mort4345 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Just got back from the game in St. Paul. I had fun seats, row 6 from the ice but near the goal where the Devils shot at during periods one and three. As such, a lot of the action was on the other end of the rink all three periods so I'm pretty sure everyone who saw the game on TV has a better overall analysis than what I have. From my vantage point, however, I did notice a couple of things: For starters, Henrique seemed ready to rumble at any moment from the middle of the second period on. Not really sure what got under his skin (demotion to fourth line?) but he was a hockey player clearly on a mission. Nico looked like a rookie for a good portion of the night; seemed more tentative than I've seen him look in the past. There were at least four good brawls and I honestly can't remember an early regular season game against a non divisional opponent where the Devils seemed so motivated to throw down on a continual basis - especially since the Wild really aren't a goon type of team - so that really surprised me. Butcher played smartly and is a calm, intelligent hockey player but really can get knocked off the puck when he's pressed. Nice goal though by the Butcher, arguably the most important goal of the game. Didn't notice Zacha, Stafford, Palms making too many memorable plays. Severson and Santini were fun to watch, played with a bit of an edge. As for the game flow itself, when the Devils took that crucial penalty in the third (Devs up 3-1 at the time) I turned to my 12-year-old daughter and said, "The Wild are going to score, tie it up in the final minutes and send this game will go into overtime." My daughter looks at me and says, "Dad, you need to stay positive." So, during the break before overtime starts, my daughter turns to me and says, "Dad, how did you know?" You guys all know the answer I gave her. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer91 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 5 hours ago, mort4345 said: Didn't notice Zacha, Stafford, Palms making too many memorable plays. Probably because Zacha had the lowest TOI of the whole team. I didnt think he played poorly with the time given him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Devils are 12-5-3 at the quarter mark, on pace for about 111 points. No, I don't see them getting there. But at least 90+ feels like it's doable, as long as they don't suffer too many injuries, and can improve in their own end. Devils are 3-3-3 in their last nine...doesn't sound impressive, but they weren't going to keep up the pace they were on earlier, and it's not like they've been playing a lot of slouches lately. It hasn't always been pretty (they've been outshot 357-308 in these nine games), and at times they've looked borderline helpless, but they've found ways to hold their own. Hope they can come up with 5 or 6 points in their next four games...they have a three-game road trip to start December, but from 12/15 - 12/29, they have a six-game homestand, their longest of the season. Would love to see them come away with 13 or 14 points in their next 11 before that stand...after that stand is over, Devils will play 22 out of 37 games on the road. If at all possible, it'd be nice to have banked some points before that stretch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgeControl Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 2 hours ago, lucifer91 said: Probably because Zacha had the lowest TOI of the whole team. I didnt think he played poorly with the time given him. zacha doesnt play poorly. he has too good a skill set to do that.. hes being graded on a different scale.. fair or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said: Devils are 12-5-3 at the quarter mark, on pace for about 111 points. No, I don't see them getting there. But at least 90+ feels like it's doable, as long as they don't suffer too many injuries, and can improve in their own end. Devils are 3-3-3 in their last nine...doesn't sound impressive, but they weren't going to keep up the pace they were on earlier, and it's not like they've been playing a lot of slouches lately. It hasn't always been pretty (they've been outshot 357-308 in these nine games), and at times they've looked borderline helpless, but they've found ways to hold their own. Hope they can come up with 5 or 6 points in their next four games...they have a three-game road trip to start December, but from 12/15 - 12/29, they have a six-game homestand, their longest of the season. Would love to see them come away with 13 or 14 points in their next 11 before that stand...after that stand is over, Devils will play 22 out of 37 games on the road. If at all possible, it'd be nice to have banked some points before that stretch. What's very very encouraging to this point (and we ALL know that we could go on a bad streak and still miss the playoffs) is that we've been doing really really really good with a team that technically shouldn't be doing this good at this point PLUS we're doing it through adversity... lots of key injuries on top guys, we're constantly shooting ourselves in the foot with our penalties, very young team with a very average D corp etc etc We certainly won games where we were