Have the 'scary' version of the Devils arrived?

[Goptor]

Your important players are going to be game planned, and if they can execute under duress the Devils will have success, if not you won’t and it’s not decided on a message board. Other than that, I don’t think anyone’s scared of them or shocked and awed by skating and skill.

The Devils are one of the more physical teams this year. Its a losing strategy to get into a physical game vs them because their special teams are top3 in the league. Want to shut down the Devils forwards? Don't give them a power play.
Plug the neutral zone, play low event hockey and wait for Markstrom to give up a weak goal. Thats the strategy that beats NJ.

A lot of people still think this is the Lindy Ruff squad that relies entirely on speed. They no longer have Sharangovich, Wood, McLeod, Boqvist, etc.

 

[CanadienShark]

I'll bet you any amount of money that they make the playoffs.

Eleventy-seven bajillion Vietnamese Dong. Deal?

 

[Hint1k]

They're pretty scary if you ask me. Maybe i was dumb but i had them winning the cup 2 years ago. This year might be the year. Pretty well balanced team.

They have like 12 playoff games in the last 5 years. Let's compare it with a team from their own division like Carolina for example. Canes played 59 games at the same time and has a higher winning percentage.

Sure Devils can be lucky and win it this year. But there is no grounds to consider them anything other than a dark horse with low chance of winning at this moment.

 

[amikaro]

Those are okay players for grit. If the Devils add someone like B. Tkachuk it would put them over the top and IMO make them the favourite in the East after Florida. Nobody on the Devils right now is able to single handedly dictate or swing the momentum in a game like a Tkachuk can with a big hit or big shift.

Just look at the immediate impact M. Tkachuk had when he arrived in Florida. He changed the culture in that locker room overnight. Night and day difference. They're not even the same team without him.

Fair enough. The Tkachucks have hockey in their blood. But there are just two of them without a doubt Brady would spice up Jersey's roster a lot.

Still, I don't think Jersey lacks leadership or grit. Imo Nico is one hell of a captain. He's a fighter, leads by example, gives enough spotlight for his companions and knows how to deal with refs, punks, media and fans.

 

[Lou is God]

Your important players are going to be game planned, and if they can execute under duress the Devils will have success, if not you won’t and it’s not decided on a message board. Other than that, I don’t think anyone’s scared of them or shocked and awed by skating and skill.

Well, duh, no shit Sherlock, that's Hockey 101 trying to stop a teams best players in the playoffs. Bravo!

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Delete this thread.

Elite this thread.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The game plan against New Jersey in a series will probably look something like physical targeting of Bratt, Hughes and Hischier no matter how un-Lady Byng like they are these days, coupled with a park the bus defense that will be happy to let Keefe ring up shot totals with clear sight, rebound control and territorial advantage in the slot.

This has the advantage of warming up the opposition goalie while conceding territorial and zone time to NJ. I don't think New Jersey is exactly like Toronto since the blueline threat is different and there's more forward speed, but you do have a coach that gets trapped into a park the bus playoff wall. Then you do the ground and pound on the Devils puck retrievals on Hamilton and the other Hughes and short circuit the easy transition game, taking a bite out of the speedy transition.

It's not really a scary playoff opponent.

So your take is that the Devils will be neutralized by some magical force once the playoffs come…but give no weight to the Devils actually neutralizing their opponents right now? Have you seen the shot totals they’re giving up? They’re happy to clog the neutral zone all night if that’s what you want to do. This is not Lindy’s Devils. This is one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. The best over the last few weeks.

 

[njdevils1982]

Eleventy-seven bajillion Vietnamese Dong. Deal?

you're nuts. that's a lot of cold hard dong.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Well, they certainly have what I would call a burgeoning core.

Honestly just knowing what I know about Quinn, just because they have Jack, they'll be alright.

Whoa. I have a younger brother named Jack. That's spooky. I'm high.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

In fariness to him, kinda hard to do that when your top players don't show up in the playoffs.

Chicken or egg IMO. In either case there are probably some combination of both.

 

[njdevil26]

I don't know about scary. They have games here and there they just look completely off.

They have been shut out 5 times.

Come to think of it they have shut out their opponents 5 times too.

When they are ON, they look "scary." Especially the power play. Their penalty kill sometimes they have more chances than the opposition who has the PP.

Consistency has been an issue and secondary scoring. Cotter, Mercer, Haula, Palat need to score with some consistency. If that happens, then the Devils are "scary." The defense is elite and the goaltending is "Good Enough +"

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The Leafs of all teams just parked the bus and rope a doped New Jersey 2 weeks ago as proof of concept in the regular season. You see a matchup between NJ and a defensively committed team and this is the exact game plan you’re going to see. I’m surprised a New Jersey fan needs to be reminded of a ground and pound, park the bus in the playoffs like you missed the entire Lou era.

woof lol

hockey might not be for you, Stephen. What a ridiculous analysis. Your analysis is basically "just have a goalie that will save 3.5 goals above expected, and you'll easily beat NJ!"

yikes.

They have like 12 playoff games in the last 5 years. Let's compare it with a team from their own division like Carolina for example. Canes played 59 games at the same time and has a higher winning percentage.

