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NFT: Good morning Devil Fans

Sec 103 : 2/19/2021 7:17 am
How about them Devs, smacked the Bruins around like they stole something last nite. Really like what this young team is doing. Here's hoping they don't run out of gas when they have to play significant games back to back to back.... But in the meantime, NJoy!!!!!
I haven't seen the last couple of games since they've been back  
Chris684 : 2/19/2021 9:05 am : link
but I was watching before the pause in their season and Hughes looked every bit of the stud he is thought to be. How has he been playing lately?
I didn't know  
pjcas18 : 2/19/2021 9:12 am : link
how good Blackwood is, he's legit.

A great goalie keeps you in every game. Right now Blackwood is playing like a great goalie.

.945 save % and sub 2 GAA - those are Vezina contender #'s if he keeps it up. He obviously hasn't played the # of games Vasilevsky, MAF, or Varlamov have (three goalies with Vezina worthy seasons), but he's off to a great start.
Don't get to see my Devils up here in NH much,  
BigBlueNH : 2/19/2021 10:11 am : link
and missed last night's game. Hoping NESN shows it again.

Do we have all our D back now? Really surprised at the record we have put up with so many guys who had been out. Glad to hear that Blackwood looks as good to the eye as he does in the box scores.
RE: Don't get to see my Devils up here in NH much,  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 10:17 am : link
In comment 15157050 BigBlueNH said:
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and missed last night's game. Hoping NESN shows it again.

Do we have all our D back now? Really surprised at the record we have put up with so many guys who had been out. Glad to hear that Blackwood looks as good to the eye as he does in the box scores.

Not yet but they were just missing Ryan Murray last night. Last night Butcher played again and for the second game in a row he looked good.
I wasn’t expecting the Devils to be very good this season  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 10:32 am : link
After Corey Crawford retired. Blackwood is the main reason why the Devils are playing well. Also Hughes, Bratt, Zacha, Kuokkanen, McLeod, and Wood have shown improvement. Plus Ty Smith has played as well as we hoped.

Subban is not playing as well as he did in his prime but he’s been much better than last season.

It’s exciting to think what could happen when the Devils get their best player back hopefully next week.
Blackwood is a franchise timetable altering revelation  
Kyle_ : 2/19/2021 10:36 am : link
.
RE: Blackwood is a franchise timetable altering revelation  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 10:43 am : link
In comment 15157079 Kyle_ said:
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.

Blackwood is a perfect example of how difficult it is to evaluate goaltenders.
In 2017-2018 he struggled in Binghamton with a 3.41 GAA and a bad .882 save percentage. He was even demoted to the ECHL at one point. The following season his numbers were slightly better but most analysts had given up on him as having a future in the NHL besides a possible backup. Then he got his shot in NJ and all of a sudden his play improved significantly. He’s been great ever since.

While they’re styles are very different  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 10:52 am : link
Blackwood reminds me of Brodeur with their calm confident demeanors in net. Blackwood made some difficult saves look routine towards the end of the game especially in the final 10 seconds.
It’s a big weekend for the Devils  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 11:13 am : link
They play Buffalo tomorrow followed by Washington the next night. We should see Aaron Dell make his debut this weekend.
RE: RE: Blackwood is a franchise timetable altering revelation  
Stu11 : 2/19/2021 1:21 pm : link
In comment 15157086 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15157079 Kyle_ said:


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.


Blackwood is a perfect example of how difficult it is to evaluate goaltenders.
In 2017-2018 he struggled in Binghamton with a 3.41 GAA and a bad .882 save percentage. He was even demoted to the ECHL at one point. The following season his numbers were slightly better but most analysts had given up on him as having a future in the NHL besides a possible backup. Then he got his shot in NJ and all of a sudden his play improved significantly. He’s been great ever since.

Don't know how far back you go Jay but Blackwood reminds me more of Sean Burke when he broke in. Tall and lanky and positionally sound. So far in his career Blackwood has been more consistent though. Dawson Mercer had a hat trick last night. I think he's gonna be up as soon as next year. The crazy thing is the Devs had 3 1st rounders last draft with tons of promise and none of them are even with the big club yet. The future is definitely bright.
Burke is a fair comp but Blackwood is far more athletic and quicker  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 1:48 pm : link
I remember Blackwood’s NHL debut and how impressive he was athletically and how he moved with such ease despite his size.

I agree about Mercer I think that he will be in NJ next year with Holtz coming over the following year. Unfortunately there is a rumor that Mukhamadullin is out for the rest of the season which will delay his development a bit. Hopefully this proves to be untrue.
Apparently Gilles Senn  
Jay on the Island : 2/19/2021 1:52 pm : link
Has been impressing the organization this year and the hope is that he will be Blackwood’s backup next year. That would be a great development since he will be cheap.
RE: Apparently Gilles Senn  
Stu11 : 2/19/2021 3:15 pm : link
In comment 15157290 Jay on the Island said:
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Has been impressing the organization this year and the hope is that he will be Blackwood’s backup next year. That would be a great development since he will be cheap.

Yep between Senna and Dawes they should be set in goal for the next few years. I see Tennyson was put on waivers today. Seems like Butcher and Carrick will probably be 5he 7th/8th dmen going forward once Murray comes back.
Zajac back in the lineup today and possibly Nico!  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 11:47 am : link
Ruff said Nico is available but didn't confirm he is in the lineup. My guess is we won't see him till tomorrow or Tuesday. Probably will be in warm-ups but hard to see them throw home in there with no practices. Problem is with the condensed schedule there is little chance to practice.
RE: RE: Apparently Gilles Senn  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 11:47 am : link
In comment 15157352 Stu11 said:
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Yep between Senna and Dawes they should be set in goal for the next few years. I see Tennyson was put on waivers today. Seems like Butcher and Carrick will probably be 5he 7th/8th dmen going forward once Murray comes back.

Nico Daws was one of my favorite goalies in last years draft. Obviously he wasn’t on the level of Askarov but few are. I am still annoyed that the Devils passed on Dustin Wolf in 2019 especially since he was one of the last picks of the 7th round. Now Wolf is one of the brightest young goalie prospects in the league.

Daws could be a starter down the road with his ability if he develops as hoped but he is 2-3 years away if he pans out. I hope the Devils continue to draft a goalie each year because outside of Daws and Senn there isn’t much in the system. I was not a fan of Akira Schmid and I thought the Devils should have taken Dustin Wolf instead of Cole Brady. At least Brady has some talent but I don’t think he has starting goalie upside.
RE: Zajac back in the lineup today and possibly Nico!  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 11:51 am : link
In comment 15157677 Stu11 said:
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Ruff said Nico is available but didn't confirm he is in the lineup. My guess is we won't see him till tomorrow or Tuesday. Probably will be in warm-ups but hard to see them throw home in there with no practices. Problem is with the condensed schedule there is little chance to practice.

