Good back to back wins. Finally a good mix of veterans and youth. Hockey starts to move to the forefront as the NFL is near the end. Good things hopefully going forward.
OT. NJ Devils. Are they turning the page?
- Thread starter WhiteBus
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Like the direction they are heading but still a lack of young top 6 forward talent with almost nothing in the pipeline other than Zacha who they just drafted. Still too many grinding role player types playing big minutes to make any type of meaningful playoff run. Love what Lou did for us but he left the cupboard bare.
They have the most underrated goaltender and are ranked 5th in team defense in the NHL. It has and continues to be about scoring for this team. If they can add some scoring at or before the deadline, this team has what it takes to make the playoffs. When healthy, they've proven they can beat anybody (NYR, MTL, DET 2x, DAL, CHI 2x, PIT, MIN). What I'm hoping doesn't come back to bite them are their early season losses to the bottom feeders (CBJ 2x, CAR, EDM, CGY, WPG, ANA, TOR). With more salary being shed at the end of this year (Elias, Ruutu, Tlusty, Clowe?), priority one is adding offense and that starts with locking up Palmieri.
Before any of that, I'm excited for the rest of this season. This team has exceeded expectations thus far and I look forward to seeing what they can do. I'll be at my 12th game of the season on Thursday to hopefully see them beat Ottawa.
Before any of that, I'm excited for the rest of this season. This team has exceeded expectations thus far and I look forward to seeing what they can do. I'll be at my 12th game of the season on Thursday to hopefully see them beat Ottawa.
Hockey to the forefront of what ? I think it's a good sport , but nobody really cares until the playoffs . Even then not many care.
In my opinion I think a lot of people get it wrong on Lou leaving the prospect cupboad bare. Take any two world class players(Kolvy and Parise) off any team, you will see major weaknesses and depth issues show up. They have drafted some decent players that would have filled In nicely if the star players stuck around. I think Lou's big issue was sticking to his guns and letting players play out their contacts. Times have changed and players jump for money and other reasons. players like Parise, Ralfaski, and Niedameyer were all rumored to be willing to sign deals before their walk years.
Was always a in Lou we trust fan. but change is good and a looking forward to the new management team going forward
Was always a in Lou we trust fan. but change is good and a looking forward to the new management team going forward
Good point about Lou and his negotiating style. While I think Nieds was a goner no matter what (he left a max offer on the table and took less to play with Rob) Rafalski could have been signed. Lou let him walk over $500k.
IIRC, he had softened his stance in later years, didn't he? I thought he was trying to extend Parise before the last season but I could be mistaken.
IIRC, he had softened his stance in later years, didn't he? I thought he was trying to extend Parise before the last season but I could be mistaken.
Just like our beloved RU FB program, what really excites me most about my beloved Devils is the leadership tandem of HC John Hynes and GM Ray Shero. I think they are gettng us back on track and have been very happy with Hynes coaching ability.
Ranger fan first, hockey fan second. Looks like a fun topic.
The youth on the Devils blue line is definitely an asset, very promising prospects there. Schneider will be an above average goalie (not Brodeur, but no one is).
I agree about the need to improve top 6 forward spots. I like Camallerie (sic?), but he is a short term fix IMO. I strongly disagree about Kovy though. Yes, his departure weakened your team in the short term, but the Devils had become too reliant on him scoring. Power plays consisted of him staying out (most times) for the full two minutes, and sure he's effective, but it had lingering effects on line combinations for several shifts after that. By far, Lou's worst contract; what the hell, every GM makes mistakes. (Think Rick DiPietro for FIFTEEN years.)
As for John Hynes, I think you got a pretty good one there. On paper, I didn't expect much out of the Devils this year. But, he has them playing together, with a system that suits what they have; definitely something to build on.
Don't bitch at me because I'm a Ranger fan, just stopped in cuz I love hockey.
The youth on the Devils blue line is definitely an asset, very promising prospects there. Schneider will be an above average goalie (not Brodeur, but no one is).
I agree about the need to improve top 6 forward spots. I like Camallerie (sic?), but he is a short term fix IMO. I strongly disagree about Kovy though. Yes, his departure weakened your team in the short term, but the Devils had become too reliant on him scoring. Power plays consisted of him staying out (most times) for the full two minutes, and sure he's effective, but it had lingering effects on line combinations for several shifts after that. By far, Lou's worst contract; what the hell, every GM makes mistakes. (Think Rick DiPietro for FIFTEEN years.)
