125 replies to this topic

[devilsfan26]

My roommate is a Rangers fan and he read on some forum that it appears the Devils will start on the road and then the home opener will be against the Rangers. No idea what the original source is, but just throwing that out there as another rumored possibility.

[Zubie#8]

Most sane post I've seen in a while! Anyone in the media touting the Rangers (and Flyers) as frontrunners really can't answer the questions you've brought up. Yeah, Rick Nash is gonna look pretty and all in a blueskirt but last year's Rangers still have a pretty big hole left in what was a very effective system last year. Plus their 3rd and 4th lines might be some of the weakest in the East...

And I even forgot about Prust.So thats Prust Anisomov Dubinsky Mitchell and Fedetenko who are gone . They lost a lot of their key depth guys last year. It should be really interesting to see how they play in the first few weeks.

[DJ Eco]

And I even forgot about Prust.So thats Prust Anisomov Dubinsky Mitchell and Fedetenko who are gone . They lost a lot of their key depth guys last year. It should be really interesting to see how they play in the first few weeks.

Exactly...

What did the Rangers have to do in the offseason? They had to strengthen their depth both on forward and on defense. Their depth was what made them 1st during the regular season.

What did the Rangers end up doing? They got rid of some decent depth, added nothing on defense (re-signed Bickel by the way), got a star player for their top line. And yet they're "Cup contenders"?

Edited by DJ Eco, 09 January 2013 - 10:58 AM.

[Chuck the Duck]

The Caps? You must be in Hot Tub Time Machine and think it's 1986 again lol...we're playing the Caps three times (as are the Flyers and Pens), non-division team now

I almost fell off my chair reading that! Hilarous!

[TheMazz]

Rangers added Jeff Halpern and Taylor Pyatt. That should help their depth somewhat. Not to mention Torts doesn't use his 4th line a lot anyway.

But relying on those top two lines to power through will bite them. It usually does.

[Devil Dan 56]

Rangers added Jeff Halpern and Taylor Pyatt. That should help their depth somewhat. Not to mention Torts doesn't use his 4th line a lot anyway.

But relying on those top two lines to power through will bite them. It usually does.

Especially if Gaborik goes back to his injured ways.

[ATLL765]

Rangers added Jeff Halpern and Taylor Pyatt. That should help their depth somewhat. Not to mention Torts doesn't use his 4th line a lot anyway.

But relying on those top two lines to power through will bite them. It usually does.

It's all about staying healthy and getting a quick start in an abbreviated season. Hell, FLA ran all last year on one line, I beleve the Rags would have no problem having their top two lines carry them through a half season into the playoffs. This season is going to be more about who starts quickly and who stays hot. Anybody will have a chance to make the playoffs this year, I mean, anybody. MIN was 1st through Dec last season, if they have that kind of start, they'll be a top 4 team(in points, not reality). You get what I'm saying here?

[Mayday]

I saw somewhere the NHL is holding 3 Original Six matches on the 19th to open up.

[Devil Dan 56]

I saw somewhere the NHL is holding 3 Original Six matches on the 19th to open up.

Original Six or the only 6 teams the NHL tells people about?

[TheMazz]

Original Six or the only 6 teams the NHL tells people about?

Pens, Flyers, Rangers, Habs, Blackhawks and Caps?

[Devil Dan 56]

Pens, Flyers, Rangers, Habs, Blackhawks and Caps?

Haha, I'd switch Boston or Detroit for the Habs, but yeah pretty much.

[NJDevs4978]

I saw somewhere the NHL is holding 3 Original Six matches on the 19th to open up.

I guess it makes sense considering the Boston-Rangers and Toronto-Montreal rumors I was reading elsewhere. Chicago-Detroit's pretty much a definite anyway.

[GoArmySports]

The teams probably have already been given the schedule so they can get a lot of logistical things done before the chaos really begins when they release it to the public.

Edited by GoArmySports, 09 January 2013 - 09:21 PM.

[MDPucks]

The Caps? You must be in Hot Tub Time Machine and think it's 1986 again lol...we're playing the Caps three times (as are the Flyers and Pens), non-division team now

Five division teams means you play two teams five times (10), two teams four times (8) and the other ten conference teams three times (30).

I almost fell off my chair reading that! Hilarous!

Awesome, now I have Motley Crew's "Home Sweet Home" stuck in my head.

Edited by MDPucks, 09 January 2013 - 06:21 PM.

[thelastonealive]

With varying degrees of certainty, I've seen the following reported as opening day games (Steve Lepore has most of them consolidated here as well, but I started this list before I saw his dammit):

New Jersey at Islanders (Gulitti confirms)
Toronto at Montreal
Ottawa at Winnipeg
Chicago at Los Angeles
Rangers at Boston
Philadelphia/Pittsburgh (I don't think anything I've read has specified home team)
Colorado at Minnesota
Columbus at Nashville
Calgary at Edmonton
Anaheim at Vancouver
Philadelphia at Buffalo (Jan 20th) (Buffalo opener. Philadelphia 2nd game)
Pittsburgh at Rangers (Jan 20th) (2nd game for both)
San Jose at Calgary (Jan 20th) (San Jose opener, Calgary 2nd game)

Presumably San Jose and Buffalo are two of the presumably four teams not playing January 19th. Presumably.

Also, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the only teams that HAVE to open on the road due to arena conflicts are us and Carolina, the rest are either open or have enough time for a changeover. Of course, that's only for the 19th, and at least two teams can't be playing opening night because of the lack of inter-conference games.

For what it's worth, Tom Gulitti reports that the Devils home opener is likely 1/22, but that the schedule is evolving on a day-to-day basis.

Edit:

@BNHarrington Very possible these are Jan. 19 East games: OTT-WPG, BOS-NYR, MON-TOR, NJD-NYI, TB-FLA, PIT-PHL, WAS-CAR. #Sabres would be idle team

Edited by thelastonealive, 10 January 2013 - 05:20 PM.

[bodnar41]

Great white buffalo

[Triumph]

Sure seems to suggest Devils at Islanders for Game 1, no?

[thelastonealive]

That's what I'm thinking. I read somewhere that 13 games would likely be played on the 19th, so I guess there's a chance we may not have a game til the 20th, but if one if Sharks/Flames, I'd think the other would be more marquee than the Devils would provide - probably Pitt/Philly - for the NHL on NBC game.

[Colin226]

The teams probably have already been given the schedule so they can get a lot of logistical things done before the chaos really begins when they release it to the public.

Also to start printing tickets and marketing materials

[GoArmySports]

Also to start printing tickets and marketing materials

Exactly! It's going to be pretty interesting to see how they set up the variable pricing this year with the condensed schedule.

I just can't wait for my tickets to come in the mail.