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

[BostonDevil]

Noesen & Tatar...

Lol

Exactly - Everyone bitched about old, slow, Toffoli his 45 points in 60 games while the spry, sniper, Tatar is the second coming of Jari Kurri.

Not that I mind the moves Fitz made, in general, but I still think there's a big hole we need to fill unless Keefe can figure out what to do with the players we have.

We got tougher up front but did we get better?

Either Bratt and Mercer or Bratt and Timo

Hope so. I have PTSD from Lindy.

Probably won't be Timo

 

[Devils731]

I don’t have a lot of concern about who plays with Jack because he’s his own offensive machine. He will get his looks with all but the most black holes of offense, even if a player just has 1 or 2 positive offensive aspects then Jack will make the rest of the line work.

There may be some better or worse combinations but most combinations with Jack will end up looking pretty good.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

I think it’s more than player policing though. The supplemental discipline sucks and the refs game manage their way to irrelevancy. There is little reason not to just send some thugs out to intentionally injure the other team. Worst case scenario your player sits for a game while the other team loses guys for a month or more

Again - I can only hope that individual morals and respect amongst players can prevent this; unfortunately guys like Rempe trying to make a way dont understand this right away

Id prefer the league and reffing make the necessary changes but I dont ever expect that in todays capitalistic climate

 

[BostonDevil]

I don’t have a lot of concern about who plays with Jack because he’s his own offensive machine. He will get his looks with all but the most black holes of offense, even if a player just has 1 or 2 positive offensive aspects then Jack will make the rest of the line work.

There may be some better or worse combinations but most combinations with Jack will end up looking pretty good.

Agree, but imagine if he had someone to help instead of Haula?

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm not a huge fan of Dillon's on ice play and I think he's a weird signing for the Devils, but for those that don't follow the PDOCast he did a great interview with Dim and came off incredibly intelligent and humble.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

I'm not a huge fan of Dillon's on ice play and I think he's a weird signing for the Devils, but for those that don't follow the PDOCast he did a great interview with Dim and came off incredibly intelligent and humble.

Probably could have done without the first part of that sentence, but thanks for the scoop lol; was a good listen

 

[Gurglesons]

Probably could have done without the first part of that sentence, but thanks for the scoop lol; was a good listen

He's Ryan Graves, but smart and physical.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

He's Ryan Graves, but smart and physical.

But hes on the third pair so its quite a good fit; any UFA is an overpay minust the few and far-between gems

 

[Gurglesons]

But hes on the third pair so its quite a good fit; any UFA is an overpay minust the few and far-between gems

Hey, at least he isn't John Marino!

 

[TrufleShufle]

There is a top 6 and a bottom 6. Saying otherwise is just trying too hard to push some weird narrative. Ask anyone to pick literally any team and make up any reasonable line up of all their players and have them come up with 4 lines. Take all 4 lines and mix them up in a hat, I guarantee, as long as the person knew what they were talking about and wasn't trying to prove some weird point, anyone would be able to pick out two lines and say, "that's the top 6." Ice time doesn't matter. Because a 3rd line can and IS used in a certain way in which they end up getting a lot of ice time. Hence why people stress the importance of a good "3rd line."

It's a tool the coaches use, for the role that line plays and sometimes, especially playoffs, they use that tool a lot more often. Pretending like a 3rd line doesn't exist in a role sense is just insanely weird.

 

[My3Sons]

The league is not broken, it's the way it's always been. But now we have a lot more players that can't defend themselves than ever before.

It wasn’t supposed to be the way it’s always been. They allegedly cracked down on the obstruction and head shots. But they actually didn’t. Since they didn’t and fewer players protect themselves if you want to win you take advantage of that. Why do you think a mediocre low skill rookie like Rempe was called up? It wasn’t for his skill. And it wasn’t for his mediocre fighting prowess either. How many head shots did he hand out in the limited number of games he played? Again, Marchand admitted this is how you have to play the game to win.

 

[Devil X]

Lol is “stat wizards” another way to say “people weird/dumb enough to waste time to look up PP ice time”?

Neither new guy PKs

I thought it was a nice new polite name. Perhaps it will catch on.

Given that response then I guess we will see who handles the PK minutes then.

 

[njdevils1982]

I'm still worried about who's going to play with Jack

johnnie walker

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I’ll believe we don’t have a “bottom 6” if the team has a viable 3rd line center next year. If Haula plays on Jacks wing or Jack plays wing the team has two lines based on what we saw last year.

 

[Hisch13r]

Cotter has 2 years/775k and then is a RFA. The dirt cheap contract is why Vegas got as much as they did.

