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

[RangerDoggo]

I want to say things won’t get worse in net next season and goaltending is voodoo but who the hell am I kidding, really? The goaltending will still suck, the coaches will go nowhere until we’re out of the playoffs in December, they won’t improve the results on the ice, and you can pencil in the Pens and Caps to make the playoffs again because they are immortal.

I’m so sick of this culture of failure, this miasma of gaseous shit surrounding this team.

 

[MauDevils]

Gusev 2.0 has a ton of skating work to do if he doesn't want to end up as Gusev 2.0.

Do many players drastically improve their skating?

 

[Hisch13r]

I want to say things won’t get worse in net next season and goaltending is voodoo but who the hell am I kidding, really? The goaltending will still suck, the coaches will go nowhere until we’re out of the playoffs in December, they won’t improve the results on the ice, and you can pencil in the Pens and Caps to make the playoffs again because they are immortal.

I’m so sick of this culture of failure, this miasma of gaseous shit surrounding this team.

Maybe the goaltending will end up half as bad next year which would still be awful but the odds of it being anywhere close to 60+ goals allowed above expected is astronomically low.

 

[Blackjack]

I want to say things won’t get worse in net next season and goaltending is voodoo but who the hell am I kidding, really? The goaltending will suck, the coaches will go nowhere, they won’t improve the results on the ice, and you can pencil in the Pens and Caps to make the playoffs again because they are immortal.

I’m so sick of this culture of failure, this miasma of gaseous shit surrounding this team.

It doesn't look good. No obvious upgrades in goal on the horizon, no skaters to look forward to either. Hughes and Gritsyuk are a year away, and Holtz... --long slow whistle--

Zetterlund is a bright spot, but it's not enough.

I could see 2023-2024 being a good year with Hughes, Grits, and whoever we draft this year hopefully all making a big impact at once.

 

[The Wumpus]

248 - tied with 2018 for most goals we've scored since that 2001 beast season
307 - most goals we've given up since 1989

 

[Devs3cups]

The shitting on Holtz after 10 NHL games and an awesome AHL season is so premature it's not even funny.

Kid just posted up a 0.5 G/GP season in the AHL in his first pro NA season and we're on here talking as if he's some scrub. I understand the season was shit people but come on.

 

[RangerDoggo]

I don’t even want the playoffs next year necessarily, I just want improvement in the standings and point totals but I’ve wanted that forever and never got it.

Maybe the goaltending will end up half as bad next year which would still be awful but the odds of it being anywhere close to 60+ goals allowed above expected is astronomically low.

I’ll take the bet that it will.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Sal said exit interviews will begin tomorrow and run through next week.

Cangi predicts Zetterlund and Bahl will play game one next season.

 

[Hisch13r]

I just want improvement in the standings and point totals but I’ve wanted that forever.

I’ll take the bet that it will.

Yeah you're just being unreasonable

 

[Hisch13r]

The shitting on Holtz after 10 NHL games and an awesome AHL season is so premature it's not even funny.

Kid just posted up a 0.5 G/GP season in the AHL in his first pro NA season and we're on here talking as if he's some scrub. I understand the season was shit people but come on.

Maybe but there is legitimate reason to be very worried. We've seen someone like Boqvist go from awful to serviceable but that took until he was 23 and we need Holtz to be more than serviceable. There needs to be massive improvements in his game

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

The shitting on Holtz after 10 NHL games and an awesome AHL season is so premature it's not even funny. Kid just posted up a 0.5 G/GP season in the AHL in his first pro NA season and we're on here talking as if he's some scrub. I understand the season was shit people but come on.

Same happened after his 10 AHL games last season. That said, Holtz has a lot to work on this summer. Hope he has a better postseason than Stillman.

 

[RangerDoggo]

Sal said exit interviews will begin tomorrow and run through next week.

Cangi predicts Zetterlund and Bahl will play game one next season.

Emphasis on “exit,” God willing

 

[Billdo]

Maybe but there is legitimate reason to be very worried.

Is the pessimism new for you? I don't remember it prior to Holtz.

 

[Hisch13r]

Same happened after his 10 AHL games last season. That said, Holtz has a lot to work on this summer. Hope he has a better postseason than Stillman.

I mean that part shouldn't be hard

 

[MadDevil]

Maybe the goaltending will end up half as bad next year which would still be awful but the odds of it being anywhere close to 60+ goals allowed above expected is astronomically low.

 

[Devs3cups]

Maybe but there is legitimate reason to be very worried.

Maybe most of you are overreacting. The truth is most likely in the middle.

What I do know is that I'll surely keep on being encouraged with what he's done in his first full pro season instead of basing my thoughts off 10 NHL games at 19.

Is his skating something for him to work on? Absolutely. He did improve on it this season and there's no reason why he won't work on it this off-season.

 

[Hisch13r]

Is the pessimism new for you? I don't remember it prior to Holtz.

I don't try to be "optimistic" or "pessimistic" about any of it

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

I mean that part shouldn't be hard

Utica could be out in three games if they get swept. Teams have the book on Holtz now and have figured out how to shut him down as Bad Goalie has outlined.

 

[Devs3cups]

Same happened after his 10 AHL games last season. That said, Holtz has a lot to work on this summer. Hope he has a better postseason than Stillman.

Didn't even think about that. He came back flying after 10 so-so games. People were calling him a bust after those 10 AHL games last year too.

 

[RangerDoggo]

Screw it, laying it on too thick. Gotta stop posting through frustration.

 

[Hisch13r]

Utica could be out in three games if they get swept. Teams have the book on Holtz now and have figured out how to shut him down as Bad Goalie has outlined.

I mean he still had 8 pts in his last 10 with 35 shots so it's not like he's been completely neutralized

 

[Billdo]

I don't try to be "optimistic" or "pessimistic" about any of it

Gotcha, just seems noticeably negative with regard to Holtz.

 

[Billdo]

Do many players drastically improve their skating?

Not usually if it's as big of an issue as a few guys here are claiming.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

I mean he still had 8 pts in his last 10 with 35 shots so it's not like he's been completely neutralized

Holtz has missed the net a lot recently as well. He's never played this many games in a season before.

DeLeo was injured and in Covid protocol after his call up, but his intensity and sense of urgency seems to have been less since then.

I don't know how much Holtz got out of these two games. Not saying he won't play his best in the playoffs, but I'm not sure how much good these two games have done for his confidence.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Sal saying Okhotiuk will be pushing for spot on the opening night roster too.