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

[JimEIV]

Lifted like a man possessed in college, which is 10 years ago now. Used to rep 225 on the bench like it was a pencil. Working sets were 265. Easy, breezy.

Hadn't lifted in literally 8 full years. Wife, 2 kids, career, same old excuses. Got back into the gym a month ago on monday, threw on 165 to do some warmup reps. Knew when the bar hit my chest on rep 1 I f***ed up.

Roll of shame on my first warm-up rep of the day. Left the gym out of embarrassment.

Have been 4 days a week since then, and I'm nowhere near where I was in college but thank god I'm not failing with 165 any more.

Lol...yeah it's easy to lose. I'm nowhere near as strong now as I was back then...but I always went to the gym... sometimes not so regularly

Before my shoulder pain about 3 months ago, I was going to the gym to lift 3 days a week and doing light full body workouts with all machines, no free weights at all

I swear I just go to the gym so I can get away with eating and drinking more....only reason.

 

[JimEIV]

Take care my friend.
50's the falloff is gradual.
60's it's very noticeable and you fight it as if it can't happen to you.
70's you ask yourself, "Why did I do this to my body?" Then you lay down in bed and keep readjusting your position until you a re finally comfortable and nothing hurts. Then as you relax you say "There is nothing I wouldn't have done and I would do it all over in a heartbeat."

Football in high school and frosh year of college.
Baseball until injury voided my contract.
Most importantly hockey (had to choose between it and Football/Baseball because of the seasonal overlaps).

I didn't hang up the pads until 50 because I couldn't see the puck. 5 years later had cornea transplants. I wasn't wrong about not being able to see, but didn't know I was going blind (see the eyes are another issue with age). Now I have better vision than I ever had my whole life.

Latest age kick in the ass is hearing. My wife finally got fed up with "Huh?" She scheduled a hearing test. I've now got 2 hearing aids to create cross hearing from the right to the left. I'm nearly deaf in the right ear as the result of benign tumor that was burned off my auditory nerve. Can't believe how well I can hear now.

I have also had a hip replacement and may have to get the other one done. Goaltending was the 2nd love of my life and combined with line play and Catching /1st base, I killed my hips and my knees aren't happy either. My wife says I don't walk, but shuffle. I don't buy it, but it's probably denial.
I have a bad shoulder from hockey, but have fought that one off through therapy.

Joints, eyes, ears and who knows what else, but I'm still kicking and feeling good. Take it one month at a time now when it wasn't that long ago I was taking it a year at a time. Spring and summer brings rebirth and fall leads to the dreaded winter when everything aches.

Can't complain because the alternative isn't one I'm even thinking about.

Rambling is another consequence of aging. Do feel free to just go right by my posts if you find them to be such.



Have to get him through waivers before they can do that. It is a risk.

Awesome post. Thank you.

 

[Mgd31]

Why do we want Chandler Stephenson? He stinks defensively. No need for another guy like that.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We got this

 

[NJDevs26]

It’s absurd it’s even 10%

 

[JimEIV]

We got this

How do the Sabres who are literally 1 point ahead of us with same amount of games played, have half the chance of making the playoffs than we do?

 

[Guttersniped]

How do the Sabres who are literally 1 point ahead of us with same amount of games played, have half the chance of making the playoffs than we do?

The main reason is all 3 playoff spots in the Atlantic are locked up so the Sabres are competing for the 2nd WC spot.

The Flyers’ slump has put the 3rd Metro spot in play, so Metro teams are competing for two spots.

Edit: Just noticed the Pens odds, so maybe not lol. Most models don’t hate the Pens more than us like this, that’s throwing me to be honest.

 

[Saugus]

It’s absurd it’s even 10%

Ya... that feels high, especially after choking on both games over the weekend.

 

[Guttersniped]

Ya... that feels high, especially after choking on both games over the weekend.

It’s weirdly a little high, compared to other models, and the Pens are a little weirdly low, but who cares.

It’s 4 team race for 2 playoff spots and NJD, PIT, and BUF are all sleeping in a dumpster next to track.

 

[JimEIV]

The main reason is all 3 playoff spots in the Atlantic are locked up so the Sabres are competing for the 2nd WC spot.

The Flyers’ slump has put the 3rd Metro spot in play, so Metro teams are competing for two spots.

Edit: Just noticed the Pens odds, so maybe not lol. Most models don’t hate the Pens more than us like this, that’s throwing me to be honest.

