Pre-Game Talk: ECQF Preview: Your New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes - We're Playoff Bound!

[Devs3cups]

9 more wins and the Devils would still be in the same spot as they are in now. A first round matchup vs Canes. Yeah, 25 sucks but take the damn sulking out of this thread. Some folks are actually excited for playoff hockey.

I’d love it if we had 107 points. Would’ve bren a wildly successful season, and the vibes going into the playoffs would be 2022-2023 level.

 

[NJDevils17]

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

I want game 5 in Raleigh. My wife is allowing me a dads trip, and by lord, I need to plan this dad trip stat! I found a devils nerd in Metuchen who as big of a fan as I am. Same aged kids and everything…he’s my male-soulmate lol

 

[NjDevsRR]

@ZachaFlockaFlame ain’t kidding. Canes only won 3 of their last 12 road games.

Get game 1 or 2 and there’s a chance

 

[guitarguyvic]

The explanation for the negativity is really simple. 2023 was supposed to be this team’s coming out party. The start of something special - a legit contender for the foreseeable future after suffering through a decade of utter shite. Instead we got treated to yet another lottery season, followed by a season where they’ve been lottery quality for half of it. Deep down we know the likelihood that they are gonna make it past the first round is slim. That’s two seasons of failure relative to expectations and where this team is supposed to be following that apparent coming out season. Two years of this core’s prime wasted. It’s not that hard to figure out…there’s significant resentment because the benefit of the doubt for “the future” has completely run out. Nobody wants to hear that shit anymore. It’s supposed to be about the present now

Believe it or not, I’m excited for the playoffs - it is a new season in a sense and in the unlikely event that they get past the canes at this juncture it would make this season as a standalone a success. But the resentment is real and will only worsen if/when the expected outcome comes to pass. Even if they win a round, the resentment is going to continue if this team isn’t legit contending next year.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Yeah, the mood is going to be sour if the boys get their ass beat.

But that’d be the case regardless, and everybody’s gonna have 6 months to bitch and moan. Why complain before it’s even happened, lol.

Everybody in here knows this is a flawed, hurt team so the I told you so isn’t even going to be that sweet!

need this series to start already, I’m going crazy here

 

[The Grinder]

My bar for this upcoming series is don’t get blown out of the water. If the games are close and competitive that is fine by me.

I think if you are gonna hammer the team if/when they lose then you just want to self-flagellate.

 

[theoptimist]

How about we actually see what happens in this upcoming series first before we start hypothesizing about that?

I know there are some on this board that can't wait to pat themselves on the back if Carolina comes out victorious. I hate to break it to that crowd but the higher seed or favorite doesn't always win.

Most people here are pretty grounded about what might happen given our record since the new year started. But if you can't actually get invested in being in the playoffs and starting fresh, then I don't know what to tell you. This is when the sport is the most fun. And we've largely been deprived of that for the past decade and a half.

You’re right. I’m salivating just thinking about my first post after the series loss. I’ll probably write:

The future is bright OR Fire Fitz. Need help deciding.

 

[Patrik26]

You’re right. I’m salivating just thinking about my first post after the series loss. I’ll probably write:

The future is bright OR Fire Fitz. Need help deciding.

Both? Fire Fitz and the future will be bright again!

 

[devilsfan950003]

Would Fitz and Keefe keep their jobs if the Hurricanes swept them in four games with two shutouts?

I know it's negative, but based on their recent play...

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

They could lose all 4 games 10-0 and firing Keefe would be absolutely moronic

 

[MasterofGrond]

Keefe isn't going anywhere. They made the playoffs, and they're going in missing the best player on the team. No outcome leads to him being ousted.

And Fitz is going to stay for the same reason. They'll get minimum one more year to put pieces in place and fine tune the system. As they should!

 

[Better Call Sal]

You’re right. I’m salivating just thinking about my first post after the series loss. I’ll probably write:

The future is bright OR Fire Fitz. Need help deciding.

