Nemec does not have an elite shot, not even close, but it's improved and he's heady in knowing how to get pucks through seams and on net. Nemec's hockey savvy plays up that tool like it does all his tools, but he's not exactly a howitzer from the point.
Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part VI
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Zippy316
aka Zippo
It made no sense for either side to sign a long term extension the last two summers.
Bratt had a breakout year. Devils were somewhat strapped for cap space this off-season. Devils shouldn’t have paid Bratt off of one elite year (especially when he was benched only three games into that season). Likewise, Bratt should not have signed a long-term extension last year in the sixes or sevens when if he replicated that season he is looking at 8-9 million per.
Obviously the agent negotiating tactics is another story but this off-season makes the most sense for both sides to iron out a long-term extension.
If I'm Boston, the team that scares me most is -- of course -- Tampa. But if Boston gets past the first two rounds, I'd say the scariest match-up for them from the Metro would be New Jersey. The Devils are the fastest and most skilled team in the conference and their ability to come back late in games has to be harrowing.Could the Devils be the current version of the 2008-09 blackhawks? They made the playoffs for the first time in ages that year on the backs of their new young stars, advancing all the way to the conference finals. They couldn't get past the Red Wings, who were essentially making their final run as an elite team. The current Boston Bruins could be a parallel to that Red Wings team. I would be ecstatic if the Devils made it to a Conference Final showdown with them.
And then of course Chicago won the first of three Cups the following year.
I still think Tampa is coming out of the Atlantic division. Best goalie in the East and a team that knows how to win playoff hockey. Refs eat the whistles in the playoffs which always hurts a team like Boston who relies so much on big-market calls and power play acuity.
The Metro is tougher to call, but I'd have to say the Devils and Rangers are better bets to me than Carolina team which actually figured out a way to get palpably worse at the trade deadline.
I was wondering how much its improved. I haven't seen any Utica games. The shot wasn't much when he was playing in preseason games.
JrFischer54
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- Apr 4, 2017
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man playing 3 out of conference teams in the final 15 games of the season is really stupid scheduling.
Omar Little
Omar comin yo
Devils have an outside chance of the largest year-over-year point improvement in NHL history. SJ Sharks had a 58 point improvement.
Devils would need to get 121 points to tie that. 27 more points in 16 more games. Very difficult but not impossible. Pretty incredible.
Devils would need to get 121 points to tie that. 27 more points in 16 more games. Very difficult but not impossible. Pretty incredible.
Kind of just underscores how bullshit last year was. I know the roster has been improved, but they still should have been a lot better than the record showed last year.
That's what the advanced stats suggested. We've had the naysayers who struggled to accept the goaltending was hamstringing what was otherwise a solid team last season. With the average to above average goaltending that NJ has gotten this year coupled with the improved team defense and the improvement in skill and IQ of the young still developing players, the record has improved accordingly. The relative health of the top six players and emergence of Schmid to replace Blackwood (sorry @Bleedred I know that will break your heart) has helped as well.
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
Agreed.
(please remove your jaws from the floor, everyone.)
If his goal is 9 mill per, then I'm going to have to begin searching for a new victim...err, I mean Player to serve as my avy.
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
I think his agent is trying to squeeze as many dollars out of Fitz as possible until the very last moment, then he'll take whatever offer is there and have Bratt sign it.
That's where I'm thinking this may be headed.
'Cause Eggtimer also said it best that it does not make any sense for Bratt to want out considering the position he's in and the team he's on and their future being so bright.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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Yep and everyone who got utterly bashed for saying a decent goalie would do wonders and probably make them way better/playoff caliber needs an apology from everyone here, twitter or close talking to the team. I still remember the mock posts some posters alluding that we're better than the Rangers with a goalie and Shesterkin not playing a .940 would make us better than them. And gee, look what happened this year.
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
I would add that the young players as a group improved significantly at team defense to my eyes and despite having to play the same goofy swarm system have started to make it work. That's helped cut down the crazy chances we saw last year like that Calgary game where the three penalty killers were in a three foot circle against the wall and the Calgary guy just flung it to the middle of the ice where one Devil was trying to cover three Flames essentially covering none of them. Clearly, Vanacek and Schmid have been a breath of fresh air, but give credit to the skaters as well. It's been a nice turnaround after last season.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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Vitek the first game and go from there, Schmid getting the Florida game would make sense if Vitek goes 2-0 against TB on Tuesday and Thursday
ZachaFlockaFlame
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For the most part, we're seeing the same thing from our core players. Jack is above a PPG, Nico's had his ups and downs but mostly ups and looks like the second half Nico we saw last year, Mercer now is playing like he did in October-November last year. Marino + Vanecek + Haula + Palat were tremendous adds, they all stabilized parts of their lineup where they've folded in past years. As much as Haula got smashed and destroyed here and the fanbase, there's no way we're winning 8-9/13 of games on that W13 streak if Pavel Zacha was the LW1.
MauDevils
Registered User
We went from 19th in GF to 4th. And 14th in xGA to 7th. Let's not pretend it was just a goalie.
Marino was arguably just as big of an addition.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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I said that in my above post but last year's 5v5 defense wasn't an issue with Severson playing top 4, that's still almost bubble level except we got ECHL goaltending. Of course they got better with the Marino add but Vanecek was more important. They arguably have the best RHD group in the sport.
I think that they've upped their attention to detail and compete a bit more. Nothing dramatic but enough to maybe make a 45-47 win team into a 52-54 win team. And as always, let's face it, it's a small minority of posters who want to dwell on the negative or have a bone to pick with certain players whether or not they do well. I think the consensus was that the team was set back last season by the goaltending coupled with the swarm system that exacerbated it.