Thanks for the update Stu that is great news. The one problem now is who gets sent to the taxi squad or Binghamton? I would hate to see McLeod sent down with the way he is playing. I would prefer Bastian be sent to Binghamton with McLeod moving to RW on the 4th line. I also hope that the keep Kuokkanen up because he has shown great chemistry with Zacha. It’s a great problem to have.
RE: RE: Zajac back in the lineup today and possibly Nico!  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 12:02 pm : link
In comment 15157681 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15157677 Stu11 said:


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Ruff said Nico is available but didn't confirm he is in the lineup. My guess is we won't see him till tomorrow or Tuesday. Probably will be in warm-ups but hard to see them throw home in there with no practices. Problem is with the condensed schedule there is little chance to practice.


Thanks for the update Stu that is great news. The one problem now is who gets sent to the taxi squad or Binghamton? I would hate to see McLeod sent down with the way he is playing. I would prefer Bastian be sent to Binghamton with McLeod moving to RW on the 4th line. I also hope that the keep Kuokkanen up because he has shown great chemistry with Zacha. It’s a great problem to have.

Yep it is. Maltsev is probably the first one out. As for the 2nd that's when it gets tough. McLeod is important to our philosophy of speed off the rush. We need Bastain's sizecthough too.
Nico is in today! And wearing the captain's C  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 12:04 pm : link
Wow nice.
According to Amanda Sten Zajac skating as a winger  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 12:29 pm : link
With Johnsson and Hughes in warmups. That's bizarre. Can't see that sticking for the game. 4th line stays together Wood Bastain and McLeod. No Gusev. I have a feeling Zajac will be the faceoff guy on the Hughes line then maybe come off at times.
RE: Nico is in today! And wearing the captain's C  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 12:30 pm : link
In comment 15157690 Stu11 said:
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Wow nice.

This is awesome. Congratulations to Hischier as he certainly earned the C. It’s also great news for Palmieri who will hopefully stay hot.

RE: According to Amanda Sten Zajac skating as a winger  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 12:45 pm : link
In comment 15157701 Stu11 said:
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With Johnsson and Hughes in warmups. That's bizarre. Can't see that sticking for the game. 4th line stays together Wood Bastain and McLeod. No Gusev. I have a feeling Zajac will be the faceoff guy on the Hughes line then maybe come off at times.

That’s very odd. I assumed that McLeod would move to the wing. Blackwood with two big saves already as the Devils are playing sloppy so far. Despite their record the Sabres are loaded with offensive talent. The Devils need to limit the amount of turnovers in their own zone.
RE: RE: According to Amanda Sten Zajac skating as a winger  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 12:57 pm : link
In comment 15157710 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15157701 Stu11 said:


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With Johnsson and Hughes in warmups. That's bizarre. Can't see that sticking for the game. 4th line stays together Wood Bastain and McLeod. No Gusev. I have a feeling Zajac will be the faceoff guy on the Hughes line then maybe come off at times.


That’s very odd. I assumed that McLeod would move to the wing. Blackwood with two big saves already as the Devils are playing sloppy so far. Despite their record the Sabres are loaded with offensive talent. The Devils need to limit the amount of turnovers in their own zone.

Buffalo up 1-0 and flying. They could have 2 or 3 more. Devs better wake up for the matinee.
2-0 Sabres  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 1:55 pm : link
Devs playing their worst game of the season. Sabres are everywhere. This game should be 4 or 5-0.
This is a very disappointing performance so far  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 1:57 pm : link
The Devils are being outplayed and they can’t get anything going on offense. The Devils continue to turn the puck over in the own zone far too frequently.

The decision to move Zajac to RW  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 1:59 pm : link
With Hughes and Bratt is not working. Give McLeod a shot on that line instead.
3-0 Sabres ppg  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 2:03 pm : link
Devil ST's have been the worst in the NHL. The PK is a complete embarrassment at this point.
RE: 3-0 Sabres ppg  
Jay on the Island : 2/20/2021 3:00 pm : link
In comment 15157749 Stu11 said:
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Devil ST's have been the worst in the NHL. The PK is a complete embarrassment at this point.

Mark Recchi was brought here to help fix the PP. Obviously this is not what they had in mind. There is no reason why both units should be playing this bad.
RE: RE: 3-0 Sabres ppg  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 3:05 pm : link
In comment 15157794 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15157749 Stu11 said:


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Devil ST's have been the worst in the NHL. The PK is a complete embarrassment at this point.


Mark Recchi was brought here to help fix the PP. Obviously this is not what they had in mind. There is no reason why both units should be playing this bad.

I'm not as worried about the PP. The talent is there, it will click. The PK is horrific at this point. Since coming back from covid they been real disciplined, only surrendering 4 pp chances in 4 games but they given up 3 ppg's! You like the fight in the 3rd, but no excuse to come home and give away 2 regulation points to the awful Sabres.
Tomorrow's game has been moved up to 2pm and will be on NBC  
Stu11 : 2/20/2021 4:47 pm : link
Wow can remember the last time NBC carried a Devils game especially not vs the Rangers
Through two periods  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 4:28 pm : link
The Devils are playing well once again. It’s night and day from yesterday’s game. Palmieri has put his early season struggles behind him as he picked up another point.

Aaron Dell has played well so far.
Unbelievable  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 4:41 pm : link
This is embarrassing how bad they are when it comes to the PK.
RE: Unbelievable  
Stu11 : 2/21/2021 5:28 pm : link
In comment 15158263 Jay on the Island said:
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This is embarrassing how bad they are when it comes to the PK.

Absolutely horrific. It gets worse every day. Frankly the last 30 minutes of the game the Devs were a complete no show
RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 7:26 pm : link
In comment 15158281 Stu11 said:
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In comment 15158263 Jay on the Island said:


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This is embarrassing how bad they are when it comes to the PK.


Absolutely horrific. It gets worse every day. Frankly the last 30 minutes of the game the Devs were a complete no show

3 more power play goals allowed today. I have never seen anything like this before.
RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Stu11 : 2/21/2021 8:26 pm : link
In comment 15158316 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15158281 Stu11 said:


Quote:


In comment 15158263 Jay on the Island said:


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This is embarrassing how bad they are when it comes to the PK.


Absolutely horrific. It gets worse every day. Frankly the last 30 minutes of the game the Devs were a complete no show


3 more power play goals allowed today. I have never seen anything like this before.

Bryce Slavador tweeted a lot about this tonight. Says he's gonna break down the video a lot in the pre-game tuesday. His basic point was the PK is about chemistry and 7 of the top 10 penalty killers from last year are no longer on the team. I really think they are missing Coleman, Greene and Lovejoy in this department. Nico and Zajac gettin their legs goping forward will help I hope.
RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 8:51 pm : link
In comment 15158350 Stu11 said:
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Bryce Slavador tweeted a lot about this tonight. Says he's gonna break down the video a lot in the pre-game tuesday. His basic point was the PK is about chemistry and 7 of the top 10 penalty killers from last year are no longer on the team. I really think they are missing Coleman, Greene and Lovejoy in this department. Nico and Zajac gettin their legs goping forward will help I hope.

Coleman is probably the biggest loss in that department. You're right once Zajac and Hischier are 100% then that should help but I think they need to make some other changes. Less time for Severson and give Kulikov and Vatanen more time. Also Zacha has been a very good PK for most of his career and he too should receive more time there.

