wrong. People who don't buy into that culture get ejected.

And, yes, people complain about culture on winning teams.
When Lou was here, people outside the org always joked about the culture of the Devils - how Lou micromanaged, etc.
Mike Commodore is one of the more vocal critics of Lou's culture.

It's the old saying of people rowing together.

 

[Devs3cups]

I think Fitz knows there's a problem. The question is does he have the balls to make the moves that need to be done? As in not be loyal to his buddies/coaching staff. Its also time to make a bold trade. His entire time here he has made tons of tiny moves with little risk/reward ratio. Every move he has made were safe moves. Its time for a big change & that requires the purge. If Fitz doesn't do it this offseason his seat gets hot, real hot.

I’d take claims like these more seriously if I wasn’t convinced that if Fitz made a “gutsy” move like that and it ended bitting us in the ass badly the same people would then complain that it wasn’t the right move.

 

[RangerDoggo]

I think Fitz knows there's a problem. The question is does he have the balls to make the moves that need to be done? As in not be loyal to his buddies/coaching staff. Its also time to make a bold trade. His entire time here he has made tons of tiny moves with little risk/reward ratio. Every move he has made were safe moves. Its time for a big change & that requires the purge. If Fitz doesn't do it this offseason his seat gets hot, real hot.

Loyalty is equal to seeing nothing wrong, in my eyes. And I think he’s way too loyal. He’s in the Shero mold.

 

[glenwo2]

He’s a better coach than the joke he was pretending to be here.

I don't follow.....
...you're implying that he was pretending to be a coach here and is not pretending to be a coach in Nashville???

 

[Better Call Sal]

Loyalty is equal to seeing nothing wrong, in my eyes. And I think he’s way too loyal. He’s in the Shero mold.

Based on what exactly?

 

[glenwo2]

which upsets glenwo2 because bratt is left out ...

Hey!!!

U right.

 

[Better Call Sal]

SHARANGOVICH:

On his second season struggles and turning to Comets Assistant Coach Sergei Brylin:

"My season started not good, and I wanted to help the team at the start of the season but I didn't feel like last year starting the season. I slept so bad after the first 15-20 games, but after lots of meetings (with the coaches) they helped me, I talked with Sergei Brylin a lot about my game and he told me to stop thinking about my game, about goals, about statistics, start playing my game, more compete in your battles, more focus on the small details and your game will come back."

"(Brylin) helped me a lot and right now too. He works a lot of games and sometimes we talk about different plays, system, about everything. Ut's nice to talk with him too because he won three Stanley Cups, he's so smart and he's coaching for 10 years already."

Make Sarge head coach!

ZACHA:

On not making the playoffs:

"I think every year it gets a little bit harder when you don't make the playoffs, you appreciate being in the league more and more, and just seeing your friends playing in the playoffs on other teams, it's tough to see. I think every year it's a little bit tougher and you hate losing more and more every season … I've been here six years and I've only made the playoffs once … (the young players) have to learn to hate to lose and I'm just going to try to do my best on the ice and help the team."

On his performance this season:

"I think there were some ups and downs … it's something I try to improve on my game and by the end I had some good steps there. Just something I have to work on in the summer again, getting better and doing those things. And that's the one thing I'm excited for this summer, just to get better."

On what he needs to improve offensively:

"I think I need to be a little harder on pucks and create more battles and chances for my teammates. I think I took some strides to get better at that even from last year to this year and that's something I have to work on to get better to help the team."

YA THINK!?

 

[glenwo2]

These guys seem to disagree

Two years into John Hynes’s tenure, was he the right coaching choice for Nashville?

www.ontheforecheck.com

"These guys" = Ann K

One contributor with an opinion, though.

Half-glass full for some, Half-glass empty for others.

I'm on the Full-glass empty as Hynes' head.

Basically, if it wasn't for Saros/Rinne in net, he'd be in the same situation he was during his Devils tenure actually (except he would not have Tayor Hall having an MVP year).

The goaltender play makes him look good as the team wins 1-0 or 2-1 games.

Hynes isn't a good coach but he isn't a bad one. That Nashville team is stuck in the middle but he's not hurting them. Any coach looks good when their starting goalie posts a .918 and the team isn't otherwise awful.

Well....he could pass for an AHL-level head coach, I guess.

There. You see? I *can* say something nice about Hynes.

 

[Darkauron]

Hynes sucks.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Happier times! Was there with my dad only 2 rows from the ice. One of my fondest memories I've gotten to witness live.

 

[goonybird]

Our NHL players thanking the AHL staff for their great work in helping them overcome adversity. Very cool

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[Eggtimer]

Friedman on the fan 960 said this morning some things about the Jets and their potential plans . He brought up that there are a few Jets players questioning their future with the team. The team used to be hesitant to feel the same way and keep players regardless , however now l the team might be thinking the same thing and accommodate players unsure if they want to stay there. He specifically mentioned Hellebuyck . Friedman questions whether or not Hellebuyck will want to,stay in Winnipeg….
Its just speculation amd reading between the lines right now , but Friedman thinks that based off of Hellebuyck saying it’s been a very difficult season and makig past comments , that Hellebuyck “could “ be one of the players that Winnipeg may accommodate moving him…
Its nothing concrete by any means , however it is to me very interesting at the very least that it may not be impossible to make a trade for him.
Of all the goalies out there, Hellebuyck is the one to me to be the very best option by a mile to get.
He is an established elite goalie. He is a monster size wise which the Devils seem to like in their goalies. We would be the ideal addition.
Id be wiling to give up a lot for him , one of maybe a handful of goal I’d be willing to do that for , with many of the others not beig available in a million years like Sheshterkin Vasilevskyi Saros Markstorm Sorokin .
If he does become available , I think we make a very agressive offer on him . Other teams need a goalie but I can’t see most of them have the cap room . Maybe only Buffalo the only other team that can that needs goalie.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Young players like Hughes, Mercer, and Bratt giving Lindy credit really makes me think they might keep him.

 

[SKNJD9]

Ruffs avail pushed back from 1 to 130

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

 

[Bleedred]

Am I the only one that's afraid that if Ruff is here next year, his very noticeable Blackwood FETISH will see Blackwood get more ice time and games than he should if whoever we go out and get has a disappointing stretch?

Short of acquiring Hellebuyck or something that actually IS ELITE.

 

[Darkauron]

I wonder if Ruff is in the private exit interview with the players. I forget if Head coaches are ever involved or if it is just with Fitz and management and co. I recall other teams having the HC in it.

 

[Bleedred]

Ruffs avail pushed back from 1 to 130

Maybe putting the finishing touches on his resignation/retirement speech?

Probably just because they're running late with the player interviews is my guess.

 

[Eggtimer]

No one else a little bit excited that Hellebuyck “ might “ be available?
That would be massive. Probably THE best goalie in the league that is even remotely possible to get .
Id go out and get his jersey the second we traded for him .