Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - season begins!

[Incharge1976]

Because if you are happy, and it goes away, it brings sadness. It's easier to just constantly stay mad all the time. No surprises.

You just gave my philosophy on life itself.

I think it's something worth considering.

Though as @StevenToddIves says above, it's not something we are going to do in the near term.

Need to see where those guys are, as well as where Dougie and Kova are at years end.

Kova specifically is playing a role very well that neither guy is likely to play in the next couple years.

I'm moving on from Dougie no matter what after this season.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

they still haven't put Bastian on IR yet, right? I figure once they do that, they will probably call up Foote. At least you'd think.

MacDermid is useless.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm moving on from Dougie no matter what after this season.

Given style of play of all involved, Dougie(PP1, 3rd pair 5v5, minimul PK) is much easier to replace then Kova(heavy defensive minutes both 5v5 and PK).

Luke can handle PP1, Nemec will likely be able to handle Dougie's current 5v5 minutes, and can probably handle PP2 well enough. Neither Nemec or Casey will be anywhere near the 2:49 of PK minutes Kova plays nor his duties as top defensive pairing.

I just have a hard time seeing breaking both Casey and Nemec in on a team that is looking to vie for a long playoff run. One or the other while guys like Pesce and Kova are there makes sense. But not both.

And that's a big part of why it needs to be at least a consideration.

 

[Goptor]

You let Kovacevic go the same way you let shutdown pair Graves go. He's gonna get paid big money after a career year playing in a system perfectly suited to his play style.

 

[Aurinko]

Keefe better find some next level performance or we will come crashing down in rankings, since the upcoming games will be against some hot teams like Panthers, Caps, Canes and Bolts.

 

[Dialamo]

Keefe better find some next level performance or we will come crashing down in rankings, since the upcoming games will be against some hot teams like Panthers, Caps, Canes and Bolts.

View attachment 928184

Easy 7-0 stretch, don't @ me.

 

[theoptimist]

Foote is done in NJ. Mac is better roster player for the role. 3 blocked shots on Thursday. Go Mac!

 

[NJDfan86]

Given style of play of all involved, Dougie(PP1, 3rd pair 5v5, minimul PK) is much easier to replace then Kova(heavy defensive minutes both 5v5 and PK).

Luke can handle PP1, Nemec will likely be able to handle Dougie's current 5v5 minutes, and can probably handle PP2 well enough. Neither Nemec or Casey will be anywhere near the 2:49 of PK minutes Kova plays nor his duties as top defensive pairing.

I just have a hard time seeing breaking both Casey and Nemec in on a team that is looking to vie for a long playoff run. One or the other while guys like Pesce and Kova are there makes sense. But not both.

And that's a big part of why it needs to be at least a consideration.

If Kovy keeps playing like this he is walking in FA at the end of the year, and if he doesn’t we won’t have to worry about it since he is 100% found money.

It’s great that he is thriving since it helps us this year IMO, but that’s Nemec’s spot next year. These are the type of decisions cap teams have to make.

 

[AfroThunder396]

You let Kovacevic go the same way you let shutdown pair Graves go. He's gonna get paid big money after a career year playing in a system perfectly suited to his play style.

Kovacevic looks far better than Graves ever did and has much better underlyings. Graves without Hamilton was an absolute disaster. Hamilton was always better without Graves, and Graves was always worse without Hamilton. It was obvious that one guy was getting carried and the other guy was doing the carrying.

Kovacevic is actually doing better without Siegenathaler (53.3% xGF) than he is with him and Siegenthaler is worse when he's away from Kovacevic (44.7% xGF). There's no reason to think his play will fall off.

Now if someone wants to offer him 5M a year because they think he'll be a top-4 D locked into his prime, then yeah, let him walk and replace him with our young ELC. But if he's cool with coming back cheap (<2.5M) or on a 1-2 year deal I don't know how you say no to that.

 

[JrFischer54]

Probably because most schools will be off. Like when we played at 1 on MLK Day.

yeah true but man what a horrible waste for a game that would be a packed house any day time.

I think it's something worth considering.

Though as @StevenToddIves says above, it's not something we are going to do in the near term.

Need to see where those guys are, as well as where Dougie and Kova are at years end.

Kova specifically is playing a role very well that neither guy is likely to play in the next couple years.

you need two legit lock down d men would you like more of course but its not realistic if you have needs elsewhere. there will always be veteran d men available to fill out the bottom 4 in a lineup not to mention im sure there will be other kids eventually drafted and coming up too. so you find out who the two best kids are that you have and you look at what you need and when you need it to win now or next year and make a move

 

[Goptor]

Kovacevic looks far better than Graves ever did and has much better underlyings. Graves without Hamilton was an absolute disaster. Hamilton was always better without Graves, and Graves was always worse without Hamilton. It was obvious that one guy was getting carried and the other guy was doing the carrying.

