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

[devilsblood]

I mean in the regular season sure but he was actually taking the body and playing physical last postseason to a shocking extent.

I was going to mention this. Even early this year I kind of remember a big hit. The shoulder clearly limited what he was willing to do physically.

 

[JimEIV]

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.

Palat shouldn't playing anywhere near the top 6 in my opinion same for Haula they're just not talented enough.

And I absolutely do believe that you need some elements of physical play spread throughout your top 9...we have very little. Palat, Haula and Meier is our best and that is pretty shabby in my opinion.

That just doesn't give us enough options...that group can't grind out goals or play a drag down knockout game...they just can't and then you add in a defense that also has almost no real physical elements and we relegated to play only a certain way.

 

[TrufleShufle]

A core forward group of Nico Bratt Jack and Timo is soft as butter.

"Sprinkling " players in isn't going to do shit because those soft players will continue to get 60+% of the total ice time.

I get your sentiment but I don't think it's true. If done right it can absolutely help in a big way. Look at just the CBGB line, their sole job was to pin lines in their own end and slowly switch to the top line while keeping them pinned in. A line of Timo, Jack and Bratt coming out fresh, feasting on a tired line would be amazing.

It doesn't need to be one line and I'm sure you can say we had harder guys through out the line up back then, but the point stands. The team should work like a tool box, a full set of off brand tools is way better than a great set missing a philips and a hammer.

 

[Zippy316]

Palat shouldn't playing anywhere near the top 6 in my opinion same for Haula they're just not talented enough.

And I absolutely do believe that you need some elements of physical play spread throughout your top 9...we have very little. Palat, Haula and Meier is our best and that is pretty shabby in my opinion.

That just doesn't give us enough options...that group can't grind out goals or play a drag down knockout game...they just can't and then you add in a defense that also has almost no real physical elements and we relegated to play only a certain way.

I don’t agree on Palat/Haula. They’re more than fine as the complimentary guys on a line, especially if they’re opposite two of Hughes, Bratt, Meier, and Hischier.

If you add two more to the group of Meier, Palat, and Haula, I think that would be more than enough.

I also think Mercer should have a rebound year and he adds another weapon that can be moved into the top six. When he’s on and hounding the puck, he’s a pain to play against.

 

[JimEIV]

I get your sentiment but I don't think it's true. If done right it can absolutely help in a big way. Look at just the CBGB line, their sole job was to pin lines in their own end and slowly switch to the top line while keeping them pinned in. A line of Timo, Jack and Bratt coming out fresh, feasting on a tired line would be amazing.

It doesn't need to be one line and I'm sure you can say we had harder guys through out the line up back then, but the point stands. The team should work like a tool box, a full set of off brand tools is way better than a great set missing a philips and a hammer.

That top 9 had guys Ike Parise, Zajac, Henrique, Ponikarovsky and Kovalchuk...big strong and could grind or play a finesse game or a tight checking game or any other way...we have nothing like that on today's team

 

[Stephen Gionta]

A core forward group of Nico Bratt Jack and Timo is soft as butter.

"Sprinkling " players in isn't going to do shit because those soft players will continue to get 60+% of the total ice time.

Meier is not soft. Neither is Hischier.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I think Brady Tkachuk could be a name this summer.

It's weird to see some smoke around him without there being some type of fire.

Devils will be hard after Tkachuk. 10th overall + Casey + more on the table.

 

[JimEIV]

I don’t agree on Palat/Haula. They’re more than fine as the complimentary guys on a line, especially if they’re opposite two of Hughes, Bratt, Meier, and Hischier.

If you add two more to the group of Meier, Palat, and Haula, I think that would be more than enough.

I also think Mercer should have a rebound year and he adds another weapon that can be moved into the top six. When he’s on and hounding the puck, he’s a pain to play against.

Palat has 19 goals in 120 games here...he had 1 goal in his final 24 games this season. Palat doesn't belong with talent players.

Haula is not as bad. But I still don't think he belongs anywhere near our most talented players. He is just a 3rd liner....Mercer doesn't play LW or at least hasn't and the top 2 RW spots seem pretty locked up with Bratt and Meier. I'm not sure how you fit Mercer without flipping Meier over to LW and everyone here complained about that.

 

[TrufleShufle]

That top 9 had guys Ike Parise, Zajac, Henrique, Ponikarovsky and Kovalchuk...big strong and could grind or play a finesse game or a tight checking game or any other way...we have nothing like that on today's team

"It doesn't need to be one line and I'm sure you can say we had harder guys through out the line up back then, but the point stands."

And I don't know where you get Nico and Timo being soft from. If Timo plays this coming year like he did a lot of this past season, fine. I'm holding out judgement though until it happens. Nico? I've rarely to never seen him lose a board battle or shy away from anything. You can't list Henrigue and Zajac as a plus in your argument and use Nico as a negative. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I think Brady Tkachuk could be a name this summer.

It's weird to see some smoke around him without there being some type of fire.

Devils will be hard after Tkachuk. 10th overall + Casey + more on the table.

