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

[Bleedred]

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.

I think with most teams the head coaches are.

That doesn't mean every team does it that way or that even if we do, Ruff is coming back to coach next year.

I won't believe he's coming back UNLESS Fitz comes out and point blank says ''He's coming back''.

If he starts saying something like ''We'll get together and evaluate that'' I'm gonna still believe that it's a NO.

 

[SKNJD9]

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 .

If Wpg makes him available i'm sure Fitz will be the first to call Chevy

 

[Captain3rdLine]

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.

Most of the time they would be yes. Probably depends on what the status on him is but even if he may be out I’d imagine there’s a good chance he’s in the meetings. Shorter conversations about Ruff with the older and relevant players could be had outside of those meetings.

He’s also probably already had lots of conversations and gotten an idea of players opinions on Ruff. Other than players like Nico, Jack, Dougie and Severson I doubt he’s going around asking and talking to everyone about what they think of Ruff and him coming back.

 

[Bleedred]

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 .

He didn't have his best season, but it was still a MASSIVE upgrade to ANYONE we could ice.

And he did this while facing a TON OF SHOTS, he played more minutes, faced the most shots, made the most saves, allowed the goals and I think he played the most games/minutes of any goalie in the league this year?

When I go to hockey reference, his games played and minutes aren't bolded and usually being a league leader in whatever stat is bolded. His shots faced, saves made and goals allowed are bolded for a league high, but what other goalie played more 66 games? It's gotta be Saros, right? Who wound up getting injured (long term as far as I know) in the third to last game played.

Ahh, it was Saros, who played just 27 more minutes than Hellebuyck and faced 48 fewer shots while doing it. Probably because of very good head coach John Hynes?

 

[Triumph]

One thing I've been thinking about is that the Devils have not fired a head coach at season's end in my hockey-watching lifetime. I don't really know how that traditionally works.

 

[SKNJD9]

One thing I've been thinking about is that the Devils have not fired a head coach at season's end in my hockey-watching lifetime. I don't really know how that traditionally works.

Yeah I think the closest we've had to that is JL retiring after the 2011 season vs Boston. I'm with Bleed on this if Ruff or Fitz say we're "evaluating" I think the writing is on the wall and the team is just waiting to see who becomes available

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah I think the closest we've had to that is JL retiring after the 2011 season vs Boston. I'm with Bleed on this if Ruff or Fitz say we're "evaluating" I think the writing is on the wall and the team is just waiting to see who becomes available

Nah it was the season before when JL was forcibly retired, that was the closest we’ve had to a Black Monday firing and that was a week or so after the season. Before that maybe Kevin Constantine lol

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

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 .

for sure. But with everything: What's the cost. Was last season an abberation or a trend (he wasn't lights out like normal).

Also only 2 years left on the contract.

In general I like acquiring all players in which the Devils give up very little.

 

[Eggtimer]

I can see them letting Ruff go and wait to see who becomes available. They want to be proactive and be able to pounce on anyone they see is a good fit. I cannot remember who else here has said this , but if Sullivan gets canned in Pitt , I’d be waiting outside of Hextal‘s office offering him a job .

 

[Bleedred]

One thing I've been thinking about is that the Devils have not fired a head coach at season's end in my hockey-watching lifetime. I don't really know how that traditionally works.

Yeah I think the closest we've had to that is JL retiring after the 2011 season vs Boston. I'm with Bleed on this if Ruff or Fitz say we're "evaluating" I think the writing is on the wall and the team is just waiting to see who becomes available

Jacques Lemaire in 1998 comes to mind.

I can't recall if it was a few days after the Ottawa playoff series ended or if it was maybe a whole week or two after that.

Lemaire basically ''Stepped down'' and it was supposedly ''Mutually agreed upon'' for him to step down and during the press conference it was even agreed that Lemaire would still remain with the organization in another role, like a scout/special assignment coach, but Lemaire wound up taking the job as the head coach with the Wild, when they started play 2 years later. So I'm not even sure if he did stay on in any capacity with the Devils after that.

