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2012-2013 NHL Playoffs


MDPucks

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I do enjoy watching the Devils play hockey, but I wouldn't complain if they managed to get hold of 1 or 2 more world class offensive players. I sometimes get jealous of Tampa, Pitts and Philly when I see they win games with scores like 6-2. Thats like a couple of weeks worth of goals if your a Devs fan. :P  We should sell our soul to Columbus for one of their extra draft picks this year.

 

I thought this; but the first half of the 10/11 season; and the 2nd half of the 12/13 season reminds me of how much it sucks to be a fan of a team that losses seemingly every game.  I don't want a top 5 five pick that way.

Now; the bigger question.   Would I rather a team that misses the playoffs in the last week or two of the season, or a team that makes the playoffs and exits the first round....  That's more of a debate for me than straight out sucking.

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I did. I enjoyed seeing the devils making it far but i didnt enjoy watching them play that much to be honest.

And i absolutely dont agree with the turnover thing. Wheres the risk when you have one guy rushing the puck up and taking a chance leading to a faceoff or holding on to the puck and if he lose it all the guys are still behind. Or (what happened to us so damn often) dump the puck... We get ALL our 3 forwards in the same corner grinding the puck on one or 2 dmen and the other team get the puck out, one pass at a winger wide open on the other side all by himself rushing up and he the WHOLE opposing team is breaking out behind him while you have our 3 forwards trying to hustle back in the play. 5 vs 2

It was pissing me off to no end every time it would happen, other teams playing us got so damn many super clean and smooth breakouts cause all our guys were pinned facing the boards while the puck was already gone and at the red line

It's like baseball when it comes to zone entries. What's cooler, a home-run or a single? A home-run, obviously, but a single could end up being better and it's a better chance you get the single if you're not swinging for the fences.

Goal off the rush would be a home-run, the wrap-around dump is a single.

You dump it, you chase and you hope your guys are better than the other team's and can get possession, it's a lot safer then sending one guy in alone.

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It's like baseball when it comes to zone entries. What's cooler, a home-run or a single? A home-run, obviously, but a single could end up being better and it's a better chance you get the single if you're not swinging for the fences.

Goal off the rush would be a home-run, the wrap-around dump is a single.

You dump it, you chase and you hope your guys are better than the other team's and can get possession, it's a lot safer then sending one guy in alone.

 

how about what i said about how teams would break out with total freedom against us. It's a fact that we've seen all season long. It takes us sometimes like 7 breakouts "attempts" to actually get a "good" shot on goal. No wonder we're not scoring goals we dont create good chance at all. We take lots of shots but not often they are dangerous

 

also im absolutely not saying our guys should never dump or should always try to breakout on their own but a mix of the 2 would be sweet. Seems our system is too strict and restraining guys. This is pretty obvious when its late in the game and that we need a goal and that our top guys goes on a mission. Its clear they are not following a plan but its creating a lot more chances and its way more exciting to watch

Edited by SterioDesign
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how about what i said about how teams would break out with total freedom against us. It's a fact that we've seen all season long. It takes us sometimes like 7 breakouts "attempts" to actually get a "good" shot on goal. No wonder we're not scoring goals we dont create good chance at all. We take lots of shots but not often they are dangerous

 

also im absolutely not saying our guys should never dump or should always try to breakout on their own but a mix of the 2 would be sweet. Seems our system is too strict and restraining guys. This is pretty obvious when its late in the game and that we need a goal and that our top guys goes on a mission. Its clear they are not following a plan but its creating a lot more chances and its way more exciting to watch

 

Outside of a few players (Kovy, Elias), not many players on this team can create scoring chances off of the rush.  They just aren't that skilled offensively.  This group needs to work hard for every goal, and uses its system and discipline to create chances. 

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Outside of a few players (Kovy, Elias), not many players on this team can create scoring chances off of the rush.  They just aren't that skilled offensively.  This group needs to work hard for every goal, and uses its system and discipline to create chances. 

 

Henrique can and did create and scored bunch of goals off the rush in shorthanded situation. 

 

but let's say we agree that our group is not skilled offensively and need to play a strict and grind goals all season long. I don't see why i'd get jump on for saying they are not really that fun to watch in that system... it kinda goes together. Im just not in denial or putting blinders on. I wish we'd have more exciting players who are allowed to do exciting things. 

 

And thats another thing, we can bring the best deker or one on one player in the league, but if he's not allowed to do his thing he won't be himself which is what made him successful. Also explains a bit why guys like Teddy have a hard time cracking our lineup and why we should really draft a guy who fit that hard nose game.

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Henrique can and did create and scored bunch of goals off the rush in shorthanded situation. 

 

but let's say we agree that our group is not skilled offensively and need to play a strict and grind goals all season long. I don't see why i'd get jump on for saying they are not really that fun to watch in that system... it kinda goes together. Im just not in denial or putting blinders on. I wish we'd have more exciting players who are allowed to do exciting things. 

 

And thats another thing, we can bring the best deker or one on one player in the league, but if he's not allowed to do his thing he won't be himself which is what made him successful. Also explains a bit why guys like Teddy have a hard time cracking our lineup and why we should really draft a guy who fit that hard nose game.

