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

[BostonDevil]

He’s had 2 seasons where he’s had multiple big injuries and another 3 where he played basically the entire year (granted 2 were shortened years). If the shoulders become nagging things I’ll be concerned. It’s not like the guy is getting lit up and can’t avoid contact leading to the injuries. 21-22 that happened but then 22-23 he played 78 games and last year the injuries were self inflicted.

If you were throwing money down - Does he hit 75+ this year?

 

[Camille the Eel]

He’s had 2 seasons where he’s had multiple big injuries and another 3 where he played basically the entire year (granted 2 were shortened years). If the shoulders become nagging things I’ll be concerned. It’s not like the guy is getting lit up and can’t avoid contact leading to the injuries. 21-22 that happened but then 22-23 he played 78 games and last year the injuries were self inflicted.

My thought is for us to get less Hughes centric when he is in the lineup. Get him doing his thing more within a team concept where he free lances less and plays more positional defense.

But i know these are generalizations. The idea is more easily stated than achieved.

 

[MasterofGrond]

can you still get hit with copyright infringement for something that doesn't exist anymore? Not sure how that works tbh

Broadly speaking, yes, but ultimately you can’t copyright the look of a website so it’s irrelevant unless they’re provably stealing the code that generates it.

Very tough thing to litigate in my experience, but obviously the Caps have A Lot of money for lawyers, and this site presumably does not so that may or may not matter.

 

[Guadana]

I would love to take a chance on Vrana. The forward depth looks much more pedestrian to me with McLeod and Holtz gone for good.

It probably goes without saying but a major bounceback from Mercer would be ideal. I don't know if the 3C role is the right spot for him long term, but that's where I see a major hole in the lineup. We went from having incredible center depth with Hischier, Hughes, McLeod, Mercer, Boqvist, and then marginal c's like Zacha and Sharangovich to relying on a 33/34yo Haula to anchor a contending 3rd line.

Yeah, I would like to have more options for center role. But for now it is what it is. The problem is on every level of organisation. NHL center depth is very thin, AHL center depth is weak, prospect pool of centers is close to be awful.

 

[Guadana]

Haula is a legitimate NHL 3C I think. Lazar is a poor man's McLeod, and at three years older is unlikely to develop further. That said he's got high energy, speed, a little sandpaper, and is incredibly likable. Great team guy. Absolutely worth the pick we spent on him and he should play more than not.

Noesen and Cotter have potential - depends on how well they fit with their foot speed. Halonen looks like he would be a fine 4th liner. We have pieces, it's just a matter of figuring out where they fit. I wouldn't be surprised if we're a touch slow out of the gate this year, while everything shakes out.

Lazar is great player for his role. But he isnt third line center at all. I dont think Noesen as a center is a good idea, I dont know how good Cotter is as a center. Would be great if he has potential to play center role even as a fourth line center. Because there is a huge chance we will use Haula in some games as top-6 player and we dont have many legit options. Mostly we dont have any outside Lazar and Haula.

 

[My3Sons]

No. The look and feel is generic and they aren't infringing anything. If they stole the site's code, that would be one thing, but obviously they didn't since there are numerous features from capfriendly still missing. It's a great start though and I don't doubt it will catch up within this season. Shows that the Crapitals could have built something themselves.



Haula is a legitimate NHL 3C I think. Lazar is a poor man's McLeod, and at three years older is unlikely to develop further. That said he's got high energy, speed, a little sandpaper, and is incredibly likable. Great team guy. Absolutely worth the pick we spent on him and he should play more than not.

Noesen and Cotter have potential - depends on how well they fit with their foot speed. Halonen looks like he would be a fine 4th liner. We have pieces, it's just a matter of figuring out where they fit. I wouldn't be surprised if we're a touch slow out of the gate this year, while everything shakes out.

IP is complicated. I had a case recently where a website was gleaning some portions of what was supped to be publicly available car comparisons to add to auto dealer websites. Turned out the service that had created some of it claimed it was copyrighted. The rules were basically designed to determine what is actual creative content.

 

[forceten]

IP is complicated. I had a car recently where a website was gleaning some portions of what was supposed to be publicly available car comparisons to add to auto dealer websites. Turned out the service that had created some of it claimed it was copyrighted. The rules were basically designed to determine what is actual creative content.

I came quite close to extending my MBA at seton hall a year to add JD precisely for this purpose. I'm in technology but IP is very close to it... but I didn't, much to my regret over the years.

 

[Hisch13r]

My thought is for us to get less Hughes centric when he is in the lineup. Get him doing his thing more within a team concept where he free lances less and plays more positional defense.

But i know these are generalizations. The idea is more easily stated than achieved.

I think you’re always going to have to live with a little freewheeling but Jack has also shown the ability to be a high end thief as well as posting high end defensive numbers. I thought Jack was really quite bad from like December onwards. Part of that’s the injuries and part is that the whole team was a complete mess. I think 22/23 is a much better representation of what he really is and we’ll that again with a better structured team under Keefe.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

For me Haula as a third line center isnt as big problem as the fact we dont have any alternatives and often need Haula in top-6 role. If he will play 3C role regularly, it shouldnt be problem.

I agree, this is exactly my issue. I like Haula as a 3C, but if Mercer becomes a wing for good, the only other options are Lazar and Cotter right now and that's really questionable.