A lot of people have come to believe that Lemaire resigned, but I've always been of the impression that Lou respectfully let Lemaire go out on his own (much like we did with Lou in 2015) and that if Lemaire didn't resign on his own, Lou would have fired him.

That still remains Lou's longest tenured head coaching hire and I'm pretty sure that Trotz is officially his second longest tenured head coach at 4 years. If Trotz coaches the Islanders in 2023-2024 (assuming Lou is still the GM by then) Trotz would be Lou's longest tenured head coaching hire ever.

 

[Eggtimer]

for sure. But with everything: What's the cost. Was last season an abberation or a trend (he wasn't lights out like normal).

Also only 2 years left on the contract.

In general I like acquiring all players in which the Devils give up very little.

We are at the point where we can afford to give up more to get a piece that makes a ton of sense to get. I’m not saying trade Luke , but if it’s costs an extra piece like a Foote… I’m down for it .

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Ruff's giving an EOY press conference? I really think Ruff and all the staff are coming back right now. Ask me again in an hour though.

 

[Eggtimer]

I think they let Ruff go still njt want to give him an opportunity to address the media / fans etc . to say his thoughts on what he was brought here to do and give some closure and reasoning as to what he was brought here to do (develop the kids , which he did )

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Ruff's giving an EOY press conference? I really think Ruff and all the staff are coming back right now. Ask me again in an hour though.

I think they have decided yet and what to take their time and go through the possible options and may be talk more with the owners and a few of the important players such as Nico, Jack, Dougie and Severson.

 

[Bleedred]

for sure. But with everything: What's the cost. Was last season an abberation or a trend (he wasn't lights out like normal).

Also only 2 years left on the contract.

In general I like acquiring all players in which the Devils give up very little.

These are absolutely fair questions for sure, but Hellebuyck still saved almost 8 goals above the league average this past year, while Blackwood has been an .893% goalie for 55 games now and I'm gonna say he's probably allowed about 18 more goals than the league average of the last 2 years and 60 games played (which includes his HOT 5 game start to he 20-21 season) and while 18 goals less than the league average might not sound terrible, Blackwood has played even fewer games the last two years than Hellebuyck did this year alone.

And there's people here (probably not many anymore) that are very confident that Blackwood is bouncing back (I'm not one of them, I don't think he'll ever be a good starter again, at least not for more than a year or so, as hot streaks happen everywhere, but I give him a 30%-40% chance of bouncing back, which is better than the 10% I gave Schneider as of 2019. He is only 25 and not 32 or 33), so for me Hellebuyck is a fairly safe acquisition, but probably not for our first round pick being where it is.

 

[Eggtimer]

These are absolutely fair questions for sure, but Hellebuyck still saved almost 8 goals above the league average this past year, while Blackwood has been an .893% goalie for 55 games now and I'm gonna say he's probably allowed about 18 more goals than the league average of the last 2 years and 60 games played (which includes his HOT 5 game start to he 20-21 season) and while 18 goals less than the league average might not sound terrible, Blackwood has played even fewer games the last two years than Hellebuyck did this year alone.

And there's people here (probably not many anymore) that are very confident that Blackwood is bouncing back (I'm not one of them, I don't think he'll ever be a good starter again, at least not for more than a year or so, as hot streaks happen everywhere, but I give him a 30%-40% chance of bouncing back, which is better than the 10% I gave Schneider as of 2019. He is only 25 and not 32 or 33), so for me Hellebuyck is a fairly safe acquisition, but probably not for our first round pick being where it is.

If Slavkovsky Jiricek Nemec are all gone by our pick, I’d consider moving our first for him. Maybe we can swap picks and add another prospect or pick so we at least can draft one of the other RHD in another tier than the two I listed. I cannot remember the name of the kid that’s seen as the third best RHD in the draft . I thimk he is projected to go around where the Jets would pick .
Or when we win the draft lotto , we just take Slafkovsky amd Offer up a different package for Hellebuyck lol.