As well as Fitz size fetish

We didn't sign Nosen to 2.75 for 3 years to play on the 4th line

Why not? We signed Dillon for quite a bit more to play on the 3rd pair.

 

[Hisch13r]

Haula-Mercer
Hischier-Bratt
Lazar-???

i love Nico and Bratt on PK but do get worried about blocked shots, etc

Should probably be Palat

I’ll believe we don’t have a “bottom 6” if the team has a viable 3rd line center next year. If Haula plays on Jacks wing or Jack plays wing the team has two lines based on what we saw last year.

With the nonexistent center depth I have to imagine Haula plays C full time

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Should probably be Palat



With the nonexistent center depth I have to imagine Haula plays C with a healthy lineup.

Yeah health is a question mark always too. The lack of C depth makes it seem like the team will be counting on two lines a lot this year, the deadline will maybe change things.

Fitz prioritized upgrading the defense over ensuring the team had a “top 9” imo.

 

[Hisch13r]

Yeah health is a question mark always too. The lack of C depth makes it seem like the team will be counting on two lines a lot this year, the deadline will maybe change things.

Fitz prioritized upgrading the defense over ensuring the team had a “top 9” imo.

I feel “fine” about a healthy top 9. Jack, Bratt, Nico can carry a heavy load. Timo came on strong to finish the year and for the first time looked like himself as a Devil. Those 4 can ease things a lot. You hope you get closer to the Mercer of 2 years ago. Then 4 solid two way guys to round out the top 9.

My issue is the same issue I had last year with the forwards but feel stronger about it with this group. The depth is so so bad. Lazar was really good last year but he’s your 4C and as of now we don’t have any other viable center options to fill in for him if he has to move up (he’s also never been a full time center himself). Cotter’s a pretty average 4th liner and probably not someone I feel good about playing up. The 12F isn’t that good. Nate’s coming off a rough year. Who knows what Halonen and Foote even are. MacDermid’s a complete f***ing joke. I’d like Alex Nylander as an extra that can play up in the top 9 and provide some offense when guys go down but that also still doesn’t solve the issue of needing more centers

 

[JimEIV]

It wasn’t supposed to be the way it’s always been. They allegedly cracked down on the obstruction and head shots. But they actually didn’t. Since they didn’t and fewer players protect themselves if you want to win you take advantage of that. Why do you think a mediocre low skill rookie like Rempe was called up? It wasn’t for his skill. And it wasn’t for his mediocre fighting prowess either. How many head shots did he hand out in the limited number of games he played? Again, Marchand admitted this is how you have to play the game to win.

I kinda disagree on Rempe...I think he can skate and hit well...And it's pretty easy to forget that that's a 22 year old kid...I also think his hit on Bastian was a good one... Bastian was in a vulnerable position leaning over and got steamrolled. Rempe got the match penalty but in my view he did nothing wrong...he wasn't head hunting, in fact his arm was low and tucked into his body... He ran the biggest toughest guy on our team...Bastian was just caught leaning over. Contact with the head? What else are you going to contact when the player is bent over looking for his car keys?

I think there is oversensitivity to all vicious hits no matter if they are clean or not by some fans. Some fans see the explosion and extension and immediately start yelling about leaving their feet or elbows. I think it's nonsense. Not to say that everything is ok but some of the pearl clutching is WWF theatrical level by the fans and pundits.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I'm not a huge fan of Dillon's on ice play and I think he's a weird signing for the Devils, but for those that don't follow the PDOCast he did a great interview with Dim and came off incredibly intelligent and humble.

Just admit you’re a closet devils fan. Now that you can’t post here under the guise of being a former Marino anti-truther, you’re planting the seeds with Dillon. Just let the warm feeling of devils fandom wash over you.

 

[My3Sons]

I kinda disagree on Rempe...I think he can skate and hit well...And it's pretty easy to forget that that's a 22 year old kid...I also think his hit on Bastian was a good one... Bastian was in a vulnerable position leaning over and got steamrolled. Rempe got the match penalty but in my view he did nothing wrong...he wasn't head hunting, in fact his arm was low and tucked into his body... He ran the biggest toughest guy on our team...Bastian was just caught leaning over. Contact with the head? What else are you going to contact when the player is bent over looking for his car keys?

I think there is oversensitivity to all vicious hits no matter if they are clean or not by some fans. Some fans see the explosion and extension and immediately start yelling about leaving their feet or elbows. I think it's nonsense. Not to say that everything is ok but some of the pearl clutching is WWF theatrical level by the fans and pundits.

