Delusional. Injuries and goaltending killed the Devils. The Rangers are still bottom half of the league 5v5 just like last year. Time will tell if Igor and the PP can carry them.
OT: NJ Devils 2023-2024 Thread
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Devils have fine goaltending since the break and they're still bottom 5 in points since then.
It's 95% coaching.
Bingo. Way to soft. This isn't the Ice Capades. Small players that keep getting injured are worthless in the NHL.
Id agree but the Devils had their best season in history with Small, soft players last year...
Could argue their forwards were even smaller....
I'm skeptical about the Rangers in the playoffs, but they definitely turned the corner from a few years ago. They used to be the textbook soft talented team. Then Tom Wilson kicked our asses, everyone got fired, and the roster was revamped.
This is exactly what the Devils need to do.
Regular season is very different than the playoffs. The Ice Capades can win until games really matter.
The GM seems to be the biggest problem. Yes, coaching as well. but the roster is the first problem.
I just disagree. More talent on this roster than last years, that was the best team in Devils history. Team shouldnt be this bad...
I disagree. Sure it’s more fun for a Rangers fan to claim the Devils talent is a problem. But they have plenty of pieces. What they need is an overhaul in coaching philosophy and then some roster tweaks (not to mention at least average goaltending).
Again, disagree. There's 100 things that effect what your record is. Coaching this season has had the largest effect, imo.
Obviously, injuries, size and youth also have had a big impact..But again, just my opinion its coaching that is the MAIN issue.
I dont think talent is the problem. During Lamoriello's hey day and the Devils continued presence in the playoffs, the roster was built with a blend of talent and character. When he needed to add players, it was about the RIGHT players.
Remember, when those Devils' teams were making playoff runs, the Rangers were loading up on guys like Valery Kamensky, talented, but soft. He wasn't the only one.
Need a mix of defensive minded d-men to go with Hamilton and Hughes. Injuries are a part of it, but every team has to deal with them, some years are better than others, but one thing for certain, injuries are never predictable.
Good offensive talent can succeed despite the coaching.
A team’s defense is dependent on its coaching and the system they play. That is the biggest difference with the Rangers this year. Gustafson was an upgrade as the 3rd pair LHD but beyond that it just made all of the difference to get away from Gallant’s passive defensive system,
The Devils were soft last season and won a series against the Rangers.
Last night the Devils big goon won a fight against the Rangers big goon.
From what I can see the Devils can be called soft but overall they are just not a well balanced nor well-coached team.
-vic
Devils had average goaltending last year and had the most points in team history . They had the worst goaltending in the league for the majority of the season this year and it showed . Missing dougie for 60 games didn’t help . Losing McLeod hurt . Bottom 6 needs to be fixed, a big lefty Dman is needed and of course a goalie .
It isn't a single thing that needs fixing, but not enough being said about McLeod. He played a critical role for them and was having an exceptionally good season. His loss had big impact IMO.
24-18-3 with
12-18-1 without
YES, coaching was one part of the failure. However I do think this roster is too heavily skilled with not nearly enough beef and toughness.
Say Fitz had been smart and proactive, and he has enough cap space to get Kurtis and a tough defenseman like Zadorov at the start of the season, how many fewer cheapshots and corresponding injuries do we suffer? I think it is more than enough to make the playoffs this year. We have the talent, and Dawson showed a lot last night. We need the insurance to make sure our talent isn't taking stuff, some of it illegal, that depresses their numbers.
Without it, this group is not much better than Joesfson and Tenaby from our darker days. Lastly why did it take to last night for someone ( Mercer), to stick up for a teammate? The answer Fitzgerald finds will dictate how much to cut IMO. Way too many times this group had NO response!
I like Berube but I don't think he gets it. Bruce Boudreaux wants the Devils, and though 70 years old would bring Scott Stevens. This is what I see happening at this time.
The difference between last year and this year happened in the Round 2 destruction in the playoffs against Carolina. The Hurricanes cemented the book on how to play the Devils. As such the run and gun game was largely shutdown! Play NJD tough "in a phone booth" and they will often wilt.
The difference between last year and this year happened in the Round 2 destruction in the playoffs against Carolina. The Hurricanes cemented the book on how to play the Devils. As such the run and gun game was largely shutdown! Play NJD tough "in a phone booth" and they will often wilt.
The canes caved in the devs. The books been out since. Had Gallant had even half a brain the rangers would've swept NJD last year. I still cannot fathom that he didn't run a system and didn't have them practice during his two years at the helm
Bingo! Exactly styles make fights. This also showed up in how quickly Gallant was gone after the collapse. Hey I hate to say what I said, but it's true. I had to add it on after reading the thread. LOL Chris Tierney and John Marino as part of the unit and some still don't see what a detriment Fitz has us in.
BTW I still hate how the game was called. In my opinion the refs shouldn't have thrown 8 players out. Total garbage because they want to make the league as "nice" as possible. Just say NO to figure skating! Let them play!
Do you understand why they were thrown out? It’s an NHL rule that players who fight after the original fight has begun are given a game misconduct,
Are you saying the refs shouldn’t have followed the nhl rule book?
6 guys squared up immediately off the puck drop. Maybe a second or 2 delay . There should be some discretion . The last 4 guys to square up should have been thrown out bc it was way after the fact .
