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

[BostonDevil]

I would love to see Laine with Jack. Not at his current number or for that many years but for a year or 2 at 60% retained in exchange for Bastian. Do it, Fitz.

 

[Bleedred]

I bet you see lots of mishaps from people not knowing what they are doing.

I've not seen anything too bad yet.

I've seen someone gassing and braking and gassing and braking, and they were just looping it around and around. And it made me think maybe there was an incoming disaster, though it may have just been a novice or someone who was a little nervous about flying one.

 

[Devils731]

I would love to see Laine with Jack. Not at his current number or for that many years but for a year or 2 at 60% retained in exchange for Bastian. Do it, Fitz.

I kind of hate the idea of Jack with any “sniper” after seeing him play with Toffoli.

It seemed that, playing with a finisher, Jack was looking to set the finisher up and I think that’s not optimal for Jack’s line. Jack’s line works best, to me, when Jack thinks he’s the best scorer and so he drives to the valuable parts of the ice and shoots constantly; when with a finisher, he shoots less and foregoes medium good chances to give time for the finisher to get open.

Obviously chemistry plays a role, maybe there is a sniper that Jack would have amazing chemistry with and they both level each other up. My general thought, though, is that Jack is at his best thinking he should score goals and not thinking about getting anyone else their looks.

 

[devilsblood]

I kind of hate the idea of Jack with any “sniper” after seeing him play with Toffoli.

It seemed that, playing with a finisher, Jack was looking to set the finisher up and I think that’s not optimal for Jack’s line. Jack’s line works best, to me, when Jack thinks he’s the best scorer and so he drives to the valuable parts of the ice and shoots constantly; when with a finisher, he shoots less and foregoes medium good chances to give time for the finisher to get open.

Obviously chemistry plays a role, maybe there is a sniper that Jack would have amazing chemistry with and they both level each other up. My general thought, though, is that Jack is at his best thinking he should score goals and not thinking about getting anyone else their looks.

I don't know if we want to describe Caufield circa 2017-19 as a sniper(we probably do), but he was certainly a finisher on that line, and that duo was excellent.

Jack with Bratt is great, so I do like the idea of another guy who can skate, pass and finish on Jack's line.

For sure though, Jack will have a guy with size on his line this upcoming year.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Jack IS the sniper, and playmaker. Give him size and speed on his wings, one who can possess the puck and win board battles. All he needs

 

[Camille the Eel]

I kind of hate the idea of Jack with any “sniper” after seeing him play with Toffoli.

It seemed that, playing with a finisher, Jack was looking to set the finisher up and I think that’s not optimal for Jack’s line. Jack’s line works best, to me, when Jack thinks he’s the best scorer and so he drives to the valuable parts of the ice and shoots constantly; when with a finisher, he shoots less and foregoes medium good chances to give time for the finisher to get open.

Obviously chemistry plays a role, maybe there is a sniper that Jack would have amazing chemistry with and they both level each other up. My general thought, though, is that Jack is at his best thinking he should score goals and not thinking about getting anyone else their looks.

Yes I like him driving a line with supporting cast leaving the middle open for him and letting him be third man up high - year before last, when healthy, thats how he did his damage. Having him as a set up guy for a “sniper” as such is not ideal. He needs to be play with very athletic guys who can keep up. And yeah he’s great with Bratt.
Of course the power play is another thing.

 

[Saugus]

I would love to see Laine with Jack. Not at his current number or for that many years but for a year or 2 at 60% retained in exchange for Bastian. Do it, Fitz.

That line would be awful defensively even if a time-traveling prime Pandolfo was the third forward.

Would be a quick way to find out if Markstrom was worth it.

 

[Guadana]

Laine on Jacks line is a stupid idea. Put out heads from ea sports simulators and be real. Jack needs players who can grind the puck and find rebounds on Jacks shots. Players should move well of course.
If Jack and Meier can’t click well, Laine is absolutely wrong player to play on the Jacks wing.

 

[ninetyeight]

Chemistry is a weird thing, sometimes things that shouldn't work just work for some reason. And sometimes perfect on paper doesn't translate on ice.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Jack and Bratt and board guy is what I want.

 

[Nubmer6]

Jack and Bratt and board guy is what I want.

That's why I was advocating Palat on the line. Maybe Mercer can do it.

 

[My3Sons]

Jack and Bratt and board guy is what I want.

More like Jack and Bratt and bored guy because the other two are scoring so much thr third guy doesn’t have to do anything.

Is this thing on?

Thanks so much folks I’ll be here all week and don’t forget to tip your waitress.

 

[Bleedred]

That line would be awful defensively even if a time-traveling prime Pandolfo was the third forward.

Would be a quick way to find out if Markstrom was worth it.

