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

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Bleedred said:
I don't believe Nico disliked Ruff or didn't get along with him. Maybe he was whatever on him.

The one guy of the four they interviewed after he was fired who seemed to be happy or at least give zero f***s was Timo. And he was only with Ruff for the least amount of any of them.

Bratt sounded really upset and sad when they interviewed him. Jack wasn't happy, but not nearly as down as Bratt. Nico was a bit less down than Jack was, but at the very least seemed bummed and regretful that the poor performance of the season led to Lindy being fired.
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Im of the personal belief Nico wanted more structure to the defensive game and so, while I dont think he disliked Ruff in any way, wasnt as torn as a Jack whos game exploded under Lindy

It wasnt a rumor I read but instead a hunch from what I saw play out toward the end
 
Comparison Ford said:
not sure what thread this was in, but someone said something along the lines of if jack doesn’t figure it out we’re screwed.

i actually don’t believe this to be true based on the teams play. sure we’ve had a couple games where the defense was lacking, but they came back to at least get a point in one of them, played a very well rested and heavy team in carolina and got smoked by a bad first period in toronto.

that being said, our team defense and game has been what has kept us in the winning column (albeit sample size is smal) but i don’t see any world in where that doesn’t continue. they’re doing it now with virtually no rest / practice and a new coach.

i think because of this, we’re actually in a great spot. Jack has been subpar at best and we’re still 5-2-1. in previous years, when Jack was off, our record reflected it. now we play in a style to where if he were hurt / had to miss any stretch of games, i would feel fairly confident that we could ride it out.

i do think a player like Haula going back with Hughes would be a huge help, so maybe at the deadline or even earlier we try to snag a bottom 6 center so we can move Haula up.

jack has looked about the same on the wing as he has at center in these 8 games, so i think Haula taking face offs and in the defensive zone being the “center” could help bring Jacks play back up to where we all know he is capable.

i’m tempted to try Haula with him now, but not sure how the offense would shape up. could it be something like:

Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Haula-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Cotter-Noesen
Palat-Lazar-Bastian

main problem with this bottom 6 is that i’m not sure Cotter is a real center even if he took some faceoffs while on Jacks line.
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Depends on your definition of screwed. Sure they could maybe be a playoff team but do you seriously think they have any chance of contending if Jack were to somehow not figure it out?

Jack's issue also literally hasn't been defense. He's not dragging us down there. Jack's issue has been his lack of offense and primarily him being a complete non-threat as a scorer. I think the changes to make for Jack's line is to give him say Noesen and Mercer. They're both only above Lazar in shot rate. Put Jack in a position where he has to be THE guy and he can't defer in transition or offensively like he can with Bratt or when he had both Bratt and Meier. Force him to start shooting more and creating more for himself. Jack is at his best when he's at least a dual threat if not thinking more as a scorer.
 
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Triumph said:
Jack has been fine defensively, it's been his on the puck play that is not sufficient, and Keefe can't really do anything about that except bench him for bad plays. The thing is, that used to be the first move for a lot of coaches, but now that's the last resort. It's not 2003 and Pat Burns isn't the coach, this just isn't how it works in the NHL anymore.

Jack Hughes isn't going to work as another cog of interchangeable parts. He plays a special game, and coaches know that.

It's very funny to watch his detractors who've been mostly quiet for the last 4 years start to get loud again - Jack Hughes has already jumped from a 2C into being a superstar player. I can go back to 2021 on this forum and find people saying now-laughable things about this player. Hughes didn't come all that way just on natural ability (whatever that is). He didn't drift into being a star, he clearly worked at it, and I don't think he's ready to be whatever this version of him is so far this season.
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It's weird people act like he's some lazy disengaged floater who doesn't care. In reality he's clearly hyper competitive. He was our best player when we made it to the playoffs. If he was the guy his haters claim him to be then he would've sucked in that run.
 
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SteveCangialosi123 said:
I’m not aware of an extended run of poor play that isn’t injury related though — unless it’s simply these 8 games after surgery. You seem to be referring to some other set of games. When did this happen? He didn’t have a shoulder last season, so it can’t be then. The last full season he was healthy he was the most electric player in the history of the franchise in a season we broke our regular season points record.

I ask again, when was this extended run of poor play that didn’t occur around an injury?
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The sample size includes the games that are "injury related", but my point is that the issues transcend what his injury should have prevented him from being able to do effectively. So if i misspoke about the sample size being completely separated from his injury status, then you'll have to excuse me.

If you're shoulder is messed up and you don't want to initiate or take contact fine, but don't overplay the puck and make an ill advised pass. And then further, why are you on the ice if your shoulder is messed up? Why are you on the ice if you can't take the physical punishment that comes with being a top player? Him being at 80% makes him go from effective, to a liability. So get him off the ice. He brings nothing to the table at his current state.

Sooner or later we can't use the injury as the excuse. He had a whole summer to evaluate his game and see his issues from last year. If he had to rehab, and that's why he's bulked up now or didn't work on faceoffs, fine. But he still fails to play a team orientated game and that will always be to this team's detriment and his own personal benefit. The problem is at the very least 50% mental.
I really don't see how anyone can be under some impression that he has looked anything more than absolutely garbage since he returned from injury last season. If he's still injured then he needs to go spend this season recovering and bulking up and we'll see you next year.
 
