Sam Woo: Devils Need Coaches To Teach Grit

I'm fine with teaching them to take and give a hit from time to time, but "grit" should not be our top priority. This isn't 70's hockey anymore, get over it. Today's game rewards speed and skill, not glass shattering hits. Sam preaches this dumb crap all the time on his podcast and it's an antiquated view that helps no one.

This team is gonna look funny with a bunch of giants on D and little twerps up front(for the most part). Still need a 4th liner. The thought of playing the Rags and Caps and having no one to stand up to their goons is disconcerting

I'm fine with teaching them to take and give a hit from time to time, but "grit" should not be our top priority. This isn't 70's hockey anymore, get over it. Today's game rewards speed and skill, not glass shattering hits. Sam preaches this dumb crap all the time on his podcast and it's an antiquated view that helps no one.
- jtylerm

I agree the game has changed, but I still think there’s a place for grit and physicality - especially on the backend because the position has changed so much that most defensemen these days seem undersized and have the mentality of a forward (rushing the puck up, pinching in deep in the offensive zone, etc.).

Panthers fans have wanted the elements of grit and physicality particularly on the blue line for a long time. Gudas has certainly helped fill that gap a bit, but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing some more of it.

That being said, I think you either have “grit” or you don’t. I’m not sure it’s a teachable trait. I think guys are capable of toughening up, adjusting their style of play and so forth, but being a greasy/gritty guy is something that’s just in the DNA.

The Devils have made some great moves. I’m looking forward to seeing how they do this year. There’s a lot of cool guys on the squad and they certainly feel like a team on the rise.

This team is gonna look funny with a bunch of giants on D and little twerps up front(for the most part). Still need a 4th liner. The thought of playing the Rags and Caps and having no one to stand up to their goons is disconcerting
- Durwood

This team needs cam jansen

you need all

SPEED
Size
GRIT
Determination

Mcleod , Wood , Hamilton , Graves will help...

Losing Bastain hurts ..need to fill that spot.

Wood should be able to fill Bastians role while scoring 30.

Grit is for idiots.

This team need cam jansen
- shvingter88

Kristof Oliwa

Kristof Oliwa
- Crushers68

This.... and a little Claude Lemieux.

Getting closer!

Here we are again.

Looking for a few managers for a 20-team yahoo league. Full rosters (nearly 3 hour long draft), stats that include hits, blocks, FW (no PIMS). Draft will likely be the last weekend of September or Sunday evening Oct 3rd. No keepers and no cash. This is primarily a hockeybuzz league I started 12ish years ago, but Devils fans of course get top priority. Message me if you're interested.

I agree the game has changed, but I still think there’s a place for grit and physicality - especially on the backend because the position has changed so much that most defensemen these days seem undersized and have the mentality of a forward (rushing the puck up, pinching in deep in the offensive zone, etc.).

Panthers fans have wanted the elements of grit and physicality particularly on the blue line for a long time. Gudas has certainly helped fill that gap a bit, but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing some more of it.

That being said, I think you either have “grit” or you don’t. I’m not sure it’s a teachable trait. I think guys are capable of toughening up, adjusting their style of play and so forth, but being a greasy/gritty guy is something that’s just in the DNA.

The Devils have made some great moves. I’m looking forward to seeing how they do this year. There’s a lot of cool guys on the squad and they certainly feel like a team on the rise.
- Matt Ross

I promise you it is a teachable trait. At least as far as teaching how to push back a bit as it is a requirement in hockey. The Devils were so passive at times last season it was an embarrassment.

That said I know exactly what you mean. You can’t coach players into being tough guys. You can only coach them in how to respond. There are clearly guys who shy away from it and those that enjoy it. But you can collectively set the tone that you’re not going to tolerate extra liberties.

As a specific Devil example, Jack Hughes drew a lot of penalties because he took a lot of abuse. The team NEEDS to respond when Jack is excessively abused and the NEED to have each other’s backs. No team is successful when the don’t have this basic collective pack mentality.

I'm fine with teaching them to take and give a hit from time to time, but "grit" should not be our top priority. This isn't 70's hockey anymore, get over it. Today's game rewards speed and skill, not glass shattering hits. Sam preaches this dumb crap all the time on his podcast and it's an antiquated view that helps no one.
- jtylerm

You seem a touch short sighted in the "grit game". Yes speed and scoring is top priority. Since we lacked severely in the hitting/fighting/grit areas of the game, we must have accelerated at scoring right? Wrong. We were ousted in nearly every single category excluding goal tending.

