Only 6-2

[GR]

The Devils are only 6-2 and already people are requesting trades, bitching about PP 5 on4's, and 5 on 3's. Stevens is at fault. Dano is sleeping, Niewy isn't going to score 25 goals, Nieder is lazy, Elais doesn't have enough drive to put the puck away, Langer isn't a first line winger, speed isn't there, no offense, defense gets tired at times, big three haven't shown up, and on and on.

What did you expect folks from a team made up of mostly 3rd and 4th line offensive players with a defense that is 1/3 over age, slow and retired on the ice and a team with no size, not much talent and skills and certainly not speedy????

What you see is what you get: 6-2 without having to play top contending teams; beating teams by 1 goal that should be like shooting ducks out of the bath tub, instead they win by struggling with a 1 goal lead in as low scoring situation. Yep, they scored 5 goals against TB with a rookie goalie in net who hasn't played since 2000. 5 on 3 is guarenteed except with the Devils. Weekes has Magic that's why they Carolina is only a 500 club.

Get a grip, get real, the Devils aren't there with this group of players. The "A" line is gone. Elias can't carry the load. Friessen doesn't do anything for Elias's play line Sykora. brylin is the answer to replace Friessen with Gomez and Elias but then the team has a small 1st line with no other offensive lines.

Can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop and expect it to taste good.

How long is it going to take Lou or do you care?

Interesting Lou the USA Today has 10 games within the NBA schedule that are in their opinion a "must see" games. 3 of these games are the Nets a team that was in the dumps two years ago, then they get players of quality, sure it cost money, and they are in finals, and then they get more players of quality with more money. Why not the Devils Lou? You lose players with quality to save money. No one show up for Devils games or Nets games so what's the difference? I have my opinion.

[Triumph]

Do the Devils have a Stephon Marbury to trade for Jason Kidd?

You're right about this team being mostly 3rd and 4th line players. Friesen, Elias, Nieuwendyk, Brylin, Gomez.. hit the nail on the head with that one.

Of course, you're saying the Devils should be ripping through expansion teams.. never mind the parity of the NHL, never mind the fact that the Devils have 5 out of 12 forwards who were in training camp last year.

I guarantee the Devils will start scoring more goals. And they'll be scoring 3 against the better teams of the NHL.

[Jerrydevil]

The only thing that's making me crazy right now is the power play. Specifically, I don't think the players are doing a very good job of getting themselves in a position to receive a pass and shoot. There's a lot of passes in a player's skates and to a player's backhand. I'm sure most will agree that it's painful to watch.

The effort is there though IMO. The team played hard last night, I thought.

[GR]

WOW Triumph, you guarentee Devils will start scoring more, do you use a crystall ball or some board? The Devils have players to trade, you don't like the selections try Nieder & Friesen & Stevens give them Pando and see what one gets.. I don't think Elias, Gomez or Brylin are 3rd or 4th line players as you suggested. Friesen, Niewy that's another story. The Devils also have some 5th and 6th line players line Pando who take up spots but don't belong.

Where's the big Three always spoken of so positively by SBT?

Where's the SPEED?

Where's the D in the 3rd period?

Where's the 5 on 3 GUARENTEED?

Where's the PP?

Where's the outlet passing?

Where's the up ice passing?

Who's in front of the net on offense?

Who's in front of the net on PP?

Where's the skills?

Where's the talent?

Be careful what you guarentee. Yes they should be ripping through as you say not by 1 goal and please don't mention TB, that's a joke.

The team is playing consistently and trying the talent isn't there.

Why does that take so long to kick in, because it isn't there to start with. Elias can't do everything.

8 games and Stevens looks like sh!t in 2 of them at least, Dano in 3 at least, c'mon Triumph, sorry you don't see the games.

[Weekes Head]

...I remember when we couldn't even beat the Lightning last season..

and GR, all of those "problems" could be tuned towards the PP. The PP is the biggest problem - that needs to be fixed, and surrounding problems will just fix themselves.

[Derek21]

GR, did it ever occur to you that the Lightning actually might be good?

They just could be.

[SueNJ97]

GR, did it ever occur to you that the Lightning actually might be good?

They just could be.

Not possible, Derek.

Apparently it's possible for a formerly (perennially) lousy team like the Nets to get better (lots better), but not the Bolts. At least that's what I understood from reading GRs posts.

[devspage]

When teams work together, like the Bolts and Wild are doing, that's when success can be had.

