192 replies to this topic

[Random Poster]

Perhaps all of you NJDEVS.com members didn't get the memo:

1. Push negativity and continue to rant how bad this team is - so that you either look like some sort of hockey prophet or don't let yourself up for disappointment.

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.

[CarpathianForest]

But you CAN stop watching.

I personally had no illusions that a team w/o its top center and relying on a rookie on Defense to glue the fort together was going to blaze through Oct./Nov/Dec.

When Zajac and JJ is back we will know what this team REALLY is.

Until then - if we can stay relevant to a playoff race until the actual team is iced in full health then anything can happen.

The positives are we now have another promising C in the fold in Henrique, a solid utility pick-up in Carter, and a line that has some chemistry with Elias-Syk-Zub.

Larsson also looks great for his age and experience level - people that were expecting him to be some sort of Lidstrom/Weber Frankenstein out of the gate were just living in a fantasy.


I'd like to see all these ALL-SO-SURE-SEASON-IS-OVER posters put their money where their mouth is and turn off the TV. Right now and prove a REAL point

This team - as it was iced tonight - has no business play NHL hockey --- but they did hold their own!

Talk to me in Jan. an we'll know what the 2011-2012 NJ DEVILS are.

I don't have center ice this season and I really don't watch the Devils games when they're on. I pretty much just check in to see how bad they're losing.

[Blown01NJ]

I don't have center ice this season and I really don't watch the Devils games when they're on. I pretty much just check in to see how bad they're losing.

So quit posting then f@g.

[CarpathianForest]

So quit posting then f@g.

I think that's uncalled for.

[elias2600]

wow. what a terrible game by NJ. Again, we out play a team for the first half of the game, but can't score goals. We need a 5 on 3 to score during this stretch. The third period though... has to be one of the worst periods played by NJ in a really long time (and I mean years). No one had their brain turned on in this period. Sure, the effort was there in terms of trying to compete, but it was just stupid decision after stupid decision. I really can't believe how everyone forgot how to play smart hockey. The devils looked like they were playing a pickup game.

The most staggering thing to me in this period was the lack of a coaching decision to take a time out during the 15 plus minutes of utter domination by the bruins. A timeout would have calmed down our team, taken some of the steam away from them, and would have been a chance to return the game to something that the devils could handle. Frankly, Boston deserves the two points for this part of the game alone.

This team should really be upset with the way they handled the cup champs over 60 minutes tonight. If we bring this mentality (or lack thereof) to the next 3 meetings, we will go 0-4 against Boston this year.


I know it sounds like I am ranting, and upset, but really I am just trying to make two points:

1. Devils played dumb hockey in the third.
2. DeBoer should have taken a timeout while we were being utterly dominated.

I think that's uncalled for.

+1
no need for that.



EDIT: Bah, I just saw in a TG article that the devils didnt have their timeout. the MSG broadcast got it wrong when they said the Bruins took the timeout in the second (big surprise there!). So scratch off #2 on that list. Still, dumb hockey = you deserve to lose.

Edited by elias2600, 15 November 2011 - 10:52 PM.

[Amberite]

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?

[DevilinLA]

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.

[sundstrom]

2. DeBoer should have taken a timeout while we were being utterly dominated.

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

[elias2600]

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.

[NJDevs4978]

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.

[95Crash]

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.

[Triumph]

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.

Edited by Triumph, 15 November 2011 - 11:00 PM.

[CarpathianForest]

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.

[Amberite]

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, 15 November 2011 - 11:07 PM.

[Triumph]

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.

[Random Poster]

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, 15 November 2011 - 11:10 PM.

[CarpathianForest]

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.

[hurricane1091]

That's the spirit unknown poster. a$$hole.

[Pepperkorn]

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!

[Random Poster]

That's the spirit unknown poster. a$$hole.

Go on back to devilsrule where you belong.