As for John Hynes, I think you got a pretty good one there. On paper, I didn't expect much out of the Devils this year. But, he has them playing together, with a system that suits what they have; definitely something to build on.
Don't bitch at me because I'm a Ranger fan, just stopped in cuz I love hockey.
I have always been a big Lou fan. Smarter than all of us combined.
However I do see where it didn't do a good job. But saying he did a bad job with keeping free agents is not one of them. Past ownership was. The Vanderbeek group was a complete disaster, starting at the very top with Jeff. They bought the team with borrowed money and a shoestring budget.
I too like the new group running the team. Hopefully they make the playoffs. Get the fans excited again and some $ into the organization.
Until than they are home for a bit and Martin Brodeur night is coming up in early February
What you say about Lou is true, but just like players, sometimes the game passes them by.
In Lou's case, I think it was ownership and the new cap rules. Not his fault, but his strengths of recognizing talent was minimized by new cap structures (again, only my opinion.)
Look at Sather, the guy had a dynasty in Edmonton, swore that if he had the Rangers budget he would win the Cup every year. How'd that work out for him?
Lou always provided you with a steady hand, and was able to get guys to take home team discounts, which provided for a great deal of stability. The number of guys that the Devils had in the 90's and early 2000's that would have been richer through free agency is astounding; Stevens, Brodeur, Lemieux, Niedermeyer (eventually left). That's a hell of a lot of talent to bring back year after year.
I think Lou's biggest shortcomings were the cap and patience with coaching. Other than that he was brilliant. For a 20 year period he was the best executive in all of sports. He never had big resources $ but always seemed to get the right guy for the right moment.
Put him up there with Tex Schramm of the great Cowboy era.
And agree it was time for a change.
Still a few years away from being a serious playoff team.
They more than likely won't make the playoffs this season but they have overachieved thus far.
Top-3 goaltender IMO, young/promising defense led by Larsson, but not enough firepower at forward yet.
They more than likely won't make the playoffs this season but they have overachieved thus far.
Top-3 goaltender IMO, young/promising defense led by Larsson, but not enough firepower at forward yet.
The only reason I was apprehensive with this leadership/owners is that they ran the 76ers into the ground. Seems as if some of the moves they have made here on the cheap are paying dividends. Need to get lucky in a few more drafts. Hopefully Zacha is the real deal in the coming years.
You can't really fault him for hanging onto Parise and Niedermayer. They were two games away from winning the Stanley Cup before Parise left, so
in retrospect I really don't like the idea of getting rid of him before that playoff run, and they had the third most wins in the Eastern Conference the year Niedermayer left, so it wouldn't have made sense to trade him away either.
Rafalski left to go back home, same as Parise. Lou offered both of them deals similar to what they signed, but in the end it was about going back home, there's nothing Lou could do about that.
They're in a playoff spot right now and have been back and forth between a playoff spot and just missing out all season. I'd say it's about 50/50 on whether they make it or not.
I like what I am seeing under the new regime. I think any reasonable person would have looked at the pre-season roster and expected a bottom five team. It's just great to see so many guys thriving under Hynes. Guys like Palmeiri, Henrique, Stempniak, Larsson, Zajac, and Schneider are all having career years. Obviously some of that has to do with coming of age, but guys like Zajac and Stempniak have been around for a while and seem rejuvenated. Obviously, the development of this team hinges on the offense. The Devils need Zacha to reach his potential, find another top 6 guy somewhere, and hope a couple of these young guys work out. I've been impressed with Boucher and Blandisi, they've already brought more to the table than Josefson.
The biggest issue with Lou was that in recent years he kept trying to put band-aids on what had become a depleted team to get them into the playoffs. The moves he made in 2013-2015 mostly did not work out. The team was too far away from being any type of contender and should have been a seller instead of a buyer (finally, last year, some assets were sold).
Up until that time, Lou gets an A+ overall. I'm not sure if it was his age or just his competitive nature, but I don't think he had the correct evaluation of his teams the past few years. They were far away from having a chance to be competitive.
