Why are the Devils 21-4-1? insane easy schedule, makes perfect sense.

[severian]

Devil's look pretty damn good to me, but damn their schedule has been insanely soft so far. They are pretty much a lock for the playoffs, but it will be interesting how this young team reacts to some adversity as the regular season grind continues and the schedule gets tougher.

The rest of this month definitely fits the bill. Bruins twice, Canes, Isles, Stars and Penguins are all teams in current playoff spots.

 

[TrufleShufle]

The rest of this month definitely fits the bill. Bruins twice, Canes, Isles, Stars and Penguins are all teams in current playoff spots.

If they beat them all and those teams go on a slide, it will be a hindsight soft schedule anyways.. "makes no sense"

 

[Belmar Bandit]

Devil's look pretty damn good to me, but damn their schedule has been insanely soft so far. They are pretty much a lock for the playoffs, but it will be interesting how this young team reacts to some adversity as the regular season grind continues and the schedule gets tougher.

If your argument is that 30% of their schedule was 'insanely soft' then its obvious you are just trying to get a rise out of people

Next itll be the first half of their season isnt enough sample size, gotta wait to see if theyre legit cause yaknow contenders do it for more than just one year

 

[Guttersniped]

They will have a hard time making the playoffs

If the Devils get 59 points in their next 57 games they’ll have a 100.

It won’t be that hard, baring a flurry of catastrophic injuries.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

They have apparently had one if the easiest schedules so far based on some chart I read, but they took care of business and won games.

And the Rangers actually had the easiest schedule and we still blew chunks lmao.

 

[HockeyVirus]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

 

[Figgie]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

We played very bad game against Flyers so I think that the downfall have began and we will win only couple games before new year at best. After new year we will lose every game and after 82 games we will be the last team in the NHL but at least we are going to get one of Bedard, Michkov, Fantilli trio.

 

[BurntToast]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

Wishful thinking. The league is very middling.

 

[Lou is God]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

Devils have triggered this boy good.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

Lol this guy

 

[Identity404]

If your argument is that 30% of their schedule was 'insanely soft' then its obvious you are just trying to get a rise out of people

Next itll be the first half of their season isnt enough sample size, gotta wait to see if theyre legit cause yaknow contenders do it for more than just one year

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

people just say things just to say them lol

what a world

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

the Rangers have played the 2nd easiest and they stink. Whats their excuse?

Haven't heard anyone say Vegas has "only played an easy schedule" so far, either.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Help me Ja Rule!

 

[BurntToast]

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

Your schedule tends to be easier when you are one of the better teams.

It’s also hard to have a “tough” schedule when the second place team in the Metro is barely over .500.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

I think it’s a good thing for HF boards that the Devils are good enough for all their fans to come out and be more active now

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

They have apparently had one if the easiest schedules so far based on some chart I read, but they took care of business and won games.

And the Rangers actually had the easiest schedule and we still blew chunks lmao.

Next month will see them play the Bruins twice, Hurricanes twice, Panthers twice, and the Stars and Penguins. Should be a good test.

 

[Lou is God]

I think it’s a good thing for HF boards that the Devils are good enough for all their fans to come out and be more active now

Salty!

 

[TrufleShufle]

I think it’s a good thing for HF boards that the Devils are good enough for all their fans to come out and be more active now

 

[DVision44]

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

Is this really that accurate? It's based off power rankings.

Calculated by aggregating computer generated NHL power rankings from around the web and determining each team’s average ranking.​

I guess if you're a top team not having to play yourself makes your schedule a little less tough...

 

[Xirik]

I think it’s a good thing for HF boards that the Devils are good enough for all their fans to come out and be more active now

Nah, We will retreat to our homely little hole in the ground soon.

a vast majority of Rangers fans hate us and various other posters hate how the Devils played in the 90s early 2000s and have carried that hate for 20 years.

 

[MtoD]

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

This site has been brought up a few times and its horribly inaccurate. It's based on its aggregate Power Rankings. It has the Devils currently at an aggregate of 9.

The breakdown on the Devils is currently listed as:
Sagarin 16
numberFive 5
MoneyPuck 24
Massey Ratings 2

The actual rankings for the Devils from those sites:
Sagarin 3
numerFive 24
MoneyPuck 2
Massey Ratings 2

Aside from it being laughable that a Power Ranking model has the Devils as the 24th best team in the NHL at 20-4-1.. the data they are using is clearly being pulled in incorrectly so its hard to interpret anything based on that site.

 

[swissexpert]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

So you think they won't finish with the 66-13-3 record they're on pace for?
You don't expect them to get those 135 points and accomplish the best regular season this league has ever seen in it's long history?

Of course they'll slow down, the goal is to make the playoffs. They've played fantastic hockey for 30% of a season now, so if they can continue with some 'good' hockey for the rest, they'll get there.
And the way this team is being managed, there is no indication of overpacing.
It's not like they have that one scorer or goalie or powerplay that carries them. No one plays more than 21:50 Min/G (60th).

 

[Guttersniped]

So you think they won't finish with the 66-13-3 record they're on pace for?
You don't expect them to get those 135 points and accomplish the best regular season this league has ever seen in its long history?

Of course they'll slow down, the goal is to make the playoffs. They've played fantastic hockey for 30% of a season now, so if they can continue with some 'good' hockey for the rest, they'll get there.
And the way this team is being managed, there is no indication of overpacing.
It's not like they have that one scorer or goalie or powerplay that carries them. No one plays more than 21:50 Min/G (60th).

We’re coming for ya 1995-96 Red Wings (.799, 62-13-7-0, 131 points) and/or 2005-06 Red Wings (.756, 58-16-0-8, 124 points)!

It’s that or no playoffs, those are the only choices.

 

[Clam Jensen]

No team is playing the way the Devils are for 82 games. The theory is if you roll lines and split minutes you can sustain this and it has worked so far. However I argue it simply isn't sustainable over a full schedule and teams have learned this. Devils have been very fortunate to not lose any super important skaters. When that happens and guys move up, and they can't rely on the depth pieces that come up, then we see more injuries and burnout.

I think mid Jan is when things really start coming apart. I wouldn't be surprised if they hit a 10 game losing streak in the new year

 

[severian]

Yeah, that's not what I said at all... Thus far they have had the easiest schedule in the league... Thus one of the most difficult remaining... Just the facts

NHL Strength of Schedule Rankings

According to that Boston has the hardest schedule remaining. I would assume that means their schedule so far had to have been pretty soft.