Have the 'scary' version of the Devils arrived?

[swissdude]

The Leafs beat NJ in Hildeby’s first game on a back to back. How are you giving Stolarz credit for that?

They beat NJ twice. Maybe NJ needs some more talent to beat Hildeby and Stolarz.

I mean blaming Berube for Matthews injuries explains your takes pretty well.

I guess most hockey fans are extremely impressed by the leafs, they're 6-4 in the last 10 with convincing wins against the powerhouses BUF (2), DET, ANA something you are certainly envied for. a little humility might be appropriate due to the successes of the last few decades and it is also not necessary to turn every superfluous jinx thread into a thread about the leafs

 

[Divine]

I guess most hockey fans are extremely impressed by the leafs, they're 6-4 in the last 10 with convincing wins against the powerhouses BUF (2), DET, ANA something you are certainly envied for. a little humility might be appropriate due to the successes of the last few decades and it is also not necessary to turn every superfluous jinx thread into a thread about the leafs

Neither the Leafs or NJ has had any playoff success in the last decade.

If you’re going to criticize the Leafs. The same applies to the Devils. It’s actually Devils fans bringing up the Leafs in this thread when someone says they have to prove it in the playoffs.

 

[njdevil26]

Neither the Leafs or NJ has had any playoff success in the last decade.

If you’re going to criticize the Leafs. The same applies to the Devils. It’s actually Devils fans bringing up the Leafs in this thread when someone says they have to prove it in the playoffs.

The difference is the Leafs are excellent regular seasons then crash in the playoffs.

The Devils have been bad and rebuilding. They are on two completely different trajectories I don't know how you can compare them.

 

[Divine]

The difference is the Leafs are excellent regular seasons then crash in the playoffs.

The Devils have been bad and rebuilding. They are on two completely different trajectories I don't know how you can compare them.

The Leafs are nearly always the road team? Excellent sure, but they’re playing teams above them in the standings. It’s a tough division, the Atlantic goes to the finals every year. The Metro plays for the privilege of losing to the Atlantic in the ECF every year.

 

[Korpse]

The Leafs are nearly always the road team?

That’s hilarious. They had home ice advantage in 5 of their last 6 playoff series. That has not made a difference.

 

[Divine]

That’s hilarious. They had home ice advantage in 5 of their last 6 playoff series. That has not made a difference.

I mean 3/5 of those teams went to the Finals. Tampa the Leafs beat, and CBJ was a best of 5. It wasn't just the Leafs that struggled with those teams, the entire conference did (with the exception of CBJ).

 

[njdevil26]

I mean 3/5 of those teams went to the Finals. Tampa the Leafs beat, and CBJ was a best of 5.

Between this and the other thread where you're trying to diminish Hyman's accomplishments since leaving the Leafs I don't know how you have time to get anything done.

 

[Divine]

Between this and the other thread where you're trying to diminish Hyman's accomplishments since leaving the Leafs I don't know how you have time to get anything done.

Where did I diminish Hyman's accomplishments?

 

[njdevil26]

Jesus Christ man you're the literal last post in that thread:

"Tavares has an Olympic Gold, a World Championship Gold, and a few world junior Golds for Canada. Hyman has never won anything in his life... but okay Hyman is the winner and Tavares hasn't won."

 

[waitin425]

The "scary" version of the Devils...

 

[Divine]

Jesus Christ man you're the literal last post in that thread:

"Tavares has an Olympic Gold, a World Championship Gold, and a few world junior Golds for Canada. Hyman has never won anything in his life... but okay Hyman is the winner and Tavares hasn't won."

That's a fact. What am I diminishing? Just respond in that thread instead of derailing this one. A poster said Tavares is a loser and Hyman is a winner and somehow pointing out Tavares was the one who won and not Hyman means I'm diminishing Hyman's...losses?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

The Leafs beat NJ in Hildeby’s first game on a back to back. How are you giving Stolarz credit for that?

They beat NJ twice. Maybe NJ needs some more talent to beat Hildeby and Stolarz.

I mean blaming Berube for Matthews injuries explains your takes pretty well.

I know you're salty because Latvia just beat Canada, maybe you should take a break from the forums until you can recover.

Or maybe Canada just needs more talent to beat Latvia?

 

[Divine]

I know you're salty because Latvia just beat Canada, maybe you should take a break from the forums until you can recover.

Or maybe Canada just needs more talent to beat Latvia?

What does that have to do with the NHL, the Devils, or this thread? Great strawman.

 

[HBK27]

Neither the Leafs or NJ has had any playoff success in the last decade.

If you’re going to criticize the Leafs. The same applies to the Devils. It’s actually Devils fans bringing up the Leafs in this thread when someone says they have to prove it in the playoffs.

Devils are at the beginning of their Cup window while the Leafs are nearing the end. Massive difference when talking about recent playoff success.

Devils have been in rebuild mode much of the past decade.

 

[swissdude]

What does that have to do with .... the Devils, or this thread? Great strawman.

have you also asked yourself this question in relation to the leafs?

 

[Divine]

Devils are at the beginning of their Cup window while the Leafs are nearing the end. Massive difference when talking about recent playoff success.

Devils have been in rebuild mode much of the past decade.

That's quite the reach. Hughes is 2 years younger than Matthews but the Devils are starting their 'Cup window' while the Leafs is over? Meier is older than Matthews and drafted in the same year as Marner. Bratt was drafted in the same year as Matthews.