Now to a positive, Zacha continues to impress me out there. He seems way more confident this season. Sometimes I forget that he is only 23 years old.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Stu11 : 2/21/2021 9:58 pm : link
In comment 15158356 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15158350 Stu11 said:


Quote:




Bryce Slavador tweeted a lot about this tonight. Says he's gonna break down the video a lot in the pre-game tuesday. His basic point was the PK is about chemistry and 7 of the top 10 penalty killers from last year are no longer on the team. I really think they are missing Coleman, Greene and Lovejoy in this department. Nico and Zajac gettin their legs goping forward will help I hope.


Coleman is probably the biggest loss in that department. You're right once Zajac and Hischier are 100% then that should help but I think they need to make some other changes. Less time for Severson and give Kulikov and Vatanen more time. Also Zacha has been a very good PK for most of his career and he too should receive more time there.

Now to a positive, Zacha continues to impress me out there. He seems way more confident this season. Sometimes I forget that he is only 23 years old.

Another positive is Palms seems to have found his game. I love the Hughes-Johnsson-Palms line. Johnsson has the speed and skill to hang with Jack and Palms adds some size in there with his scoring.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 10:11 pm : link
In comment 15158406 Stu11 said:
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Another positive is Palms seems to have found his game. I love the Hughes-Johnsson-Palms line. Johnsson has the speed and skill to hang with Jack and Palms adds some size in there with his scoring.

I think we all knew it was a matter of time before Palmieri turned it around. I was more concerned about Gusev, and I still am. It’s funny because earlier in the season the analytics showed that Hughes and Palms were awful when paired together which surprised me because I thought that they would compliment each other very well.

I really like Johnsson with Hughes also. I would like to see a line of Zacha Hughes and Johnsson. I can’t wait until Alexander Holtz, Dawson Mercer, and Nolan Foote.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Stu11 : 2/21/2021 10:20 pm : link
In comment 15158410 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15158406 Stu11 said:


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Another positive is Palms seems to have found his game. I love the Hughes-Johnsson-Palms line. Johnsson has the speed and skill to hang with Jack and Palms adds some size in there with his scoring.


I think we all knew it was a matter of time before Palmieri turned it around. I was more concerned about Gusev, and I still am. It’s funny because earlier in the season the analytics showed that Hughes and Palms were awful when paired together which surprised me because I thought that they would compliment each other very well.

I really like Johnsson with Hughes also. I would like to see a line of Zacha Hughes and Johnsson. I can’t wait until Alexander Holtz, Dawson Mercer, and Nolan Foote.

Yea Foote with his size will be a big plus. I may be off but Mercer strikes me as the next Zajac, with maybe a bit more scoring which I'd be perfectly fine with.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Jay on the Island : 2/21/2021 11:34 pm : link
In comment 15158412 Stu11 said:
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Yea Foote with his size will be a big plus. I may be off but Mercer strikes me as the next Zajac, with maybe a bit more scoring which I'd be perfectly fine with.

If people are expecting Mercer to be a perennial 30 goal scorer then they will be disappointed. That is not an insult to Mercer but he is just not that type of player as he is a Jack to all trades type. That’s not to say that Mercer won’t be a top 6 forward. IMO Mercer is a better fit at RW and he will be a great compliment to whomever he plays with. If he lives up to his potential Mercer will be a fan favorite similar to Blake Coleman.

Of all the draft picks from this draft class Mercer will be the first in the NHL and I think that could be next season.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Unbelievable  
Stu11 : 2/21/2021 11:42 pm : link
In comment 15158425 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15158412 Stu11 said:


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Yea Foote with his size will be a big plus. I may be off but Mercer strikes me as the next Zajac, with maybe a bit more scoring which I'd be perfectly fine with.


If people are expecting Mercer to be a perennial 30 goal scorer then they will be disappointed. That is not an insult to Mercer but he is just not that type of player as he is a Jack to all trades type. That’s not to say that Mercer won’t be a top 6 forward. IMO Mercer is a better fit at RW and he will be a great compliment to whomever he plays with. If he lives up to his potential Mercer will be a fan favorite similar to Blake Coleman.

Of all the draft picks from this draft class Mercer will be the first in the NHL and I think that could be next season.

Yeah thats definitely the vibe I get about Mercer. The kind of guy that can do all the little things that help you win hockey games without being a 30 goal type guy. That's fine, between Hughes, Nico and hopefully Holtz not to mention Bratt and anyone else they acquire hopefully scoring won't be an issue.
I think Mercer  
Jay on the Island : 2/22/2021 10:02 am : link
Will score at a decent rate if he develops as hoped. I expect 15-18 goals with perhaps a coupons of seasons in the mid 20 range. Mercer should be a consistent 40-50 point player who provides value on the PK, PP, and in the locker room.
Adam Henrique just cleared waivers  
Jay on the Island : 2/22/2021 12:04 pm : link
It’s no surprise due to his contract. He has three years left after this with an annual cap hit of $5.825 million. If he was a pending UFA the Ducks probably could have shipped him to a team like the Isles assuming they are some of his cap hit.
Another power play goal allowed  
Jay on the Island : 2/23/2021 8:27 pm : link
.
Wow this thing turned into a mess in a hurry  
Stu11 : 2/24/2021 1:47 pm : link
The PK is in historic territory for awful at this point and suddenly we can finish a scoring chance and are surrendering opportunities at an alarming rate. Oh well we knew there would be growing pains. Hopefully we can stop the bleeding fast. Bratt needs to start creating some goals and besides 2 meaningless tallies Gusev has been useless. I think once Nico gets his skating legs back it will be a big boost.
Yea  
Jay on the Island : 2/24/2021 5:36 pm : link
It sucks that the Devils have just been thoroughly beaten by the struggling Sabres once again. Hischier is rusty but once he rounds into form the offense should improve but this team weaknesses have been exposed.

It's still going to be a fun season watching the kids develop. Also Damon Severson has improved noticeably this season where he is now a legit top pairing defenseman. He has significantly reduced the mistakes that he's made in the past.

Hopefully Gusev heats up so that they can get something for him at the deadline.
Agreed Jay on Severson  
Stu11 : 2/24/2021 6:06 pm : link
Crazy thing is despite the chance we've given up the past 3 games, I cant think of a Dman who's playing poorly. Even Subban has been pretty good. I think it's more the fwds not supporting as well. I agree unlike the last 2 years I feel the future is really bright. The strides Jack and Ty Smith have made are really exciting. I'd live to see Ruff let Smith go full bore 9n the attack. Sometimes he enters the zone well but you can see a little tentativeness to go all out. With his skating ability and skills he really gas a high ceiling offensively.
RE: Agreed Jay on Severson  
Jay on the Island : 2/24/2021 10:54 pm : link
In comment 15160861 Stu11 said:
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Crazy thing is despite the chance we've given up the past 3 games, I cant think of a Dman who's playing poorly. Even Subban has been pretty good. I think it's more the fwds not supporting as well. I agree unlike the last 2 years I feel the future is really bright. The strides Jack and Ty Smith have made are really exciting. I'd live to see Ruff let Smith go full bore 9n the attack. Sometimes he enters the zone well but you can see a little tentativeness to go all out. With his skating ability and skills he really gas a high ceiling offensively.