Hes married to a Jersey girl too

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Hes married to a Jersey girl too

View attachment 858985

Yes. I saw somewhere that they are currently building a summer home at the Jersey Shore. And this is not a rumor, this is a fact.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Yes. I saw somewhere that they are currently building a summer home at the Jersey Shore. And this is not a rumor, this is a fact.

 

[Cheddabombs]

The "yearning for Ponikarovsky" point of the off-season had begun

 

[NjDevsRR]

The "yearning for Ponikarovsky" point of the off-season had begun

Legend

 

[devilsblood]

Trade for Coleman?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It’s incredibly funny to just label a group of players as “soft as butter”, ignoring that they’re some of the best players in the entire NHL that excel in a variety of areas that actually matter. The idea that that group needs wholesale changes and not some small pieces that fit…just silly. If only we were captained by a tough guy like Brady Tkachuk — no way a team would miss the playoffs led by a big strong man like that.

 

[Xirik]

Dear god I cannot handle another Brady Tkachuk to the Devils discussion.

I've going to the one place that hasn't been corrupted with Tkachuk talk!

 

[JimEIV]

It’s incredibly funny to just label a group of players as “soft as butter”, ignoring that they’re some of the best players in the entire NHL that excel in a variety of areas that actually matter. The idea that that group needs wholesale changes and not some small pieces that fit…just silly. If only we were captained by a tough guy like Brady Tkachuk — no way a team would miss the playoffs led by a big strong man like that.

One guy can't make a difference. Is almost my entire point.

It's 100% a collective. And our team collectively is very soft.

The majority of our players play a gentle perimeter game and almost never get in the trenches ...adding one or two that do won't change the complexion of the team. It's still going to be a group led by soft perimeter players.

If this team can't overwhelm their opponents with speed and transition we won't win. And honestly I don't think this team is close to being able to play in the Eastern playoffs with the best teams that play a much heavier game.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Hes married to a Jersey girl too

View attachment 858985

Brady married to a Jersey girl?



*ducks for cover*

 

[JimEIV]

And it's not even about size... look at the size difference between someone like Zacha 6'4 200 and someone like Marchand 5'9 176.

I wish we had a Brad Marchand. Any team in the league wishes they had a Marchand.

It's a visible determination mixed with aggression and sliver of viciousness. We have zero of that

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

One guy can't make a difference. Is almost my entire point.

It's 100% a collective. And our team collectively is very soft.

The majority of our players play a gentle perimeter game and almost never get in the trenches ...adding one or two that do won't change the complexion of the team. It's still going to be a group led by soft perimeter players.

If this team can't overwhelm their opponents with speed and transition we won't win. And honestly I don't think this team is close to being able to play in the Eastern playoffs with the best teams that play a much heavier game.

A couple moves (and injuries) turned a record breaking team into unwatchable garbage.

Nico Hischier is not a perimeter player. He does so much work in the dirty areas on both sides of the ice. Timo…that doesn’t need to be explained. Not soft, not a “perimeter player”.

Jack Hughes is one of the most effective players in the NHL. How that sausage is made doesn’t matter, he is one of the best. Every team in the league would want this player. And that’s true of Bratt too. Any team in the NHL gets better by adding that player.

“We’re soft” is a thing you’ll say until they make a deep playoff run, so we can just get used to that. Colorado was soft before us. It’s just what happens.

 

[TrufleShufle]

A couple moves (and injuries) turned a record breaking team into unwatchable garbage.

Nico Hischier is not a perimeter player. He does so much work in the dirty areas on both sides of the ice. Timo…that doesn’t need to be explained. Not soft, not a “perimeter player”.

Jack Hughes is one of the most effective players in the NHL. How that sausage is made doesn’t matter, he is one of the best. Every team in the league would want this player. And that’s true of Bratt too. Any team in the NHL gets better by adding that player.

“We’re soft” is a thing you’ll say until they make a deep playoff run, so we can just get used to that. Colorado was soft before us. It’s just what happens.

Great point, hope you had fun interacting with him, because this is one of those posts that make him pretend you don't exist for a few pages.

 

[JimEIV]

A couple moves (and injuries) turned a record breaking team into unwatchable garbage.

Nico Hischier is not a perimeter player. He does so much work in the dirty areas on both sides of the ice. Timo…that doesn’t need to be explained. Not soft, not a “perimeter player”.

Jack Hughes is one of the most effective players in the NHL. How that sausage is made doesn’t matter, he is one of the best. Every team in the league would want this player. And that’s true of Bratt too. Any team in the NHL gets better by adding that player.

“We’re soft” is a thing you’ll say until they make a deep playoff run, so we can just get used to that. Colorado was soft before us. It’s just what happens.

It wasn't a couple of moves though 2 defenseman and 5 forwards is half a team.

 

[HughesCorporation]

Cooper is a smarmy dick. i would take him in a heartbeat

 

[My3Sons]

And it's not even about size... look at the size difference between someone like Zacha 6'4 200 and someone like Marchand 5'9 176.

I wish we had a Brad Marchand. Any team in the league wishes they had a Marchand.

It's a visible determination mixed with aggression and sliver of viciousness. We have zero of that

So basically my sociopath strategy is sound is what you are saying. No one has disagreed with it despite people suggesting it is extreme. The way the game is refereed there is no reason not to cheap shot the opposition.