20 replies to this topic

[Devils Pride 26]

This is not a thread to bash how we have gotten into this situation. It's a thread with ideas on how to get out.

 

Personally, I think getting healthy is the only way. Lou has pretty much exhausted all resources. That trade deadline grinding forward normally brought in? Well we have about ten guys that can play that role. I firmly believe the loss of Zubrus is huge, just for the trickle down effect on the depth.

 

For the defense, I'd like to see six guys consistently play every night but it looks like that just isn't going to happen. Brodeur back is going to be a big calming influence I do believe though. Also, I think the Salvador - Zid pairing is just a terrible idea. Zidlicky is a player that swings the puck around, I'd like to see him with another D who has a heavier shot. Perhaps Greene, or even Fayne, who is more inclined to jump into the offense. I'd say less than 50% of the time, when Sal shoots the puck it gets to the net. He's never in a good shooting position and has a bad shot. By the time he gets one lined up, people are in the lanes.

 

I'm tired of seeing a random forward called up as well. Pesonen is garbage and has no business in a second line role. JJ is a much better player and needs to be back soon. CBGB was thrown together late in the third and kept pressuring the Rangers in their own end. Love them or hate them, as a fourth line they are pretty damn good. Problem is, we are playing them like a third line with the lack of depth we have.

 

How much longer is Zubrus out, that's the real question. If we can right the ship and at the least start getting the bounces, I think we could be a damn good team come playoffs.

 

Henrique Zajac Kovy

Elias Lokti Clarkson

Zubrus JJ Poni

Carter Gionta Bernier

 

Obviously, you could play around with the lines a bit. And that's the thing really. Right now we are so thin, you can't even play around with the lines. Zajac NEEDS to get going

[ZeroGravityFat]

it would help a lot to have zubrus and brodeur back. when they are back, we will win.

[socbrian]

Devils Transition game (to D) is terrible  I think their mind sets are set to go crazy on the fore check and they forget their responsibilities for D. We need to tighten up our end. 2 goals can win a game, hell 1. Lets stop the other teams from getting crazy amounts of odd man rushes. Devils play well when their offences starts from their zone and I do not see them doing that much these days. They seem to be a more of a lets load up on the forecheck, see if we can grind out the corners and cycle but when the other team gets it, its like a o'S*** get back look and feel. 

[P-Way Chief 11]

I agree that's solid and I think those lines will probably be what we end up going with down the stretch (w/o any trades). Hopefully we can just heat up at the right time.

 

As for the D, Fayne needs to get back in asap and I dont think they plan on sitting this guy much longer. I would prefer trying to move Green as Harrold has proven he can fill in that role of puck moving / offensive dman. Who knows what we could fetch for Green but I trust Lou will get it done.

[Pepperkorn]

You sound like me.

 

So how is it that the coaching staff can't get enough out of these guys?

 

I thinke veryone is great and they have a great view and have the right take on things... it feels like they're all frozen.  They're all being too conservative.  You know you're in trouble when throwing a guy  on the shott out is the coach's idea of goin' nuts and shaking things up a bit.  I exaggerate, but you all know what I mean.

 

OK -- I'm hauling it out again - coaching is not unlike parenting.

 

So what we have are some inexperienced parents is what it comes down to.  They're too busy with hockey to know how to kick some ass on a daily basis.  They just dont know how to proceed - yet know the Dad asskicking talk can't be put out there - it just won't work.

 

They don't know what it's like to be the Mom - being there day-in day-out, and sadly, they understanding how the kid feels and know its just one of those things the kids got to grow out of  -- and yet... it CAN'T wait.  It HAS TO BE FIXED. Too much empathy not enough leadership - not enough solutions or even PATHS are being presented to these guys.

 

 

Basically guys - you have to start somewhere.  Even if it's to talk to Lemaire - someone with an outside vision and experience in iron fist in velvet glove and truth telling.

 

If someone sucks - no matter how well respected they are - you have to do something.  The longer you wait for it to click the longer they tell themselves it's not their fault.  Well it IS.  It just is.  and the coaches SUCK for not telling these guys the truth - the individuals who suck.  Some guys are taking too much sh!t and it weakens them -- hold the right guy accountable so your strong guys dont try to shoulder the blame.  no one in this team is strong enough for that.

 

And no one knows what I mean on this board --- but I'm working on a million grants and have to just throw this out there now.  I haven't even been able to watch a game with any real focus on what the hell is going on.  I just see the general happenings and as much as I defend them it DOES come down to coaches having to make what they've got work.

Edited by Pepperkorn, 20 March 2013 - 09:10 AM.

[mouse]

I think they need Marty back. They outplayed the Rags for 2 periods, but were losing. No disrespect to Nash, but Moose has to make that save 5 hole. When you double their chances and shots, you should be winning, or at least tied.

[Pepperkorn]

it seems that way mouse -- but how's that going to help next year? or the next time Marty is out -- or if he's not going to come back?

 

The whole problem is wasting time coaching the low hanging fruit - like the rookies or youngsters making easy obvious errors.  It's product oriented coaching si the problem.  You can't focus on Fayne because he's easy.  As they say in 7 habits jargon Fayne is urgent-critical problems.  This stuff is easy to pinpoint and won't kill you.  Some of the vets - it's non-urgent-critical  - this is the stuff that just kills you.  It's the easiest to let slide and it's what inhibits ALL PRODUCTIVITY in ALL AREAS. it's a slow grinding down of the inner workings and it's killing the team. 