The defense has been a pleasant surprise with the obvious exemption of Tennyson who is now gone. Having Will Butcher as your 7th defenseman is a great development. Unfortunately Subban has struggled at times but he is better than last season.

I wasn’t expecting Severson to improve from last season. I thought he hit his peak as an offensive 2nd pairing defenseman who makes the occasional rookie mistake. He’s playing like a complete 1st pairing defenseman and has been paired with Ty Smith at times. That’s a preview of the future. Ty Smith is living up to his expectations. It’s hard to not get excitedly about his future. I hope that they can re-sign Kulikov to a 2-3 year deal for about 2.5 million per.

Now let’s hope that one or two of Bahl, Walsh, Okhotiuk, Vukojevic can battle for a role in NJ next year.

So far the highlights of the season have been Blackwood, Hughes, Severson, Zacha, Smith, and Bratt. Kulikov, McLeod, Wood, And Kuokkanen have exceeded expectations as well.
Yeah I think the one disappointment on offense besides Gusev  
Stu11 : 2/25/2021 1:20 pm : link
Is Sharengovich. Was hoping his scoring touch from the KHL would carry over but it hasn't. I think the Devils have to talent up front to score more. I just think it's about finding the right combos to click, and I think Ruff is working his way through that. The 4th line has been established with Wood-McLeod-Bastain. Now he has to figure out the top 3 lines. With his skating ability and skill it's hard for me to believe that Sharengovich won't be at least a 20 goal 3rd line type.
RE: Yeah I think the one disappointment on offense besides Gusev  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 1:59 pm : link
In comment 15161469 Stu11 said:
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Is Sharengovich. Was hoping his scoring touch from the KHL would carry over but it hasn't. I think the Devils have to talent up front to score more. I just think it's about finding the right combos to click, and I think Ruff is working his way through that. The 4th line has been established with Wood-McLeod-Bastain. Now he has to figure out the top 3 lines. With his skating ability and skill it's hard for me to believe that Sharengovich won't be at least a 20 goal 3rd line type.

Prior to this year I didn't think Sharangovich would be more than an AHL player who might earn a brief call up or two in the NHL but nothing more than that. His performance in the KHL caught many people off guard. I agree with you that I think he has a future as a bottom six player and it wouldn't surprise me if he has a 20 goal season or two in that role.

The Devils were overdue for a late round find as they haven't had much luck there besides Bratt. A couple of other prospects that I like that could be players down the road are Arseni Gritsyuk and Nikola Pasic.

I'm curious to see what the Devils do with Tyce Thompson and Aarne Talvitie this offseason. Thompson is ready to turn pro IMO as is Talvitie. Talvitie could use more development time in the AHL but I am confident that Thompson can compete for a bottom six role next season. I will admit that I wasn't thrilled with the Devils using a 4th round pick on an overaged center in the draft but Thompson fhas proven to be a great pick so far. He could be great 3rd line player with the chance for more.

Hopefully the Devils can land some more picks at the deadline if they fall out of the playoff picture. They have some intriguing trade options in Nikita Gusev, Sami Vatanen, Dmitry Kulikov, Miles Wood, Ryan Murray, Will Butcher, and Travis Zajac. Palmieri is a candidate too but I think and hope that they work out an extension. I could see Lou try to acquire Zajac if the Devils retain some of his cap hit. It would be great if the Devils could trade some of these guys and then re-sign Kulikov and possibly Murray in the offseason.
RE: RE: Yeah I think the one disappointment on offense besides Gusev  
Stu11 : 2/25/2021 2:32 pm : link
In comment 15161505 Jay on the Island said:
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In comment 15161469 Stu11 said:


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Is Sharengovich. Was hoping his scoring touch from the KHL would carry over but it hasn't. I think the Devils have to talent up front to score more. I just think it's about finding the right combos to click, and I think Ruff is working his way through that. The 4th line has been established with Wood-McLeod-Bastain. Now he has to figure out the top 3 lines. With his skating ability and skill it's hard for me to believe that Sharengovich won't be at least a 20 goal 3rd line type.


Prior to this year I didn't think Sharangovich would be more than an AHL player who might earn a brief call up or two in the NHL but nothing more than that. His performance in the KHL caught many people off guard. I agree with you that I think he has a future as a bottom six player and it wouldn't surprise me if he has a 20 goal season or two in that role.

The Devils were overdue for a late round find as they haven't had much luck there besides Bratt. A couple of other prospects that I like that could be players down the road are Arseni Gritsyuk and Nikola Pasic.

I'm curious to see what the Devils do with Tyce Thompson and Aarne Talvitie this offseason. Thompson is ready to turn pro IMO as is Talvitie. Talvitie could use more development time in the AHL but I am confident that Thompson can compete for a bottom six role next season. I will admit that I wasn't thrilled with the Devils using a 4th round pick on an overaged center in the draft but Thompson fhas proven to be a great pick so far. He could be great 3rd line player with the chance for more.

Hopefully the Devils can land some more picks at the deadline if they fall out of the playoff picture. They have some intriguing trade options in Nikita Gusev, Sami Vatanen, Dmitry Kulikov, Miles Wood, Ryan Murray, Will Butcher, and Travis Zajac. Palmieri is a candidate too but I think and hope that they work out an extension. I could see Lou try to acquire Zajac if the Devils retain some of his cap hit. It would be great if the Devils could trade some of these guys and then re-sign Kulikov and possibly Murray in the offseason.

Yep you're definately better versed on the deeper prospect pool than I am. That was another real downside to Crawford retiring. I felt if he was playing well and we were in seller mode at the deadline we could have gotten a #1 pick for him to a contender who was strapped in goal. With their prospect pool the way it is, I think if they load up on draft picks again this year I'd like to see them use multiple picks and a prospect or 2 to make a run at a star.
RE: RE: RE: Yeah I think the one disappointment on offense besides Gusev  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 3:50 pm : link
In comment 15161546 Stu11 said:
Quote:

Yep you're definately better versed on the deeper prospect pool than I am. That was another real downside to Crawford retiring. I felt if he was playing well and we were in seller mode at the deadline we could have gotten a #1 pick for him to a contender who was strapped in goal. With their prospect pool the way it is, I think if they load up on draft picks again this year I'd like to see them use multiple picks and a prospect or 2 to make a run at a star.

You seem very informed when it comes to the Devils prospects as well.

Crawford's decision to retire was a huge disappointment especially the timing of it. The Devils backup goalie performance was atrocious last season. Crawford was very good last season and I expected him to continue to play at that level in his new role. Aa you mentioned he likely would have been very attractive to several teams at the deadline. At least the Devils lucked out and landed Aaron Dell who isn't close to Crawford's level but he is still a capable backup and a big upgrade over Schneider, Wedgewood, or Domingue.

