Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Holy crap.. it's obvious to us who watch the games, but the stats are really telling as well - this team is atrocious offensively as far as forward talent is concerned. Zubrus with 2 points in 12 games, Brunner with 3 in 8, Zajac and Clowe with 4 in 12, even Elias with 6 in 12.. these are highly paid players that just aren't getting it done for one reason or another. I'm especially disappointed with Zajac. I always hoped he'd be a 60-point, responsible forward that could be called upon to chip in when needed..looking like those years with Parise and Kovalchuk really inflated any sort of value he had. Hope he's thanked them both tremendously for the contract he signed last year. He's 30 next year so he probably only has like 4-5 more 'prime' years left. Christ what a disappointment. The forwards on this team have scored 23 goals in 12 games so far this season, according to NHL.com. On the other end of the spectrum you have the Penguins - who've gotten 42 goals from their forwards thus far. It's really bleak right now. Again - nothing we didn't already know. I'm sure the stats guys can throw out even more compelling stuff...but I wonder if this is one of the least talented forward groups the Devils have iced in recent memory. Zajac has been a bummer, as far as offense goes...he finished last year pretty strong (38 pts in his final 52 GP...not too bad). Still early though. Sure, it's great when you can Penguin tank your way into getting two top-notch offensive players, one of whom is clearly a generational talent. Pens averaged 25 wins per season over a four-year period before winning again. Sure, some would say "Well fvck it, let's suck ass for four years so we can kick ass later", but some teams go into extended stretches of sucking ass. Devils are missing Cam right now...of course, when you sign a guy you know will miss games, you can't use that as an excuse, but at least he'll help when he comes back. Also remember that several of these forwards will be gone within the next two seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitico12 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Day to day for the Devils usually equates to "Two Weeks to One Month" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 (edited) Day to day for the Devils usually equates to "Two Weeks to One Month"Yeah pretty much. Would it honestly surprise anyone if we don't see Henrique again until Thanksgiving? Edited November 6, 2014 by MadDog2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 (edited) Rebuilding takes time and often looks much worse than what we are currently going through (I include the last 2 seasons as part of the re-build process this team is undertaking). They have done a very good job drafting talented Dmen that are starting to pay dividends now. Hopefully they can do the same for the forward core in the next few years as there is no organizational depth there. Does Lou deserve some blame for the years of wasted draft picks, absolutely. But just about every organizations outside of Detroit goes through down periods like this. And who they sign in FA is as much about playing in NJ rather than some other markets as it is anything else. We aren't an attractive destination for most top FA's unless we overpay in $$ and/or years and, honestly, can you really blame some of these players. While we know what NJ has to offer, all anyone outside this area knows about the state are factories, Snooki, and the Sopranos. Plus, they come into our half empty, lifeless building 1 or 2 times per year and can't be overly impressed by the experience. I dont think we're in a rebuilt or i dont think Lou sees it that way at all. That means making sacrifices for the future. I simply don't see it. All i see it patching things up the best we can and hold on to what we have to "win now". Edited November 6, 2014 by SterioDesign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmann422 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Holy crap.. it's obvious to us who watch the games, but the stats are really telling as well - this team is atrocious offensively as far as forward talent is concerned. It's really bleak right now. Again - nothing we didn't already know. I'm sure the stats guys can throw out even more compelling stuff...but I wonder if this is one of the least talented forward groups the Devils have iced in recent memory. yeh it can't be surprising, it's been the same story for 3 years running...Honestly the offense doesn't concern me because we kno what we can expect. The biggest concern IMO is the PK/defense along with Cory being solid in his first test as a full time starter. I guess what in saying is that even if we duplicate last season offensively, with some better shootout luck and a better than .915 sv % all year, we should be in fine shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 (edited) I'll address some of these points later, but the idea that people like Zubrus and Brunner are highly paid - they're not highly paid. The NHL salary cap is at 72 million dollars. That means for a 23 man roster, the average salary is about $3 million. Zubrus is paid slightly more than that, Brunner slightly less. These guys are making 3rd liner salaries, so it's not really a surprise when this is how they perform. But I know there have been worse forward groups for the Devils lately - one was last year, and another was the year before that. NJ has 3 of their top 9 forwards out and Bernier and Brunner are still only the 3rd line. Edited November 7, 2014 by Triumph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck the Duck Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I dont think we're in a rebuilt or i dont think Lou sees it that way at all. That means making sacrifices for the future. I simply don't see it. All i see it patching things up the best we can and hold on to what we have to "win now". In my mind, this is Lou's way of rebuilding. He will never fully blow it up, because he's too much of a competitor for that and knows full well that attendance would rival the Panthers if he did. But he also knows that we don't have any NHL ready forwards in the pipeline, so he constantly has to look to FA to fill the gaps until he can restock. Now that the young D are ready to take the next step, he made the moves necessary to allow then to play. Can you remember the last time we had 3-4 D under 24 years of age in the lineup at the same time? He may call it retooling, but