60 replies to this topic

[ATLL765]

It's really about expectations, I expect this team to play better than what I'm seeing. We know they have the talent, so the issue is then coaching. Which is why im so mad.

Than you had unreasonable expectations. We here, all saw the team and said, well, it'll be a tough run. Then we started great and thought, huh, it might not be as bad as we thought, then it got that bad. So here we are. I am not disappointed, I expected us to look bad earlier than we did. We're in the playoff race and I don't expect us to finish higher than last year, so again, not disappointed. We're kinda where I thought we'd be. Good, but lacking the offense to be great.

So it's not the Devils, it's you.

[DevsMan84]

It's really about expectations, I expect this team to play better than what I'm seeing. We know they have the talent, so the issue is then coaching. Which is why im so mad.

I'm still convince last years run was a fluke, just like most other cup runs. With the losses and gains during the offseason I really expected the team to dip a tiny bit this season. They finished 6th last year in a really competitive conference and this year they are looking to finish about the same.

[Sneax]

Parise is not the reason we are lossing right now. Lack of effort at times, piss poor goal tending, and salvador being like a -10000000 and playing almost every game are. We haven't been scoring but I feel as though if moose wasn't letting in all these momentum killers this stretch, the team would have grinding out the extra goals if they felt like they could win.

 

We haven't played like a good team this stretch, at times we have looked good, but mostly we have been bad. We went from sweeping the penguins to lossing to a sens team with tons of injuries and lossing. I remember after that game some players said " you can't win every game" well you seemingly can lose almost every game if you have that attitude. I never for one second thought we would be set that far back by the parise loss. I though the CGBG line was going to be a permanent fixture, which it is. We are getting alot of production out of those players, and at times carter and bernier have been some of our best players. Sykora was fading by the end of the season and Zajac looked amazing, it never once occured to me that this wasn't going to be a good team. I would have liked us to sign semin to replace parise but even without a top 6 signing I believed. And I can assure you every player in the devils locker room thought there is no way we aren't going back to the playoffs next year.

 

1 player doesn't make a team, and in a team sport, it shouldn't.

Edited by Sneax, 11 March 2013 - 12:55 PM.

[devilsfan26]

Even if Moose has been playing as bad as you're saying, our only other options right now are Kinkaid or Frazee who have almost zero NHL experience.  Of course, everyone's career has to start somewhere, but the fact that they haven't gotten a start yet tells me the coaching staff doesn't think they are ready yet.  I know you think DeBoer is inept, but these guys are around the players every day and see them perform in practice and know a hell of a lot more about their playing ability than you or I do, so I trust their decision.

[ATLL765]

Parise is not the reason we are lossing right now. Lack of effort at times, piss poor goal tending, and salvador being like a -10000000 and playing almost every game are. We haven't been scoring but I feel as though if moose wasn't letting in all these momentum killers this stretch, the team would have grinding out the extra goals if they felt like they could win.

 

We haven't played like a good team this stretch, at times we have looked good, but mostly we have been bad. We went from sweeping the penguins to lossing to a sens team with tons of injuries and lossing. I remember after that game some players said " you can't win every game" well you seemingly can lose almost every game if you have that attitude. I never for one second thought we would be set that far back by the parise loss. I though the CGBG line was going to be a permanent fixture, which it is. We are getting alot of production out of those players, and at times carter and bernier have been some of our best players. Sykora was fading by the end of the season and Zajac looked amazing, it never once occured to me that this wasn't going to be a good team. I would have liked us to sign semin to replace parise but even without a top 6 signing I believed. And I can assure you every player in the devils locker room thought there is no way we aren't going back to the playoffs next year.

 

1 player doesn't make a team, and in a team sport, it shouldn't.

Right, Sykora's goals make no difference to the team this year because he faded by the end of the year. That makes sense......20 goals is 20 goals. and 20 more goals over 1 year means you won a few extra games. That's the difference between 6th and missing the playoffs.

[Sneax]

Right, Sykora's goals make no difference to the team this year because he faded by the end of the year. That makes sense......20 goals is 20 goals. and 20 more goals over 1 year means you won a few extra games. That's the difference between 6th and missing the playoffs.

some of our best success was at the end of the year without him (sat quite a few games and was a ghost in alot of the ones he was in). Point is our roster from the peak of last year to this year, is not that much different.

Even if Moose has been playing as bad as you're saying, our only other options right now are Kinkaid or Frazee who have almost zero NHL experience.  Of course, everyone's career has to start somewhere, but the fact that they haven't gotten a start yet tells me the coaching staff doesn't think they are ready yet.  I know you think DeBoer is inept, but these guys are around the players every day and see them perform in practice and know a hell of a lot more about their playing ability than you or I do, so I trust their decision.

Moose has been letting in routine saves, both times that the back up has relieved him they have looked better.

Edited by Sneax, 11 March 2013 - 01:17 PM.

[Martyisth3b3st]

Really? Our roster is not much different? You're right, the addition of Zach Parise and an on-fire Marty Brodeur would do NOTHING for this team right now. Stop replying, you just sound dumb.

[devilsfan26]

some of our best success was at the end of the year without him (sat quite a few games and was a ghost in alot of the ones he was in). Point is our roster from the peak of last year to this year, is not that much different.

Moose has been letting in routine saves, both times that the back up has relieved him they have looked better.

Kinkaid and Frazee have combined for a grand total of 15 saves and not even one full game of experience.  That is way too small of a sample size to make any real informed judgments.  That is all we as fans have seen of them.  The coaching staff meanwhile has seen them face a ton of rubber in practice.