I'm looking forward to watching the Bratt, Hischier, and Zacha line tonight. Johnsson has improved noticeably since the Devils returned to action. Johnsson has nice chemistry with Hughes.
....  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 7:28 pm : link
The Bratt, Hischier, Zacha line is flying out there.
What a shot by Zacha!  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 9:43 pm : link
Ok I’m a believer, Zacha is finally breaking out. This is one incredible young center group Hischier, Hughes, Zacha, and McLeod with Mercer, Thompson, Boqvist, and Talvitie on the way.
Well they persevered and got the big W in OT  
Stu11 : 2/25/2021 9:47 pm : link
Great shot by Zacha. Nice to see Bratt and Nico get their 1st. You called it Jay. That line was flying all night. The PK was its usual atrocity. How many wide open tap in are we going to give up?
RE: Well they persevered and got the big W in OT  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 9:56 pm : link
In comment 15161977 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Great shot by Zacha. Nice to see Bratt and Nico get their 1st. You called it Jay. That line was flying all night. The PK was its usual atrocity. How many wide open tap in are we going to give up?

The exciting play by Zacha briefly overshadowed by continued PK struggles. I just don’t know how they are this bad on the penalty kill. I really don’t have any answers.

For now I just want to focus on the positives. IMO there is nothing better in hockey than a successful young team built with home grown talent. With that said I hope that the Devils continue to make minor FA moves and use their cap space to extend their own players. Hischier is already locked up but Pavel Zacha, Jack Hughes, Ty Smith, and Jesper Bratt should all receive long term deals in the next couple of years. The Devils should consider extending Zacha for 5-7 more years if he keeps this up. The longer they wait the more Zacha will command.
Wow Zacha has an 8 game point streak  
Stu11 : 2/25/2021 10:10 pm : link
Didn't realize that (3g 7a). Yeah I agree it's so exciting when you have all this home grown talent, with so much more on the way. It's how you build not just a winner, but a team like the Caps that stays up there for a decade or more. I also have to admit wasn't overly excited when they hired Ruff, but I've really been impressed with him so far. I like his demeanor, and patience with the kids. Though until tonight the pucks weren't going in for the past 3 but I live the creativity and gameplan on offense.
RE: Wow Zacha has an 8 game point streak  
Jay on the Island : 2/25/2021 10:45 pm : link
In comment 15161999 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Didn't realize that (3g 7a). Yeah I agree it's so exciting when you have all this home grown talent, with so much more on the way. It's how you build not just a winner, but a team like the Caps that stays up there for a decade or more. I also have to admit wasn't overly excited when they hired Ruff, but I've really been impressed with him so far. I like his demeanor, and patience with the kids. Though until tonight the pucks weren't going in for the past 3 but I live the creativity and gameplan on offense.

I wasn’t thrilled with the Ruff hire, I really wanted Gallant, but he’s done a solid job thus far especially with how he kept the team focused with such a large number of players moving in and out of the lineup due to COVID. The players are a natural fit for his system.
Crazy to think Zacha is only 23  
Stu11 : 2/26/2021 12:46 pm : link
We expect so much so fast. Sometimes it just takes a bit longer with players. In the meantime he has developed a nice 2 way game including being one of the best PK fwds on the team. If this scoring touch becomes more permanent we have a hockey player.
It’s a little different because Elias was better earlier  
Jay on the Island : 2/26/2021 7:11 pm : link
But Zacha is starting to remind me of Elias a bit. Elias’ first three seasons were solid but he was more of a 2nd or 3rd line caliber player until his fourth season where he exploded with the same amount of goals as the previous two seasons combined.

Now I am not suggesting that Zacha will become the offensive player that Elias was but their career trajectory is somewhat similar. The Devils would have been better off having Zacha play another year in the OHL instead of playing in the NHL which may be a reason why Ty Smith didn’t make the Devils last year.

Zacha’s disappointing performance offensively overshadowed his excellent play as a penalty killer and defensively. If he can continue to play this well offensively then Zacha will become a complete player useful in every situation. It seems like Zacha has been in the league for a long time mainly because seasons seem longer when your team is losing with limited bright spots.

Who knows maybe one day we won’t care that the Devils took Zacha over Barzal.

This is the most talented center group that the Devils have ever had and the best part is their age. Zacha is the oldest at just 23.
Murray out injured today, Butcher back in  
Stu11 : 2/27/2021 12:47 pm : link
Nice touch in warm-ups- the whole team are wearing Zajac Jersies. Big weekend. Washington is good, but they're not invincible, especially in net.
Oh well in a 2-0 hole early  
Stu11 : 2/27/2021 1:31 pm : link
Caps getting some lucky bounces but those are the breaks. We gotta up our game the rest of the way.
I would have yanked Blackwood at 3-0  
Stu11 : 2/27/2021 2:14 pm : link
Seeing as its probably a lost cause and you could come back with him tomorrow.
They're still fighting  
Jay on the Island : 2/27/2021 3:02 pm : link
Now down 3-2 after Zacha extends his point streak to 9 games with his 6th goal of the season.
Buzzing like crazy the first 6 minutes of the 3rd  
Stu11 : 2/27/2021 3:14 pm : link
Just can't put that tieing one in.
Not a great performance today for the Devils  
Jay on the Island : 2/27/2021 4:38 pm : link
This is what we should expect this season. Some games they will look like a playoff team while others a lottery team.
RE: Not a great performance today for the Devils  
Stu11 : 2/28/2021 9:42 am : link
In comment 15163067 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
This is what we should expect this season. Some games they will look like a playoff team while others a lottery team.

Yep totally agree. We knew playing only division games vs the likes of Washington, Boston, Philly etc...every night that we'd have some rough ones. We played well after the 1st period but dug ourselves too deep of a hole.
Binghamton is struggling  
Jay on the Island : 2/28/2021 2:06 pm : link
They've lost 6 straight games. I don't understand why they still keep Evan Cormier. He's just not a very good goaltender and he has no future in the NHL. I wish that they would just move on from him. It's too bad that they lost Comrie on waivers as he would have been a nice option to split time with Senn.
I saw this on a Devils forum  
Jay on the Island : 3/1/2021 2:39 pm : link
The number of games it took both players to reach their current point total compared to last season.

Pavel Zacha – 14 points after 32 games.
Jack Hughes – 12 points after 26 games.

Zacha reached it in 15 fewer games and Hughes in 11.
I'm very bored at work  
Jay on the Island : 3/1/2021 4:37 pm : link
So I decided to waste time by reviewing the Devils cap situation for next offseason. Obviously we have no idea what the salary cap limit will be and I will refrain from making any predictions. For the sake of this post let's just assume it remains the same as this year.

According to Capfriendly the Devils will have approximately $38.5 million in cap room. The following are UFA's:
Kyle Palmieri
Nikita Gusev
Travis Zajac
Ryan Murray
Sami Vatanen
Dmitry Kulikov
Aaron Dell
Connor Carrick
Matt Tennyson

Here is the list of restricted FA's:
Michael McLeod
Yegor Sharangovich
Nathan Bastian
Janne Kuokkanen
Nick Merkley

Now obviously some of that cap room will go towards re-signing some of the players but the Devils should still be among the top teams in terms of available cap space. Also I hope the Devils are able to trade a few players out of Gusev, Miles Wood, Zajac, Vatanen, Kulikov, Murray at the deadline.