Give me a break, goodrow, vesey and rempe were all simultaneous. Yes, by the rule book trouba/miller and tierney/marino were secondary. But tell me a time youve ever seem 3 pairs simultaneously pair off and that rule be enforced. Last 3X it happened with rangers (devs 2012 and caps 2021) did not occurred. Heck, last year schneider/goodrow fought greer/frederic at the same time, not called
I know the rule, but I believe much like 2012, it is a continuation. Just because 2 guys wasted no time to start throwing down, does NOT IMO supersede the fact that the other fights were in motion. That rule to me is when there is a lull of say a few minutes before others pair off.
Also BTW by doing that, because heaven forbid we see some great old time hockey, the officials hurt the product on ice. People don't spend money to see ref's put their finger on the scale. Both teams were gassed after 2, and guys were standing around in the 3rd. It would have been BETTER to let the guys play and maybe we get another great scrap.
One night isn't going to bring back hockey before 1990!
The refs decided the vesey fight was first. Replays do seem to confirm this…though by very little. Agree. It’s certainly a judgement call.
Poor judgement will now lead to future fireworks. Get ready to go back to the future and have next year's Rangers vs. Devils series look like it did say 30 to 35 years ago. The wussies with the league just ensured there will be more. If they let them play, maybe we see 1 more heavyweight battle, then it calms down. Now that is most likely out the window.
I, and most Rangers fans, were in favor of a referee judgement call that took Trouba and Goodrow off of the ice.
It's legitimately concerning how different the defense looks when Trouba is in the lineup
I am actually someone who is not normally as critical of Trouba as most Rangers fans, but the combination of seeing how being paired with Schneider freed up Miller into being a different player, as well as how poorly Trouba has played upon his return, is frustrating.
It is obvious he needs to be moved to the third pair with Gustafson/Jones and removed from the power play second unit (even if they keep him on the PK), but you know that won’t happen.
It struck me that I am starting to clog up the Devils board with Trouba posts, but then I remember reading so many Devils fans saying they need to get tougher.
How about it, guys? A Trouba trade to the Devils sounds like a win-win
/s
How about it, guys? A Trouba trade to the Devils sounds like a win-win
/s
I am of the same mindset, except I also thought Schneider played with a lot more poise and confidence with the elevated responsibility. And of course Jones was very good as well but that's not going to matter unless someone gets hurt.
The same way NYR have Tom Wilson to thank if they win a Cup soon, I think in hindsight Matt Rempe will be a blessing in disguise!
For the first time in forever, the Devils played together and for one another. I have a quicker trigger finger than most, but if Fitz doesn't see what has to be done forget about it. He should start by resigning Kurtis Mac. Then use family connections to see what we could do to get Brady T. for the long haul. I trade Marino and Jonas S. and sign Zadorov and Gudus. We need 2 monster defensemen.
With this attitude adjustment, smart trading, and signings this disappointing season could, and should, lead to greatness.
Let's Go Devils!
For the first time in forever, the Devils played together and for one another. I have a quicker trigger finger than most, but if Fitz doesn't see what has to be done forget about it. He should start by resigning Kurtis Mac. Then use family connections to see what we could do to get Brady T. for the long haul. I trade Marino and Jonas S. and sign Zadorov and Gudus. We need 2 monster defensemen.
With this attitude adjustment, smart trading, and signings this disappointing season could, and should, lead to greatness.
Let's Go Devils!
I’m not sure how you are getting to Tom Wilson having helped the Rangers. A big part of the reaction was trading Buchnevich and using that money to get Goodrow and Ryan Reaves.
As a result, the Rangers have made deadline deals for three straight years trading away two firsts and a second trying to fill the hole trading Buchnevich left.
The Rangers’ overreaction to Tom Wilson set them back, it didn’t help them.
As a result, the Rangers have made deadline deals for three straight years trading away two firsts and a second trying to fill the hole trading Buchnevich left.
The Rangers’ overreaction to Tom Wilson set them back, it didn’t help them.
I just meant it got them bigger, and lit a fire in Dolan. From the outside looking in, I think it helped.
If similarly Blitzer@ company get motivated and instead of going for speed @ skill alone, diversify to add grit and toughness, Rempe might be a blessing.
The thing was, the previous management understood they needed to get more physical and had adjusted their draft strategy keeping that in mind (they had recently drafted both Schneider and Cuylle).
The Wilson incident got the moron owner involved and led to stupid moves trying to get tough quickly like signing Reaves (and firing the management that was already trying to do the right thing).
It is hard to argue against the idea that the Rangers would have been better the last few years with Buchnevich and the players they would have gotten with those draft picks.
I'm going to their last home game vs the Islanders next Monday.
It should be between the Islanders and the Penguins for the automatic third place spot.
Do they still shout "Rangers suck" at the Rock?
Both fan bases are in total agreement on that one.
When I went to a game at UBS in 2022,both fan bases were chanting that,lessening the pain of the Devils' upset win that night.
It should be between the Islanders and the Penguins for the automatic third place spot.
Do they still shout "Rangers suck" at the Rock?
Both fan bases are in total agreement on that one.
When I went to a game at UBS in 2022,both fan bases were chanting that,lessening the pain of the Devils' upset win that night.
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