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

[JimEIV]

What about fish? You're the expert fisherman here.

Expert? I don't like that word next to fishing... sounds too formal and serious. I just like being outside and in or around water that's all.

 

[devilsblood]

Expert? I don't like that word next to fishing... sounds too formal and serious. I just like being outside and in or around water that's all.

You ever fly fish for fluke?

 

[My3Sons]

Expert? I don't like that word next to fishing... sounds too formal and serious. I just like being outside and in or around water that's all.

You can do that with one of those plastic kiddie pools in your backyard. Fill it up throw in some goldfish you win at the county fair and it should work.

 

[njdevils1982]

You can do that with one of those plastic kiddie pools in your backyard. Fill it up throw in some goldfish you win at the county fair and it should work.

you would be surprised at the shit that goes with those pool down in cincinnati man,

Spoiler

now if its was bailey and jennifer for a radio promo?.....hmm... thats a fun pool


shit, ....... it was the 70's when turkeys could fly!

 

[Nubmer6]

you would be surprised at the shit that goes with those pool down in cincinnati man,

Spoiler

now if its was bailey and jennifer for a radio promo?.....hmm... thats a fun pool


shit, ....... it was the 70's when turkeys could fly!

For anyone who hasn't clicked on this spoiler yet...

DO NOT CLICK IT

 

[njdevils1982]

For anyone who hasn't clicked on this spoiler yet...

DO NOT CLICK IT

ya, a bit derailed for the thread but just harmless laughter at clowns.

 

[glenwo2]

wow I have 12,666 likes. I'm a true Devils fan right now. Nobody Like me ever again!

It's gotta be the cute avatar.

Has to be.

 

[JimEIV]

You ever fly fish for fluke?

No, but I would love to try it... I'm kind of embarrassed to say I never really fish our shores.

Don't know why and it's kind of a shame really. But it always seems like I'm doing something else...like in the spring when the stripers show up I'm trout fishing, in the summer when fluke and blues show up I'm usually fishing upstate NY on the Delaware and I used to take all my vacation time out west Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and fall is bow season...Winter is tropical saltwater flats fishing... I've probably fished Belize more than the Jersey shore.

But now that I have a lot more time I might hit our beaches. It's a good idea actually.

 

[devilsblood]

No, but I would love to try it... I'm kind of embarrassed to say I never really fish our shores.

Don't know why and it's kind of a shame really. But it always seems like I'm doing something else...like in the spring when the stripers show up I'm trout fishing, in the summer when fluke and blues show up I'm usually fishing upstate NY on the Delaware and I used to take all my vacation time out west Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and fall is bow season...Winter is tropical saltwater flats fishing... I've probably fished Belize more than the Jersey shore.

But now that I have a lot more time I might hit our beaches. It's a good idea actually.

Seems it is typically an either or situation.

 

[Guadana]

Defensively?

YES. 1000%

Offensively? Eh...debatable.

Especially when Bratt can drive a line.

Both. Bratt can’t drive the first line. His line with Mercer was third line, they didn’t play against harder competition like Niko and Mercer did with Tatar.

It’s not knock on Bratt, he is great in secondary role. It’s just unfair to compare fast winger who can create rushes from nothing but mostly that’s all he is doing. At least in compare to Nico.

On the other hand I thin Bratt can produce more on the Jacks wing if Nico an co will face the hardest opposition like Nico did when he worked against Panarin in 23 play offs. If pure production is everything we are thinking about offense, than Bratt can be better. But when we are talking about 70-75 points against 75-85 points with huge difference in work load and responsibilities, than it’s Nico.

Nico is literally one of the best two way players and defensive players in the league. For example similar Bergeron was great as offensive creator but never achieved 80 points. He had periods of great ppg but still you never know when your drop will come. This is how it works. Nico is playing similar role with similar production. It’s effecting his overall points.

 

[Guadana]

In case of Mercer, we really need him to make the next step.

There are some teams with very good young players, there are some teams with very solid offensive core. Mostly now we have little support from bottom six and it doesn’t look like it will change because we have no intriguing candidates for third line center, even if Haula will play third line center role, I don’t think he will produce more than 35 points in that role.
Florida had strong top four, and they still have good player in Bennet and good and productive role players in Rodrigues and Lundell. Rangers had strong top-4 and Laf was very productive and played physical role.
We need this offensive depth and from the depth perspective Mercer is very important player. And I hope Gritsyuk will be able to translate his game on NHL level. It will help a lot.

For now we have strong competition in Rangers, Panthers. Toronto and Boston are very good teams to play against. And we don’t know how many time Detroit and Montreal will take before start to be very good teams. May be four, but may be two.
Fitz should think twice before making some moves. Devils cant lose pieces that can help make us better. Now with filled cap Fitz should think twice before making any move.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[theoptimist]

In case of Mercer, we really need him to make the next step.

There are some teams with very good young players, there are some teams with very solid offensive core. Mostly now we have little support from bottom six and it doesn’t look like it will change because we have no intriguing candidates for third line center, even if Haula will play third line center role, I don’t think he will produce more than 35 points in that role.
Florida had strong top four, and they still have good player in Bennet and good and productive role players in Rodrigues and Lundell. Rangers had strong top-4 and Laf was very productive and played physical role.
We need this offensive depth and from the depth perspective Mercer is very important player. And I hope Gritsyuk will be able to translate his game on NHL level. It will help a lot.

For now we have strong competition in Rangers, Panthers. Toronto and Boston are very good teams to play against. And we don’t know how many time Detroit and Montreal will take before start to be very good teams. May be four, but may be two.
Fitz should think twice before making some moves. Devils cant lose pieces that can help make us better. Now with filled cap Fitz should think twice before making any move.

