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GDT: New Jersey @ Boston


Derlique

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I guess noone on this board realizes that we're playing without Kovalchuk, Zajac and Josefson. For those keeping score, that's an entire 1st line on most teams. How can anyone really make a judgement about what type of team the Devils are this year when we are missing 3 of our top 6 forwards?

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I think you have to separate the "extremeists" from those with legit concerns and fears. You can't group those who look at this team objectively and see things that are of valid concern and group them in with the phuckinkillavery's of the world.

Actually, that also can read "Push positive and continue to rant how good this team is - so that you either look like some sort of hockey prophet and set yourself up for fulfillment"

It works both ways. You can't call out the people who do not think this team is any good and let the other faction off the hook if the team fails, either.

I, personally, see too many issues with this team even with a healthy Zajac, JJ and Kovalchuk to be more then a 7-8 seed. Their defense simply does not contibute offensively, the PP is beyond terrible and they still suffer from a lack of fundamentals at times (bad line changes for example). We're not even getting into anything else that may/could happen and you've got all that to consider.

I agree. This was directed at the extremists.

I also agree that in no way is this group a contender.

They simply don't have the transition and offense on the back end.

I at least want to see a Zajac-ful team before I can assess what this group REALLY is.

I also think that if you would have told me that last year's group could be THAT horrible in Sept. I would have laughed. I also would have laughed if you told me in Dec. that they could have been THAT good in the second half.

The season works in stages - and injuries are an issue. Transition and creativity have bitten this team in the ass for years now.

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he took it before the 5 on 3. they incorrectly said boston took it. deboer mentioned it in the presser after

yeah, I just edited my post. I saw in a TG article the quotes from the presser. oh well, makes me regain some of confidence lost in deboer knowing he would have taken a timeout if he had one.

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I guess noone on this board realizes that we're playing without Kovalchuk, Zajac and Josefson. For those keeping score, that's an entire 1st line on most teams. How can anyone really make a judgement about what type of team the Devils are this year when we are missing 3 of our top 6 forwards?

lol at Josefson being a 'top six' forward, the fact that he was speaks more to our lack of depth at center earlier in the season than him having the offensive talent to be a top six forward. I wouldn't be shocked if he was a fourth-line center when (if?) he comes back this year, or at least neck-and-neck with Henrique for third-line duty.

We scored three goals at Boston and have been 3-2 in the games Kovy missed, it hasn't been that big a deal yet. Hopefully it serves as a cautionary tale not to play him 35 minute games when he does come back. Zajac's really been the main loss up to this point but other teams have similar or worse injuries. The Penguin fans would laugh at us making this big a deal about Zajac when they haven't had Crosby and are doing better than we are.

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Boston's ... a much better team than the Devils. I would have been amazed with even one point. Yeah they dominated the third period, guess what - they can do that to most teams when they get their game going.

They just played the two best teams in the league fairly well over the last three games, granted you don't want too many 1-2 stretches but at least they're finally starting to score some goals.

That about sums it up for me.

We've been playing better the last few games. Tonight we played a much better team than us and had a chance to take it to OT. I'm not down after this game. I'm looking forward to the next game and the one after that and the one after that. The season is still early. Who knows what's going to happen. That's why they play the games.

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I love this team as much as the next fella, but it's gone downhill. Say what you want about the Devils after our third cup win, but we had two things: discipline and work ethic. Every player knew their assignment and stuck to it. I can't count how many times on chat I've read boardies mentioning bad line changes. That is not a sign of good discipline or work ethic.

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I'll repost this here since most people won't go into the other thread. This is our schedule thus far, with playoffs / top teams being bolded and underlined:

Flyers

Hurricanes

Kings

Predators

Sharks

Penguins

Kings

Coyotes

Stars

Maple Leafs (at least, they were hot when we played them)

Flyers

Jets

Hurricanes

Capitals

Capitals

Boston

So what does this mean? We've had an absolutely brutal schedule to start the year, against some of the league's best teams. We've had one of the hardest schedules of any team in the league. The fact that we're 8-7-1 with 3 of our top players out is miraculous. Plus, we've been involved in almost every game we've lost. We really haven't been blown out of any game or looked out of place playing against any of these teams.

Edited by Amberite
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this stuff about NJ being a '7 or 8' seed as if that's a meaningful distinction anymore has got to go. the key is getting there, and the devils have the horses to get there.

Meaningful distinction? The Devils aren't a 7th or 8th seed that's upsetting Washington, Boston or Pittsburgh (healthy) in a 7 game series.

Edited by SJP20
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I also would have laughed if you told me in Dec. that they could have been THAT good in the second half.

The reason we turned it around in Dec. is because of Lemaire IMO. He lit a fire under their asses and they got their sense of discipline and work ethic back. I'm not saying DeBoer is Johnny Mac, but he's definitely no Jacques. The purported rumor that he has light practices worries me especially since this current roster has a knack for coming in out of shape and lacking any motivation. DeBoer would be a good coach for a mediocre club, but I don't know about him being coach of a club with tradions of high expectations.

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It was a no TV night so I didn't see the game but I like what I'm reading actually.

It's hard to know what's going on. So much about our guys I think we'll only know for sure when playoffs come. I think that for confidence and positive growth it's really important they make the playoffs. And I think they can.