Shero has played his hand perfectly so far. With one exception (acquiring Palmeri in a trade, which has worked out great so far), he has taken low or zero risk at potential. Guys like Blandesi and Kalinen are perfect examples. If they don't work out, it cost the Devils nothing.
This season is going great so far. The team has promise, is a huge improvement over last year, and has played well in spurts. They are not going to be a threat this year, but many of the young guys have shown that they will be factors going forward. I think that is all most reasonable fans were hoping for this season.
In the end I don't think the Devils will make the playoffs, but that's okay. Keep in mind that some other teams around them in the standings will be buyers at the deadline and will try to improve their teams. I dont think the Devils will -- and not trading away future assets is the right move.
The 2017-2018 season is probably their first shot to do some damage in the playoffs.
Up until that time, Lou gets an A+ overall. I'm not sure if it was his age or just his competitive nature, but I don't think he had the correct evaluation of his teams the past few years. They were far away from having a chance to be competitive.
Shero has played his hand perfectly so far. With one exception (acquiring Palmeri in a trade, which has worked out great so far), he has taken low or zero risk at potential. Guys like Blandesi and Kalinen are perfect examples. If they don't work out, it cost the Devils nothing.
This season is going great so far. The team has promise, is a huge improvement over last year, and has played well in spurts. They are not going to be a threat this year, but many of the young guys have shown that they will be factors going forward. I think that is all most reasonable fans were hoping for this season.
In the end I don't think the Devils will make the playoffs, but that's okay. Keep in mind that some other teams around them in the standings will be buyers at the deadline and will try to improve their teams. I dont think the Devils will -- and not trading away future assets is the right move.
The 2017-2018 season is probably their first shot to do some damage in the playoffs.
Yes he could have. Should have presented the contract the winter before and said "This is our best offer, sign or we will trade you"
Solid win tonight. Would've liked to have seen them keep their collective foot on the gas tonight, but a 6-3 W over a team chasing you in the standings is great. Good for Blandisi who had been a bit snakebitten since coming up and how about Zajac with 4 pts in a period?? The pessimist in me would say he won't score again until March, but maybe this sparks him. And what can you say about Palmieri? He has got to stay. It's about time that a Devil STAYS instead of GOES home.
Lou got to be hard headed over time. Case in point, the 2012 draft. It was obvious they should have given up their 1st round Kovy penalty pick there given it was 29th. Instead Lou used it on Stefan Matteau who can't seem to make the cut even though forwards that can score are in need. Not sure if it mattered much in the long term given they got a 1st rounder back albeit at the very end of the first round but LL had no way of knowing that was going to happen in 2012.
I think he was in the process of fighting for that, which seems to be the only way it would make sense to not give up the pick that year.
The problem with the result is that the Devils received the 30th pick in 2014. They should have been much higher. Dylan Larkin is a guy they could have had if they had the pick in normal circumstances.
Hindsight is 20/20, but the move to take Matteau in 2012 was questionable.
Rafalski wanted to stay a Devil, he only signed with Detroit when Lou low-balled him, one of Lou's worst moves.
Lou was a legendary GM, but one flaw was his style was not one of protecting assets and getting return for home-grown players before they left free agency. In the end it bit him in the ass and was his down fall. But I can never thank him enough for what he did for us, he put the New Jersey Devils on the hockey map world wide. For a time only the Red Wings could match our success.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
NHL is dying a slow death before our eyes. As fighting becomes less and less apart of the game, fewer and fewer people are watching. I used move the earth to make sure I didn't miss a Rangers game 2-3 years ago. Now as the team has gotten better but fighting has lessened, I'll watch maybe 20% of the games.
NHL is done if fighting is done.
Not sure whether this is intended to be factually based, but it is incorrect. Times change and sports change with them. With what is now known about head injuries (and with the problems some of the enforcers have developed later in life) I'm not sure how anyone could advocate for more fighting than exists in the game today.
Devils are in a great position, defense and goalie are set and have tons of cap room to use if needed for offense. They can easily afford to pay a Boedker or Okposo this summer. And then you have young guys like Blandisi and Boucher that look promising. Zacha will probably be on the team next year too. Shero has done well so far, the Palmieri trade was probably one of the best offseason moves in the entire league.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Considering that fighting in the NHL hasn't been at a significant level in the playoffs in a long time, and those games are the highest rated, I'm not sure what ratings you'd be referring to.