I think Pandolfo was highly overrated. And he also fell apart at a pretty young age. I wouldn't have ever considered him an elite defensive forward at any point post-lockout, if even after 2003. I do think Madden was, but I definitely think by about 2006-2007 he was about done being an elite or even good defensive forward. And Pandolfo was already shot all around by that point and Madden couldn't carry him. Madden was a good or at least useful player up until his last year here though. I think Brylin was better in 07-08 than Pandolfo was by that point. Then Brylin left the NHL to go play in the KHL for the rest of his career, while we signed Pandolfo to a 3 year deal at a significantly higher salary than he had ever gotten at any point prior to that. Like 4 or 5 times higher.

I've always said that Travis Zajac was better than either of them. I also think Holik up until after he left was better. Zajac on any of those cup teams would have been completely unfair.

I think my pecking order would be Zajac, Holik, Madden. I think Holik was the most skilled and best offensive player of the three.

 

[Saugus]

I think Pandolfo was highly overrated. And he also fell apart at a pretty young age. I wouldn't have ever considered him an elite defensive forward at any point post-lockout, if even after 2003. I do think Madden was, but I definitely think by about 2006-2007 he was about done being an elite or even good defensive forward. And Pandolfo was already shot all around by that point and Madden couldn't carry him. Madden was a good or at least useful player up until his last year here though. I think Brylin was better in 07-08 than Pandolfo was by that point. Then Brylin left the NHL to go play in the KHL for the rest of his career, while we signed Pandolfo to a 3 year deal at a significantly higher salary than he had ever gotten at any point prior to that. Like 4 or 5 times higher.

I've always said that Travis Zajac was better than either of them. I also think Holik up until after he left was better. Zajac on any of those cup teams would have been completely unfair.

I think my pecking order would be Zajac, Holik, Madden. I think Holik was the most skilled and best offensive player of the three.

I considered putting Holik or Madden but they were both centers, and Hughes is already the center on our hypothetical line. I needed a winger and Pandolfo was probably one of the best purely defensive wingers we had.

Maybe Brylin would have been the better choice. (Elias is up there too, but obviously he had a lot of offense as well, so I consider him more two-way.)

 

[njdevils1982]

I considered putting Holik or Madden but they were both centers, and Hughes is already the center on our hypothetical line. I needed a winger and Pandolfo was probably one of the best purely defensive wingers we had.

Maybe Brylin would have been the better choice. (Elias is up there too, but obviously he had a lot of offense as well, so I consider him more two-way.)

mcleod was the best three way player we ever had.

 

[Nubmer6]

mcleod was the best three way player we ever had.

Kinky

 

[Aurinko]

mcleod was the best three way player we ever had.

Don't think anyone will be replacing his skillset... Until the exit last season, he was having a nice 69% defensive zone faceoff % and 65% overall. Not to mention the timely goals and hussle he brings. In my books the most underappreciated player in the league.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Jack and Bratt and board guy is what I want.

Mercer-Hischier-Meier
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Noesen
Cotter-Lazar-Bastian

We need another natural righty in their after this season to replace Palat

 

[Nubmer6]

Mercer-Hischier-Meier
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Noesen
Cotter-Lazar-Bastian

We need another natural righty in their after this season to replace Palat

Umm... Palat shoots left

 

[NjDevsRR]

Umm... Palat shoots left

I think he’s talking about Andre Palot

 

[njdevils1982]

I think he’s talking about Andre Palot

tu sonné?

e

 

[BostonDevil]

That line would be awful defensively even if a time-traveling prime Pandolfo was the third forward.

Would be a quick way to find out if Markstrom was worth it.

I'm not afraid. Throw Haula out there with them.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Umm... Palat shoots left

Yeah - we have too many lefties

Mercer, Noesen, Bastian are our only righty forwards

Get a righty to replace Palat and then run Bratt on his left

tu sonné?


View attachment 897578e

Lmfao

 

[BostonDevil]

I kind of hate the idea of Jack with any “sniper” after seeing him play with Toffoli.

It seemed that, playing with a finisher, Jack was looking to set the finisher up and I think that’s not optimal for Jack’s line. Jack’s line works best, to me, when Jack thinks he’s the best scorer and so he drives to the valuable parts of the ice and shoots constantly; when with a finisher, he shoots less and foregoes medium good chances to give time for the finisher to get open.

Obviously chemistry plays a role, maybe there is a sniper that Jack would have amazing chemistry with and they both level each other up. My general thought, though, is that Jack is at his best thinking he should score goals and not thinking about getting anyone else their looks.

I want to see it. Toffoli was their leading scorer when he was here. The year before Haula should have had 100 points but couldn't throw a puck in the ocean from a boat with all the feeds Jack gave him.

Just because Jack CAN do everything, doesn't mean he SHOULD do everything.

I won't be able to stomach a 'Palat - Jack - Haula' line this year.

I think we need someone to play with him. Really play with him.

 

[Nubmer6]

Yeah - we have too many lefties

Mercer, Noesen, Bastian are our only righty forwards

Get a righty to replace Palat and then run Bratt on his left

When it comes to wings, I don't care about handedness. It's most important with D, and it's nice to have at least one right shooting center to take draws.

I'm not sure how much a right catching goalie affects a team, good or bad.