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

[My3Sons]

I don’t care about faceoffs. There, I said it.

Well you may not care about them but they care about you.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I think winning faceoffs is Good and losing them is Bad.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I don’t care about faceoffs. There, I said it.

 

[Billdo]

seriously though our goal song sucks

God, don't do this...

 

[Tusks Up]

Just by definition wouldnt winning a possession be considered valuable in some way? Even a tiny bit?

Not enough to argue and get frustrated over but enough to have a talk with coaching and see what can be done

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Let's fight about faceoffs!

 

[njdevils1982]

Let's fight about faceoffs!

 

[MachoDiablo]

I honestly feel like owners have less to do with on the ice product and more to do with the over arching brand and experience. (Except for hiring the organizational level jobs)

They owners have been proven spenders in both the NBA and NHL, but that doesn’t directly translate to winning.

Woo and others have complained of the overarching experience. Less connection to or less fan input. Increase ticket prices. Generic/ corporate venders, and season ticket holder gifts. It’s the typical situation when a mom and pop gets bought out by a chain business.

The vendors part has been really jarring the last few years. Not sure how much has to do with the pandemic messing with a lot of businesses, and it's not like the Rock is bereft of good food or anything, but it's so weird to think back to the Tastes of Newark section having some really good Jersey-based variety in it and now seeing it as some generic Goya stand the whole way through or whatever it is now.

I don't have a ton of complaints about Prudential Center, but it does feel like they could probably do more with its aesthetics, some of its emptier spaces, and getting more local businesses involved and featured inside. The Mets have been making some slight tweaks to Citi Field this year under Cohen's ownership to try and up the experience (though seriously, Cohen, just hire a freaking organ player...oh, and steal my idea to open a bar in the park based on Mets broadcasters called The Happy Recap), I can agree with the idea that Devils ownership could do some small but welcomed things to up the gameday experience.

And faceoffs, I think, are kind of like the things I was talking about before concerning advanced stats; overall, you shouldn't be making roster decisions based on faceoff percentages, but it's also fair to say there are situations where a faceoff win can be a big deal...but again, don't go out of your way to sign someone because they draw at 60% or something if it means not signing a superior overall player.

 

[njdevils1982]

The vendors part has been really jarring the last few years. Not sure how much has to do with the pandemic messing with a lot of businesses, and it's not like the Rock is bereft of good food or anything, but it's so weird to think back to the Tastes of Newark section having some really good Jersey-based variety in it and now seeing it as some generic Goya stand the whole way through or whatever it is now.

I don't have a ton of complaints about Prudential Center, but it does feel like they could probably do more with its aesthetics, some of its emptier spaces, and getting more local businesses involved and featured inside. The Mets have been making some slight tweaks to Citi Field this year under Cohen's ownership to try and up the experience (though seriously, Cohen, just hire a freaking organ player...oh, and steal my idea to open a bar in the park based on Mets broadcasters called The Happy Recap), I can agree with the idea that Devils ownership could do some small but welcomed things to up the gameday experience.

And faceoffs, I think, are kind of like the things I was talking about before concerning advanced stats; overall, you shouldn't be making roster decisions based on faceoff percentages, but it's also fair to say there are situations where a faceoff win can be a big deal...but again, don't go out of your way to sign someone because they draw at 60% or something if it means not signing a superior overall player.

this wasn't out of the way at the expense of another player but ya.... the life and times of steckel as a devil

2011-02-28	Devils	• David Steckel • 2012 second round pick (#46-Raphael Bussieres)	• Jason Arnott	trade with Capitals
2011-10-04	Devils	• 2012 fourth round pick (#96-Ben Thomson)	• David Steckel	trade with Maple Leafs

 

[Nubmer6]

seriously though our goal song sucks

Don't make me have to spin-kick you.



(cause I'm not sure I know how)

 

[MadDevil]

Just by definition wouldnt winning a possession be considered valuable in some way? Even a tiny bit?

Not enough to argue and get frustrated over but enough to have a talk with coaching and see what can be done

In regards to Jack (which reignited this debate) I'm sure he and the coaching staff work on his faceoffs, and I'm sure he'll improve as he matures. I don't think we should be putting somebody with him just to win his faceoffs (depending on the game situation obviously). If they play well with him and can win faceoffs, great. If not I don't think we need a FOGO guy for him in most situations.

 

[Tusks Up]

In regards to Jack (which reignited this debate) I'm sure he and the coaching staff work on his faceoffs, and I'm sure he'll improve as he matures. I don't think we should be putting somebody with him just to win his faceoffs (depending on the game situation obviously). If they play well with him and can win faceoffs, great. If not I don't think we need a FOGO guy for him in most situations.

Yeah I dont wanna hamper Jack with a poor linemate for the sake of a 50% winrate, but I thought it was something to think about when projecting Jack and all he does well

 

[The Wumpus]

For faceoffs Jack should just simply not swipe at the puck at all, and the opposing player will swipe really hard and fall over. Like the Revenge Of The Nerds tug-of-war strategy.

 

[NjDevsRR]

How did it take me this long to realize Joey Tribbani is the best meme template for Dano?

