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

[Bleedred]

I would disagree, if Fitz goes into next season with Lindy Ruff then Fitz will be on the hot seat. As far as im concerned next year is either competing for a playoff spot or bust. If he remains with a lame duck coach which is exactly what Ruff is, then Fitz will be on the chopping block just like Shero was. If Ruff aint fired this offseason then he will be fired by mid season next year which would be another throwaway year which would 100% warrent a Fitz firing. How many years are we gonna throw away when we got Nico & Hughes locked up? People forget that Nico only has 5 more years left of his deal. We cannot afford to be wasting any more years.

I don't think Ruff will be here next year.

Stranger things have happened in the league recently, like the never-ending Jeff Blashill show up in Detroit, which some of their fans seem to think this is Yzerman's way of buying some time. By leaving a head coach there as long as he can while he rebuilds, before blasting him when he feels they're much more competitive and at least ready to challenge for a playoff spot.

If Fitz thinks that his time on the clock won't start until he fires Ruff (unless somehow we go into the 2023-2024 season with Ruff still coach, I think his time starts ticking then for sure) then maybe he keeps him around for one more year or part of one more year, because like you said, if he ain't fired after this season then he will be sometime in-season next year and it will already be a lost season by then. I've been saying the same thing for a while now in regards to firing Ruff when the season ends, or he's gonna go at some point next year and it's almost definitely a lost season at that point.

Any which way it happens, I see Ruff likely outta here after this year. It could be a plain, regular, ordinary firing or it could be a Ruff ''Resignation'' or ''Retirement'' where Fitz allows him to at least look like he's going out on his own with some dignity, rather than an embarrassing firing in what is likely to be the final ever head coaching job (don't rule out Buffalo though!) for a long time veteran NHL head coach, who's head coaching career in the league began 25 years ago.

 

[Rydev]

Is Blackwood expected to play or is he just traveling to be with the team?

I was going to ask in the Blackwood conversation I found last night but it says its not open anymore? I tried searching and couldnt find any others.

Id really like to see him in some games before the seasons end, see if he cant recapture his form after healing up a bit. We really need him to be big for us next season

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Oooof.

Commence full on tank (like we haven’t already)

Would we be able to tell a difference?

 

[My3Sons]

The second we can talk to Nuke as a UFA , I want Fitz ready with a private jet to take him to NJ and wine and dine him and show him the area . He is going to get paid , but he is worth it

I’m not sure he gets to UFA. If he’s a good fit for NJ you have to think he’s a good fit for a bunch of teams including the one he is on now.

 

[Guttersniped]

Blackwood and Bernier had down seasons. Daws went from pretty good in the AHL to unplayable as did Schmidt. Hammond was pretty decent in 4 starts for the habs, but can't play a single period of solid hockey for us. Maybe giving up 3 breakaways per game isn't ideal

I'm not saying these guys are good, just that they all regressed a bit or a lot under our defense/team. If you think they're just terrible and only to blame then you gotta question the GM for bringing the absolute worse he could get.

If you take out Winnipeg game, which was Bernier’s last game before he was shutdown and he likely shouldn’t have played, his SV% was .914.

The hip issue started in preseason and he was out by the 3rd game. Bernier didn’t play much but they the idea that he was bad, much less as bad as the flotsam pick-ups and boy rookie goalies is wrong.

 

[Eggtimer]

I’m not sure he gets to UFA. If he’s a good fit for NJ you have to think he’s a good fit for a bunch of teams including the one he is on now.

True, but I dont think the Avs can fit him in. Thye have him , Kadri , Keumper , Burokovski and ??? to sign .

 

[My3Sons]

True, but I dont think the Avs can fit him in. Thye have him , Kadri , Keumper , Burokovski and ??? to sign .

I’ll guess they let Kadri and Burakovski go before him. Burakovsky is apparently not as physical and the Avs aren’t going to give Kadri the money he will want. I won’t be surprised if the Avs try to peddle the UFA rights to Burakovsky and Kadri but try to keep Nuke. The problem for the Avs will be they will low ball him and hope he wants to stay similar to what CAR did to Hamilton. Keumper I’m not sure about.

