Sam Woo: On The Verge Of A Breakout Season

Blackwood is also coming back from I think he said ankle or foot surgery where he still feels pain but getting better

Wonder what the update on bernier is as he has been missing practice too

Hopefully the D can hold it down until severson and Smith get back

I know they are going 4 forwards and 1 D on the powerplay but when smith comes back I wonder if they will try Smith and Hamilton or have smith run the 2nd unit which is more likely

Hopefully we see more production up front too

just wondering who you think doesn't make the playoffs if you think the Devils are gonna make it... I don't see it happening this year but we should be a better club this year.

just wondering who you think doesn't make the playoffs if you think the Devils are gonna make it... I don't see it happening this year but we should be a better club this year.
- Bragg18

Devils are a lock for the 11th pick

Some people are going to be pissed at the entry rules to the pru center

12+ have to show full vaccination proof or wear a mask at all times unless actively eating or drinking

Devils are a lock for the 11th pick
- shvingter88

Which sparks my Degenerate Gamblers Alert!!! Devs season total O/U was set at 89.5 points as per Pinnacle Sports. Take the under all day long. Love the Devs, but they paced at 65 points per 82 game season last year, and I don't think their upgrades warrant a 25 point boost. That is a stretch and we are in a tough division which should keep us much closer to 80 points in my opinion. Hope to see the young talent continue to take steps forward, but no chance we hit the over. This investment will be worth the season long wait.

anybody else feel like we're not playing a lot of games to start the season? seems like we've got a lot of waiting around to do.

anybody else feel like we're not playing a lot of games to start the season? seems like we've got a lot of waiting around to do.
- Pomegrant

Well game 1 on a Friday helps me since the game doesn't finish until 245am (ish) so at least I don't have to worry about getting up for work

Severson skated prior to practice

Thompson rotated in during practice as a defender with that guy we just claimed

They worked on faceoffs which is a good sign

anybody else feel like we're not playing a lot of games to start the season? seems like we've got a lot of waiting around to do.
- Pomegrant

Pretty much lol, only 1 game in the first week. Our 2nd game will be Seattle's 5th

hope the grit/60 fanatics are watching the Rangers try to execute the game plan of "check the puck into the net" and see why this poop doesn't work.

hope the grit/60 fanatics are watching the Rangers try to execute the game plan of "check the puck into the net" and see why this poop doesn't work.
- Pomegrant

Right! Was thinking the same thing.

What do the Rangers and the Titanic have in common?






They both looked great on paper………….until they hit the ice

hope the grit/60 fanatics are watching the Rangers try to execute the game plan of "check the puck into the net" and see why this poop doesn't work.
- Pomegrant

Agreed. I'd much rather watch a team ignore grit, while simultaneously notching the 27th best goal total in the league. That one caps/rags game generated more interest than the Dev's garnered all season. I would happily finish last in hits, fights, and pims if it meant being a contender. Unfortunately, that isn't in our cards. Hitting and fighting has it's place in this game when used properly. Who doesn't love a good rivalry?

Agreed. I'd much rather watch a team ignore grit, while simultaneously notching the 27th best goal total in the league. That one caps/rags game generated more interest than the Dev's garnered all season. I would happily finish last in hits, fights, and pims if it meant being a contender. Unfortunately, that isn't in our cards. Hitting and fighting has it's place in this game when used properly. Who doesn't love a good rivalry?
- bikeguy99

The Rangers game was only fun because they failed at everything. It was hyped up as some sort of revenge game and I'm not sure anyone even bumped in to Wilson by accident and they got blown out. I don't think its wrong to want to make sure your team can push back when Wilson or Marchand pull their dumb poop, but trading a top 6 borderline top line forward for "grit" is just dumb. Giving out long term contracts for grit is dumb. Completely ignoring skill when filling out your depth is dumb. There are tons of borderline NHLers that can provide some toughness that get waived every year, and you really don't need 10 players willing to drop their gloves after every hit.

1 day to go

Still no Blackwood, Smith, Severson, or Wood practicing today. Probably safe to assume they will all be out tomorrow

The Rangers game was only fun because they failed at everything. It was hyped up as some sort of revenge game and I'm not sure anyone even bumped in to Wilson by accident and they got blown out. I don't think its wrong to want to make sure your team can push back when Wilson or Marchand pull their dumb poop, but trading a top 6 borderline top line forward for "grit" is just dumb. Giving out long term contracts for grit is dumb. Completely ignoring skill when filling out your depth is dumb. There are tons of borderline NHLers that can provide some toughness that get waived every year, and you really don't need 10 players willing to drop their gloves after every hit.
- rmdevil313

Wilson plays on the first line so it's not like they can send out the goons to go get him because they can all skate and will go score goals.