I would prefer to see the Devils try to extend Palmieri before the deadline and if they are too far apart then I would consider trading him as well because they would get at least a 1st round pick for him. If Palmieri is moved hopefully it's to a team that probably can't afford to re-sign him in the offseason.

The players I would look to re-sign are
Kyle Palmieri 3 years $18 million
Dmitry Kulikov 2 years $4 million
Sami Vatanen 1 year $2 million
RFA Michael McLeod 3 years $4.5 million

Michael McLeod has improved significantly from a year ago even if it's not really showing up on the stat sheet. We could see him take a big leap forward offensively next season. Don't expect a Zacha type of improvement but McLeod could eventually be a 40+ point player who provides more defensively.

Subban's deal expires after the 2021-22 season which is when Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Pavel Zacha become restricted free agents. This is why it's great to have all that cap room. The Devils will have plenty of room to extend all three.

Bratt and Zacha will be coming off their bridge deals while Jack Hughes will likely sign a long term deal similar to Hischier. I hope that they give Hughes a max 8 year deal. If Zacha keeps playing this well then I would like to see him sign for 5-7 years as well. Bratt should receive a 4-5 year deal when his current one expires.

I think that's a pretty good rundown Jay  
Stu11 : 3/1/2021 5:41 pm : link
I agree I think they should stay more on the path of signing and extending their own guys rather than looking outside the organization. Sure they should always be on the lookout for another Johnsson type deal for teams looking to shed a salary. More and More big UFA deals are depreciating value. I think the future is solid. Sure if a deal for a top player presents itself we can look at dealing some assets but I'm fine for staying the course. We've caught no breaks with Washington. It seems like Ovy and Backstrom will be top scorers forever. Pittsburgh may finally be on the downside with Malkin looking like hes in decline and the hole they have in net.
The Devils are an ascending team  
Jay on the Island : 3/1/2021 10:14 pm : link
Of course they can't compete now with teams like Washington but in a couple of years that could change as Ovy and Backstrom age.

The Devils have a nice core on the roster already but they are still very green. If Holtz develops into the player that many expect then he will be a dangerous goal scorer and a perfect compliment to Hischier, Hughes, and Zacha. IMO Mercer has a very high floor and is likely to become a very valuable piece that can contribute in all areas. Hopefully Nolan Foote continues to improve his skating because he could be an asset next to Hughes or Hischier.

The Devils finally have some great shooters in the system but I would like to see them add another in the draft and of course another defenseman. Obviously the Devils won't be in position to land Owen Power unless the Devils are hit hard with injuries. Several defensemen are projected to go in the top 10. Luke Hughes or Graeme Clarke's brother Brandt would be great but they too will likely be off the board unless the Devils land a top 5 pick. There are still some great options in the 5-12 range too.

RW Dylan Guenther would look great on the first or second line if the Devils decide to go forward again. Guenther is an elite scorer and is very fast which makes him a natural fit for the Devils system.

LW William Eklund is Alexander Holtz's teammate and they have also been line mates most of the season. He would make a lot of sense for the Devils as well. He's close to being ready for the NHL and he could come over the following year along with Holtz. The Devils have drafted teammates quite often lately (Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian), (Mitchell Hoelser, Nikita Okhotiuk, Graeme Clarke), (Jack Hughes, Case McCarthy, and Patrick Moynihan).

You're right  
Jay on the Island : 3/1/2021 10:28 pm : link
the Devils should continue to take advantage of teams desperate for cap space. If the cap does go down like many expect the Devils could benefit greatly. A few teams will be desperate to create cap room and the Devils could land a solid asset or two.

Seattle will clean up in the expansion draft. They will likely land numerous high draft picks to select some bad contracts.
I think Foote is important for the future because of his size  
Stu11 : 3/1/2021 11:05 pm : link
The team is on the smaller side up front and we spend a lot of time sliding on the ice. From what I saw at the WJC Mercer can help in this area too eventhough he's only 6' he brings a presence.
RE: I think Foote is important for the future because of his size  
Jay on the Island : 3/1/2021 11:45 pm : link
In comment 15164522 Stu11 said:
Quote:
The team is on the smaller side up front and we spend a lot of time sliding on the ice. From what I saw at the WJC Mercer can help in this area too eventhough he's only 6' he brings a presence.

Great point, I was very happy that they landed Foote in the Coleman trade because he is huge and physical. At the time of the trade I thought that he would be great protection for Hughes while being the finisher that the team desperately needed.

I hope that Foote is ready for the NHL next year. Graeme Clarke reportedly is far away and needs another year in juniors. He hasn’t played much for Binghamton which is disappointing. This doesn’t mean that he’s a bust he’s just further away than I anticipated.
Dawson Mercer continues to impress  
Jay on the Island : 3/2/2021 4:43 pm : link
This past weekend in 2 GP Mercer had 2 goals and 2 assists. He now has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games.

Here is a video of one of his goals.
Link - ( New Window )
RE: Dawson Mercer continues to impress  
Stu11 : 3/2/2021 7:51 pm : link
In comment 15165165 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
This past weekend in 2 GP Mercer had 2 goals and 2 assists. He now has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games.

Here is a video of one of his goals. Link - ( New Window )

That's great. Looking real forward to seeing him in Jersey soon.
Sorry  
Jay on the Island : 3/2/2021 8:06 pm : link
Here’s the correct link
Link - ( New Window )
Man we've hit the skids. This is brutal  
Stu11 : 3/2/2021 10:30 pm : link
Oh well it's a process. Believe in the kids.
RE: Man we've hit the skids. This is brutal  
Jay on the Island : 3/2/2021 10:42 pm : link
In comment 15165458 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Oh well it's a process. Believe in the kids.

Yea but they played well for much of the game. The Devils were exposed for who they are when they match up against two very good teams in Washington and the Isles.

This is what we were expecting going into the season but the positives far outweigh the negatives. If the Devils continue to slide then it at least allows them the opportunity to play the young kids more and work through the struggles. They could also begin to sell some assets that aren’t part of the long term. In the long run landing another high 1st round pick will set them up nicely for the future.

Once the NCAA season ends the Devils should sign Tyce Thompson and Aarne Talvitie to ELC’s.
The Devils need to get Gusev going  
Jay on the Island : 3/4/2021 11:38 am : link
I think that they should make him a healthy scratch tonight as a wake up call. He started slowly last season before finishing strong and they need that to happen again. I’d like to see Maltsev replace him temporarily.
Gusev has been awful  
Stu11 : 3/4/2021 6:47 pm : link
I agree bench him for a bit, hopefully get him going and deal him at the deadline.
RE: Gusev has been awful  
Jay on the Island : 3/4/2021 7:15 pm : link
In comment 15167051 Stu11 said:
Quote:
I agree bench him for a bit, hopefully get him going and deal him at the deadline.