 

[Hisch13r]

70 pt pace for the Captain now and that's with our anemic PP. If we get a competent PP next year he should be a shoo-in for 70

 

[Offseason Champs]

Blackwood and Bernier had down seasons. Daws went from pretty good in the AHL to unplayable as did Schmidt. Hammond was pretty decent in 4 starts for the habs, but can't play a single period of solid hockey for us. Maybe giving up 3 breakaways per game isn't ideal

I'm not saying these guys are good, just that they all regressed a bit or a lot under our defense/team. If you think they're just terrible and only to blame then you gotta question the GM for bringing the absolute worse he could get.

I think you're learning the wrong lessons from all of this.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

70 pt pace for the Captain now and that's with our anemic PP. If we get a competent PP next year he should be a shoo-in for 70

I wouldn't be sure about that. I don't think the Devils will score so many goals if we get a coach who wants the team to play more responsible hockey next season. And that's fine, if the Devils win more hockey games.

It's great to see how well Nico has played this season. He has 16 points in his last 12 games and 30 points in his last 24 games.

 

[Hisch13r]

I wouldn't be sure about that. I don't think the Devils will score so many goals if we get a coach who wants the team to play more responsible hockey next season. And that's fine, if the Devils win more hockey games.

It's great to see how well Nico has played this season. He has 16 points in his last 12 games and 30 points in his last 24 games.

I mean he's also spent the majority of this year without even one good winger beside him.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I mean he's also spent the majority of this year without even one good winger beside him.

That's true. He has even more point potential if he can play with good linemates the whole season and if they get a better PP. But I wouldn't be surprised if the team doesn't score as many goals as they have done this season if they get another coach.

 

[swissexpert]

He has 16 points in his last 12 games and 30 points in his last 24 games.

He's a PPG player since Dec. 8th after a slow start, 40P in 40 games.
Better pace than Svechnikov, Ovechkin, Tavares, Kuznetsov since then..

 

[Oneiro]

If Holtz is better than Zacha, that's a win to me. That's my first bar so I guess middle six 40-50 pt guy? Pretty much doing what Shara is doing now - that's what I'd want to see at minimum.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

If Holtz is better than Zacha, that's a win to me. That's my first bar so I guess middle six 40-50 pt guy? Pretty much doing what Shara is doing now - that's what I'd want to see at minimum.

55-60 point guy as a lethal contributor to our powerplay would be great

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I wouldn't be sure about that. I don't think the Devils will score so many goals if we get a coach who wants the team to play more responsible hockey next season. And that's fine, if the Devils win more hockey games.

It's great to see how well Nico has played this season. He has 16 points in his last 12 games and 30 points in his last 24 games.

That would be more of an issue for Hughes than Nico, Nico’s best year before this year was under Hynes who’s an insanely defensive coach.

 

[Oneiro]

55-60 point guy as a lethal contributor to our powerplay would be great

For sure, that's a good-ish outcome. I'm not sure if a Jack or Bratt can propel him to that 70-80 pt territory - I don't know that I see that kind of player in brief shift by shift stuff.

I should also say that I don't expect it all next year but at least by the end of his ELC.

 

[Hisch13r]

That would be more of an issue for Hughes than Nico, Nico’s best year before this year was under Hynes who’s an insanely defensive coach.

lol Well I mean those were his only years

 

[Devs3cups]

lol Well I mean those were his only years

Love the new avatar, you aren't the only one! Nico's killing it right now.

 

[Hisch13r]

Love the new avatar, you aren't the only one! Nico's killing it right now.

It's been awhile since I've changed. It's time I got a captain one and we both went with smiley Nico lol

 

[Hisch13r]

For sure, that's a good-ish outcome. I'm not sure if a Jack or Bratt can propel him to that 70-80 pt territory - I don't know that I see that kind of player in brief shift by shift stuff.

I should also say that I don't expect it all next year but at least by the end of his ELC.

I don't think it's out of the question he peaks at that level. On a year to year basis 60-70 seems more likely though

 

[Devs3cups]

It's been awhile since I've changed. It's time I got a captain one and we both went with smiley Nico lol

That's the best one!

 

[Hisch13r]

That's the best one!

Keeled over Nico looking like he is going to die is also a great one tbf

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

That would be more of an issue for Hughes than Nico, Nico’s best year before this year was under Hynes who’s an insanely defensive coach.

Yeah, that would be great if Nico gets over 70 points next season. I'm all for it.

 

[mdj12784]

The only way Ruff is back, is if the players go to bat for him.