Dano at the MSG offices soon

 

[Xirik]

The Habs released there rookie Tournament roster, Would be nice if the Devils would release theirs soon.

For those curious about the Habs tournament roster..
Forwards

Owen Beck, Lucas Condotta, Jared Davidson, Pierrick Dubé, Ryan Francis, Cédrick Guindon, Emil Heineman, Riley Kidney, Filip Mesar, Jan Mysak, John Parker-Jones, Joshua Roy, Xavier Simoneau, Juraj Slafkovsky, Brett Stapley

Defensemen

Justin Barron, Santino Centorame, Gianni Fairbrother, Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Logan Mailloux, Mattias Norlinder, Miguël Tourigny, William Trudeau, Arber Xhekaj

Goaltenders

Antoine Coulombe, Riley Mercer, Joe Vrbetic

 

[Devils731]

This is just in my mind from the past but I think the roster release is usually only a day or two before the tournament.

Sometimes we know almost the whole roster because they’re skating in Newark beforehand but I think only the new Star Ledger beat guy may be around to be at the rink.

 

[Eggtimer]

The Habs released there rookie Tournament roster, Would be nice if the Devils would release theirs soon.

For those curious about the Habs tournament roster..
Forwards

Owen Beck, Lucas Condotta, Jared Davidson, Pierrick Dubé, Ryan Francis, Cédrick Guindon, Emil Heineman, Riley Kidney, Filip Mesar, Jan Mysak, John Parker-Jones, Joshua Roy, Xavier Simoneau, Juraj Slafkovsky, Brett Stapley

Defensemen

Justin Barron, Santino Centorame, Gianni Fairbrother, Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Logan Mailloux, Mattias Norlinder, Miguël Tourigny, William Trudeau, Arber Xhekaj

Goaltenders

Antoine Coulombe, Riley Mercer, Joe Vrbetic

Joshua Roy is one other that I’m wanting to keep an eye on.
Habs did okay so far restocking their prospect pool. No real high end elite talent though besides Slafkovsky and even that is somewhat questionable if he will be considered elite or not. I think he will be a very good and useful player that is an important piece to have for a playoff push , but I can’t see him being a game changer.

This is just in my mind from the past but I think the roster release is usually only a day or two before the tournament.

Sometimes we know almost the whole roster because they’re skating in Newark beforehand but I think only the new Star Ledger beat guy may be around to be at the rink.

Hopefully televised ? Sorry if it’s been mentioned already. I’d guess it will be . They have been much better at doing that the last couple of years.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

When all 32 NHL coaches seem to care about faceoffs, it's probably not without good reason. Faceoffs are important.

Especially in critical points of a game - On the powerplay or penalty kill, in the remaining seconds of a period.

 

[Devils731]

When all 32 NHL coaches seem to care about faceoffs, it's probably not without good reason. Faceoffs are important.

Faceoffs are also something they directly control the input for so that may color the coaches thinking.

You ever work at a job where someone stresses over something that doesn’t matter that much but it’s most of what they do so they think it’s gigantic? Like the napkins need to be folded nicely but this person wants to spend 8 hours discussing which type of fold to use.

 

[Triumph]

When all 32 NHL coaches seem to care about faceoffs, it's probably not without good reason. Faceoffs are important.

Especially in critical points of a game - On the powerplay or penalty kill, in the remaining seconds of a period.

The trouble is that faceoffs are so much more than winning and losing, especially at even strength. Some teams are proficient when they lose faceoffs and some are not great after wins. Neutral zone wins probably do not matter at all except in 3 on 3, The person who did the most work on this subject now works for the Devils so all their work disappeared, but the biggest problem with faceoffs has always been that it's a very easily counted stat. There's much more to it than that.

 

[McDuffz88]

Faceoffs are also something they directly control the input for so that may color the coaches thinking.

You ever work at a job where someone stresses over something that doesn’t matter that much but it’s most of what they do so they think it’s gigantic? Like the napkins need to be folded nicely but this person wants to spend 8 hours discussing which type of fold to use.

Idk how you can compare folding napkins nicely to winning a face off. Idc what the stats say. Winning face offs are important. This is a game that relies upon puck possession. Winning faceoffs gets you the puck. Especially in key moments like on the PP, PK, or down by a goal with not much time left. In those situations a faceoff can make or break your game. It's even more true for a team like NJ where we completely rely on transition offense & lack the players to go into the dirty areas to retrieve pucks.

 

[Andre Palot]

We can always circle back to the beginning of the argument rolodex.

Aren't we idiots for not picking Shane Wright? I think so.

 

[Cheddabombs]

How did it take me this long to realize Joey Tribbani is the best meme template for Dano?

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Dano at the MSG offices soon

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I could see Dano playing a zany, perhaps goofy, character in a sitcom

 

[OmNomNom]

faceoffs matter, but holding possession matters even more. you can "win" a faceoff and still lose possession like immediately after the fact. a win (iirc) is dictated by who solidly holds on to the puck right after the two guys take it

at least, that's how we tracked it when I did hockey stats at BU

 

[Nubmer6]

I could see Dano playing a zany, perhaps goofy, character in a sitcom

Like Kramer in Sienfeld?