I'm fine with getting some sandpaper players when you're a team like Tampa and have the best offensive core in the league. You don't need another line of guys who can score, you will probably be okay with a line of energy guys to round it out. But these fans who are talking about how you got to get rid of the soft players to make room for these idiots who can only hit have no clue what they're talking about.

Rangers traded Buchnevich, top six winger and defensively responsible for a 4th line plug and a pick. And now they are trying to dump Kratsov for top six scoring help because it turns out their roster is full of grit/60 plugs. I just don't get what people see in these replaceable 4th liners that makes people think you should destroy your team to play them.

The Rangers game was only fun because they failed at everything. It was hyped up as some sort of revenge game and I'm not sure anyone even bumped in to Wilson by accident and they got blown out. I don't think its wrong to want to make sure your team can push back when Wilson or Marchand pull their dumb poop, but trading a top 6 borderline top line forward for "grit" is just dumb. Giving out long term contracts for grit is dumb. Completely ignoring skill when filling out your depth is dumb. There are tons of borderline NHLers that can provide some toughness that get waived every year, and you really don't need 10 players willing to drop their gloves after every hit.
- rmdevil313

I agree with most your points. Regarding Buchnevich, he was despised in the locker room. Whether it was his multiple times turtling, or his dirty crosscheck to Mantha's teeth, he really lost a good chunk of his respect among his peers in the league. No denying his offensive upside, but he also did not fit the Rags future cap pending cap crunch. Now earing 5.8M AAV for the next 4 years, he would have put them in a very tough position, and Blaise + 2nd is a decent return. I certainly have the Rangers as a better team this season, and there is no denying that violent rivalry's generate viewership. The TV ratings only prove that to be the case.

As for the "grit/60" we commonly mock, I am not wanting a bunch of 4th line goons. I do hate that we were 2nd last in the NHL for blocked shots, and absolutely could have used more backbone. One of my favourite players in this League is Ehlers, who not only tops our best offensive players annually, but he also had 4 tilts last year. That is the kind of guy everyone wants on their squad.

Still no Blackwood, Smith, Severson, or Wood practicing today. Probably safe to assume they will all be out tomorrow
- vlongo4419

Still no hope

Still no hope
- shvingter88

Sure there is... in the draft lottery.

Wilson plays on the first line so it's not like they can send out the goons to go get him because they can all skate and will go score goals.

I'm fine with getting some sandpaper players when you're a team like Tampa and have the best offensive core in the league. You don't need another line of guys who can score, you will probably be okay with a line of energy guys to round it out. But these fans who are talking about how you got to get rid of the soft players to make room for these idiots who can only hit have no clue what they're talking about.

Rangers traded Buchnevich, top six winger and defensively responsible for a 4th line plug and a pick. And now they are trying to dump Kratsov for top six scoring help because it turns out their roster is full of grit/60 plugs. I just don't get what people see in these replaceable 4th liners that makes people think you should destroy your team to play them.
- Pomegrant

I think 4th lines in general should be built differently than the others. Even if you're not Tampa, in a cap world your 4th line will always be subpar and at best you have a strong enough defense to still carry the play. Used to be top 6/bottom 6 but I think its much more top 9 4th line.

I agree with most your points. Regarding Buchnevich, he was despised in the locker room. Whether it was his multiple times turtling, or his dirty crosscheck to Mantha's teeth, he really lost a good chunk of his respect among his peers in the league. No denying his offensive upside, but he also did not fit the Rags future cap pending cap crunch. Now earing 5.8M AAV for the next 4 years, he would have put them in a very tough position, and Blaise + 2nd is a decent return. I certainly have the Rangers as a better team this season, and there is no denying that violent rivalry's generate viewership. The TV ratings only prove that to be the case.

As for the "grit/60" we commonly mock, I am not wanting a bunch of 4th line goons. I do hate that we were 2nd last in the NHL for blocked shots, and absolutely could have used more backbone. One of my favourite players in this League is Ehlers, who not only tops our best offensive players annually, but he also had 4 tilts last year. That is the kind of guy everyone wants on their squad.
- bikeguy99

Do you have any source for people hating Buch? Last I heard he was pretty popular in the rangers room. And I think you'd have a point on the cap if they didn't spend almost 8 mil on 3 players that offer very similar value to a league minimum player.

https://mobile.twitter.co...tatus/1448787042998099969

I know the devil's don't have the best attendance but buffalo ouch

I think 4th lines in general should be built differently than the others. Even if you're not Tampa, in a cap world your 4th line will always be subpar and at best you have a strong enough defense to still carry the play. Used to be top 6/bottom 6 but I think its much more top 9 4th line.
- rmdevil313

Agreed. In the old days you had two lines of scorers, one defensive shutdown line, and a goon line. Now you have three scoring lines, maybe your third one is also your defensive shutdown line, and your 4th line is a defensive/energy line. If you're a team with a line full of jokers you lose games. It's that simple.

Sure there is... in the draft lottery.
- Banana_Hammock

Picking at 11 bruh