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

[JimEIV]

listing three teams that were in a league that didn’t allow ties is a bit disingenuous.

I'm not even sure what you are saying.

 

[Call Me Al]

2009 should have been better, they were good enough to win a division with Clemmensen in net…but Sutter went full Neanderthal with line matching and they went splat

probably the most angry i've been as a fan. couldn't believe looking at the scorecard for that game 7 and seeing pandolfo and madden with more ice time than elias

 

[JrFischer54]

The early exits in the late 90's were devastating. The first round exit to Pittsburgh was particularly rough...I remember many people questioning Stevens leadership after that series. I can't remember who wrote it but it was definitely written that the Devils lacked leadership....was probably Larry Brooks

losing to damien rhodes the year before was worse imo.

 

[MB3]

I'm not even sure what you are saying.

you listed three post-lockout teams that you broadly described as “better” than 2003 based on number of regular season wins.

it felt worth mentioning that those teams had the benefit of the shootout boosting their regular season win total.

 

[MadDevil]

2009 doesn't exist. I have no idea what you people are talking about.

 

[JimEIV]

you listed three post-lockout teams that you broadly described as “better” than 2003 based on number of regular season wins.

it felt worth mentioning that those teams had the benefit of the shootout boosting their regular season win total.

First I said "as good or arguably better "

The 2003 team forwards were not a very talented group as a whole. Gionta was 4th liner, Gomez had a down year, there was no real 2nd Center - that team won with Stevens, Niedermeyer and Brodeuer mostly.

Teams later with Parise, Elias, Gomez Gionta as a top 6 forward, Zajac...were much more talented than the 2003 team from a forward perspective... obviously no Stevens or Niedermayer though.

 

[Guttersniped]

We have had quite a few teams as good or arguably better than 2003 team that didn't have the playoff success you'd think they should've.

2009 51 win team. 1st round exit
2007 49 win team 2nd round exit
2010 48 win team 1st round exit
1998 48 win team 1st round exit
1999 47 win team. 1st round exit

1998 & 1999 were complete bangers.

1998 was just a fun example of how Lou came up with endless random temporary solutions to our lack of elite forwards. Also Randy McKay was such a stud that season.

1999 was pretty amazing. f***ing Pens. Late 1990s playoffs were so soul crushing and that ended up not mattering at all lol.

2007-10 teams were worse than the 2003 Cup team.

 

[JimEIV]

1998 & 1999 were complete bangers.

1998 was just a fun example of how Lou came up with endless random temporary solutions to our lack of elite forwards. Also Randy McKay was such a stud that season.

1999 was pretty amazing. f***ing Pens. Late 1990s playoffs were so soul crushing and that ended up not mattering at all lol.

2007-10 teams were worse than the 2003 Cup team.

Any team with Stevens and Niedermeyer is better than ones with out...but those 2000's teams had significantly better forwards than the 2003 team

 

[DerekDevils30]

We have had quite a few teams as good or arguably better than 2003 team that didn't have the playoff success you'd think they should've.

2009 51 win team. 1st round exit
2007 49 win team 2nd round exit
2010 48 win team 1st round exit
1998 48 win team 1st round exit
1999 47 win team. 1st round exit

That 2009 team felt like they could have done some damage in the playoffs. They played exceptionally well with Clemmensen for the majority of the season and then Marty came back. They stumbled a bit down the stretch and then we know what happened against Carolina.

 

[Normal Devil]

I'd very much prefer to keep Zetterlund as well, but if Sharks insist on including him in a deal for Timo, I am happy to move on from him (depending on what else is included in the trade pakage)

But yes overall I hope Devils keep Zettertank. He's only going to get better as a bottom 6 fwd IMO.



Well if Holtz isn't included - how are we landing Meier? Luke Hughes isn't going anywhere. Nemec isn't going anywhere. Mercer isn't going anywhere. I think Fitz really wants to keep Gritsyuk in his back pocket for in 2-3 yrs when we need an older ELC that can hopefully be a top 6 forward.

Holtz is our main piece. And should be especially attractive to San Jose considering his previous success with their other top fwd prospect in Eklund.

Maybe it winds up being some combo of Casey, Muk, Bahl, Sharangovich, Boqvist and draft picks? Holtz has been penciled into every single proposed trade out there .. maybe we will be surprised and that won't be the case if a deal happens.

 

[Omar Little]

1998 & 1999 were complete bangers.

1998 was just a fun example of how Lou came up with endless random temporary solutions to our lack of elite forwards. Also Randy McKay was such a stud that season.

1999 was pretty amazing. f***ing Pens. Late 1990s playoffs were so soul crushing and that ended up not mattering at all lol.

2007-10 teams were worse than the 2003 Cup team.

Still hate Mike Mottau with a fiery passion. A good example of band-aid on what was ultimately the issue with those devils teams, no "star" (or even close to it) defenseman.

 

[MB3]

First I said "as good or arguably better "

The 2003 team forwards were not a very talented group as a whole. Gionta was 4th liner, Gomez had a down year, there was no real 2nd Center - that team won with Stevens, Niedermeyer and Brodeuer mostly.

Teams later with Parise, Elias, Gomez Gionta as a top 6 forward, Zajac...were much more talented than the 2003 team from a forward perspective... obviously no Stevens or Niedermayer though.

Yeah that’s fine, you said “arguably” and I’m making the argument.

I’ll buy that the late 2000s teams had a more talented forward group, but there really isn’t a comparison. 2003 had one of the best blue lines of all time, one of the best coaches of all time, and was top-down a significantly better hockey team than anything the Devils have iced since Stevens got injured and Niedermayer left.

Still hate Mike Mottau with a fiery passion. A good example of band-aid on what was ultimately the issue with those devils teams, no "star" (or even close to it) defenseman.