It's really not much different than the successful teams the Devils have put together. A strong goalie, some veterans, some youthful talent.

That's how it's done. And we know it better than anyone.

Anyone can win on any given night in the NHL. (Well except the Panthers and Thrashers, anyway).

[Pepperkorn]

Hey, I thought this was subtitled "interesting post" ... was that like a joke...or a bait and switch kind of thing?

I'm happy with the Devils -- I really thought we'd tie it up last night though. 6-1-1 would have just been so much prettier! This start would never be a big deal but I'm just gunshy after last season.

I think every fan base is feeling like a collection of nervous nellies these days! I think it's really just us Devils fans that are thinking these Devils are just the old nag takin' the early lead in the horse race...most everyone else thinks the Devils are contenders and that's a good thing.

Hey Devspage -- where've you been? Welcome back!

[Weekes Head]

Everyone thinks the Devils are contenders...with the exception of some Devils fans themselves...

[Triumph]

Where's the D in the third period.. let's see.. they didn't allow a shot on goal in the 3rd period last game.

Seems to bear out what I said.. if they're ahead in the 3rd, they're going to give up more shots and likewise goals, and if they're behind, they won't give up as many goals.. this is almost a law of hockey.. the fact that you don't know it is astounding..

I don't care what the Devils do against expansion teams as long as they win. They can play an awful game, still win, and I would think nothing of it. Games like that are not played with the same kind of intensity as division rivalries and everyone knows it. Now, if they started losing the games, then I'd have a problem..

I guarantee the offense will get better. If I could somehow bet on it, I absolutely would. NO offense in the history of the NHL has stayed as poor as the Devils is right now. And the Devils have Elias, Nieuwendyk, Friesen, and Gomez.

You all expect this team to just come together right away... and if it had, you'd be complaining about that too.

6-2-0-0. And there's room for improvement.

Somehow this is turned into a bad thing by contorted logic.

[devspage]

I'm happy with the Devils -- I really thought we'd tie it up last night though. 6-1-1 would have just been so much prettier! This start would never be a big deal but I'm just gunshy after last season.

I think every fan base is feeling like a collection of nervous nellies these days! I think it's really just us Devils fans that are thinking these Devils are just the old nag takin' the early lead in the horse race...most everyone else thinks the Devils are contenders and that's a good thing.

Hey Devspage -- where've you been? Welcome back!

HI PK! Almost ready to pop???

I had to take a break. I was getting more annoyed than enjoying the forums for a while.

I can see it's a lot the same.

I really thought they would do it yesterday too. They had their minds in the game -- I mean NO shots on goal in the third? Maybe Marty shoulda come out of the net and skated in Guolla's place or something.

I very much believe in these guys. I like the group -- and I'm not sitting around going I wish we had, I wish we had. A win over the Canes woulda been pretty sweet. We'll get em. We're gonna tattoo Weekes one day and I'm gonna watch it every day for a month.

[MaddDog]

The only thing that's making me crazy right now is the power play. Specifically, I don't think the players are doing a very good job of getting themselves in a position to receive a pass and shoot. There's a lot of passes in a player's skates and to a player's backhand. I'm sure most will agree that it's painful to watch.

The effort is there though IMO. The team played hard last night, I thought.

I agree, there has been fairly decent effort or I don't get the impression that this team is slacking too much with their heads up their butts like they have been prone to do in recent years. The power play is absolutely infuriating and the one thing that is pissing me off, but otherwise I'm not going to get on their ass too much.

I have noticed not only the poor passing (or TOO much passing), but the refusal to shoot the f****** PUCK!!!! They are not keeping it simple, shooting, going to the net for rebounds enough.

[Jerrydevil]

MaddDog, not once this year have I been angry because the team didn't come to play. It's only been eight games, but I hope they continue to bust their behinds

[Zamode]

PP is bad and should be improvement #1. No passing, no one at the net--whoops, that's been a problem for the last 3 years or so.

Elias will pop out of his "slump", I feel confident about that. I still think Lang is somewhere else, Gomez looks like he's trying and I think Brylin can be counted on. Marty did not look like he was completely in the game last night. Yes, there is room for improvement yet 6-2 is not bad and I am happy with that. However, 2 goals on 11 shots is a disgrace!

[HellOnICE]

No one is arguing, I know I am, that these Devils aren't good enough to make the playoffs. They can and could be a top 4 team in the conference. HOWEVER, my beef is the playoffs. they are in fact months away (duh) but that doesn't deny the fact that this team, is scarily similar to 96-99 playing well in the reg season scoring pretty much nothing, and then going nowhere.