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Hisch13r said:
It's weird people act like he's some lazy disengaged floater who doesn't care. In reality he's clearly hyper competitive. He was our best player when we made it to the playoffs. If he was the guy his haters claim him to be then he would've sucked in that run.
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Does he really care about the team, or does he care about himself?
Does he care when he skates it up the ice, tries to dangle a bunch of guys on the other team, and then turns the puck over? Instead of just making the simple pass to keep possession?
I agree he is hyper competitive (it seems), competitive about his own reputation.

He has the capability of being the best offensive player in the franchise's history. Yes we can all agree on that. But just because he looked excellent in the past isn't necessarily indicative of how the future will go for him. Players fall off, players come on, players you think fell off can come back. All the variables are possibilities. But right now, he looks completely lost out there in all facets of the game.
He is a liability on the ice, and no amount of secondary assists or garbage points are going to change the clear reality of what he is out there. He must dominate like he did in 22-23 or he should be off this team. He brings nothing to the table if he isn't his absolute best self.
 
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TrufleShufle said:
I mean how? If he turns into a 2ppg player starting Tuesday, everyone would be thrilled but nothing said about his first few games this season has been wrong. Unless I'm missing a take stating he is washed up and never getting good again.
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I go to sleep every night hoping and wishing on all gods, deities, and any other higher being that may or may not be in existence that I am dead wrong and that he will eventually become that player again. Its extremely depressing. I want the kid to be good so badly. But I cannot deny what my eyes are telling me. I've been watching hockey for over 30 years now.
This kid has multiple problems. And I wouldn't be so sure we're going to see it be solved anytime soon. He probably needs a full, healthy offseason at the very least. And should go the see the phycologist Bratt saw or someone else to help him mentally mature.
 
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SansaStark said:
Does he really care about the team, or does he care about himself?
Does he care when he skates it up the ice, tries to dangle a bunch of guys on the other team, and then turns the puck over? Instead of just making the simple pass to keep possession?
I agree he is hyper competitive (it seems), competitive about his own reputation.

He has the capability of being the best offensive player in the franchise's history. Yes we can all agree on that. But just because he looked excellent in the past isn't necessarily indicative of how the future will go for him. Players fall off, players come on, players you think fell off can come back. All the variables are possibilities. But right now, he looks completely lost out there in all facets of the game.
He is a liability on the ice, and no amount of secondary assists or garbage points are going to change the clear reality of what he is out there. He must dominate like he did in 22-23 or he should be off this team. He brings nothing to the table if he isn't his absolute best self.
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You totally give the game away when you say he has to dominate like 22-23 or he should be off the team. That's a ridiculous standard.

Almost nobody has their game fall apart at age 24. It's happened, there've been a few players who've had it happen, but it's very rare. Whatever the case, you'll be there picking apart his game until the end.
 
Triumph said:
You totally give the game away when you say he has to dominate like 22-23 or he should be off the team. That's a ridiculous standard.

Almost nobody has their game fall apart at age 24. It's happened, there've been a few players who've had it happen, but it's very rare. Whatever the case, you'll be there picking apart his game until the end.
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No its really not. HE doesn't do anything well. AT ALL. He's even found a way to make his skating not as good as it was. Is that because of his shoulder? or his effort level?

He has to be that player or his contract and his political/marketing equity on this team is a liability. He will drag this entire's franchise's cup window down with him if he is not that player.
You really don't understand the implications and the domino effect it will have?


Why? I've never picked him game apart until after he returned from injury last year and looked like we were back in his rookie year. Except he was making even more mistakes and costing the team even more than that year because he is given so much ice time.
I just vehemently stated I hope to god I'm wrong and I will be nothing but absolutely thrilled if he picks it up again.


Also, there's no game to give away. This isn't a game. I watch, I observe and I tell it like it is.
Others are here saying the same thing, stop acting like we're all just making this up and thats not what's really happening on the ice.
 
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There's no way there are legitimate real life human beings that think taking Jack Hughes out of the lineup for, checks notes, Kurtis Macdermid would help the team win.

Emperoreddy said:
I'm not writing anyone on the roster off before we even get to game 10.

Some guys need to pick it up but no reason they can't do that.

We dealing with such small sample sizes to talk in absolutes on how any player is going to look in game 50
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But then where would you find takes as hilarious as "Jack Hughes isn't worth his contract"
 
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AfroThunder396 said:
I do think Jack is going out of his way to avoid contact, and that is taking up some of his mental bandwidth. But I’m confident that he will figure out how to walk and chew gum at the same time.
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I think it was Spaulding who said Jack talked about trying to pick his spots on where/when to create or accept contact and when to not. So I do think his thinking is getting in the way of his instincts at times but he will figure it out.

When he gets comfortable again his impact will go way up again, imo.
 
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I get the frustration with Jack. He's a superstar and we all know what he's capable of, and when he's not even close to it, it's frustrating. Unless his slow start is still an issue 15-20 games in, I'm going to chalk it up to the shoulder and maybe being a little more tentative with it, plus a new coach and system and trying to adjust. He'll figure it out. Luckily we're banking points so his not being himself isn't killing us.
 
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