not the best team but also lost games where we were the best team. always important to realize that results are not always the best indication of success So looking at that and realizing that once we have an healthy lineup and that our rookies get more experience under their belts, we "should" be doing even better. Look at Keller right now, he was not even in the league last year so if it can be any indication of how strong Nico could come out next season, it's very exciting. Plus having so many young guys filling key roles makes a lot of our younger players "expendable" in terms of possibly turning them into assets. At this point Zacha, McLeod, Quenneville could totally be thrown in a package to get a solid D-man that we obviously need. I'd throw any of them in to get Ekman-Larsson (rumours going around right now of the Leafs going after him willing to trade Nylander) On top of that we have the cap space to make a splash signing someone in the summer like Carlson or De Haan. We're in really really good shape going forward, dear god sweet baby jesus it's exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfitz804 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 10 hours ago, Devilsfan118 said: THREE points for Adam Henrique, atta boy. Big game for him, like he had read this board and he was saying "I'm not invisible, look at this ridiculous fvcking mustache!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfitz804 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 2 hours ago, lucifer91 said: Probably because Zacha had the lowest TOI of the whole team. I didnt think he played poorly with the time given him. I don't get what people expected with Zacha. He just made it back into the lineup after siting for 4 of 5. Did you think they were going to bring him back into the lineup and give him a ton of minutes? He has to earn his way back to that, as well he should. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDfan1711 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 10 hours ago, mikepeluso8 said: This damn division is so fvcking close. It's nuts. Going to be high levels of anxiety all season long. Need 2 points every single night...it feels that way anyway. I was going to say the same thing. Looking at the standings, even though we're winning at a nice pace, there's still not much of a gap between us and the teams barely out of the wildcard spots. It's going to be a tall order to ask the guys to play like this all season long since they're quite young and haven't played together very long, but I like the way it's started and I think they have it in them. On another note, really happy for Henrique to see him bounce back quickly and have a solid night, and also VERY pleased with the way he handled his scrap with whoever that fool was on Minnesota whacking away at Schneider. You could tell he was taking his frustration out on him, because I don't think the guy on the Wild even connected with Schneider's pads when he was trying to hit the puck lol. I'll take it though. Looks like the attempt to light a fire in Henrique clearly worked. He also showed some amazing patience with the puck on that drive to the net for the OT winner. Great vision to catch a streaking Moore as the 3rd man in -- the Minnesota d-men were focused on whoever the other guy was on the rink for us that was already in the slot. And of course, major kudos to Moore for coming through in the clutch -- great job jumping into the play and committing to the rush, showing no fear of being the last man back and potentially giving up an opportunity the other way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devs3cups Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 11 hours ago, SterioDesign said: Hey whats up dude haha Thanks, good to be back Love your avatar man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 (edited) 27 minutes ago, SterioDesign said: What's very very encouraging to this point (and we ALL know that we could go on a bad streak and still miss the playoffs) is that we've been doing really really really good with a team that technically shouldn't be doing this good at this point PLUS we're doing it through adversity... lots of key injuries on top guys, we're constantly shooting ourselves in the foot with our penalties, very young team with a very average D corp etc etc We certainly won games where we were not the best team but also lost games where we were the best team. always important to realize that results are not always the best indication of success So looking at that and realizing that once we have an healthy lineup and that our rookies get more experience under their belts, we "should" be doing even better. Look at Keller right now, he was not even in the league last year so if it can be any indication of how strong Nico could come out next season, it's very exciting. Plus having so many young guys filling key roles makes a lot of our younger players "expendable" in terms of possibly turning them into assets. At this point Zacha, McLeod, Quenneville could totally be thrown in a package to get a solid D-man that we obviously need. I'd throw any of them in to get Ekman-Larsson (rumours going around right now of the Leafs going after him willing to trade Nylander) On