I am prepared to say: So far, I see a team that will make it to the second round and nearly win. Like closest shave ever.

I think Zach will leave because I think he won't feel as relevant as he'd like and it will have nothing to do with Kovachuk. And I think he'll do a major head slap when he sees what's out there. It won't be full out regret but hell think what the hell was I expecting and find a way to cope with the bullsh!t that is the NHL.

Barring a huge streak where he finds his groove Obviously marty will retire - again its more about feeling relevant.

It's a new team with a fresh mindset forming. I'd prefer a better defense. Just ONE more capable guy. Consistantly capable. Rafalski would be such a nice fit with Larssen it makes me sad he retired. It's like FINALLY he'd be able to lead to make that on ice mentoring connection which I think he'd really have enjoyed. He and Brylin were such mentally strong guys - like non-leading leaders. Men who just get it.

So anyhow. Things are taking shape and it's highly enjoyable. You have to enjoy this time. It's fleeting and rare! growth is what life is about. I'm shocked when some are so impatient and they don't even know what for. It IS sad because we do empathize and think you can't be happy in your life. You aren't always sitting in a winners circle. It has no value if you are either. It's just a sad way to be to not find joy in the struggle. I feel like you can't be a fan of life then. Understand this is like your teens ugly awkward difficult frustrating but it's so magical and if you're doing it right no avoiding it!

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Meaningful distinction? The Devils aren't a 7th or 8th seed that's upsetting Washington, Boston or Pittsburgh (healthy) in a 7 game series.

hopefully, the team at the end of this season is not one we've seen yet.

The reason we turned it around in Dec. is because of Lemaire IMO. He lit a fire under their asses and they got their sense of discipline and work ethic back. I'm not saying DeBoer is Johnny Mac, but he's definitely no Jacques. The purported rumor that he has light practices worries me especially since this current roster has a knack for coming in out of shape and lacking any motivation. DeBoer would be a good coach for a mediocre club, but I don't know about him being coach of a club with tradions of high expectations.

ok, i'll bite. what makes you think that practices are "light"? i mean, you're wrong, but i'd like to know why you think they're not.

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yeah there's still 12 games left against the rangers and islanders. that in itself is a big thing to look forward to over the rest of the season.

Oy...and now we go from the doomsday crowd to the other side of the extreme aisle.

When's the last time the Devils actually beat up on the Rangers and Isles, before the lockout? We haven't done particuarly well against either team in recent years.

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hopefully, the team at the end of this season is not one we've seen yet.

ok, i'll bite. what makes you think that practices are "light"? i mean, you're wrong, but i'd like to know why you think they're not.

I recall reading that on the forum somewhere. I could be mistaken, but I'm not making it up out of whole cloth.

I also keep hearing tidbits about our guys being out of shape. In addition, what accounts for the complete lack of discipline on this team. Everyone seems to be out of position and we never had too many men penalties or bad line changes.

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This was an extremely frustrating loss. They played a pretty good first and second period and then completely fell apart in the third. It would have been nice to get at least a point out of it, but honestly they didn't deserve it because of that terrible third. Having said that though, it is still really good that this team continues to come back in games. If they won we would probably be talking about how resilient this team is. It is also a good sign that they stuck with the bruins for the whole game without 3 key players. Kovy wouldn't have helped out our sluggish defense, but zajac and josefson definitely would. If this team gets healthy they could have some serious depth. Its never good to get dominated defensively, but there were definitely some positives to this game.

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This was an extremely frustrating loss. They played a pretty good first and second period and then completely fell apart in the third. It would have been nice to get at least a point out of it, but honestly they didn't deserve it because of that terrible third. Having said that though, it is still really good that this team continues to come back in games. If they won we would probably be talking about how resilient this team is. It is also a good sign that they stuck with the bruins for the whole game without 3 key players. Kovy wouldn't have helped out our sluggish defense, but zajac and josefson definitely would. If this team gets healthy they could have some serious depth. Its never good to get dominated defensively, but there were definitely some positives to this game.

Yeah, except for that silly little RW issue

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I also keep hearing tidbits about our guys being out of shape. In addition, what accounts for the complete lack of discipline on this team. Everyone seems to be out of position and we never had too many men penalties or bad line changes.

Oy, you're re-reading stuff from last year. I haven't seen one thing yet about guys being out of shape. I also distinctly remember DeBoer having a practice that 'gassed' everyone when the Devils had a long layoff earlier in October. You don't have to crack the whip when the team's playing four games in six nights in four different arenas.

And even the great Lemaire had like ten too many men on the ice penalties during the first half of '09-10. Sometimes it's arbitrary when it gets called, sometimes it's inevitable when you have a lot of new players.

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I recall reading that on the forum somewhere. I could be mistaken, but I'm not making it up out of whole cloth.

I also keep hearing tidbits about our guys being out of shape. In addition, what accounts for the complete lack of discipline on this team. Everyone seems to be out of position and we never had too many men penalties or bad line changes.

don't believe everything you read in forums. There has been nothing written to suggest this. In fact, TG recently blogged from a practice that it was particularly tough.

as for "being out of position", that's going to happen in to every team in the NHL. the "out of position" that we see the most lately revolves around a teenage defenseman and a 1st year player being asked to play 18 minutes a night in an important role.

deboer is not a bad coach. i've seen plenty to like from him so far. players are happy with him.

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