And he was scratched tonight. Let's hope this is the kick in the ass that he needed.
Graeme Clarke  
Stu11 : 3/5/2021 4:44 pm : link
According to Twitter eventhough the Devils haven't announced it, he's signed his entry level contract.
This has gotten embarrassing at this point  
Stu11 : 3/6/2021 1:29 pm : link
Its not progress
Ruff better tighten this shit up  
Stu11 : 3/6/2021 1:44 pm : link
The Rangers could easily have had 5 or 6 that period.
RE: This has gotten embarrassing at this point  
Jay on the Island : 3/7/2021 10:42 am : link
In comment 15168359 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Its not progress

I agree; how did they go from what they were to this? Sure it sucks that Hischier is out again but the defense has been awful and Blackwood has struggled too. I am growing concerned about Ruff. Some of his lineup decisions have been puzzling.
I think it’s time to blow this up  
Jay on the Island : 3/8/2021 11:21 am : link
Trade: Palmieri, Gusev, Vatanen, Kulikov, Zajac, Wood, and Butcher. I would be fine if they ate half of Subban’s remaining cap hit to move him as well. My main concern about continued losing is the impact it has on Hughes’ desire to remain here long term. I’ll be honest one reason I want to draft Luke Hughes in the draft is to add an incentive for Hughes to sign a long term deal here. Luke is a great talent who is worth a top 3 pick anyway but his connection to Jack is an added bonus.

The Devils need to make some staff changes this offseason at the very least and they need to add another top 4 defenseman to the mix.
I agree on trading some guys  
Stu11 : 3/8/2021 1:21 pm : link
Just don't know if a total blow up is in the cards. Not getting carried away about last night, but I do like the way a young team reacted with a much more disciplined effort after Ruff really blew up on them Saturday post game. Makes me believe he's reaching them. I agree on staff changes. We're 20 games in and the specials are actually even getting worse. The power play is a skating joke. Why in the hell are we killing 20 seconds at a time passing it backwards 3 times coming out of our zone with token pressure being given usually by 1 opponent?
Also as I keep saying Foote, Bahl and Mercer are so needed to click as prospects. This team gets pushed all over the ice. We need some size to go along with the skill. I'd keep Subban around. His contract only has a year and a half left, we will get nothing on the market and he hasn't been bad this year and he displays leadership back there. Vatanen on the other hand... oyyy that ship sunk in a hurry. The lost season for Nico has been awful. We really were starting to click a bit with him in the lineup.
What's going on with  
JayBinQueens : 3/8/2021 1:23 pm : link
Nico - has it been the same injury or just different thing compiling?
RE: What's going on with  
Stu11 : 3/8/2021 1:31 pm : link
In comment 15169710 JayBinQueens said:
Quote:
Nico - has it been the same injury or just different thing compiling?

Different one. He got hit in the face shield with a Subban slapper. Broke a cheek bone. He's week to week.
RE: RE: What's going on with  
JayBinQueens : 3/8/2021 1:32 pm : link
In comment 15169732 Stu11 said:
Quote:
In comment 15169710 JayBinQueens said:


Quote:


Nico - has it been the same injury or just different thing compiling?


Different one. He got hit in the face shield with a Subban slapper. Broke a cheek bone. He's week to week.


Oof. That's rough. hope he gets back after the games vs the Isles. Always like him but would rather not have to play against him
RE: I agree on trading some guys  
Jay on the Island : 3/8/2021 7:17 pm : link
In comment 15169708 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Just don't know if a total blow up is in the cards. Not getting carried away about last night, but I do like the way a young team reacted with a much more disciplined effort after Ruff really blew up on them Saturday post game. Makes me believe he's reaching them. I agree on staff changes. We're 20 games in and the specials are actually even getting worse. The power play is a skating joke. Why in the hell are we killing 20 seconds at a time passing it backwards 3 times coming out of our zone with token pressure being given usually by 1 opponent?
Also as I keep saying Foote, Bahl and Mercer are so needed to click as prospects. This team gets pushed all over the ice. We need some size to go along with the skill. I'd keep Subban around. His contract only has a year and a half left, we will get nothing on the market and he hasn't been bad this year and he displays leadership back there. Vatanen on the other hand... oyyy that ship sunk in a hurry. The lost season for Nico has been awful. We really were starting to click a bit with him in the lineup.

They really do need to hit on their draft picks. Thank god Ty Smith looks good and Zacha is having a break out year. It was frustrating that they passed on Barzal for Zacha years ago at least it stings a little less. After a hot start McLeod has regressed again and could be another miss. Bastian has shown very little as well.

The Devils really need at least two out of Foote, Holtz, and Mercer to become top 6 forwards. Hopefully we will see Bahl or Okhotiuk in NJ before the end of the season. The Devils could certainly use more physical play on the blue line.
Just letting Devil fans know about  
SJGiant : 3/8/2021 9:53 pm : link
rumored changes to the draft. If implemented, the Devils will not be eligible to win the draft lottery this year.

"Teams would now be limited to no more than two lottery wins in a five-year period, would only be allowed to jump ten spots with a win, and only two picks (instead of three) will be determined with a lottery win. "

"The New Jersey Devils, however, who are near the bottom of the standings once again, would not be eligible to win a lottery pick if their previous wins were taken into account. The Devils won the first overall pick in both 2017 (Nico Hischier) and 2019 (Jack Hughes), so they may be ineligible this time around."

PROPOSED Draft Lottery Changes - ( New Window )
RE: Just letting Devil fans know about  
Jay on the Island : 3/8/2021 10:21 pm : link
In comment 15170209 SJGiant said:
Quote:
rumored changes to the draft. If implemented, the Devils will not be eligible to win the draft lottery this year.

"Teams would now be limited to no more than two lottery wins in a five-year period, would only be allowed to jump ten spots with a win, and only two picks (instead of three) will be determined with a lottery win. "

"The New Jersey Devils, however, who are near the bottom of the standings once again, would not be eligible to win a lottery pick if their previous wins were taken into account. The Devils won the first overall pick in both 2017 (Nico Hischier) and 2019 (Jack Hughes), so they may be ineligible this time around." PROPOSED Draft Lottery Changes - ( New Window )

Thanks for sharing but this wouldn't take place until 2022 the earliest.
RE: Just letting Devil fans know about  
Stu11 : 3/8/2021 10:41 pm : link
In comment 15170209 SJGiant said:
Quote:
rumored changes to the draft. If implemented, the Devils will not be eligible to win the draft lottery this year.

