55 replies to this topic

[DaneykoIsGod]

Our FO win % is 46.9% right now. That places us 29th out of 30 teams this season.

To be fair, we were 9th last season, and that was with our dreadful record and Elias switching to center. Prior to Oates' arrival, Zajac won draws as 46.9%, 51.2%, 53.1% and 52.9% clips. Last year with Oates? He won 55.3%.

Zajac is out. Steckel is gone. Elias has taken almost twice as many draws as anyone else on the team, and he's brutal. I don't care if you have Oates, Nieuwendyk, Brind'Amour and Stan friggin Mikita giving lessons ... with breaks like that, you're not gonna have a good year at the dot.

Edited by DaneykoIsGod, 01 December 2011 - 11:49 AM.

[NJDevs4978]

In Montreal earlier this year

Okay, name three

It's still very rare, I've never heard of an assistant walking the plank in the NHL. Montreal, well that doesn't surprise me as much since everything is either a police investigation or a tabloid show.

[devilsrule33]

I don't usually endorse firings, but I think it is time for Oates to go. The PP has just been atrocious the past two seasons under his watch. The personnel is there for it to be successful, but right now everything is wrong with it.

Not sure who you bring in to get it going though.

[Vic Rattlehead18]

I think its as easy as taking kovalchuk off the point. You can't do that tl zajac comes back though because no other forward is good at the point but zajac. At least for now take kovalchuk off for the full 2 minutes. He's a defensive liability and every team knows the puck is going to him. Look at the penlaty kills againt us. They have two guys pressuring each pointman, its crazy. Larsson is also terribe on the point. He is probably our slowest skater, so even if he's in position he loses every foot race and then it becomes a breakaway. Kovalchuk-greene and larsson-fayne or tallinder-fayne for the points for now. Then just replace kovalchuk with zajac and put kovie on the boards where he should be.

[SMantzas]

I think its as easy as taking kovalchuk off the point. You can't do that tl zajac comes back though because no other forward is good at the point but zajac. At least for now take kovalchuk off for the full 2 minutes. He's a defensive liability and every team knows the puck is going to him. Look at the penlaty kills againt us. They have two guys pressuring each pointman, its crazy. Larsson is also terribe on the point. He is probably our slowest skater, so even if he's in position he loses every foot race and then it becomes a breakaway. Kovalchuk-greene and larsson-fayne or tallinder-fayne for the points for now. Then just replace kovalchuk with zajac and put kovie on the boards where he should be.

Disagree, Kovy is fine. The main problem I see is zone entry. Elias hasnt been doing a good job getting into the zone, neither has Henrique on the second unit. I prefer to see Zubrus carry it. Hes a decent stick handler and worst case scenario, he's hard on the forecheck

[overtime98]

Do you really think this is Oates' fault? Guys like Elias, Parise, Kovalchuk, Zubrus, Sykora, and so on need to be taught how to perform on the power play? Give me a break. Lou wouldn't have kept him with the new coaching change if he wasn't an asset. He can only teach these guys so much. Our power play is embarrassing because our team treats it like they are getting root canal.

I'm sorry but if this is YET ANOTHER coach that this coach killing team isn't responding to, then the bulk of the blame gets directed at Lou.

The last time the Devils performed well offensively? Sutter. He wasn't a players coach because he actually made them accountable and made them a tough team to play against.

Agree....... Cant go firing coaches...... Oates isnt playing the PP. So the reason why Kovalchuk gives up the puck in our own zone is because Oates is the coach? LOL..... I agree with you njdevil26, the players need to produce and stop making mistakes.


we arent exactly lighting the lamp 5-5 so why are we so worried about a good PP?

Disagree, Kovy is fine. The main problem I see is zone entry. Elias hasnt been doing a good job getting into the zone, neither has Henrique on the second unit. I prefer to see Zubrus carry it. Hes a decent stick handler and worst case scenario, he's hard on the forecheck

Kovy is fine? What season are you watching? He isnt fine, he should be playing much better. He was brought in to lead this team offensively and score goals and he isnt doing that.

[SMantzas]

Agree....... Cant go firing coaches...... Oates isnt playing the PP. So the reason why Kovalchuk gives up the puck in our own zone is because Oates is the coach? LOL..... I agree with you njdevil26, the players need to produce and stop making mistakes.


we arent exactly lighting the lamp 5-5 so why are we so worried about a good PP?




Kovy is fine? What season are you watching? He isnt fine, he should be playing much better. He was brought in to lead this team offensively and score goals and he isnt doing that.

How do you expect him to score if we cant get set up?

[NJCroMag]

So Hall's supposed to write all of those songs by himself then?

F-ck that, dude.

[Elias26]

I was thinking the same thing for a while now just never said it.

[estreetcrew3]

Hey sometimes you need to write a song that's not about sara

[estreetcrew3]

Hey sometimes you need to write a song that's not about sara

[CarpathianForest]

Fire everybody and then sue them.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Just because it's rare doesn't mean it's a bad move. I really don't have enough insights behind the scenes regarding Oates' contributions, but the PP I see is pretty terrible.

[estreetcrew3]

I think if we scream "shoot it!!!" More , it'll def make a huge difference

[SS-SS]

How often are assistant coaches fired? I mean, it seems like they either leave at season's end or go out when the head coach gets axed, no?

MTL did earlier this season.

I think Oates should be fired. This PP is really a joke.

[NJDevils1214]

Hey sometimes you need to write a song that's not about sara

Yo that's a good song I'll hear nothing negative about it!

[estreetcrew3]

Yo that's a good song I'll hear nothing negative about it!

No i know , I'm a huge hall and oates fan haha. What i said was from yacht rock. haha

[estreetcrew3]

The problem is no appreciates really really. Smooth music anymore

Edited by estreetcrew3, 01 December 2011 - 04:48 PM.

[Vic Rattlehead18]

Disagree, Kovy is fine.

You were saying?

[Colin226]

Watch one of the good PP's in this league and look at their sense of urgency and how they score.. Our strategy is pretty much the opposite..

We have Zach and Clarky, 2 guys who should be getting to the front of the net to either screeen a shot from the point (Kovy pp goal in NSH) or bang home rebounds (Zach's forte).. We give the goalie a clear view of the ice and pretty much are only effective if we can thread a cross-ice through their D to get a 1-timer.. That hasn't happened a lot and it won't in the NHL

So I see it as a PP system change

Edit: Forgot 1 big thing that they just highlighted the Red Wings doing well on NHL Network.. MOVEMENT!! Our PP is pretty stagnant.. Maybe the guys at the point move around a little but for the most part we just stay in the same places.. On the PP, movement confused the D and gets them out of position

Edited by Colin226, 03 December 2011 - 11:14 AM.