I think Cotter has a chance to fit really well but I wouldn't bet on it, and I don't think Lazar is a capable 3C. 4C yes, third line wing yes, but it wouldn't take many injuries before we're looking at a 3rd line that's like... Foote/Lazar/Bastian and at least we'll have some new lineup memes to look back on in 5 years.

 

[Bleedred]

This is really why the NJD should have drafted Shane Wright after the Habs gifted him to us and took Slafkovsky at first overall.

I’m a fan of She Moan and think he’ll be very good, but now we have very little depth at C and too much at D. That move will hurt the org for many years to come. Very big miss by FitzCastron.

 

[MasterofGrond]

yeah I spent 6 years working IP protection in tech.

IP is complicated and tough enough, tech IP is a f***ing nightmare.

 

[forceten]

View attachment 894684
This is really why the NJD should have drafted Shane Wright after the Habs gifted him to us and took Slafkovsky at first overall.

I’m a fan of She Moan and think he’ll be very good, but now we have very little depth at C and too much at D. That move will hurt the org for many years to come. Very big miss by FitzCastron.

Hahaha! I admit to not following him AT ALL but is Wright even a lock to be a star player?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

It's not great depth if one of the top 4 goes down

Well, that is the concern. If for example Haula were to go down long-term, it may force Fitz to do a really bad trade to cover for it.

I mean, I'm not down on what Fitz has done this offseason but I'm not gunna blindly praise it either.

 

[DerekDevils30]

View attachment 894684
This is really why the NJD should have drafted Shane Wright after the Habs gifted him to us and took Slafkovsky at first overall.

I’m a fan of She Moan and think he’ll be very good, but now we have very little depth at C and too much at D. That move will hurt the org for many years to come. Very big miss by FitzCastron.

She Moan is so perfect. Exactly what DD would say

 

[Billdo]

If you were throwing money down - Does he 75+ this year?

No but that's the kind of bet you make hoping youre wrong.

 

[njdevils1982]

Broadly speaking, yes, but ultimately you can’t copyright the look of a website so it’s irrelevant unless they’re provably stealing the code that generates it.

Very tough thing to litigate in my experience, but obviously the Caps have A Lot of money for lawyers, and this site presumably does not so that may or may not matter.

edit: nm, read your post wrong

 

[Patrik26]

My thought is for us to get less Hughes centric when he is in the lineup. Get him doing his thing more within a team concept where he free lances less and plays more positional defense.

But i know these are generalizations. The idea is more easily stated than achieved.

That is on Keefe to instill then.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

yeah I spent 6 years working IP protection in tech.

IP is complicated and tough enough, tech IP is a f***ing nightmare.

People copy each other in software all the time, just no one really cares usually.

 

[McDuffz88]

Haula is fine as a 3rd line center. It's what we originally traded for him to be. Ideally I think the best opening lineup roster would be
Tatar-Nico-Meier
Bratt-Hughes-Mercer
Palat-Haula-Noeson
Cotter-Lazar-Bastian/Foote
This gives Tatar a chance to see if he can reignite his chemistry with Nico and gives Mercer the best opportunity to succeed in the top 6. We really need both Tatar and Mercer to play up to how they used to. If they do we are a golden goose. Let the Palat line be the pain in the ass to play against line.

 

[njdevils1982]

View attachment 894684
This is really why the NJD should have drafted Shane Wright after the Habs gifted him to us and took Slafkovsky at first overall.

I’m a fan of She Moan and think he’ll be very good, but now we have very little depth at C and too much at D. That move will hurt the org for many years to come. Very big miss by FitzCastron.

 

[Bleedred]

Hahaha! I admit to not following him AT ALL but is Wright even a lock to be a star player?

Had a pretty good year on Coachella and the 8 games he played in the NHL. I don’t think he’s at all a lock to be a star, but I think he could be pretty good.

 

[theoptimist]

Haula is fine as a 3rd line center. It's what we originally traded for him to be. Ideally I think the best opening lineup roster would be
Tatar-Nico-Meier
Bratt-Hughes-Mercer
Palat-Haula-Noeson
Cotter-Lazar-Bastian/Foote
This gives Tatar a chance to see if he can reignite his chemistry with Nico and gives Mercer the best opportunity to succeed in the top 6. We really need both Tatar and Mercer to play up to how they used to. If they do we are a golden goose. Let the Palat line be the pain in the ass to play against line.

I’m confident that bottom 6 does nothing during 5 on 5 play. That 4th line has no identity.

 

[My3Sons]

I came quite close to extending my MBA at seton hall a year to add JD precisely for this purpose. I'm in technology but IP is very close to it... but I didn't, much to my regret over the years.

It was a case not a car.

 

[Guttersniped]

I’d imagine most have more than 3 legit centers. Lazar’s never been a full time center and Mercer’s only ever worked in the middle with Bratt there to help him along. Idk how you can look at our center depth and act like it’s not an issue. Yeah Jack/Nico can mask a lot but we don’t even have 4 real full time centers and we don’t have many wingers that can fill in the middle.

Fitz doesn’t do cheap depth well, I still don’t get why we didn’t toss a contract to a cheap center option.

Other tops teams also have center depth in their org and we just don’t give a shit about it.

 

[Saugus]

Had a pretty good year on Coachella and the 8 games he played in the NHL. I don’t think he’s at all a lock to be a star, but I think he could be pretty good.

I still do a double take when I see the mention of a AHL team in Coachella. I always associate that with the music festival, so it sounds like a made up team in an absurd location.