A Nemec comment.
Up to the World Juniors Nemec was definitely concentrating on playing defense and making the first pass to get the Comets going the other way. He showed a high hockey IQ. He often brough the puck off the point and was found behind the net. However, this found him caught up ice more than he should have been, but he most often caught up to the rush from behind and made a positive impact. Sometimes he didn't get there and required somebody else to pick him up until he was back in position.
When he returned from the Worlds, he had a different attitude about his offensive game. He began joining rushes. He moved around the offensive zone, not just staying stationary at his point or just a simple pinch.
You could find him at the top of the circle on both sides of the ice as the puck and his mates moved around the attacking zone. He was also battling in the corner and sometimes behind the net. He was shooting at the net from many different locations.
He does not have an outstanding shot by any means, but his shot is very accurate. Usually it's a wrister. He manages to get his shot on net through net front congestion. Other times that "shot" is actually a tape to tape pass to someone either in that net front congestion or off to the side of a post.
Lately he has kicked up the offensive mindset to a different level. I have seen him right beside a forward on rush heading down the slot looking for a pass or rebound. He has centered the puck from behind the net.
Last night he scored a goal on a real pretty shot pass from Holtz into the crease front that saw Nemec split the 2 defenders there with his stick almost right into the goalie's feet and he directed that pass into the net.
While marveling at some of these offensive plays he has made some major blunders at the other end resulting in goals. Last night Nemec had possession just behind the goal line at the side of the post and just gave it away to a Phantom in the net front who scored.
Later he turned it over just outside his blueline resulting in a 3 on 1. Theut mad not 1 but 2 saves to bail him out.
He's also started making some bad passes on breakout attempts when a safer pass was there. This is a habit Walsh has mastered this season and hopefully Simone hasn't decided to copy a bad habit modeled by a team mate whose career is spinning downhill at the moment.
Hope that was of some help.
So, his nose for offense has had somewhat of a negative effect on his defense.
Up to the World Juniors Nemec was definitely concentrating on playing defense and making the first pass to get the Comets going the other way. He showed a high hockey IQ. He often brough the puck off the point and was found behind the net. However, this found him caught up ice more than he should have been, but he most often caught up to the rush from behind and made a positive impact. Sometimes he didn't get there and required somebody else to pick him up until he was back in position.
When he returned from the Worlds, he had a different attitude about his offensive game. He began joining rushes. He moved around the offensive zone, not just staying stationary at his point or just a simple pinch.
You could find him at the top of the circle on both sides of the ice as the puck and his mates moved around the attacking zone. He was also battling in the corner and sometimes behind the net. He was shooting at the net from many different locations.
He does not have an outstanding shot by any means, but his shot is very accurate. Usually it's a wrister. He manages to get his shot on net through net front congestion. Other times that "shot" is actually a tape to tape pass to someone either in that net front congestion or off to the side of a post.
Lately he has kicked up the offensive mindset to a different level. I have seen him right beside a forward on rush heading down the slot looking for a pass or rebound. He has centered the puck from behind the net.
Last night he scored a goal on a real pretty shot pass from Holtz into the crease front that saw Nemec split the 2 defenders there with his stick almost right into the goalie's feet and he directed that pass into the net.
While marveling at some of these offensive plays he has made some major blunders at the other end resulting in goals. Last night Nemec had possession just behind the goal line at the side of the post and just gave it away to a Phantom in the net front who scored.
Later he turned it over just outside his blueline resulting in a 3 on 1. Theut mad not 1 but 2 saves to bail him out.
He's also started making some bad passes on breakout attempts when a safer pass was there. This is a habit Walsh has mastered this season and hopefully Simone hasn't decided to copy a bad habit modeled by a team mate whose career is spinning downhill at the moment.
Hope that was of some help.
So, his nose for offense has had somewhat of a negative effect on his defense.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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That's fair, I think this year is an example of what can happen if anything goes well where as last year we bottomed out with historically bad goaltending. It reminds me of the Avs from 16-17 where they were historically bad, 17-18 where they took a step, 18-19 where they stagnated, 19-20 where they became a top 5 team and took off from there except we didn't have the 17-18 or 18-19 year and went from the 16-17 to 19-20 directly.
Eggtimer
Registered User
I’m not sure what will happen. I’d somewhat like to see how Schmid plays agaimst them I’m a somewhat sort of playoff style / measuring stick game.
But I’d also like to get every poimt possible to try to win the Metro. And for now, I think that means to start VV in both.
There is also the matter of resting VV properly . He has never been a true #1 starter in the NHL so it’s hard to know if he might be getting tired or we need to watch his number of starts ?
Eggtimer
Registered User
Marino addition is huge. Moves a player down a pairing plus removes one from the lineup altogether. Smith was terrible last year. Same as Subban.
I think bedsides goaltending , the addition of Marino , that the biggest impact has been from the coaching staff. Our current assistants have done an amazing job with the group. We are very fortunate to have made these additions. It’s impossible to quantify how much of a direct impact that have made but just watching the subtle improvements to several parts of our game has been a breath of fresh air. Team defence , structure , even their resiliency has improved a shit ton.
guitarguyvic
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- Mar 31, 2010
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13-3-1? As good as they’ve been this year, I’d be incredibly impressed if they managed to do that given the remaining compactness and strength of schedule.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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FWIW, I don't think Subban was horrendous last year. But yeah, spot on, moving down Severson to 3RD when he's been accustomed to 1RD and 2RD his entire tenure here was huge.
Eggtimer
Registered User
I guess it is a little unfair to say Subban was garbage last year. Once he simplified his game and acknowledged he was mkre of a third pairing guy , he was actually decent.
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