Rempe is there to do two things. And the fighting isn’t all that important. Tell me next time the best player in the world wins the cup. Until then the league prioritizes the slower styles of play. It is what it is but either a team embraces the reality or they will only be so good. NJ will be better this season than last if they just stay healthy and if Markstrom is decent. Not great just decent will be enough. They will hit a bit more overall and fight a bit more overall. But if they want to win they’d be better off with sociopath instead of some guy who lives by some sort of code as MacDemrid appears to do.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

There is a top 6 and a bottom 6. Saying otherwise is just trying too hard to push some weird narrative. Ask anyone to pick literally any team and make up any reasonable line up of all their players and have them come up with 4 lines. Take all 4 lines and mix them up in a hat, I guarantee, as long as the person knew what they were talking about and wasn't trying to prove some weird point, anyone would be able to pick out two lines and say, "that's the top 6." Ice time doesn't matter. Because a 3rd line can and IS used in a certain way in which they end up getting a lot of ice time. Hence why people stress the importance of a good "3rd line."

It's a tool the coaches use, for the role that line plays and sometimes, especially playoffs, they use that tool a lot more often. Pretending like a 3rd line doesn't exist in a role sense is just insanely weird.

So let’s say Dawson Mercer plays 60% of his minutes on Jack or Nico’s wing and 40% as the 3rd line center. Tatar plays half his minutes with Nico, half on the 3rd line. Haula does the same with Jack. How is that not a top 9 instead of a well defined top 6 and 3rd line?

No one is pretending to do anything. It’s an accurate description of how the team is deployed. You are using an inaccurate description.

 

[Devils Pride 26]

Too many scenarios at play to address hypotheticals ...

Let me ask you would you have supported someone on our team throwing an elbow at Trouba's head?
Or Marchand?

I have no problem with retribution.

But in general I think having a player that plays on the edge to some degree is an element every team should have.

No defense attorney would ever want me on a jury.

If Trouba throws an elbow at someone’s head, you don’t go after Trouba…. You got after Panarin, etc.

You need a few pricks to be successful. There’s a fine line between being a prick and being an asshole. I wish like hell Nico had more prick in him

 

[Hisch13r]

If Trouba throws an elbow at someone’s head, you don’t go after Trouba…. You got after Panarin, etc.

You need a few pricks to be successful. There’s a fine line between being a prick and being an asshole. I wish like hell Nico had more prick in him

It’s one thing if there’s a one off dirty hit. In that case I get just settling things with the wrongdoer and moving on to not escalate things. What happened last year was a complete f***ing joke. Rempe constantly took runs so we get a goon to combat things and his solution is to have a dumbass staged fight to open the game and get himself thrown out rather than actually retaliating against their stars. MacDermid’s the absolute f***ing biggest waste of space. At least we sucked when we played Geertsen and he was on a min. MacDermid at 1.15 for THREE YEARS is a complete f***ing joke.

 

[Triumph]

I feel “fine” about a healthy top 9. Jack, Bratt, Nico can carry a heavy load. Timo came on strong to finish the year and for the first time looked like himself as a Devil. Those 4 can ease things a lot. You hope you get closer to the Mercer of 2 years ago. Then 4 solid two way guys to round out the top 9.

My issue is the same issue I had last year with the forwards but feel stronger about it with this group. The depth is so so bad. Lazar was really good last year but he’s your 4C and as of now we don’t have any other viable center options to fill in for him if he has to move up (he’s also never been a full time center himself). Cotter’s a pretty average 4th liner and probably not someone I feel good about playing up. The 12F isn’t that good. Nate’s coming off a rough year. Who knows what Halonen and Foote even are. MacDermid’s a complete f***ing joke. I’d like Alex Nylander as an extra that can play up in the top 9 and provide some offense when guys go down but that also still doesn’t solve the issue of needing more centers

The sad thing is that pretty much all of this is fine if the Devils had last year's 3rd/4th line C. I'm going to be wondering about AHL types who for whatever reason can't get a chance a la Loktionov in 2013 if any of the top 3 centers miss any time. I know someone here mentioned Peyton Krebs, who is not quite that, but who definitely seems like someone on the outside looking in for Buffalo this year. Juuso Parssinen could also be a target.

It’s one thing if there’s a one off dirty hit. In that case I get just settling things with the wrongdoer and moving on to not escalate things. What happened last year was a complete f***ing joke. Rempe constantly took runs so we get a goon to combat things and his solution is to have a dumbass staged fight to open the game and get himself thrown out rather than actually retaliating against their stars. MacDermid’s the absolute f***ing biggest waste of space. At least we sucked when we played Geertsen and he was on a min. MacDermid at 1.15 for THREE YEARS is a complete f***ing joke.

Him getting tossed for that fight was an absolute joke, there's absolutely no way he started that fight with that expectation. If the NHL wants to get rid of off-the-faceoff fights, and it should, don't enforce a rule in a way it has no business being enforced.