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

[forceten]

Not sure if folks realize but the Star-Ledger is ending its print edition soon. So whoever the new Novo is - we are lucky there’s anyone

 

[Forge]

Not sure if folks realize but the Star-Ledger is ending its print edition soon. So whoever the new Novo is - we are lucky there’s anyone

The new novo

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855799894591889814

 

[BostonDevil]

the sooner #7, #90 and #56 are off of this hockey team, the sooner I can actually start to really really like this group.

As a huge detractor of #56 and #90, even I wouldn't go this far.

Respect the sentiment though. You do you.

 

[Bleedred]

The new novo

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855799894591889814

This just made me laugh really hard.

 

[Billdo]

Not sure if folks realize but the Star-Ledger is ending its print edition soon. So whoever the new Novo is - we are lucky there’s anyone

I'd rather not have anyone if that's the content. The fact that I didn't even know about him until this morning bc of that nonsense doesn't bode well for his longevity as a Devils beat writer anyway.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I think it was just made up for a Rolling Stone article about satanic names in sports from 2016.


View attachment 929365

Is this like when people make up those stories about Marty playing for St. Louis? Because that never happened either.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Is this like when people make up those stories about Marty playing for St. Louis? Because that never happened either.

I would too, but not when the team has a new coach. This was a detrimental schedule to start the season IMO. The team needs full practices with a new coach

 

[Guttersniped]

I think it was just made up for a Rolling Stone article about satanic names in sports from 2016.


View attachment 929365

Holy crap, this article is on a lot of drugs.

Only one professional sports team is named after a 300-year-old devil. When the Colorado Rockies moved to New Jersey in 1982, they traded mountain peaks for the boggy swamps surrounding the Brendan Byrne Arena, and needed a new nickname. Local newspapers ran a contest, and more than 10,000 fans chose the nickname Devils – named after the state’s most twisted, violent legend.

Why would New Jersey, the second-most Catholic state in the country, name their only professional sports team after Satan? As a character, the devil is sarcastic, sly and driven by revenge: pure Jersey traits. In a state known for political corruption and backstabbing that would make The Sopranos blush, a devil is the perfect mascot. Steeped in churchgoers who love their rosary beads as much as they love their smack talking, New Jersey wants to keep its evil close. Catholics can’t get enough of the devil. Ever hear ofThe Exorcist?

<cut>

Deep in the state’s Pine Barrens – a densely-forested, mossy and marshy swath that seems like another country compared to the state’s suburbs, cities and shore points – lies the birthplace of the Jersey Devil. In 1735, Mother Leeds was pregnant with her 13th child, and suffered terrible labor. She called for help from the devil, and finally gave birth to a boy. Yet the child soon transformed into a beast, with horns, wings, talons, and covered in thick, dark hair. The devil killed its family and then escaped through the chimney, wreaking havoc in the New Jersey backwoods until this day. Quite the horrific origin story for a NHL mascot.

But that’s not even the whole story. The tale of the Jersey Devil has more twists and turns than Route 1. Mother Leeds was a descendent of Daniel Leeds, a Quaker turned almanac-publisher, whose son got in a feud with the one and only Benjamin Franklin. Franklin penned some particularly nasty rumors about the Leeds family, which might have evolved into the legend of the devil. Franklin isn’t the only historical figure associated with the legend. Former King of Spain Joseph Bonaparte – Napoleon’s brother – reported a sighting of the devil during a hunting trip.

Jerseyans don’t spook easily, but this little demon has gotten under our skin. The Jersey Devil is often mischievous, known for dancing on fences and leaving hoof-prints on snowy roofs, but occasionally returns to the violence of his birth. He’s caused some real damage, ransacking farms and butchering dogs, chickens, and livestock. During one hellish spate of sightings in 1909, factories and schools closed. Reports have become infrequent, but he remains a tale told by older generations.

The nickname seemed like a curse during the Devils’s weak early seasons, but after three Stanley Cup championships, some thought a more respectable, less demonic name would be better. An assemblyman who happened to be a Baptist Deacon moved a resolution to change the team name “in order to promote greater honor and respect,” but it fell flat. The Devils were here to stay.

One person who laughed away the push to change the nickname was Lou Lamoriello, the Devils’s longtime president and general manager. It’s impossible to talk about the Devils and not recognize Lamoriello’s force in shaping the franchise and culture. He was there through the lows – Sports Illustrated once described the Devils as “more serious than C-SPAN and watched by about as many people” – and the highs. One of the team’s Stanley Cup wins, in 1995, was famously thanks to their neutral-zone trap that some people say “ruined hockey,” complete with one of the greatest goalies ever in net and a suffocating defense that, if you somehow slipped past, was anchored by the hard-hitting Scott Stevens. The Devils captain put the fear of the Lord into opposing players.