 

and I don't see a solution -- mostly because i'm not really there but secondly - it's just really tricky positioning morale-wise.  I have no clue.  I'm a sh!tty Mom.  I just talk and talk and talk at my daughter it'll take years - I can't imagine having to get response immediately.

[SterioDesign]

in a perfect world

 

Kovalchuk - Zajac - Legit top RW

Henrique Elias Clarkson

Poni Lokti Zubrus

Carter JJ Bernier

 

well Lokti and Kovy are playing well but you can't really continue to put Lokti ahead of Zajac especially since i wouldnt touch that 2nd line... 

[caron14]

in a perfect world
 
Kovalchuk - Zajac - Legit top RW
Henrique Elias Clarkson
Poni Lokti Zubrus
Carter JJ Bernier
 
well Lokti and Kovy are playing well but you can't really continue to put Lokti ahead of Zajac especially since i wouldnt touch that 2nd line...

sorry to disagree... but lokti and kovy click something that dont happen with zajac right now... Put lokti ahead if he deserve it and right now he does... I dont care if you make 5 million or 1 million I put the combination that make my team WIN.

[Triumph]

Josefson is injured - he hasn't played in Albany since March 10.  So first let's get that out of the way.

 

Second - it's not a high-scoring team and isn't built to be.  Ilya Kovalchuk can either be a high-scoring or low-scoring player, but one thing he's never done and apparently will never do is increase the number of shots his team takes at the net relative to other players on the team.  You don't get more shots with Kovalchuk out there.  So it's a low-event team, built to win a lot of 2-1 games, but Hedberg, defensive lapses, and bad breaks have this team losing 3-2 a lot more often.

 

Loktionov coming back will be nice (and I think he should stay with Kovalchuk - Loktionov is pulling everyone ahead significantly right now).  But you don't give up the first goal in 12 of 14 games without significantly bad luck.

Edited by Triumph, 20 March 2013 - 10:39 AM.

[mouse]

@ PK: I think some (not all) of the problems are a result of goal, and no matter how much better everyone else gets, those will continue to be problems unless we get a legit number 1. I think Marty solves the biggest problem this year, and hopefully we manage to replace him. I like the Moose, but he's not the answer, short or obviously long term.

 But you don't give up the first goal in 12 of 14 games without significantly bad luck.

Or goaltending. We've been playing a career backup for weeks with no rest. I don't want to pile on Moose -- he's been trying, and has done about as well as we could have hoped, but he's not up to the challenge of being an every day starter on a contender, and he's certainly not up to the challenge of being a team's only NHL goalie.

Edited by mouse, 20 March 2013 - 10:43 AM.

[devilsadvoc8]

I'll echo the keep Loki with Kovy bandwagon until it implodes. 

[Devil Dan 56]

Josefson is injured - he hasn't played in Albany since March 10.  So first let's get that out of the way.

 

Second - it's not a high-scoring team and isn't built to be.  Ilya Kovalchuk can either be a high-scoring or low-scoring player, but one thing he's never done and apparently will never do is increase the number of shots his team takes at the net relative to other players on the team.  You don't get more shots with Kovalchuk out there.  So it's a low-event team, built to win a lot of 2-1 games, but Hedberg, defensive lapses, and bad breaks have this team losing 3-2 a lot more often.

 

Loktionov coming back will be nice (and I think he should stay with Kovalchuk - Loktionov is pulling everyone ahead significantly right now).  But you don't give up the first goal in 12 of 14 games without significantly bad luck.

 

Pretty perfectly said. I think people had some unrealistic expectations with what this team can do, and the quick start really cemented those expectations. The team suffered some key injuries while crashing to earth, and the combination isn't pretty.

[Beetlebum]

Ideally, I think the Sharks are a great trading partner for us whether it be Clowe, Havlat, or even Gomez.

 

I'd deal Fayne, Josefson, and a pick for Havlat and Gomez. Does this make our D weaker? Of course, it does, but for whatever reason Deboer is refusing to play Fayne and you have the likes of Urbom and Gelinas waiting in the wings.

 

Havlat Lokti Kovy

 

Elias Henrique Zubrus

 

Poni Zajac Clarkson

 

Carter Gomez Bernier

 

4 lines you can roll with no issues

[Zubie#8]

Sharks cant score and have a surplus of D, why would they give up Havlat?

[Beetlebum]

Cap issues next year.

[Triumph]

The Sharks are the anti-ideal trading partner.  They're using D men at forward and their forwards are beginning to age.  There's not likely a deal there.

[Zubie#8]

We need to get healthy, thats the only way I see this team coming together.

 

Right now the lines are

 

Henrique Loktionov Kovalchuk

Elias Zajac Clarkson

Carter Gionta Bernier

Barch Sestito Kostopolous

 

Now we are missing two big bodies in Poni and Zubs. It sucks.

 

@TGfireandice: Didn't think it was possible, but the Devils have provided even less information about injuries than usual in the last couple weeks. - Still no word from the Devils on what Alexei Ponikarovsky's injury is or its severity.

 

Edited by Zubie#8, 20 March 2013 - 12:50 PM.

[Uncle Albert]

A healthy Marty and Zubs, Loki. is my answer..... 3 pieces to the puzzle to start. LGD....

[CarpathianForest]

A healthy Marty and Zubs, Loki. is my answer..... 3 pieces to the puzzle to start. LGD....

Agreed, but we gotta hold down the fort until they all return.