Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part I
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Zippy316
aka Zippo
Should’ve said two of the best* but the point still stands.
He was supposed to be a key cog in the offense, especially in the goal scoring department after losing Sharangovich and Wood.
SteveCangialosi123
Registered User
If we want to get “tougher to play against” we need better forecheckers that consistently win board battles. A couple of those guys sprinkled into the lineup will give us a more varied attack if a team is shutting down our rush offense.
That's what I'm thinking. it's a bit hard to say since they occupy different roles but I'd generally take them slightly ahead of Timo if I was starting a team from scratch.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Warren Foegele, Jake Debrusk, Anthony Mantha, Stefan Noesen (lol), Dakota Joshua, Michael Amadio
lot of those types available this summer
Stephen Gionta
Boston College > Boston University
Going to continue playing the role of wet blanket, but we are watching 2 terrible playoff teams getting whacked in their fIrst round matchup. Being closely behind those teams isn’t much of a positive.
The good thing looking ahead in this regard is those teams are more likely to regress then improve.
Omar Little
Omar comin yo
Anthony Mantha does not win board battles
Stephen Gionta
Boston College > Boston University
Think all of these guys minus Mantha would be good additions.
Would prioritize Noesen, Amadio, and Joshua as I think they'll be cheaper than DeBrusk and Foegele
It's not how NJ finished this season, it's how they rebound next season that matters. I think with health, good coaching, and a couple of helpful player ads that Nj can slingshot well ahead of the playoff bubble.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
sure maybe not, but hes like 6'5'' 230 lbs
since I know a certain faction of this board is obsessed with big guys
Omar Little
Omar comin yo
He's like the softest big guy in the league and he's had that reputation for years
I certainly think it can happen but I thought it was going to happen this year. I saw it as a lock. And It better happen otherwise we are talking about serious changes amongst core players next offseason.
- May 1, 2011
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He sucks. He was shit with the Rangers.
I thought they'd keep him one more year, but I really think the fact that they had the fewest points (I think?) of any team in an 82 game season since the sophomore 00-01 Atlanta Thrashers (pre shootout too) is what really punted him in the skull.
If they had just a few more points, I think he stays on one more year.
And I'm sure some of those ugly blowouts way back in October or November (back to back 10 goal against games) didn't help. I was half thinking he'd be fired then.
He's a 50-something year old college coach that took forever to break into the league. He needs to go back to school, because I'm pretty sure he's not for the NHL.
Is he Travis Green bad? Hard to say. His roster was legendarily bad.
Billdo
Registered User
I'm on board with everyone but Mantha. He's earned every bit of the reputation of being a dog and not the good kind of dog.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
This team mostly healthy with Toffoli, Hamilton, and Miller is far better than the Islanders or Capitals.
Would they do much damage in the playoffs? Probably not, but they’d put up a much better fight than either one of those two teams.
I think it’s for the best in the grand scheme of things that this happened. Adds some motivation to the group and forces Fitz to make some changes, notably beefing up the team a little bit.
We played probably the softest playoff series in a while against the Rangers. I don’t expect this team to be running through teams, but definitely need a better balance.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
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I mean in the regular season sure but he was actually taking the body and playing physical last postseason to a shocking extent.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Trenin is another name for that list.
I’d love for us to target a depth guy like Duhaime or even Liam O’Brien. Need some to add some guys with a little fire I think to replace some of what Wood brought.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
The biggest worry in that group Jack for me.
Bratt has proven to be shifty enough to do damage against bigger physical players and he doesn’t shy away from battles. Hischier might not be pushing guys around, but he’s not a problem there. Meier can more than handle his own and dish them out.
The main thing really is you need to get Hughes good linemates when the games get tough, like how they played him with Palat/Haula at times. You also need to limit the softer, less physical guys like Toffoli, Holtz, Sharangovich, and situationally Bratt around him so teams can’t just brute force their way to neutralize an entire line.
This issue also blends a bit into the defense, especially when you have guys like Luke, Marino, and Nemec, for now, out there with Hughes.
I still don't hate the idea of going with the 'pairs' being Hischier-Bratt (this one needs to be a thing IMO regardless) & Meier-Hughes (I still think they could work). As for 3C, I've been a big Nic Roy proponent if Vegas has to shed some $ & would move him. Can they afford to have a guy slotted at 4C making $3 million? Another guy I wonder about, would Seattle move Yanni Gourde? They have Shane Wright as a FT guy next season & it sounds like they may wanna target scoring in FA, so clearing Gourde's money could be valuable to them. Also, another name I have said quite a bit lately is Michael Amadio as a middle six winger, and I see his name right above here again.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
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Meier is the only player that can remotely be considered difficult to play against and it doesn't really show up all that consistently. Nico is just not physical at all.
And I love Bratt but when games have gotten a bit intense, he's the first to get the alligator arms and stay far away from the fray.
If anyone thinks adding a 3rd liner or two is going to change any of that I think they're nuts.
I agree about the defense being to soft now too. That definitely compounds the issues as you mentioned.
Billdo
Registered User
Imagine how good Matthew Tkachuk would've looked on Jacks wing.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
I don’t think you have to be physical to be difficult to play against. You just have to be able to still be effective when the games get physical. Bratt and Hischier can do that. Hughes struggles unless his teammates can open up space for him.
My thought process is moreso that if you get two more Haula types, let’s say for the sake of this discussion, you add Henrique and Noesen before next year:
Palat - Hischier - Bratt
Haula - Hughes - Meier
Noesen - Henrique - Mercer
Foote - Lazar - Bastian
Holtz - MacDermid
At any given point, you can play Hughes with two of Palat, Haula, Meier, Noesen, or Henrique. Guys that can hold their own and create space for him.
Hughes is skilled enough to create offense regardless of who he is with. Devils need to rely on that a bit until he doesnt get pushed around as much. If he’s playing with two third liners in away games where you can’t control matchups, so be it.
TrufleShufle
Registered User
- Aug 31, 2012
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I don't believe that faction exists. It's a strawman commonly used against someone saying they want tougher guys to play against. You can say someone "competes in every puck battle like it's their last, out hustles everyone, goes to the net every chance they get and is 6'5," and someone would respond, "you think just because he is big it makes him good."
I believe that is where they idea these people might exist come from. From making them up.
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