Jump to content

GDT: 9/21/17 NJ Devils @ Les Habitants


CommonDreads

Recommended Posts

We might be a lot better than I'm giving us credit for. Quenneville, Hischier, Mueller, Blandisi and Zacha are all looking great this preseason as far as the young guys go. I don't want to get my hopes up too high because it's just preseason but we're definitely looking better than last year.

Personally I would rather start Butcher and Kapla over Lovejoy. 

 

Edited by Jerzey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Satans Hockey said:

Bratt with the empty net goal, 4-1 final. They looked really good tonight, Nico is just great, Bratt looked good, Keith was great in goal, Mico is looking good. I know people think we are going to suck but I don't think being in the hunt for a wild card spot is really out of the question, I think we'll be around there. 

Cory having a bounce back year would go a long way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, nessus said:

Most San Jose fans were not too upset to see Mueller go. They said he took too long to make decisions, he played nervously, and he often froze up in high pressure situations. I'm really not seeing much of that in these preseason games. I'm not sure if he'll put it all together perfectly when he's an NHL regular, but he is really showing his potential so far. He can speed up the game. He has really made great defensive and offensive plays tonight.

That sentence could've been written about Larsson when PDB was coach, so no surprise to hear it about Mueller. I thought he looked pretty good tonight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, good game all around by the guys that matter.  I think Blandisi's going to make this team out of camp - he's playing well.  Bratt looks intriguing and he'll go back to London and play well when he does.  Quenneville was less impressive but hey, Albany could use some help and perhaps he'll improve as the season goes along.

I don't have to talk about Hischier or do I - he's really good.  Only questions are about his ability to weather the season - otherwise he's an NHLer already.

There's hope here.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice win. Before I get into some thoughts, I just can't believe how bad the refereeing in the second period was. Holy hell, how is that a penalty called a goalie interference?

The Good:

-Nico: So slick, so smart, so skilled. The goal was pretty lucky but he was in the right place, which is a theme for him. That pass to Palmieri was the most impressive play of the night. You never see players make that pass so quickly, but he fooled both the dman and Price.

-Blandisi: He should be a standout considering his age and the fact that he's competing for a spot. He's just been so smooth and his passes have been great. He also isnt falling down as much as before. 

-Mueller: Was pretty down on the trade but he has been stellar in the preseason. Great skater in all directions and is pretty sound positionally. I think he has the inside edge over Butcher for the 6th spot due to the price Shero paid, but he is earning it.

-Bratt: He wont make the team but he's certainly making the decision more interesting. Not bad for a 6th round pick. London is the perfect place for him to learn the NA game

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Marshall said:

I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up my expectations are up.

This X 100. 

I just keep repeating "it's only pre season". 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

This X 100. 

I just keep repeating "it's only pre season". 

Yeah, I kind of remember Pavel Brendl having some big preseasons, then promptly disappearing once the regular season began.  Guys like that in every sport.

That being said, it's really starting to feel like this is becoming Shero's team...it's still fairly early-on in the process, but you can see the vision.  I like where it's going...and it's great that it looks like Hischier is going to start his career with the big club.  Would be nice to see this team continue to win some preseason games...for vet teams that know they're playoff-bound, it doesn't matter, but sometimes I do think some preseason winning can help a finding-itself bunch like this group enter the season feeling good about itself.   

I never thought this team would be as bad as some prognosticators do, but the only way that I think the Devils will compete for a wild card is if Schneider has a big year.  Last season wasn't all his fault, but he simply wasn't good enough for too much of the season...if the Devils get that version of him again, it's just going to be very difficult to stay in contention...especially for a team that's trying to build its confidence. 

I'm also curious to see, if Killjoy is shaky through 20-25 games, does he still keep getting playing time? 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to be a wet blanket or anything.. but didn't the Avs go 6-0 in the preseason last year?  And I think we all know how the regular season went for them..

Really can't tell much about anything really from the pre-season.

I'm just enjoying watching Hischier and the rest of the kids play.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Devilsfan118 said:

Not to be a wet blanket or anything.. but didn't the Avs go 6-0 in the preseason last year?  And I think we all know how the regular season went for them..

Really can't tell much about anything really from the pre-season.

I'm just enjoying watching Hischier and the rest of the kids play.

In general I don't think any Devils fans who's been watching this team through these lean years is re-thinking their expectations too much.  The most optimistic fans (like me) are thinking possible wild-card contention if a lot of things break right, but at least this looks like the beginnings of something better than what we've seen for the past several seasons...and it's not like we're not eager for even the slightest signs of that.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's actually refreshing to be "bad".  This is the first time in my life as a Devils fan that I can just watch them play and not worry about playoff runs and wildcard spots and expectations. I get to watch a team full of young talent, and if we do good, hey that's great, but the only thing I'm expecting is to see young guys development, which is comforting. Takes the pressure of suffering through the last 15 years down a little. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, RunninWithTheDevil said:

It's actually refreshing to be "bad".  This is the first time in my life as a Devils fan that I can just watch them play and not worry about playoff runs and wildcard spots and expectations. I get to watch a team full of young talent, and if we do good, hey that's great, but the only thing I'm expecting is to see young guys development, which is comforting. Takes the pressure of suffering through the last 15 years down a little. 

Devils were at least competitive in just about every season from 2003-04 to 2011-12 (even 2010-11 got to be a little more interesting than it had any right to be)...yeah, those teams tended to come up very short come playoff time (with the exception of 2012 of course), but at least you went into those seasons feeling pretty confident that the Devils would at least nab a playoff berth.  It's the last five seasons have been especially rough, not just because of them not making the playoffs, but because they've generally been a very ugly team to watch.  You can get away with winning ugly, but losing ugly is something else...and the Devils of the past five years have almost seemed allergic to putting pucks in the net.

I'm very hopeful that this season marks the end of THOSE Devils.  At the very least, it feels like this team should be a lot more entertaining to watch.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Martyisth3b3st said:

Greene, Severson, and Lovejoy are 'locks'. That's assumed. Moore will likely play in quite a few games, but I can't consider him a top-6 lock. I think there's a decent chance that the opening day top-6 are Greene, Sevo, Lovejoy, Mueller, Santini, Butcher.

I think they like Moore a lot more (badumtsh) than that. I think they're looking at Severson/Greene/Lovejoy/Moore being the locks and the rest is up for grabs. Do wonder if one of Santini/Butcher doesn't start in the AHL so they can keep Prout from waivers (however hilarious that may sound).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Jerzey said:

I don't want to get my hopes up too high because it's just preseason but we're definitely looking better than last year.

 

9 hours ago, Marshall said:

I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up I will not get my expectations up my expectations are up.

 

1 hour ago, RunninWithTheDevil said:

This is the first time in my life as a Devils fan that I can just watch them play and not worry about playoff runs and wildcard spots and expectations.

Due to circumstances beyond our control we had to give up our season tickets this year, so I feel relatively confident this will be a Cup season. If so, you guys can thank my wife and me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.