3C is a weakness. I’ve seen people adjust to say, well the league doesn’t have a 1/2C combo like the Devils. Sure, but Nico and Jack haven’t played full seasons together (close to full, but not all 82). We need both in the lineup.

I also think Danton Heinen is a better player than Tatar and wished we had brought him on. It’s possible we offered Heinen a deal but haven’t seen anything reported in the media.

 

[Camille the Eel]

3C is a weakness. I’ve seen people adjust to say, well the league doesn’t have a 1/2C combo like the Devils. Sure, but Nico and Jack haven’t played full seasons together (close to full, but not all 82). We need both in the lineup.

I also think Danton Heinen is a better player than Tatar and wished we had brought him on. It’s possible we offered Heinen a deal but haven’t seen anything reported in the media.

I think with Tatar the factor is his place on the team the prior year with our record season and playoff series win against NY. Last year it seemed like we lost the critical mass in the locker room that drove us the prior year, a change that was exacerbated when Jack went down with an injury and McLeod left the team. There had been an exceptional rapport and feeling of collective effort that season. Getting Tatar back has an element of trying to rebuild that and reasserting continuity. That's also furthered by the decision to keep nearly all of the coaching staff from that season while adding a new head coach and presumably better system play.

Heinen did have an interesting season in Boston. After being a PTO, I think at least, he went to Providence and then played his way onto the team and ressucitated his career. A gritty, driven player who does all the right things.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Expert? I don't like that word next to fishing... sounds too formal and serious. I just like being outside and in or around water that's all.

Thats why they dont call it catching, its fishing!

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

3C is a weakness. I’ve seen people adjust to say, well the league doesn’t have a 1/2C combo like the Devils. Sure, but Nico and Jack haven’t played full seasons together (close to full, but not all 82). We need both in the lineup.

I also think Danton Heinen is a better player than Tatar and wished we had brought him on. It’s possible we offered Heinen a deal but haven’t seen anything reported in the media.

I do not believe Haula is a below average 3rd line center.

 

[bossram]

3C is a weakness. I’ve seen people adjust to say, well the league doesn’t have a 1/2C combo like the Devils. Sure, but Nico and Jack haven’t played full seasons together (close to full, but not all 82). We need both in the lineup.

I also think Danton Heinen is a better player than Tatar and wished we had brought him on. It’s possible we offered Heinen a deal but haven’t seen anything reported in the media.

I think guys like Heinen or Sherwood would have also been good, cheap depth forward options and provided more versatility.

It doesn't sound like there was much league-wide interest in Heinen, other than VAN. But he is from the Vancouver area and when his agent found out there was interest from them on a multi-year deal, pretty much decided to sign there immediately. Looks like Sherwood and VAN were also mutual fits too.

Similar reasons are probably why they were able to sign Tatar reasonably cheaply. He wanted to come back anyway. Team offered him a deal. Done.

Haula will have to be the 3C for now. If he can't cut it, it will have to be something to get shored up mid-season.

 

[Hisch13r]

3C is a weakness. I’ve seen people adjust to say, well the league doesn’t have a 1/2C combo like the Devils. Sure, but Nico and Jack haven’t played full seasons together (close to full, but not all 82). We need both in the lineup.

I also think Danton Heinen is a better player than Tatar and wished we had brought him on. It’s possible we offered Heinen a deal but haven’t seen anything reported in the media.

3C is not a weakness. Haula is a good 3C.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Haula has basically been a ~0.5 ppg center the last 2 years in NJ, I am not sure what more people expect out of a 3C? He also had the 2nd best CA/60 (behind Bratt), 2nd best xGA/60 (behind McLeod), and 3rd best xG% among forwards on the team last year.

None of us want him playing with Jack (consistently, or ever for that matter lol), but yeah.

 

[Hisch13r]

Haula has basically been a ~0.5 ppg center the last 2 years in NJ, I am not sure what more people expect out of a 3C? He also had the 2nd best CA/60 (behind Bratt), 2nd best xGA/60 (behind McLeod), and 3rd best xG% among forwards on the team last year.

None of us want him playing with Jack (consistently, or ever for that matter lol), but yeah.

With the complete lack of center depth and a new coach you figure he’ll be locked in as the 3C now and that stupid experiment can end.

 

[MartyOwns]

if you had to pick between watching someone fish or watching a live baseball game, which one would you choose? for me, i think i would pick fishing so i could steal someone's line and garrot myself. with baseball, you'd have to hope that a foul ball gives you a fatal aneurism, but your odds aren't great.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I love going to baseball games but it’s vital to remember the game is secondary to the experience in baseball, it’s like having espn on in the background that you can mentally check in on when something interesting is happening

The real experience is pregaming hard, then getting out in the beautiful sunshine , eating a hotdog or three, chatting with your boys, and heckling whatever player is closest to you

 

[My3Sons]

With the complete lack of center depth and a new coach you figure he’ll be locked in as the 3C now and that stupid experiment can end.

I agree it's time to stop the experiment of Hischier at 3C. Haula will be much better there and Hischier can go to the press box and eventually get traded for someone like Laine if he ever gets out of player assistance.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I agree it's time to stop the experiment of Hischier at 3C. Haula will be much better there and Hischier can go to the press box and eventually get traded for someone like Laine if he ever gets out of player assistance.

I think you have to at least give Nico a shot as the 4C first before putting him on the trade block.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I think it’s time we bite the bullet and trade Hischier for a real C

Jesper Boqvist