Lamoriello was said to have run the “tightest ship in the hockey business,” resulting in “maybe the best, and certainly the eeriest, NHL franchise.” For years the team would not allow players to wear number 13. Goalie Martin Brodeur’s nickname was “Satan’s Wallpaper.” Dark arts were the name of the game for the Devils: a long-running joke was that the franchise was called the Firm, like the John Grisham novel. According to defenseman Ken Daneyko, “We meant it in the sense that once you’re in, you can’t get out. You won’t leave on your own terms.” That’s either team loyalty or something far more sinister.

Whether it is a marriage made in hell or heaven, New Jersey is stuck with their Devils. An often scrappy, often dangerous team on the ice, the Devils have earned their title. Wayne Gretzky once called New Jersey’s “a Mickey Mouse operation on the ice.” Now that seems like ancient history. Someone should have told The Great One that the devil always gets even.

How New Jersey Devils Became Last Demonic Team in Pro Sports

New Jersey Devils have a strange spot in North American professional sports as the only team to have a demonic or undead name.

www.rollingstone.com

 

[NJDevs26]

I think it was just made up for a Rolling Stone article about satanic names in sports from 2016.


View attachment 929365

I’ve never seen that before today lol…it’d be a more logical faux nickname for Stevens cause he plastered players all over the rink lol

 

[glenwo2]

The new novo

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855799894591889814

Nice.

They replaced an adult (Novo) with someone who acts like a child.

PERFECT.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I’m still reeling from this Satan’s Wallpaper nickname for Marty. Missed poster opportunity for satanic worshipers everywhere.

 

[dzubrus8]

Is it too early to say with confidence what this teams needs are?

It’s probably too early to get good value on a trade but wondering what people think is needed?

Bottom 6 C, quality 4th line forward, and maybe a goal scoring top 6 winger are the ones that come to mind for me. Someone mentioned above that different players are stepping up every game so it’s hard to say anybody has been straight up bad besides Big Mac 2.0 and some will say Dougie (though I don’t personally agree).

 

[Whaddagoal]

Is it too early to say with confidence what this teams needs are?

It’s probably too early to get good value on a trade but wondering what people think is needed?

Bottom 6 C, quality 4th line forward, and maybe a goal scoring top 6 winger are the ones that come to mind for me. Someone mentioned above that different players are stepping up every game so it’s hard to say anybody has been straight up bad besides Big Mac 2.0 and some will say Dougie (though I don’t personally agree).

I think you hit the nail on the head for me.

I agree with your view on Dougie, too.

Team is not going to get rid of MacDermid due to the "large idiot" threat on the Rangers. It is what it is, until Rempe washes out or until it's clear he will be a staple on their team and then team will have to find a better mix of skill and grind. I know this bothers a lot on here, but we will probably have to bite this one until it is clear which way Rangers go (particularly if they stay competitive in Metro for playoffs with us)

All this also depends on how long Bastian is out. We need to upgrade him, but I can't see the team doing it this year. I think they will ride it out till end of season (unless he is used as trade UFA piece in a bigger deadline acquisition).

 

[njdevils1982]

i don't know but something says i should be afraid to look at satan's wallpaper with a black light

 

[theoptimist]

Is it too early to say with confidence what this teams needs are?

It’s probably too early to get good value on a trade but wondering what people think is needed?

Bottom 6 C, quality 4th line forward, and maybe a goal scoring top 6 winger are the ones that come to mind for me. Someone mentioned above that different players are stepping up every game so it’s hard to say anybody has been straight up bad besides Big Mac 2.0 and some will say Dougie (though I don’t personally agree).

We needed another center the minute the MM news broke. It seems the team just had too many other priorities over the summer to also address the center position. I was lambasted in the offseason for wanting Elias Lindholm (if we signed Lindholm, Haula would have played with Jack like 22-23). This team desperately needs another center who can handle part time duties as 2C (Trocheck). This will cost MM money, so around $5M on a mid-term deal (3-4 years). Haula is not a strong enough skater to handle 2C without Jack.

If we're bargain shopping, I want a Vern Fiddler type in the 4C role (good faceoff, good PK). Currently, none of the 4th line can help with PK duties or are responsible enough to handle gritty minutes, that's what we need.

Macdermaid playing 5 minutes a night is the least of our worries.

 

[MartyOwns]

 

[Better Call Sal]

We needed another center the minute the MM news broke. It seems the team just had too many other priorities over the summer to also address the center position. I was lambasted in the offseason for wanting Elias Lindholm (if we signed Lindholm, Haula would have played with Jack like 22-23). This team desperately needs another center who can handle part time duties as 2C (Trocheck). This will cost MM money, so around $5M on a mid-term deal (3-4 years). Haula is not a strong enough skater to handle 2C without Jack.

If we're bargain shopping, I want a Vern Fiddler type in the 4C role (good faceoff, good PK). Currently, none of the 4th line can help with PK duties or are responsible enough to handle gritty minutes, that's what we need.

Macdermaid playing 5 minutes a night is the least of our worries.