top of that we have the cap space to make a splash signing someone in the summer like Carlson or De Haan. We're in really really good shape going forward, dear god sweet baby jesus it's exciting. Yeah, to an extent, they've overachieved...not by a ton (they were really impressive at the beginning of the season...it's become tougher lately), but they have. Though I look at the roster and don't think it was ever supposed to be about 2017-18, I like that the organization is raising expectations of its players...it would've been easy to just say "We gotta keep putting Zacha out there and let him learn through playing." There's increased accountability this season, and that's a good thing that will help everyone going forward...the Devils are clearly not interested in taking too many lumps and punting away this season. I think the "expendability" of younger players will come later...as in next season and beyond. I think the Devils would like McLeod to get another full training camp and some time with the big club for a while. They're clearly not sold on Zacha just yet, but he's only 20 and hasn't had that much NHL experience. If all goes according to plan, I agree, obviously there isn't going to be room for everyone, and the Devils have needs elsewhere for sure, so someone will have to go. For some reason I don't think Q has a much of a future here...just a hunch. And yeah, I think if Carlson ever makes it to UFA, the Devils will absolutely be all-in on him. Just makes too much sense. Edited November 21, 2017 by Colorado Rockies 1976 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer91 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 38 minutes ago, mfitz804 said: I don't get what people expected with Zacha. He just made it back into the lineup after siting for 4 of 5. Did you think they were going to bring him back into the lineup and give him a ton of minutes? He has to earn his way back to that, as well he should. No doubt he hasn't played up to his potential, but I think it is not so easy to evaluate a player on his first game back on 9 minutes of play. That said I don't think that line in total got a lot of minutes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 53 minutes ago, EdgeControl said: zacha doesnt play poorly. he has too good a skill set to do that.. hes being graded on a different scale.. fair or not Don't matter if you got a nice set of tools or an ugly set of tools, it's about what you build with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devs3cups Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 (edited) 29 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said: And yeah, I think if Carlson ever makes it to UFA, the Devils will absolutely be all-in on him. Just makes too much sense. That would absolutely help our back end. Butcher, Santini, Severson, Carlson is a pretty good top 4 imo. What kind of contract would you be willing to give? I'd be satisfied with a 6 yr./39-42 mil (6.5 or 7 mil/per), which is what I think we'll have to throw if we want to have him, if not more $. What about Jack Johnson? Edited November 21, 2017 by Devs3cups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgeControl Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 17 minutes ago, Marshall said: Don't matter if you got a nice set of tools or an ugly set of tools, it's about what you build with it. The point was that I dont think he is playing any worse than half the players on the roster, so why is he being singled out.. Id much rather have him on the ice over boyle ... by a mile or do you think boyle is better??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Leeds Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 24 minutes ago, lucifer91 said: No doubt he hasn't played up to his potential, but I think it is not so easy to evaluate a player on his first game back on 9 minutes of play. That said I don't think that line in total got a lot of minutes. Since his draft day I've felt we should have taken Provorov. Oh, well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Leeds Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 11 hours ago, Brophy22 said: Resilient!!! Still pissed about the 6 on 5. But John Moore does it again!! Better a Western Conference team......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfitz804 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 19 minutes ago, Jimmy Leeds said: Better a Western Conference team......... Yup, we got our two points and it doesn't matter in the slightest to us that they got one. I'll take that any day. True, we were up 3-1 and we blew a two goal lead in the 3rd. But despite that 3-1 score, we were lucky to still be in that game. Two of those goals (and their one) were fluky, weird bounces. Which still count, don't get me wrong, but we weren't exactly dominating them with our skill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Just now, mfitz804 said: Yup, we got our two points and it doesn't matter in the slightest to us that they got one. I'll take that any day. True, we were up 3-1 and we blew a two goal lead in the 3rd. But despite that 3-1 score, we were lucky to still be in that game. Two of those goals (and their one) were fluky, weird bounces. Which still count, don't get me wrong, but we weren't exactly dominating them with our skill. Pretty sure the Wild were muttering "How the fvck did we only come away with one point?!" in that one...though if Palms buries his chance, I don't think the Wild ties the game up in that alternate timeline. