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

[Billdo]

Tatar-Hischier-Zetterlund
Palat-Mercer-Bratt
Sharangovich-Haula-Holtz
Tim Sestito-McLeod-Bastian

 

[forceten]

You can't just stick Tim Sestito into a post like that lol

 

[I Hate Tie DOMI]

You can't just stick Tim Sestito into a post like that lol

That post is the closest he got to scoring in the NHL.

 

[Mgd31]

I forgot if they did last night and it’s probably been mentioned already, but they need to reunite Hischier and Tatar and put Bratt with Mercer

 

[Devs3cups]

I forgot if they did last night and it’s probably been mentioned already, but they need to reunite Hischier and Tatar and put Bratt with Mercer

I actually liked Mercer on the top line last night and Bratt with Sharangovich.

 

[devilsblood]

Looking at his numbers, including his measurables, I'm getting strong Tatar vibes.

Which in general is good, but specific to our needs I wonder. Most significant concern imo is he isn't getting a lot of shots on goal, under 6 per/60 on the season.

Looking at current Devils fwd's stats over the last 30 games, aside from the big 3 and Miles Wood, lack of sog's is a glaring issue.

But otherwise Labanc's #'s are very good.

 

[JimEIV]

I actually liked Mercer on the top line last night and Bratt with Sharangovich.

Sharangovich played a good game too.

It's unfortunate that neither Mercer or Sharangovich were rewarded on the scoreboard last night because they both played very well.

 

[Devs3cups]

Sharangovich played a good game too.

It's unfortunate that neither Mercer or Sharangovich were rewarded on the scoreboard last night because they both played very well.

100%. I also liked Boqvist’s game last night.

Tuesday I think they should go with:

Palat-Nico-Mercer
Rango-Haula-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
BMW

 

[JimEIV]

100%. I also liked Boqvist’s game last night.

Tuesday I think they should go with:

Palat-Nico-Mercer
Rango-Haula-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
BMW

Boqvist frustrates me. The occasional flash of skill, the decent-to-solid all around play but just nothing really enticing or sustaining gives me such Jacob Josefson vibes.

 

[Devs3cups]

Boqvist frustrates me. The occasional flash of skill, the decent-to-solid all around play but just nothing really enticing or sustaining gives me such Jacob Josefson vibes.

I kind of get it, but he’s a pretty efficient player to me. He skates well, forechecks very well, isn’t a bad passer at all and I rarely notice mistakes, he plays a simple game but he has some skill. I prefer him to Josefson, and I’d like Boq to stick around.

The 2nd goal last night is all him.

 

[devilsblood]

Boqvist frustrates me. The occasional flash of skill, the decent-to-solid all around play but just nothing really enticing or sustaining gives me such Jacob Josefson vibes.

Boq has already surpassed Jacob's career goal total despite playing half the games, and never playing on the PP.

But like JJ he doesn't get enough sog's, and he oddly doesn't get many assists.

I like him for a 3rd line/depth fwd spot, still think there is some upside there, but yeah, he's a bit frustrating.

 

[Nubmer6]

Boq has already surpassed Jacob's career goal total despite playing half the games, and never playing on the PP.

Yeah, but what about shootout goals?

 

[devilsblood]

Yeah, but what about shootout goals?

#freeBoq

 

[JimEIV]

Boq has already surpassed Jacob's career goal total despite playing half the games, and never playing on the PP.

But like JJ he doesn't get enough sog's, and he oddly doesn't get many assists.

I like him for a 3rd line/depth fwd spot, still think there is some upside there, but yeah, he's a bit frustrating.

I just see him as a part of a problem with depth scoring. He's a player that's not going hurt you but rarely will help you... I don't think that has a place in the top 9 personally, it's more of an extra forward description.

 

[devilsblood]

I just see him as a part of a problem with depth scoring. He's a player that's not going hurt you but rarely will help you... I don't think that has a place in the top 9 personally, it's more of an extra forward description.

Ya, go down the list. I expected way more from Shara. Wood since that early season run. Z since his early season run. Mercer's in there too. Maybe we don't expect much from McLeod and Bastian but they haven't given us much. Haula being the poster boy.

Holtz too. No he hasn't played much, but he hasn't earned PT either.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I just see him as a part of a problem with depth scoring. He's a player that's not going hurt you but rarely will help you... I don't think that has a place in the top 9 personally, it's more of an extra forward description.

He should be the 4th line LW, but the turd is clogging up that spot.

 

[Devs3cups]

He should be the 4th line LW, but the turd is clogging up that spot.

He’d bring a skill element to the 4th line which is lacking.

 

[Guttersniped]

I actually liked Mercer on the top line last night and Bratt with Sharangovich.