Makes sense...I keep looking at the standings league wide not paying much attention to the wild card races...

I also hate this new format. It should be straight 1 through 8.

 

[jkrdevil]

The main reason is all 3 playoff spots in the Atlantic are locked up so the Sabres are competing for the 2nd WC spot.

The Flyers’ slump has put the 3rd Metro spot in play, so Metro teams are competing for two spots.

Edit: Just noticed the Pens odds, so maybe not lol. Most models don’t hate the Pens more than us like this, that’s throwing me to be honest.

The Pens have an extra game in hand in us and play the teams in front of them more times than us.

 

[Guadana]

We got this

This horse isnt dead yet. Lets beat it.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Makes sense...I keep looking at the standings league wide not paying much attention to the wild card races...

I also hate this new format. It should be straight 1 through 8.

Enough of this bracket style B.S. You know Toronto is tired of Tampa or Boston every year lol. Pros and cons.

 

[bossram]

This is almost my exact thoughts, with one difference. I would sign Stephenson to play with Hughes and not Debrusk.

I agree with the Miles Wood talk that we havent found a suitable replacement. There is one definitely available in free agency in Yakov Trenin. He will replace Wood's physicality, will chip in 15 goals and is one of the best bottom 6 forecheckers and defensive wingers.

I like the idea of Chandler Stephenson, especially based on his past record. But his two-way play has really dipped this season significantly. I don't know if that is a trend or not, but he will be 30 starting next season and I don't like the idea of signing a 30 year old long-term who relies on speed/skating as a major component of his game. I didn't like the Palat signing (made this very well known at the time, and received tons of pushback for it), and though they are not exactly analogous players, I don't think the team should be signing many 30 year old UFAs to long-term deals on principle.

Debrusk is one of the few UFAs who will actually hit the market before they're already well past their prime.

 

[JimEIV]

This horse isnt dead yet. Lets beat it.

At least we know it can't get away.

 

[jkrdevil]

Enough of this bracket style B.S. You know Toronto is tired of Tampa or Boston every year lol. Pros and cons.

But getting those repeated matchups is exactly what the league wanted when it went to this format along with getting a guaranteed number of games in each time zone for tv scheduling.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

My #1 Ideal Offseason is as follows:

#1) Holtz, 2025 1st, Prospect (Whatever is needed) for Ullmark
#2) Sign Chandler Stepheson (5.25 Mil AAV)
#3) Get Talented Grit Players - (Zadorov 3.5 Mil AVV / Joshua 2.5 Mil AAV / Trenin)


I have no idea about UFA contracts, I may have under shot it but this roster has 1.9 million AAV to spare.

View attachment 837779

Stephenson will likely get the same money than Killorn (6.25 Mil AAV), or at least close to it. And if I remember correctly, Joshua's salary projection is close to 4 million, Zadorov is trying to get more than 4 million and Trenin's next contract is probably close to Wood's contract (2.5 Mil AAV). Trenin doesn't score as much as Wood but he is big and can defend. Every GM wants a player like that on their team.

 

[Guadana]

At least we know it can't get away.

The hidden meaning of the pessimistic sense. Maybe this is the future horse of one of the horsemen of the apocalypse. Let's think positively.

 

[NjDevsRR]

We are so back

 

[Billdo]

I'll ask again- who was this mystery 4th rookie DMan?

Kevin Bahl is not a rookie.

Jim also thinks Marino and Siegenthaler aren't vets so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

I would like to see a Holtz, Jack, Haula line for a couple games. I know Jack might be broken, but just to see if he and Holtz have any chemistry. What better time to try it then now?

 

[JimEIV]

Jim also thinks Marino and Siegenthaler aren't vets so take it with a grain of salt.

They aren't....300 game vets? Lol

Is Jack Hughes a vet? They've all played roughly the same amount of games

 

[Louskoolaid89]

I would like to see a Holtz, Jack, Haula line for a couple games. I know Jack might be broken, but just to see if he and Holtz have any chemistry. What better time to try it then now?

Let's face it this is like preseason again. So yeah why not?

 

[JimEIV]

Jack Hughes 296
Siegenthaler 304
Marino 318

As of today.



Nico is more of a veteran than any of these players at 438 games. And I'm not sure I'd even be willing to call him a veteran

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

They aren't....300 game vets? Lol

Is Jack Hughes a vet? They've all played roughly the same amount of games

yes.

Happy to help!