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfitz804 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 18 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said: Pretty sure the Wild were muttering "How the fvck did we only come away with one point?!" in that one...though if Palms buries his chance, I don't think the Wild ties the game up in that alternate timeline. The old man told me that one day a crazy wild eyed scientist or a kid might show up asking about it, and if that happened... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Man did the old-age makeup used in the BTTF movies not hold up well at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 1 hour ago, Jimmy Leeds said: Since his draft day I've felt we should have taken Provorov. Oh, well You and me both. Good lord can you imagine how much better this team would be with him in the back end? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Zajac played only 12 minutes and looked bad in the time he did play - I'm hoping he can get his timing back soon because the Devils really need him. Stafford is invisible and needs to find a good suit to wear to games. I know they stuck Henrique on 'the 4th line' but that won't last and Noesen is just doing a much better job than Stafford. I know Stafford's game is to be invisible except for when he scores, but this is ridiculous - he just has zero impact when he's out there and loses way too many puck battles. Boyle is another problem - he's good along the wall in the offensive zone, but they can't seem to get him there because he doesn't have the speed to do anything in the neutral zone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Can you honestly scratch Boyle, though? His situation makes the roster management.. kinda complicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgeControl Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 10 minutes ago, Triumph said: Zajac played only 12 minutes and looked bad in the time he did play - I'm hoping he can get his timing back soon because the Devils really need him. Stafford is invisible and needs to find a good suit to wear to games. I know they stuck Henrique on 'the 4th line' but that won't last and Noesen is just doing a much better job than Stafford. I know Stafford's game is to be invisible except for when he scores, but this is ridiculous - he just has zero impact when he's out there and loses way too many puck battles. Boyle is another problem - he's good along the wall in the offensive zone, but they can't seem to get him there because he doesn't have the speed to do anything in the neutral zone. Hynes only gave stafford 4 shifts in the second, so he's now on notice Boyle is terrible, as a center he hasn't gotten back on defense once in transition That zajac zacha brat move was buffalo peterman bad.. Bratt only got 4 shifts in the 3rd, honeymoon ending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Leeds Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 7 minutes ago, Martyisth3b3st said: Triumph basically posted what I was going to say. Next day thoughts: 1. Travis Zajac doesn't belong on the top-6 right now. He's a brilliant checking center and seems perfectly suited to take on the third-line center role, once Henrique makes his way back into the top-6. 2. Stafford needs to be the player in the press box once MoJo is healthy. He's pretty brutal out there, doesn't seem to be doing much of anything right. 3. I was pissed at Schneider until I saw the replay this morning. Boyle literally planted himself 4 inches in front of Cory on that tying goal and then... didn't do anything. He actually turned his head to watch the puck fly past his left shin guard and into the net. I can't imagine that was the coaching staff telling him to camp out there, but I blame them for even having him on the ice. I get that he's a good faceoff guy, but so is Zajac, I'm getting sick of Boyle out there already and it's only been a few games; he's too slow to be productive, and he's too weak to use his size. Again, this isn't a "of course he's weak, he had cancer" comment -- his biggest knock for years is that he's the tallest guy on the ice but plays like a frail woman. 4. Santini is blossoming into the defenseman we all prayed he would be. It's exciting to watch Once MoJo returns (please do so quickly), I'd love to see a top-6 of Hall-Nico-Palms, Bratt-Zacha-MoJo. I liked Zacha's game yesterday and would love him to get the minutes to work on his game. I think he has a future here, still. When the Wild pulled their goalie, Stafford was out there and had 2 incredibly easy (for NHL'ers) plays to clear the puck, but he could not get it under control to do so. And one the first replay of the tying goal, I'm looking at Boyle COMPLETELY screening Schneids and I'm like, "WTF"? He is literally a foot and a half right in front of him. Horrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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