Two points for consistency.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Keefe isn't going anywhere. They made the playoffs, and they're going in missing the best player on the team. No outcome leads to him being ousted.

And Fitz is going to stay for the same reason. They'll get minimum one more year to put pieces in place and fine tune the system. As they should!

I still honestly believe Fitz will move upstairs to President sooner than later and eventually give Kate Madigan the shot at GM. I think that's the reason he was anointed (anointed himself?) with that title.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

they are legitimately missing their best offensive forward and best defensive DMan lol

yeah, they werent playing good enough hockey even before those injuries, sure. We don't need to go down that rabbit hole again.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

Hoping for a miracle considering how injured we are and its the canes but am trying not to expect much.

This team with Ruff and this set of injuries does not make the playoffs.

 

[guitarguyvic]

This team with Ruff and this set of injuries does not make the playoffs.

I have no doubt this is true.

 

[Zippy316]

Not particularly optimistic about this series but I think those thinking the Devils get blown out of the water are underselling the team a bit.

Our offensive juice is clearly missing a bit but this team is still incredibly strong defensively. Whenever this team gets in trouble defensively it is almost always from mental lapses or mistakes or remarkable offensive plays.

That alone should keep the team competitive in a series. The question is whether we can get enough offense out of our depth pieces if the top guys struggle.

 

[Devs3cups]

Not particularly optimistic about this series but I think those thinking the Devils get blown out of the water are underselling the team a bit.

Our offensive juice is clearly missing a bit but this team is still incredibly strong defensively. Whenever this team gets in trouble defensively it is almost always from mental lapses or mistakes or remarkable offensive plays.

That alone should keep the team competitive in a series. The question is whether we can get enough offense out of our depth pieces if the top guys struggle.

I agree with this, and we’ve seen the offense click at times. The defense and Keefe’s structure are usually solid.

We’re going to have to lean a lot on our bottom-6 which scares me a bit. Also, the Canes forecheck always gives us trouble. Hoping for something good, but bracing for impact.

 

[Clam Jensen]

firing Keefe would be one of the dumbest moves in recent franchise history. This team would not have survived and gotten in with ruff at the helm.

 

[JimEIV]

firing Keefe would be one of the dumbest moves in recent franchise history. This team would not have survived and gotten in with ruff at the helm.

Maybe yes, maybe no. Can't deny that he was the coach for a franchise record setting season. His haphazard defense approach could never work with all the children in the lineup on defense but that wasn't the case this season.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Maybe yes, maybe no. Can't deny that he was the coach for a franchise record setting season. His haphazard defense approach could never work with all the children in the lineup on defense but that wasn't the case this season.

For sure, will always appreciate that season and how his system was humming. If that team had sustained these injuries, I think it goes way differently. The additions on defense and in the net just fit in seamlessly with what Keefe wanted to accomplish this year and I think allowed the team to tread water minus its second most important forward and top 2 D.

 

[HersheyBob27]

firing Keefe would be one of the dumbest moves in recent franchise history. This team would not have survived and gotten in with ruff at the helm.

What does getting in and getting slaughtered do for you? Get ready for some keefe playoff magic. Should be able to wrap this up in about 10 days

 

[BostonDevil]

What does getting in and getting slaughtered do for you? Get ready for some keefe playoff magic. Should be able to wrap this up in about 10 days

Always better to get in. Always.

 

[Satans Hockey]

What does getting in and getting slaughtered do for you? Get ready for some keefe playoff magic. Should be able to wrap this up in about 10 days

Because you never know. Red Bulls had a similar season last year, missed one of their best players for months, finished as a lower seed, playing like shit heading into the playoffs. Everyone(myself included) expected the #2 seed Columbus to sweep them in a best of 3 for the first round, instead they swept Columbus and made a run to the final

Games have to be played, there's always a hope and a chance. Otherwise there's no point in even watching.