[Jerrydevil]

HellonIce, you have a good point. We may be in a position where we have to allow some of the goal-scoring prospects like Gionta and Berglund to develop, just like it took time for Sykora and Elias to grow from 1996-1999.

[Jerrydevil]

Zam, those were some good goals though, huh, especially that tip-in by Jeff O'Neill? Pretty play.

[Diablo]

I really don't understand the gloom and doom. You guys are worse than New England sports fans and, minus the Patriots superbowl championship last year, they have something to complain about.

Granted the powerplay needs to get going. But hasn't it looked increasingly better the past two games. And much like the powerplay overall offense has picked up a notch every game since the opener all we need is to convert the scoring chances and find the back of the net.

Call me crazy but I think it is way too early to panic. We are winning games and improving every night. I too have moments of frustration watching the play but I have to realize the ends justify the means and so far that means we have won 6 games out of 8. I don't think that is too shabby.

Yes I would be the first to admit that we need more scoring from a proven sniper. But, who and how we get that should be left up to Lou because from what I have learned over the years trying to gain insight via the press or our creative minds on what move Lou will make is truely futile and an overall waste of time.

So, for all you chicken little's out there take some valium kick back and relax and let some of the more rational folk let you know when the sky is falling.

[Jerrydevil]

But, who and how we get that should be left up to Lou because from what I have learned over the years trying to gain insight via the press or our creative minds on what move Lou will make is truely futile and an overall waste of time.

Ain't THAT the truth!

[olp]

PP is bad and should be improvement #1. No passing, no one at the net--whoops, that's been a problem for the last 3 years or so.

Elias will pop out of his "slump", I feel confident about that. I still think Lang is somewhere else, Gomez looks like he's trying and I think Brylin can be counted on. Marty did not look like he was completely in the game last night. Yes, there is room for improvement yet 6-2 is not bad and I am happy with that. However, 2 goals on 11 shots is a disgrace!

I'm rather surprised that KY isn't around after this game. Thought this was a questionable game by Brodeur out of all of the games played to date (wow, all 8 of them) - thought that deflection was stoppable and thought he went down a bit early. From his quotes in the press I thought he would have a tentative game. We continue to lose to Carolina anyway, why not play Schwab next time? A loss is a loss, who cares if he gets lit up?

Carolina did a good job of pressuring the point men last night - but, the point men aren't getting the job done. What happened to that great shot Rafalski had? Use it, damn it! And hasn't Nieds changed points? Think so, that might be his problem (one of them anyway). Stevens has no business out there - White should be there instead imo. Need a body in front of the net (deja vu) and need to shoot more from the point - but without the body, the point shot won't do a hell of alot of good.

[Triumph]

Hey, give ourselves a little more credit..

Usually we at this forum can identify one half of a Devils deal.. either who's leaving or who's coming back.. never both though.

I know someone mentioned Friesen, someone last year mentioned Kamensky, someone in 2001 said O'Donnell, and I know some people said Malakhov and #89 back in 2000..

And on the other side, a lot of people last year mentioned Arnott.

[NJDevs4978]

Triumph:

I guarantee the offense will get better. If I could somehow bet on it, I absolutely would. NO offense in the history of the NHL has stayed as poor as the Devils is right now. And the Devils have Elias, Nieuwendyk, Friesen, and Gomez.

I agree with you BUT I've already seen two of my sports teams (Mets, Jets) where you kept thinking they're too good not to snap out of it but they never did. Same with the Devils last year for that matter, a lot of players underachieved. I do believe it will be different because the coach won't stand for it this time and because of a little pride showing through after the players got two coaches fired last year but I wouldn't say it COULDN'T POSSIBLY happen either.

You all expect this team to just come together right away... and if it had, you'd be complaining about that too.

True...I'm sure there were people complaining when we won 14 in a row down the stretch in 2001 that we were peaking too soon. That was probably true as it turned out but we still came within one game of winning it all.

[Jerrydevil]

Hasan, I never thought the Jets would snap out of it after three straight blowouts. LMAO!

[NJDevs4978]

(Off topic post)

Jerry, actually I thought the Jets were in trouble even after the Miami game myself, but it was still three weeks of puzzling performances before I gave up on the team ...then when Chad came in I figured it was a last-ditch attempt to provide a spark but even that didn't work against KC.