This isn't "dumb crap", and Sam isn't wrong here. Compiling a small and cheap group or defensively responsible Eh-holes is exactly what successful teams do when they run out of talent or cap space. Tampa filled their roster with cheap gritty players like Goodrow, Coleman, Schenn, Coburn, Bogosian during their run for that very reason. Opposition hates going on the ice with these guys, whereas they salivate at the though of hitting the ice for a low risk shift against our bottom 6. When are young talent is having guys run them through the boards who is going to hold them accountable? I am not saying it should be a top priority, but I would sooner have my young talent logging big minutes in the AHL than get stuck on the 4th, while a couple energy guys hit the ice and hold people accountable for 8 minutes a night with a low AAV.

you need all

SPEED
Size
GRIT
Determination

Mcleod , Wood , Hamilton , Graves will help...

Losing Bastain hurts ..need to fill that spot.
- thechezman

The Jets may be willing to part ways with Stanley. The guy hits to hurt and drops the mitts whenever possible. On top of that he is an unreal shutdown D (only 3 even strength goals scored when he was on the ice, and had a 28 game shutout streak). Adding Schmidt and Dillon only sends him further down the lineup, and Maurice doesn't seem to like the kid, so he may be available.

I can't take you serious if you really believe Schenn, Coburn, or Bogosian did anything other than ride coat tails to a Cup bro. Tampa won b/c that top 6 was out skating and out scoring every team they faced. Also, Coleman is not just some grit player. He is a speedy, skilled guy who can also hit occasionally. I agree about Goodrow, he's the type of bruiser that won't cost your team a game but those are rare to find. If you listen to the Let's go Devils podcast (which I like sometimes) Sam is constantly trying to drag this team back into a bygone era that will NEVER win a Cup against teams today. If you want to watch hard hits, go watch UFC or something. Hockey has evolved past the brute stage. Get over it.

Wake up and smell the coffee!! Sam is right. It not the 70’ s !! Only 2 players in this era who stand a chance in that era? Tom Wilson and Reaves. And chances are they wood fe finge in that era? For those candy. A$$es that think grit is not in hockey anymore!! Guess what it is coming full circle again!!
Look at the caps and rags! You play them ? You have Wood and Graves and that is it!! Never reed any of Sam woo but he is right on!! Devils will play the rags and caps and the flyers. War is on!! So candy a s . Get ready old time hockey is back and your team is not ready!!!

And to plangrant you definitely didn’t play hockey!! Because someone gets in your face in a game you have 3 choices!! First hope the refree get there so you don’t get beat up. 2 you turtle!! That is when you go Curl up on the ice and take you beating!! IMO you are in the first 2!! And 3 you drop the gloves and be a man !!

I can't take you serious if you really believe Schenn, Coburn, or Bogosian did anything other than ride coat tails to a Cup bro. Tampa won b/c that top 6 was out skating and out scoring every team they faced. Also, Coleman is not just some grit player. He is a speedy, skilled guy who can also hit occasionally. I agree about Goodrow, he's the type of bruiser that won't cost your team a game but those are rare to find. If you listen to the Let's go Devils podcast (which I like sometimes) Sam is constantly trying to drag this team back into a bygone era that will NEVER win a Cup against teams today. If you want to watch hard hits, go watch UFC or something. Hockey has evolved past the brute stage. Get over it.
- jtylerm

Haha every guy I mentioned is still salaried in the NHL today. If you want to look at a team that focused little on hitting, fighting, and grit, than look no further than your previous Devs team! Haha you can use bold and underline fonts all you want, but the fact is we did not, and still do not have a roster that can compete on skill alone. When that dries up, grit does just fine. 7 game series are won by beating up on the other team, and if you don't believe that, you clearly didn't watch any of the playoffs. Size and physicality do wear teams down and tampa was no slouch in that department.

And ya, even the low minute plugs like schenn, Bogo, Coburn absolutely did play a factor. Remember when they lined up at Centre trying to start a line brawl? They sent a simple message saying they could beat you at any game you wanted to play. And that is how they won every game, simply by outplaying teams at their own styles. No they didn't log many minutes or points, but they made themselves known, and absolutely made some guys back down to the challenge. You can tell me to watch UFC all you want, but UFC makes alot more than the NHL, and the NHL's highest ranked games were absolute blood bath grudge matches. Maybe soccer is more your speed.