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Ray Shero: Pros and Cons


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What exactly was LL's plan?  overpaying 30 somethings that cannot keep up in the new NHL??  He made some great moves, stealing Corey, but he has alos had some huge busts, Ryder, etc..  and yes we have an excellent stable of young D men, but he never figured out how to score in the New NHL...The game has passed him by abit

 

Name one over 30 UFA signing that set the Devils back from a cap perspective? Never figured out how to score in the new NHL? Lou traded for Ilya Kovalchuck, Lou was well aware that you needed to score goals, and he adapted. It isn't his fault that Kovy left, and JVB's ownership group went into insolvency because of LB. 

 

Everyone wants to push their narrative, but if the Devils are competitive in a year or two, it will be because of Lou, not Shero. 

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By the same token the reason we haven't been competitive in 3 years is because of Lou

When two of the best players in the league just up and leave, what are you supposed to do? Lou is not at fault for this, he built a competitive team. The cards did not fall the way he had planned.
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When two of the best players in the league just up and leave, what are you supposed to do? Lou is not at fault for this, he built a competitive team. The cards did not fall the way he had planned.

 

Stacked with hopes and dreams hung on "maybe they'll bounce back" players. Havlatt, Ryder, Clowe, Jagr [that one actually worked], etc.

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my point is that the devils D is being WAY overrated with a highly skilled goalie; night in and out taking #35+ sog

 

the whole lou thing had to happen but i do agree that they were 1 or 2 pieces away from contending

 

the whole martin trade is interesting between the two teams and wasnt it because lou knew what greene was/is

Edited by lazer
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Stacked with hopes and dreams hung on "maybe they'll bounce back" players. Havlatt, Ryder, Clowe, Jagr [that one actually worked], etc.

 

What did you want him to do? He has an obligation to the fans and the players to put the best on ice product he can. This season was a disaster, but the lockout shortened year and the following year, the Devils were a good team that were screwed over by bad luck.

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What did you want him to do? He has an obligation to the fans and the players to put the best on ice product he can. This season was a disaster, but the lockout shortened year and the following year, the Devils were a good team that were screwed over by bad luck.

exactly
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The way people talk about rebuilding the defense you would think we have an all star group back there. It's solid but it's not anywhere close to a great or elite group at all. Lou and Conte did a nice job addressing it via the draft but their fetish for bottom pairing garbage throws some stink on their efforts too.

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as far as giving away draft picks, couldn't that be attributed to 6 years of "win now" hockey.  he ran with a stacked top 6; not a terrible strategy when you have 2 all world players, playing like all world players.  the things that got him in trouble were goaltending and concussions, maybe some bad coaching

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The way people talk about rebuilding the defense you would think we have an all star group back there. It's solid but it's not anywhere close to a great or elite group at all. Lou and Conte did a nice job addressing it via the draft but their fetish for bottom pairing garbage throws some stink on their efforts too.

 

Severson's a potential All-Star and if Larsson can build on this season he's got a very bright future too.  Merrill had some setbacks but I still think he's going to be at least average, though he can't have another year like this.  The idea that you could 'rebuild' the defense 1 through 6 in a few years and come out with a great group is unlikely - if Merrill, Severson, and Larsson turn out, then you've got a top 4, and that's all you can ask for through a defense rebuild - the bottom pair can be taken care of via free agency or trade.  

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Severson's a potential All-Star and if Larsson can build on this season he's got a very bright future too. Merrill had some setbacks but I still think he's going to be at least average, though he can't have another year like this. The idea that you could 'rebuild' the defense 1 through 6 in a few years and come out with a great group is unlikely - if Merrill, Severson, and Larsson turn out, then you've got a top 4, and that's all you can ask for through a defense rebuild - the bottom pair can be taken care of via free agency or trade.

Merrill needs to rebound. That will be critical. I'm not fond of Gelinas becoming much better. It's a solid group but it's by no means a great group.

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I am by no means saying this is a pointless exercise, but I think Shero's time with Pitt is tough to look at as an example of what he likes as GM. He was in a very unique situation with 2 of the greatest players in the world. I'd be interested to look at his time as an assistant GM in Nashville and maybe the Sens. Nashville has been "Devils West" without the cups to me.  Overall I feel like his moves in Pittsburgh are almost irrelevant to the situation he is adopting in NJ. He's rebuilding (Gasp!). I just like that he is experienced, already has contacts in US hockey and throughout the league, and won a cup. Not often you can scoop a GM like that up.

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After digesting for a few days this, I'm still mixed about this.  I think it's right to not look at anything Shero did in Pitt because you don't know the circumstances to which he was held.  I can see Mario holding him hard to the flames and many moves were out of need to save his job.  No cup, no job.  It's understandable with having the players he did.  However, that does mean that I'm not sure if he will be as aggressive with trades, it was just the task and expectations he had.