I liked breaking up Shara and Zetterlund.

They really have different playing styles, I think Z worked well Boqvist and Tatar.

I get why Haula was with Bratt and Shara conceptually but if Bratt is going to waste amazing passes on Haula…

(I kid, I’m all about the love!)

 

[Devs3cups]

Ya, go down the list. I expected way more from Shara. Wood since that early season run. Z since his early season run. Mercer's in there too. Maybe we don't expect much from McLeod and Bastian but they haven't given us much. Haula being the poster boy.

Holtz too. No he hasn't played much, but he hasn't earned PT either.

Rango hasn’t been put in a position to play to his strengths and it’s costing the team. He had a very good game last night and he clicked with Bratt. He got 3-4 good looks. If he keeps getting looks like those, the pucks will start going in.

Mercer has looked fine, I rarely come out of games thinking he played poorly. Yesterday was another strong game for him.

 

[JimEIV]

Ya, go down the list. I expected way more from Shara. Wood since that early season run. Z since his early season run. Mercer's in there too. Maybe we don't expect much from McLeod and Bastian but they haven't given us much. Haula being the poster boy.

Holtz too. No he hasn't played much, but he hasn't earned PT either.

Mercer? I think Mercer and Sharangovich are producing inline with their current roles and usage. Mercer is on pace to score 45 points mostly from the 3rd line... I'm not sure how much more you can ask from him in his second year.

Sharangovich is different in that he's a shooter/goal scorer and that tends to be a bit more streaky...still 11 goals in his diminished role is not terrible. The game he played last night along with 5 shots to go with it looks like he might be coming into a good stretch...these two don't belong in the same conversation as the others for not doing enough.

 

[Billdo]

I just see him as a part of a problem with depth scoring. He's a player that's not going hurt you but rarely will help you... I don't think that has a place in the top 9 personally, it's more of an extra forward description.

While I don't disagree that he's eerily similar to Josefson, I think he's gotten kind of jerked around here similar to Holtz. Boqvist when he plays, has looked pretty damn solid in most facets of the game. Perhaps with a little more regularity with regard to being in the lineup, the offense pops up a bit more. I really dislike what they're doing with Holtz though. Playing 8 mins a month ain't it for his development.

 

[JimEIV]

While I don't disagree that he's eerily similar to Josefson, I think he's gotten kind of jerked around here similar to Holtz. Boqvist when he plays, has looked pretty damn solid in most facets of the game. Perhaps with a little more regularity with regard to being in the lineup, the offense pops up a bit more. I really dislike what they're doing with Holtz though. Playing 8 mins a month ain't it for his development.

This seems to be a never ending theme of Hockey's Futures...almost like the chicken or the egg scenario.

Player doesn't produce...he sits or has time limited = he's being "jerked around"

 

[Triumph]

Of the bottom 100 forwards in points/60 this season (minimum 200 minutes) exactly 0 are Devils, Boqvist is lowest. The Devils do not really have issues with depth scoring per se, it is more that they only have four players on pace for 20 or more goals. They're missing a 20 goal scorer or two; people scoring at a second line rate.

While I don't disagree that he's eerily similar to Josefson, I think he's gotten kind of jerked around here similar to Holtz. Boqvist when he plays, has looked pretty damn solid in most facets of the game. Perhaps with a little more regularity with regard to being in the lineup, the offense pops up a bit more. I really dislike what they're doing with Holtz though. Playing 8 mins a month ain't it for his development.

I don't think Boqvist is similar to Josefson at all, and the only thing that could produce such a thought is that they come from the same country. Boqvist is far and away a better goal scorer.

 

[JimEIV]

Of the bottom 100 forwards in points/60 this season (minimum 200 minutes) exactly 0 are Devils, Boqvist is lowest. The Devils do not really have issues with depth scoring per se, it is more that they only have four players on pace for 20 or more goals. They're missing a 20 goal scorer or two; people scoring at a second line rate.



I don't think Boqvist is similar to Josefson at all, and the only thing that could produce such a thought is that they come from the same country. Boqvist is far and away a better goal scorer.

Josefson played on a team that was bottom 5 in scoring just about every single year, in a league that scored significantly fewer goals...

Josefson also showed brilliant flashes of skill once every 50 or so games or in a shootout... that's were the analogy lies.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I liked breaking up Shara and Zetterlund.

They really have different playing styles, I think Z worked well Boqvist and Tatar.

I get why Haula was with Bratt and Shara conceptually but if Bratt is going to waste amazing passes on Haula…


View attachment 649291

(I kid, I’m all about the love!)

To Haulas credit, Bratt wasted an incredible pass from Haula as well. In the slot, in the 3rd, Bratt passed off once again.