Sure Devils can be lucky and win it this year. But there is no grounds to consider them anything other than a dark horse with low chance of winning at this moment.

what do previous seasons have to do with 2024-25?

I don't know about scary. They have games here and there they just look completely off.

They have been shut out 5 times.

Come to think of it they have shut out their opponents 5 times too.

When they are ON, they look "scary." Especially the power play. Their penalty kill sometimes they have more chances than the opposition who has the PP.

Consistency has been an issue and secondary scoring. Cotter, Mercer, Haula, Palat need to score with some consistency. If that happens, then the Devils are "scary." The defense is elite and the goaltending is "Good Enough +"

no team looks like a juggernaut 82 games a year. Hockey is a longggggg season. It is why getting caught up in a game or two either way or even a week or two either way is a fool's errand.

 

[Stephen]

woof lol

hockey might not be for you, Stephen. What a ridiculous analysis. Your analysis is basically "just have a goalie that will save 3.5 goals above expected, and you'll easily beat NJ!"

yikes.

Well considering this happens to most Sheldon Keefe teams in the playoffs, I can only hope we passed the baton off to you in NJ. No one is scared of New Jersey.

 

[Lou is God]

No one is scared of New Jersey.

How would you possibly know that?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Well considering this happens to most Sheldon Keefe teams in the playoffs, I can only hope we passed the baton off to you in NJ. No one is scared of New Jersey.

again, I am sorry your D corps personnel stunk to high heaven. Sounds like something you should be mad at Treliving for. Sad!

we are quite happy with Keefe. Thank you for your concern, though!

 

[Stephen]

That's awesome you had time to poll everyone. Good stuff.

Why would another team in the east be scared of playing an offensive that didn't make the playoffs last year, when they excel in a regular season style? Led by 3x forwards who will be targeted to push out of a series, a goalie with no playoff track record?

 

[Lou is God]

Why would another team in the east be scared of playing an offensive that didn't make the playoffs last year, when they excel in a regular season style? Led by 3x forwards who will be targeted to push out of a series, a goalie with no playoff track record?

Holy hell man, you really shouldn't be trolling. This is a pathetic take.

Someone with a clue would have noticed the off season acquisitions that have transformed this team to one that is now one of the best defensive teams in the league and league leaders with hits too

 

[Stephen]

Holy hell man, you really shouldn't be trolling. This is a pathetic take.

Sorry, I've not heard actual hockey pushback from you this whole time. What is it about the Devils and the way they play that another team should be scared of in a seven game series that isn't neutralized in a playoff series?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Why would another team in the east be scared of playing an offensive that didn't make the playoffs last year, when they excel in a regular season style? Led by 3x forwards who will be targeted to push out of a series, a goalie with no playoff track record?

by this logic, I guess the Caps suck too? Since they couldnt score last year.

how about the Wild? do they suck?

 

[Lou is God]

Sorry, I've not heard actual hockey pushback from you this whole time. What is it about the Devils and the way they play that another team should be scared of in a seven game series that isn't neutralized in a playoff series?

I just gave it to you when I edited my post.

Sitting there and saying this team is the same team as last year is basically what you're doing and it's weak shit.

All three of their defensive pairings are tops in the league statistically.

We've gone 7 straight games giving up less than 20 shots, a NHL record and the type of numbers you see from teams that have playoff success.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Sorry, I've not heard actual hockey pushback from you this whole time. What is it about the Devils and the way they play that another team should be scared of in a seven game series that isn't neutralized in a playoff series?

they have elite top-end talent and their D has been suffocating opponents. They also have high-end speed.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Why would another team in the east be scared of playing an offensive that didn't make the playoffs last year, when they excel in a regular season style? Led by 3x forwards who will be targeted to push out of a series, a goalie with no playoff track record?

First of all the Devils features 7 players that weren't on the roster last year one of which is a starting goalie. Markstrom, Pesce, Dillon, Cotter, Tatar, Kovacevic and Noesen.
Secondly, the regulars from the season before Hamilton, Meier and Jack Hughes, are healthy something they weren't last year.
Thirdly, this goalie with not playoff track record is 13-13 with a 2.90 goals against and a .911 save percentage in the playoffs.
While i somewhat agree with the Devils not being a series threat yet I'd still like to know which teams do you consider to be one?

 

[Clam Jensen]

Your important players are going to be game planned, and if they can execute under duress the Devils will have success, if not you won’t and it’s not decided on a message board. Other than that, I don’t think anyone’s scared of them or shocked and awed by skating and skill.

Wait, so are you trying to tell me if the devils good players perform well they’ll win, and if not they won’t? Can I become a moderator too?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Well considering this happens to most Sheldon Keefe teams in the playoffs, I can only hope we passed the baton off to you in NJ. No one is scared of New Jersey.

Honestly you just sound extremely salty about the leafs past playoff failures.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Bad NJ takes aside, “the coach didn’t make adjustments” is almost always fan speak for “we lost”. Like, maybe Toronto just kept failing in the playoffs because their core isn’t actually that great and the rest of the roster wasn’t very good and it had nothing to do with Keefe?