 

Our system is not free flowing, and it seems like that's the type of game you prefer.  It's a personal choice, and its fine if that is yours (I don't necessarily disagree).  However, to play that kind of system, you need the horses to execute it, which we don't have even if I include Henrique in that category with Kovy and Elias.  While our current system is not the most entertaining in the league, there is no doubting that it is much more aggressive and fun to watch offensively than before PDB got here.  The Chicago Blackhawks we aren't, but for me it has been more enteraining to watch, especially in 2011-12 when we had 4 lines rolling and were executing that system to near perfection in the playoffs. 

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It's like baseball when it comes to zone entries. What's cooler, a home-run or a single? A home-run, obviously, but a single could end up being better and it's a better chance you get the single if you're not swinging for the fences.

Goal off the rush would be a home-run, the wrap-around dump is a single.

You dump it, you chase and you hope your guys are better than the other team's and can get possession, it's a lot safer then sending one guy in alone.

I completely disagree. A goal is a goal. A home run results in runs while a single sets up the possibility, but just as likely are the runners stranded. To put hockey and baseball together, I'd say a goal=a home run, then maybe a triple=a great save or saves from your goalie, and a single is probably a simple check into the boards on a dump into the zone
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Henrique can and did create and scored bunch of goals off the rush in shorthanded situation. 

 

but let's say we agree that our group is not skilled offensively and need to play a strict and grind goals all season long. I don't see why i'd get jump on for saying they are not really that fun to watch in that system... it kinda goes together. Im just not in denial or putting blinders on. I wish we'd have more exciting players who are allowed to do exciting things. 

 

And thats another thing, we can bring the best deker or one on one player in the league, but if he's not allowed to do his thing he won't be himself which is what made him successful. Also explains a bit why guys like Teddy have a hard time cracking our lineup and why we should really draft a guy who fit that hard nose game.

 

If you're referring to Kovalchuk, things didn't work out so well for his previous team when he was "allowed to do his thing".  In fact, everyone always seems to be saying how improved he is now that he doesn't rely so much on his one on one game.

 

Also, Tedenby would have a hard time cracking most teams' lineups.  The skills he has do not make up for his weaknesses.  You would also expect him to be lighting it up in Albany if it were just a matter of him not fitting into the Devils system. 

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I was a huuuuge Kovy fan when he was in Atlanta.. Much like Ovie does now, he just made sh!t happen on his own. That said, I think his game is much improved since he joined us, and I am deeply fascinated with how awesome it is to have him on the PK now for example.. I just wish that he could get a few seasons with a good playmaker on his line. 

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I was a huuuuge Kovy fan when he was in Atlanta.. Much like Ovie does now, he just made sh!t happen on his own. That said, I think his game is much improved since he joined us, and I am deeply fascinated with how awesome it is to have him on the PK now for example.. I just wish that he could get a few seasons with a good playmaker on his line. 

 

It's amazing to watch Caps hockey lately (more than I usually do, obviously). I get angry that Ovechkin does not play the penalty kill (I'm sure Oates is too). We're really spoiled with Kovalchuk's buying into the system, especially when you see his shorthanded goal count.

 

But yeah totally agree, he needs good linemates. Not take away from Loktionov, but it's sad that he was the best linemate Lou could set Kovy up with this year (and that was a real luck of the draw).

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how about what i said about how teams would break out with total freedom against us. It's a fact that we've seen all season long. It takes us sometimes like 7 breakouts "attempts" to actually get a "good" shot on goal. No wonder we're not scoring goals we dont create good chance at all. We take lots of shots but not often they are dangerous

 

also im absolutely not saying our guys should never dump or should always try to breakout on their own but a mix of the 2 would be sweet. Seems our system is too strict and restraining guys. This is pretty obvious when its late in the game and that we need a goal and that our top guys goes on a mission. Its clear they are not following a plan but its creating a lot more chances and its way more exciting to watch

I don't think this system is what is resctricting our boys.  It seems our system rewards players who are good on the forecheck and play a grind it out style...why do you think our normal 3rd line of Carter-Gionta-Bernier, throughout the season put up the scoring they did.   They put up numbers that might be expected from them during an 82-game season.  Carter only played in 65 games in 2011-12 and only 8 points then.  And yes, I will say that they excelled this season based on points alone. 

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I'm betting Claude Julian will be canned if Toronto completes this comeback.  Insane to look at Claude's work without Bunker Timmy carrying him to the cup.  Outside of that you have come-back upsets by Carolina, Philadelphia, and Washington with all the deciding games dropped in Boston.

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Watching the Boston game, should the OTHER score hold, Reimer could very well steal the next round. Boston's better than that OTHER team and he's playing solid.

 

Boston's not better than the Rangers.  They should be, god knows they have more talent but Boston's come up small in the playoffs every year outside of the Tim Thomas-led Cup win.  It's time for Claude to go bye-bye there.

 

Lose Game 7 in OT at home against Carolina in 2009, lose Game 7 against the Flyers at home after a dual 3-0, 3-0 gagjob, lose another Game 7 in OT at home last year to the Caps, and now losing to the Leafs from up 3-1 with two of the last three at home, all series they were favored to win/should have won.

Edited by NJDevs4978
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