I was in the building for game 7 in 2009 and it will forever live as the worst sports memory of my life.

 

[JimEIV]

Yeah that’s fine, you said “arguably” and I’m making the argument.

I’ll buy that the late 2000s teams had a more talented forward group, but there really isn’t a comparison. 2003 had one of the best blue lines of all time, one of the best coaches of all time, and was top-down a significantly better hockey team than anything the Devils have iced since Stevens got injured and Niedermayer left.


I was in the building for game 7 in 2009 and it will forever live as the worst sports memory of my life.

2003 blue line wasn't nearly our best... In fact I would say it was our worst D group of the 3 that won the cup.
The best being 1995.

Stevens, Niedermeyer, Driver, Daneyko, Chambers, Albelin was the best D we ever iced.

 

[Eggtimer]

2003 blue line wasn't nearly our best... In fact I would say it was our worst D group of the 3 that won the cup.
The best being 1995.

Stevens, Niedermeyer, Driver, Daneyko, Chambers, Albelien was the best D we ever iced.

Don’t take my Devils fan club card away from me but didn’t we have Stevens Neids Rafalski Daneyko all at once ? I can’t remember that era as much as I should.

 

[The Devil In I]

Wandering around downtown Columbus with my girl on our way to lunch and just ran into Jack and Holtz coming back to the hotel with a bag of Chipotle lol

Asked Jack if he's playing and he said I don't know we'll see

 

[JimEIV]

Don’t take my Devils fan club card away from me but didn’t we have Stevens Neids Rafalski Daneyko all at once ? I can’t remember that era as much as I should.

yes 2000 and 2003..1995 was a better defense.

Rafalski wasn't as good as Driver, Daneyko was 8 years younger and Malakhov and White in 2000 were no where close to Albelin and Chambers in 95.

Daneyko was done in 2003. He was lucky to eek out the year. Daneyko in 95 was trading blows with Lindros and LeClair in the corners, 8 years later he was a shell of himself.

 

[Omar Little]

Wandering around downtown Columbus with my girl on our way to lunch and just ran into Jack and Holtz coming back to the hotel with a bag of Chipotle lol

You say whats up?

 

[HoliksGhost]

Wandering around downtown Columbus with my girl on our way to lunch and just ran into Jack and Holtz coming back to the hotel with a bag of Chipotle lol

Don’t find that hard to believe at all, lol

 

[Saugus]

Wandering around downtown Columbus with my girl on our way to lunch and just ran into Jack and Holtz coming back to the hotel with a bag of Chipotle lol

Ah, so now we know why Holtz is being benched. Insufficient commitment to proper conditioning.

 

[Bleedred]

probably the most angry i've been as a fan. couldn't believe looking at the scorecard for that game 7 and seeing pandolfo and madden with more ice time than elias

Nice. Another reference for the leading member of a ring of honor for most overrated Devils player ever.

Pandolfo was beyond shot to shit and chopped up into all kinds of pieces by 2009. Madden was already shot at that point too. 40 year old Shanahan was the best player on that line by as far as you can imagine.

Maddolfo were both TOAST as shutdown or defensive players by the 2007 playoffs. Pandolfo was probably shot as a shutdown player at some point in the 2005-2006 season and was just barely still a serviceable hockey player at all by 2006-2007. Madden was still useful, just not as a shutdown player. And he only even came close to winning the Selke in 2007-2008 based on both reputation and the fact that he scored 20 goals that season, which was one of only two times he hit 20 goals in a season in his career.

Alfredssson and Spezza torched those two all series long in 2007 and so did MSL, Lecavalier and Brad Richards in the Tampa series in round one that year.

I remember Jagr and the Carolina boys making Pandawful look like a cheap second rate scrub in the 2006 playoffs, but Madden was still good then and covered for him.

I’m not sure why Sutter sold out and played these guys like it was 2003 all over again in that series. Especially when he had shied away from doing such nonsense during that regular season, as he had come to the conclusion they were shit, but somehow forgot about it during the playoffs.

Zajac and Elias were both better defensive players than Madolfo were in their career and were both better by miles by circa 2009. You could have played either of their lines and done a whole a lot better in that game.

Pathetic coaching by Sutter, who is the most low key bad head coach the Devils have ever had. And he was the jackass that said John MacLean was ready to take over when he left. And his worthless ass hasn’t gotten another NHL coaching job again since his brother hired him. For all the talk of “Watch out for Brent, he’s gonna be a big time NHL head coach for a long time in the NHL!” even before he got hired by us, he lasted 5 years and that was it. He hasn’t coached anywhere in the last 11 years other than for the junior team he owned or still probably owns. Not sure if he still owns and/or coaches it, but if he isn’t still there then he’s nowhere else.

 

[The Devil In I]

You say whats up?

Yea we got a pic after he got done with some autograph hounds that were standing near the hotel with merchandise.

Asked him if he's playing tomorrow but all I got was a bit of a laugh and "I don't know we'll see"

 

[Call Me Al]

Wandering around downtown Columbus with my girl on our way to lunch and just ran into Jack and Holtz coming back to the hotel with a bag of Chipotle lol

Asked him if he's playing and he said I don't know we'll see

were you talking to jack or holtz?

 

[The Devil In I]

were you talking to jack or holtz?

Jack

 

[Nubmer6]

Ok. Just got back in from working on my car for a couple hours and we haven't traded for Meier yet??? You guys didn't will it to happen yet?

Slackers.

 

[Eggtimer]

Ok. Just got back in from working on my car for a couple hours and we haven't traded for Meier yet??? You guys didn't will it to happen yet?

Slackers.

I’m willing as hard as I can will. I’m getting willed out but will never quit willing until it happens