Kovacevic is actually doing better without Siegenathaler (53.3% xGF) than he is with him and Siegenthaler is worse when he's away from Kovacevic (44.7% xGF). There's no reason to think his play will fall off.

Now if someone wants to offer him 5M a year because they think he'll be a top-4 D locked into his prime, then yeah, let him walk and replace him with our young ELC. But if he's cool with coming back cheap (<2.5M) or on a 1-2 year deal I don't know how you say no to that.

Graves was paired with Marino and both of them fell off a cliff when they were separated.

There is also no chance of Kovacevic getting <2.5m in a world where Connor Clifton gets $3.3m and Erik Johnson's locker room presence gets $3.25m.

 

[justHypnos]

You let Kovacevic go the same way you let shutdown pair Graves go. He's gonna get paid big money after a career year playing in a system perfectly suited to his play style.

Calling this season a career year after playing in a system perfectly suited to his playstyle is a little unfair. Hard to say if either are true, he is at the age of career years after all, but he magically led the Habs with +11 last year, in fact he has practically led his team in whatever league in +- 5 years in a row and this is just his 6th in a row. Last year he was statistically (it’s defense, so it’s fake stats and probably depends on which one you look at) one of the best D in the league, around the same as this year.

He is a great defenseman, the habs best last year, who was underestimated because you won’t find him by sorting by points.

 

[My3Sons]

Calling this season a career year after playing in a system perfectly suited to his playstyle is a little unfair. Hard to say if either are true, he is at the age of career years after all, but he magically led the Habs with +11 last year, in fact he has practically led his team in whatever league in +- 5 years in a row and this is just his 6th in a row. Last year he was statistically (it’s defense, so it’s fake stats and probably depends on which one you look at) one of the best D in the league, around the same as this year.

He is a great defenseman, the habs best last year, who was underestimated because you won’t find him by sorting by points.

He's been top notch for NJ. Perfect foil for Siegs. They have just enough offense and puck moving to get by with really good defense. It's an excellent pairing.

 

[BomaLightDevils]

I would really like to add Frederick from bruins to our lineup.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Foote is done in NJ. Mac is better roster player for the role. 3 blocked shots on Thursday. Go Mac!

you arent serious are you?

I'd rather you play then MacDermid

 

[MadDevil]

you arent serious are you?

I'd rather you play then MacDermid

4-0-1. The record speaks for itself.

 

[Forge]

Graves was paired with Marino and both of them fell off a cliff when they were separated.

There is also no chance of Kovacevic getting <2.5m in a world where Connor Clifton gets $3.3m and Erik Johnson's locker room presence gets $3.25m.

I was assuming that kovacevic gets something in the high 3s low 4s

 

[woody footbreaker]

I would really like to add Frederick from bruins to our lineup.

funny you said that cause i was looking at him and Geekie (healthy scratch lately) and thought maybe the bruins would do a trade, if we send Tatar the other way. unfortunately, they just signed Johnston to a contract, so who knows

 

[Triumph]

Foote hasn't played a continuous stretch of games in over a year. He should stay in the minors for a while. They can bring up Halonen if they want and move Tatar back to the left wing.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I would really like to add Frederick from bruins to our lineup.

Agree he would be a very good add to this team and plays a physical game too...

 

[youryeah]

those utica jerseys are fire tho

 

[Saugus]

We slag on MacDermid endlessly, but if he played against any of us in beer league he’d light us up.

He probably doesn’t belong in the NHL, but let’s not act like he’s some completely unskilled face puncher that Fitz signed off the street either.

 

[britdevil]

Kovacevic looks far better than Graves ever did and has much better underlyings. Graves without Hamilton was an absolute disaster. Hamilton was always better without Graves, and Graves was always worse without Hamilton. It was obvious that one guy was getting carried and the other guy was doing the carrying.

Kovacevic is actually doing better without Siegenathaler (53.3% xGF) than he is with him and Siegenthaler is worse when he's away from Kovacevic (44.7% xGF). There's no reason to think his play will fall off.

Now if someone wants to offer him 5M a year because they think he'll be a top-4 D locked into his prime, then yeah, let him walk and replace him with our young ELC. But if he's cool with coming back cheap (<2.5M) or on a 1-2 year deal I don't know how you say no to that.

Considering Kova's age and the fact he's bounced around the leagues, I'd be amazed if he turns down a pay day.

I hope he re-signs, but I would not fault the guy for setting himself up for life.

 

[Better Call Sal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855303987685470334

An attitude that we’ve been missing for quite a bit, I think it’s safe to say.

 

[My3Sons]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855303987685470334

An attitude that we’ve been missing for quite a bit, I think it’s safe to say.

Forget barking and finishjnh hits. What would really work is stabbing and pistol whipping him.