"Teams would now be limited to no more than two lottery wins in a five-year period, would only be allowed to jump ten spots with a win, and only two picks (instead of three) will be determined with a lottery win. "

"The New Jersey Devils, however, who are near the bottom of the standings once again, would not be eligible to win a lottery pick if their previous wins were taken into account. The Devils won the first overall pick in both 2017 (Nico Hischier) and 2019 (Jack Hughes), so they may be ineligible this time around." PROPOSED Draft Lottery Changes - ( New Window )

haha try reading the 1st paragraph of the story you linked. Like Jay said the changes wouldn't start till 2022. Also a link from the 1st paragraph from that story explains that previous lottery wins don't count. Honestly I don't even care about winning it this year as their is no clear cut #1. A top 5 pick would be great.
Dawson Mercer continues his strong play  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 11:20 am : link
In the last week, 4 GP Mercer had 3 goals and 5 assists. He now has 13 goals and 13 assists in 17 games this season. I loved the Mercer pick but I realized that I underrated his offensive skill set. Mercer is becoming my favorite prospect in the system.
RE: Dawson Mercer continues his strong play  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 11:44 am : link
In comment 15170576 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
In the last week, 4 GP Mercer had 3 goals and 5 assists. He now has 13 goals and 13 assists in 17 games this season. I loved the Mercer pick but I realized that I underrated his offensive skill set. Mercer is becoming my favorite prospect in the system.

Of all our 1st rounders last year he was the one the experts were gushing over immediately. High ceiling g guys are great, but at that point in the draft that was a really strong pick. I think he has to be in NJ next year. Scoring wise he's hitting his ceiling in juniors.
RE: RE: Dawson Mercer continues his strong play  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 1:39 pm : link
In comment 15170641 Stu11 said:
Quote:
In comment 15170576 Jay on the Island said:


Quote:


In the last week, 4 GP Mercer had 3 goals and 5 assists. He now has 13 goals and 13 assists in 17 games this season. I loved the Mercer pick but I realized that I underrated his offensive skill set. Mercer is becoming my favorite prospect in the system.


Of all our 1st rounders last year he was the one the experts were gushing over immediately. High ceiling g guys are great, but at that point in the draft that was a really strong pick. I think he has to be in NJ next year. Scoring wise he's hitting his ceiling in juniors.

I was high on Mercer in the draft but I not expect him to fall to 15. Landing him after Holtz was very exciting. Unfortunately, Holtz has not had the season that most expected him to but he is under contract for another year anyway so he wasn’t going to come over to the NHL next season. Holtz is still an exciting prospect but Mercer is much closer to the NHL.

While I think Mercer could benefit from another year in juniors he is ready for the NHL next year if the Devils decide to bring him over. They need to sign Tyce Thompson this offseason. He has nothing left to prove in college.
These games vs the Caps are like a scrimmage for Washington  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 8:21 pm : link
It's a joke. After endless years of rebuilding it's just demoralizing. Complete shit show.
RE: These games vs the Caps are like a scrimmage for Washington  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 9:04 pm : link
In comment 15171409 Stu11 said:
Quote:
It's a joke. After endless years of rebuilding it's just demoralizing. Complete shit show.

I can’t argue with you. This is embarrassing. Time to clean house!
Wow  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 9:25 pm : link
Was not expecting that.
Holy shit lol  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 9:25 pm : link
Where did this come from?
RE: Holy shit lol  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 9:27 pm : link
In comment 15171451 Stu11 said:
Quote:
Where did this come from?

I have no idea but they deserve credit for fighting back. All three 3rd period goals were even strength too.
Funny Dano couldn't get the words out of his mouth  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 9:32 pm : link
That he wanted them to use their speed advantage and Sharengovich took off flying down the wing to score
Shame we won the faceoff in OT and decided to play the ice capades  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 9:45 pm : link
For 2 minutes instead of I don't know taking a shot?
Vrana  
Jay on the Island : 3/9/2021 9:47 pm : link
Loves playing against the Devils.
RE: Vrana  
Stu11 : 3/9/2021 9:56 pm : link
In comment 15171469 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
Loves playing against the Devils.

Yeah unfortunately Smith got caught out there too long and was dead on his feet. Oh well the compete factor in the 3rd period is what I wanna see every night. We're going to lose a lot in this division but the effort put out there in the 2 Rangers games is completely unacceptable.
RE: RE: Vrana  
Jay on the Island : 3/10/2021 9:26 am : link
In comment 15171475 Stu11 said:
Quote:
In comment 15171469 Jay on the Island said:


Quote:


Loves playing against the Devils.


Yeah unfortunately Smith got caught out there too long and was dead on his feet. Oh well the compete factor in the 3rd period is what I wanna see every night. We're going to lose a lot in this division but the effort put out there in the 2 Rangers games is completely unacceptable.

I don't care if they finish last in the division as long as they are showing effort and the young players are progressing. Their performance against the Rangers was demoralizing.
RE: RE: RE: Vrana  
Stu11 : 3/10/2021 10:40 am : link
In comment 15171655 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
In comment 15171475 Stu11 said:


Quote:


In comment 15171469 Jay on the Island said:


Quote:


Loves playing against the Devils.


Yeah unfortunately Smith got caught out there too long and was dead on his feet. Oh well the compete factor in the 3rd period is what I wanna see every night. We're going to lose a lot in this division but the effort put out there in the 2 Rangers games is completely unacceptable.


I don't care if they finish last in the division as long as they are showing effort and the young players are progressing. Their performance against the Rangers was demoralizing.

What is bizarre is how bad they are at home. They have been superb on the road, even against the elite teams. Home they can't even beat the Sabres.
Graeme Clarke scored his 2nd goal  
Jay on the Island : 3/10/2021 10:48 pm : link
He’s only played 6 games in Bing. Unfortunately the game was postponed after the first period due to a positive covid test. It’s good to see Clarke heating up. He has the second best shot among the prospects behind only Holtz.
The 2019 draft for the Devils  
Jay on the Island : 3/11/2021 11:31 am : link
The Devils used 11 picks in the draft that year. Obviously everyone loved the Hughes selection but of the remaining 10 picks my favorites were Graeme Clarke (3rd), Daniil Misyul (3rd), Arseni Gritsyuk (5th) and Patrick Moynihan (6th).

I wasn't a fan of Okhotiuk in round 2, Vukojevic in round 3, Cole Brady in round 4 (I really wanted Dustin Wolf), or Tyce Thompson in round 4. Obviously I was very wrong about Thompson who has been much better than I expected.

Graeme Clarke's offensive skill set is impressive. The one issue with him becoming a top 6 forward in the NHL is his skating. He's reportedly already improved a bit there so that is an encouraging sign. Clarke is a very skilled stick handler and he has a great, accurate shot. He earned very little playing time in Bing the first four games but the last 2 and 1/3 he has earned more time and recorded two goals. His goal last night was a nice one where he used Nolan Foote as a screen and displayed impressive quick, accurate shot.
I'm worried about Blackwood  
Jay on the Island : 3/12/2021 1:04 pm : link
He has been pretty bad since he returned from COVID.

I think the Devils should give him at least a couple of weeks off. The season is over anyway might as well give Dell more time to see if he should return next year. I'd like to see Gilles Senn receive a few starts towards the end of the season.
Here is a list of upcoming College FA's  
Jay on the Island : 3/15/2021 10:17 am : link
I'd like to see the Devils come away with a couple of players here. Defenseman Matt Kiersted would be a nice pickup and Strauss Mann or Adam Scheel could compete for playing time in Binghamton.
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