this is a slow rebuild that has started with the D and goaltending, and will take a number of additional years for the F corp to catch up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 At some point looking at our team... Slow. Old. Thin offensive talent. Terribly managed. Frustrated players. Bad contracts. Missed the playoffs 3 times in 4 years. Losing 3 players with decent from big value walk for nothing. Drafting badly. Aging core with no imminent replacement. No depth outside of NHL. Not developing players as good as they did in the past. Bad decisions. Keep signing risky players. We all know who's fault this is. Well some may still be in denial but it's pretty obvious. He's been doing patching work for too long and losing too many assets. You can't build a strong team that way. There's "some bright side" to our team... Merril and Severson are really the only 2 things im excited about this team's future and it really won't be enough. Asking this simply as a question, and not to get into a heated back-and-forth...do you think Lou should be fired based on recent results, possibly as soon as the end of this season if the Devils don't make the playoffs? Or should he be granted a few more seasons to try to right things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vadvlfan Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 This forward group doesn't instill any fear/respect by opponents. We aren't hard to play against. Atleast, we have a very young D-core, that will be competent for years to come with more in Albany. Forwards? not so much. Any fw improvement will come from outside the org. Sadly, I know it's early but, don't think Boucher is the answer. Elias will have a hot streak, Lou will sign him for 3 more years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Funny how I don't hear any complaints with how DeBoer is putting together the lineup these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Funny how I don't hear any complaints with how DeBoer is putting together the lineup these days. Well with all the injuries what can you do really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck the Duck Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 The one good thing to come out of this rash of injuries is Josefson getting a chance to play consistently and looking like he belongs in the NHL. He will likely never be a top 6 player, but he can turn into an effective 3rd liner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 we absolutely need more guys who can grab the puck and carry it in the offensize zone behind the red line. All we see is guys skating in the offensive zone, realizing they can't beat the dman with speed so they stop and turn. Its pathetic. we're soooooo slow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundstrom Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 (edited) Funny how I don't hear any complaints with how DeBoer is putting together the lineup these days. as SD said, there's not much he can do - his hands are pretty tied with injuries. and the board favorites (josefson, larsson, gelinas) are all playing. edit: but maybe that's your point - i.e. injuries make arguing about lineups pointless (even though they don't). Edited November 7, 2014 by sundstrom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Funny how I don't hear any complaints with how DeBoer is putting together the lineup these days. As others have said - his hands are pretty much tied with the injuries. There's no way for him to sit JJ anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 My point is the injuries, yes. There's no way for him to sit Josefson, but there's plenty of ways to play him 7 minutes a night - that's not what's happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 There's still the matter of Zubrus in the top six and Ruutu still getting seven minutes a night. At 'some' point they have to try Ruutu in a top nine role, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 There's still the matter of Zubrus in the top six and Ruutu still getting seven minutes a night. At 'some' point they have to try Ruutu in a top nine role, no? I believe that point is tonight, because Tootoo was activated from IR, so unless Henrique is back or they are going to do something insane like move Brunner *and* someone else over to the left side, Ruutu will be playing with someone else, and they will go with Tootoo-Gionta-Sislo on the 4th line. Something like Zubrus-Zajac-Jagr, Brunner-Elias-Ryder, Ruutu-Josefson-Bernier, Tootoo-Gionta-Sislo would make some sense, and you could move Ruutu to play with Jagr and Zajac and put Zubrus on that 3rd line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonNala370 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Cammy and Havlet practiced with the team today. Henrique hurt himself going over the boards. No word on Clowe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonNala370 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Cammy was told by management not to discuss his injury. What BS, Lou it's 2014 why all the secrets? You need a full time assistant Lou so you can stay home, and let it not be your son. Lou's reply "Status Quo" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Cammy was told by management not to discuss his injury. What BS, Lou it's 2014 why all the secrets? You need a full time assistant Lou so you can stay home, and let it not be your son. Lou's reply "Status Quo" GR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubie#8 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 By saying to not say is saying he has a concussion. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonNala370 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 GR? What does GR mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Funny I remember a poster here basically giving me crap when I said a week ago that it was obvious that cammy has a concussion.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonNala370 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I would like to see DeBoer put Cammy, Zajac and Jagr together and leave them together for 10 games and see if that line will produce. Then work on the Elias line with Havlet back and get Zubrus off that line and put Henrique in his place to get production from the 2nd line. Get some chemistry going with both those lines. Then build a third line around Josefson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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