Markstrom/Allen are 34, the oldest goalies on both teams. This same Devils core couldn't make the playoffs last season.

 

[Korpse]

Hughes is 2 years younger than Matthews

That’s hilarious. Sep 1997 to May 2001 is now 2 years.

 

[HBK27]

That's quite the reach. Hughes is 2 years younger than Matthews but the Devils are starting their 'Cup window' while the Leafs is over? Meier is older than Matthews and drafted in the same year as Marner.

Markstrom/Allen are 34, the oldest goalies on both teams. This same Devils core couldn't make the playoffs last season.

Definitely not over (not sure how you inferred that from "nearing the end"), but Toronto is certainly on the downside of that Cup window opening.

Will still have a few more cracks at it though and we've seen teams such as the Caps and Blues finally break through when most were ready to write them off, so I certainly wouldn't rule anything out.

You're also being very disingenuous as to why the Devils didn't make the playoffs last season - with injuries, goaltending and coaching all being big factors. This is a much different team than last year, so I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. Could also point out that this same core set a franchise record for points just two seasons ago and won a playoff round.

There's also a 3 year and 7 month gap between Hughes and Matthews.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

NJ hasn’t accomplished anything yet their fans act like they’re somehow contenders. They won one round since Morgan Rielly was drafted, and it was in the same year the Leafs won a round.

Devils really haven't accomplished anything yet.

Curiously, we have won as many playoff rounds as the Maple Leafs since 2013. Let that sink in.

 

[Divine]

Definitely not over (not sure how you inferred that from "nearing the end"), but Toronto is certainly on the downside of that Cup window opening.

Will still have a few more cracks at it though and we've seen teams such as the Caps and Blues finally break through when most were ready to write them off, so I certainly wouldn't rule anything out.

You're also being very disingenuous as to why the Devils didn't make the playoffs last season - with injuries, goaltending and coaching all being big factors. This is a much different team than last year, so I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. Could also point out that this same core set a franchise record for points just two seasons ago and won a playoff round.

Well if Markstrom is one of the main reasons for the Cup windows, it will be one of the shorter Cup windows considering his age. Allen is the same age. So who replaces them?

The teams are pretty close in age. The Leafs have Tavares' 11M coming off the cap this year, so they'll have more flexibility in the future, not less.

Devils really haven't accomplished anything yet.

Curiously, we have won as many playoff rounds as the Maple Leafs since 2013. Let that sink in.

Yeah, neither team has accomplished anything yet, that's the entire point. So how can one be considered contenders when the others aren't?

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Yeah, neither team has accomplished anything yet, that's the entire point. So how can one be considered contenders when the others aren't?

I never said the Leafs weren't contenders. Both teams certainly have a shot. However, the Leaf's window is going to start closing while the Devils window is just starting to open.

 

[Divine]

I never said the Leafs weren't contenders. Both teams certainly have a shot. However, the Leaf's window is going to start closing while the Devils window is just starting to open.

I disagree on that. The Devils goalie is from the Stamkos draft. We've seen what the Devils are without a goalie. If it's dependent on Markstrom, it'll be even shorter than the Leafs window.

Also, the teams are pretty close in age. The cores have a 1-3 year age gap. The Devils definitely have more younger pieces, but so do Buffalo, that doesn't mean they're going to turn out.

I think people think the Leafs core is much older because they've been making the playoffs in their rookie seasons, whereas Hughes missed the playoffs 4 of his first 5 seasons.

 

[HBK27]

Well if Markstrom is one of the main reasons for the Cup windows, it will be one of the shorter Cup windows considering his age. Allen is the same age. So who replaces them?

The teams are pretty close in age. The Leafs have Tavares' 11M coming off the cap this year, so they'll have more flexibility in the future, not less.

Devils have a handful of prospects in the 22-24 year old range in Daws, Malek and Poulter that might be able to take over in a couple of years or they resign Markstrom or make a trade. Who knows and who cares right now. At the moment, Markstrom is playing very well and he's under contract through next season as well at just a $4.125M cap hit so I'm not going to worry about his successor too much.

The teams are not that close in age, plus the Devils still have high end prospects such as Saliyev, Nemec, Casey and Gritsyuk in the pipeline.

 

[Jerzey Devil]

This thread is basically asking people to tell us why the Devils aren’t “scary”. The responses are exactly what they should be.

Devils look good right now but it’s not even halfway through the season.

Leaf fans are making the obvious comparisons between the two teams with Keefe and the 3 high end franchise forwards. Personally I think the Devils have a better defensive squad, slight edge on goaltending, and are a little deeper at forward but that could be my bias. I think Keefe has a better built team than he had in Toronto over the years.

But the Leafs beat the Devils twice already this season. Their core has been together longer and they have more playoff experience. Could easily see the inexperienced Devils being bounced out of the first round and the Leafs making a deeper run this season.

Kind of sucks that both the Rags and Isles are down and out just when the Devils are getting good again. Maybe the Leafs will be better rivals for the next few years. It’s not like Montreal or Boston are gonna be bothering the Leafs anytime soon either.

 

[MakoSlade]

Yeah, neither team has accomplished anything yet, that's the entire point. So how can one be considered contenders when the others aren't?

Did anyone say Toronto aren't contenders?