 

But then the other side comes out.  I can tell so many of you people are just sick of Lou.  We get it, you hate that the players can't tweet, grow beards, etc.  You hate that Lou doesn't tell everyone everything he is trying to do.  But there are reasons for these rules that make the Devils greater than the sum of its parts.  And enough that he was too rigid, he did trade for Kovy and did get to a cup final in '12 - was that with "archaic ways"?  But he lost his two stars.  No one knows what happened with Parise or Kovalchuk but you just want a head on a platter.  You sound like Eagle fans with Andy Reid.

 

Regardless, I'm still excited about Shero but no one would've done a better job at turning this team around than Lou.  Shero certainly sounds capable so we'll see when he actually makes a decision.  I'll be waiting for everyone talking about Lou rehashing old players if Disco Dan is our coach next year.

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On Merrill ... I still believe a 23 year old defeseman with  already having 100+ NHL games in 2 pro seasons and having show really good signs of what he can do - will turn out really well for the team. I know last year was weird for him, but he played well most of the time - and I wonder what a better team would do for his development. I also wonder what if he was still getting used to a full time NHL schedule given he didn't have as many injuries this year as the year before. I feel like (with no scientific evidence) that D coming from college playing 35 games need a couple season to adjust - especially after having some injuries. 

 

mightytail - Lou was going to move on sooner rather than later. So I have no problem getting the transition done now. Better today than tomorrow and Lou will be on to guide the ship until Shero is up to speed. It's a win win.

Edited by HellOnICE
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Merrill needs to rebound. That will be critical. I'm not fond of Gelinas becoming much better. It's a solid group but it's by no means a great group.

 

You're not comparing it to anything.  Care to take a look around the league and see if you can find teams that drafted 3 top 4 D, including an All-Star, in 3 consecutive drafts?   You won't find a ton.  Not saying that's necessarily what the Devils have got but there's a strong possiblity that's what they come out with.

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You're not comparing it to anything. Care to take a look around the league and see if you can find teams that drafted 3 top 4 D, including an All-Star, in 3 consecutive drafts? You won't find a ton. Not saying that's necessarily what the Devils have got but there's a strong possiblity that's what they come out with.

Granted that Larsson was yoyo'ed by Deboer before he got fired and Severson missed a couple months but Merrill was not good for a good chunk of the year and Greene had a really slow start. It has the feel of a better unit because it has a terrific goalie behind it just as I defended the defensive group when it was being killed at times unfairly for the Swiss cheese goaltending it had for a few years with Brodeur and Hedberg.

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But then the other side comes out.  I can tell so many of you people are just sick of Lou.  We get it, you hate that the players can't tweet, grow beards, etc.  You hate that Lou doesn't tell everyone everything he is trying to do.  But there are reasons for these rules that make the Devils greater than the sum of its parts.  And enough that he was too rigid, he did trade for Kovy and did get to a cup final in '12 - was that with "archaic ways"?  But he lost his two stars.  No one knows what happened with Parise or Kovalchuk but you just want a head on a platter.  You sound like Eagle fans with Andy Reid.

 

You're conveniently leaving the part out about us having become a losing franchise in the last half decade. NO ONE'S job security is that safe with the results we've had 4 out of the last 5 years.

Edited by DJ Eco
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You're conveniently leaving the part out about us having become a losing franchise in the last half decade. NO ONE'S job security is that safe with the results we've had 4 out of the last 5 years.

 

I think everyone else is dwelling on that sufficiently well.  What isn't brought up is 2 wins away from a 4th cup.

 

Lou was a great man and GM.  I just hope Shero can live up to it.  It'll be great to see what he does to direct the team to the playoffs.  Judging from his quotes, it sounds like he is seeing our forwards as a 2 year rebuild.  I'd like to see him do a smallish trade for a RW and sign a couple of guys that don't hinder the cap.  We are one of a few teams that have the cap on our side no matter what the number is.  A lot of people here seem resigned to not making the playoffs next year but why not try to improve year one with hopefully a Goligoski type trade?

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and one of the D has to be moved to get an O...most likely so

 

everyone has potential and merrill was last on my list as being an issue

 

stevens role played an influence on development, including larsson

 

imo stevens hampered debos system, just throwing that out there and where would the devils be if debo was still coach...ie same place and lou might still have his job.

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I think everyone else is dwelling on that sufficiently well.  What isn't brought up is 2 wins away from a 4th cup.

 

I told this to Rangers fans all throughout the year, and I think it's relevant now to Devils fans. No one cares about who finished in 2nd place. And no one cares about who finished in 2nd place 3 years ago. This is a results business.

 

1990-2008 Lou Lamoriello would've fired 2014 Lou Lamoriello, simple as that.

Edited by DJ Eco
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