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No Devils Game for a Week


Ollie McKraut

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Mueller's general meh-ness not going unnoticed:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=88394

2) I was cooler on the Mirco Mueller trade than many and, though it's still very early, he's yet to give me any reason to reconsider my stance.

We're dealing with small sample sizes but, after a mediocre AHL season, he's gotten off to a rough start in New Jersey.

As it stands, the Devils allow more shot attempts/60 and generate less shot attempts/60 with Mueller on the ice than any other regular defenseman. Only Will Butcher has been given more favorable zone starts, too, so it's not as if he's been utilized in a way that'd be tough to succeed.

It's probably not a good thing that he hasn't earned a spot in the lineup on a nightly basis given the state of New Jersey's defense.

 

We know the deal with guys like this...as a former 1st-rounder who's still young, another team or two will take a chance and see if they can get more of him than his previous team could...you still can get the benefit of the doubt.  I definitely understood taking a shot on him...especially with guys like Killjoy and Prout around.  I'm still hopeful that this could work out, but not as much as I was.   

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18 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Mueller's general meh-ness not going unnoticed:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=88394

2) I was cooler on the Mirco Mueller trade than many and, though it's still very early, he's yet to give me any reason to reconsider my stance.

We're dealing with small sample sizes but, after a mediocre AHL season, he's gotten off to a rough start in New Jersey.

As it stands, the Devils allow more shot attempts/60 and generate less shot attempts/60 with Mueller on the ice than any other regular defenseman. Only Will Butcher has been given more favorable zone starts, too, so it's not as if he's been utilized in a way that'd be tough to succeed.

It's probably not a good thing that he hasn't earned a spot in the lineup on a nightly basis given the state of New Jersey's defense.

 

We know the deal with guys like this...as a former 1st-rounder who's still young, another team or two will take a chance and see if they can get more of him than his previous team could...you still can get the benefit of the doubt.  I definitely understood taking a shot on him...especially with guys like Killjoy and Prout around.  I'm still hopeful that this could work out, but not as much as I was.   

I haven't been immediately impressed with him either, but it's way too early.  Gotta give the guy at least half the year, and in all honesty he probably deserves a full season to show what he can do.  Guys go through slumps and rough patches all the time, and they sometimes last weeks or months.  Not to mention this is his first season with a new team and learning how to play with new teammates and in a new system.  Guy hasn't committed and real glaring errors from what I've seen so far, so no reason to jump the gun and consider him a failure and start writing him off already.  I'd still consider him an upgrade or Lovejoy, the human turnover.

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Just now, NJDfan1711 said:

I haven't been immediately impressed with him either, but it's way too early.  Gotta give the guy at least half the year, and in all honesty he probably deserves a full season to show what he can do.  Guys go through slumps and rough patches all the time, and they sometimes last weeks or months.  Not to mention this is his first season with a new team and learning how to play with new teammates and in a new system.  Guy hasn't committed and real glaring errors from what I've seen so far, so no reason to jump the gun and consider him a failure and start writing him off already.  I'd still consider him an upgrade or Lovejoy, the human turnover.

Just to be clear, the bolded part wasn't my text.  I'm not writing him off either, and like I said, I'm still hopeful, but let's face it, he's clearly not impressing the Devils (hence the healthy scratches) and they clearly would love him to be the guy that sticks.

But I do like the fact that they seem committed to taking a "tough love" approach with him, and that the only way he's going to be an every-game player is to prove himself when he gets chances to play...it kind of sucks that the other options at the moment are Killjoy and Prout, but it's on Mueller to make those guys less relevant than they are right now.  My gut tells me that this isn't going to work out (I'm guessing that he'll play with another team or two before flaming out well before the age of 30), but hopefully my gut is wrong.     

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Cory practiced today & is available to back up Kinky on Friday (tho his wife will be giving birth to baby Schneids #2 shortly so they'll probably keep Wedge around) but Kink will get the start vs the Sens. 

Palms did not practice again today; he worked out off ice though. He is still a "possibility" for Friday. 

Boyle was not at practice today (personal day) but is getting closer. Not going to play this weekend but he'll be going on the W Canada trip and will hopefully get some games in there... 

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6 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Just to be clear, the bolded part wasn't my text.  I'm not writing him off either, and like I said, I'm still hopeful, but let's face it, he's clearly not impressing the Devils (hence the healthy scratches) and they clearly would love him to be the guy that sticks.

But I do like the fact that they seem committed to taking a "tough love" approach with him, and that the only way he's going to be an every-game player is to prove himself when he gets chances to play...it kind of sucks that the other options at the moment are Killjoy and Prout, but it's on Mueller to make those guys less relevant than they are right now.  My gut tells me that this isn't going to work out (I'm guessing that he'll play with another team or two before flaming out well before the age of 30), but hopefully my gut is wrong.     

Yeah for sure, I have nothing against a tough love approach.  It's an attempt at pushing your players to be better, which of course makes your team better.  Agreed that it sucks that our alternatives aren't any better, but that's just the current state of affairs.

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On 10/25/2017 at 1:16 PM, mfitz804 said:

I still wouldn’t wear one, but I think it’s cool the team is. 

I'd wear the sh!t outta that!

Ordering today!

 

This week off a month into the season sh!t is for the birds!

 

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