How would you have expected us to fit Lindholm in? I'm assuming you wouldn't have signed one of the free agent defenders? He's making $7.75 million for 7 years.

Personally, I think Haula has been perfectly fine as the 3C. Sure, you can look to upgrade there but I think he does what is expected of him in that role pretty well. We should certainly be looking to upgrade the 4C where we can with Lazar likely being out for a while. Dowling is fine for now, but I'd like to see something change there.

 

[Bleedred]

View attachment 929551

This is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on here!

This should have been made by me the first time I read Satan’s Wallpaper on hockey reference. I’m just not sharp enough to have thought of it.

I might have to steal this for the GDT the next time we play the Sharks later in the year.

 

[Better Call Sal]

NHL Awards Watch: Players the voters are backing after the first month of 2024-25

Who are the leading candidates for the Hart, Norris, Vezina, Calder and more? We polled a selection of voters for a snapshot of the races.

www.espn.com

Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)​

Leader: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Finalists: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils; Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes

Barkov has officially reached his "default choice" era in Selke consideration. Like Patrice Bergeron and Pavel Datsyuk before him, Barkov's name is now penciled in as the favorite until he gives voters a reason to erase it.

"It's going to be him in the end anyway," a Barkov voter noted.

"Until we get further into the season it will be hard to see if there are some other standouts but Barkov just dominates a game defensively," another said.

Barkov won the Selke for the second time last season, and his legend only grew with his performance in helping the Panthers win the Stanley Cup. This season, he's been his usual dominant self defensively (2.1 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5) although his action was limited early on due to injury.

While Barkov is the clear leader with 22% of the first-place votes, no less than 11 different players received at least one as well. Hischier had the next most support (17%), as the Devils' captain was averaging 1.43 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 through 18 games. He also falls squarely into the "he's due" category of Selke seekers, as he was second for the award in 2022-23.

Give Nico his goddamn Selke.

 

[My3Sons]

NHL Awards Watch: Players the voters are backing after the first month of 2024-25

Who are the leading candidates for the Hart, Norris, Vezina, Calder and more? We polled a selection of voters for a snapshot of the races.

www.espn.com

Give Nico his goddamn Selke.

Florida is the defending champ and playing well this season. I think there is something of a team element to thr Selke so it will be tough for Hischier to win.

 

[MadDevil]

It might take a down or injured year from Barkov for anybody to dethrone him. He, Bergeron, and Kopitar have combined to win 10 of the last 13 Selkes.

 

[Brodeur]

Darn, I skipped yesterday's Jeopardy episode. Unrelated but one of my biggest pet peeves is contestants who have no idea how to wager on Final Jeopardy and bet some arbitrary amount. It's rare but I always love watching when the 3rd place contestant ends up winning even after getting the final clue incorrect but with a smart wager while knowing the only chance to win is if the other two contestants also answer incorrectly.

 

[bossram]

We needed another center the minute the MM news broke. It seems the team just had too many other priorities over the summer to also address the center position. I was lambasted in the offseason for wanting Elias Lindholm (if we signed Lindholm, Haula would have played with Jack like 22-23). This team desperately needs another center who can handle part time duties as 2C (Trocheck). This will cost MM money, so around $5M on a mid-term deal (3-4 years). Haula is not a strong enough skater to handle 2C without Jack.

If we're bargain shopping, I want a Vern Fiddler type in the 4C role (good faceoff, good PK). Currently, none of the 4th line can help with PK duties or are responsible enough to handle gritty minutes, that's what we need.

Macdermaid playing 5 minutes a night is the least of our worries.

They need another quality forward (preferably center, but IMO not a deal breaker). But saying Lindholm was the answer is completely bananas. His contract is insane, and he hasn't even played that well in BOS despite getting the first crack with Pastrnak.

 

[Xirik]

Riley Stillman is on waivers, We should pick him up so we can have another brother duo.

 

[Guttersniped]

We needed another center the minute the MM news broke. It seems the team just had too many other priorities over the summer to also address the center position. I was lambasted in the offseason for wanting Elias Lindholm (if we signed Lindholm, Haula would have played with Jack like 22-23). This team desperately needs another center who can handle part time duties as 2C (Trocheck). This will cost MM money, so around $5M on a mid-term deal (3-4 years). Haula is not a strong enough skater to handle 2C without Jack.

If we're bargain shopping, I want a Vern Fiddler type in the 4C role (good faceoff, good PK). Currently, none of the 4th line can help with PK duties or are responsible enough to handle gritty minutes, that's what we need.

Macdermaid playing 5 minutes a night is the least of our worries.

I would love a center too but that doesn’t mean I wanted Fitz to outbid Boston’s 7 years/7.75m offer to Lindholm.

I had Steve Lorenz on my dumb pre-season list and he would have been very cheap depth. That seemed more realistic. (Well, not the Fitz addressing forward depth part.)