[Devil Dan 56]

As much as I want to see Kinkaid and Frazee get a start, Moose will be given every chance to play out of his slump. He's played well 2 of the last 3 games (baby steps) and 2 games against the Flyers (who he tends to play well against) could put him over.

 

I like Kinkaid, and I think he has a future, but right now, it seems that the coaching staff wants Moose playing until he's solid again. They are probably realizing that with a bad back, Brodeurs time will need to be limited. Therefore, they will need Moose at the top of his game if they want a chance of the playoffs.

[mouse]

Here were our top 6 type players who played most of last year:

 

Kovy, Elias, Parise, Henrique, Zubrus, Clarkson, Sykora (until he burned out).

 

Here are our top 6 type players who have played most of this year:

 

Kovy, Elias, Henrique, Zajac, Clarkson.

 

There were 7 last year, which meant you could mix and match when people were slumping, or sore. This year, there are 5, 2 of whom are slumping, and they're already putting 3rd liners in those roles. Zubrus coming back will help, but this roster has some holes. Not saying they can't play better -- they showed early in the year that when they're firing on all cylinders they can, but expecting a team to fire on all cylinders all season is asinine, and this team, due to its lack of depth, is not prepared to break out of a slump, or steal points when they're playing badly, especially when Marty is hurt. You can't blame the coaches for that. You can't blame the players. You can maybe blame Lou, but I started another thread arguing why I think that is stupid. There are 30 talented teams, all trying to win a cup. Sometimes, your team is going to get beat, both in games and in the free agent market.

[njd3b1ink]

I'm still convince last years run was a fluke, just like most other cup runs. With the losses and gains during the offseason I really expected the team to dip a tiny bit this season. They finished 6th last year in a really competitive conference and this year they are looking to finish about the same.

There's no such thing as a fluke SCF run.

[DevsMan84]

There's no such thing as a fluke SCF run.

 

I used to believe that pre 04-05 lockout.  Since then they are all flukey outside of couple of years.

[Devil Dan 56]

I used to believe that pre 04-05 lockout.  Since then they are all flukey outside of couple of years.

 

Getting by Florida was flukey, but the Devils most definitely outplayed Philly and the Rags.

[mouse]

There's no such thing as a fluke SCF run.

I'd argue EVERY run is fluky. Look how many goals Sal scored last year. You put together a tough team that can weather a storm and is deep enough to handle injuries, and you have a chance. Other than that, hope your goalie gets hot and a couple randoms put the puck in the net.

[njd3b1ink]

I used to believe that pre 04-05 lockout. Since then they are all flukey outside of couple of years.

It's not a fluke if u win 3 best out of 7 series. We had arguably the best 4 unit rotation on offense come playoffs last year. If the devils had kept Parise I would be saying another ECF should be easily within reach. When this team plays their game they can beat anyone. It didnt come together last year consistently till the playoffs and its hasn't been there on a nightly basis this year.

[DevsMan84]

It's not a fluke if u win 3 best out of 7 series. We had arguably the best 4 unit rotation on offense come playoffs last year. If the devils had kept Parise I would be saying another ECF should be easily within reach. When this team plays their game they can beat anyone. It didnt come together last year consistently till the playoffs and its hasn't been there on a nightly basis this year.

 

Those sentences prove my point.

[cgb6397]

I'd argue EVERY run is fluky. Look how many goals Sal scored last year. You put together a tough team that can weather a storm and is deep enough to handle injuries, and you have a chance. Other than that, hope your goalie gets hot and a couple randoms put the puck in the net.

I'd agree to an extent. I wouldn't call it fluky as much as I would streaky. For me, making a run is about having the hottest goaltender, and historically, in pretty much every cup winning team the winning goalie played lights out the entire playoff. The Kings are a perfect example. Quick was fighting for a starting job pretty much the entire season, but come playoff time he absolutely killed it, yielding a Cup. So I guess in a sense, it would only be un-fluky if the Presidents Trophy winner, or at least a division winner won the Cup.

[mouse]

I'd agree to an extent. I wouldn't call it fluky as much as I would streaky. For me, making a run is about having the hottest goaltender, and historically, in pretty much every cup winning team the winning goalie played lights out the entire playoff. The Kings are a perfect example. Quick was fighting for a starting job pretty much the entire season, but come playoff time he absolutely killed it, yielding a Cup. So I guess in a sense, it would only be un-fluky if the Presidents Trophy winner, or at least a division winner won the Cup.

That's fair. The Devils got hot; they weren't a perfect team by any means. I think the same could happen this year, but is more likely not to.

[njd3b1ink]

Those sentences prove my point.

Not really though. If a team like the islanders got hot last year and got to the SCF or ECF then I would say yes that's fluky cause they are not built to win yet, but the devils were built for a championship once they got Zid last year. Once it came together they were consistently a top team. The talent was always there. And at the end of the day it's usually 2 of the most talented teams from top to bottom in the SCF. Only team in the east last year that scared me was Boston. Devils deserved where they ended up

[NJDevs26]

I used to believe that pre 04-05 lockout.  Since then they are all flukey outside of couple of years.

It depends how you define fluky.  There are few truly great teams anymore though Boston and Chicago probably qualify as such this year.  The Devils were as good as any team in the league in the latter third of the season once they made a few tweaks to their roster and got Zajac back.  I wouldn't consider it fluky, although they were fortunate not to bomb another first round.