 

[Better Call Sal]

PK here making me all misty eyed.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Looks like they won't be making all the players available for the media after all like they did last year.

Monday's players available include Yegor Sharangovich, Dawson Mercer, Pavel Zacha, Jesper Bratt, and Jesper Boqvist. Coach Ruff is expected to speak at 1 p.m. ET.

Move Out Day 2 | BLOG | New Jersey Devils

Devils players and Devils head coach Lindy Ruff talk to the media during Monday's media availabilities to wrap up the 2021-22 season

www.nhl.com

I get the fourth liners and the G, but no Johnsson or Smith?

 

[SKNJD9]

Looks like they won't be making all the players available for the media after all like they did last year.

Monday's players available include Yegor Sharangovich, Dawson Mercer, Pavel Zacha, Jesper Bratt, and Jesper Boqvist. Coach Ruff is expected to speak at 1 p.m. ET.

Move Out Day 2 | BLOG | New Jersey Devils

Devils players and Devils head coach Lindy Ruff talk to the media during Monday's media availabilities to wrap up the 2021-22 season

www.nhl.com

I get the fourth liners and the G, but no Johnsson or Smith?

Ty Smith spoke yesterday

 

[Cheddabombs]

Ruff's done his job. Most of the young guys on the team have taken good steps. Time for the organization to take the next step though. I'm sure most of the room likes Ruff, he seems like a great guy. I'm also sure they'll like winning even more which I think a new coach, obviously depending on who is available, would do a better job at.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Looks like they won't be making all the players available for the media after all like they did last year.

Monday's players available include Yegor Sharangovich, Dawson Mercer, Pavel Zacha, Jesper Bratt, and Jesper Boqvist. Coach Ruff is expected to speak at 1 p.m. ET.

Move Out Day 2 | BLOG | New Jersey Devils

Devils players and Devils head coach Lindy Ruff talk to the media during Monday's media availabilities to wrap up the 2021-22 season

www.nhl.com

I get the fourth liners and the G, but no Johnsson or Smith?

Smith talked yesterday didn’t he?

And is there really anything we want or need to hear from Johnsson? He’s become pretty irrelevant at this point hence why he’s grouped in with the 4th liners. Seems likely he’ll be gone next season.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

These are absolutely fair questions for sure, but Hellebuyck still saved almost 8 goals above the league average this past year, while Blackwood has been an .893% goalie for 55 games now and I'm gonna say he's probably allowed about 18 more goals than the league average of the last 2 years and 60 games played (which includes his HOT 5 game start to he 20-21 season) and while 18 goals less than the league average might not sound terrible, Blackwood has played even fewer games the last two years than Hellebuyck did this year alone.

And there's people here (probably not many anymore) that are very confident that Blackwood is bouncing back (I'm not one of them, I don't think he'll ever be a good starter again, at least not for more than a year or so, as hot streaks happen everywhere, but I give him a 30%-40% chance of bouncing back, which is better than the 10% I gave Schneider as of 2019. He is only 25 and not 32 or 33), so for me Hellebuyck is a fairly safe acquisition, but probably not for our first round pick being where it is.

Thanks - I was hoping for your feedback regarding this year vs. others. Obviously agree Hellebuyck is still an upgrade based on our current team, and better than many other options out there.

 

[SKNJD9]

Lindy 25 minutes late..

#lindywatch

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Ty Smith spoke yesterday

He spoke to Amanda about going on the Canadian road trip with his father and he's listed but didn't get a RAW video posted to the blog.

On Sunday, the Devils will make available the following players: Damon Severson, Andrew Hammond, Jack Hughes, Jon Gillies, Jonas Siegenthaler, Miles Wood, P.K. Subban, Ty Smith, Tomas Tatar, Jonathan Bernier, Mackenzie Blackwood, Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves, and Captain Nico Hischier.

Move Out Day 1 | BLOG | New Jersey Devils

Check back throughout the day for quotes and observations from Sunday's end of season availabilities

www.nhl.com

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Lindy 25 minutes late..

#lindywatch

55 really. Was originally supposed to talk at 1:00