Todd Cordell: New Jersey Devils: Still Winless
- Todd.Cordell

Coming into the season the defense is what worried me, glad I wasn't overreacting

Need to make the best of what we have and i don't think Pete and the rest of the coaching staff is doing that right now. Should he be fired; probably not it's still early in the season. And i don't think a new coach will get better results. None of these lines seem to be developing any chemistry together except that first one. Coach needs to put some lines together that will start producing quickly or he'll be gone. Maybe we should start by getting rid of Dave Barr behind the bench and get someone who can coach the damn PP!
- FAZOOL

At what point does the PP not be the coaches fault we have had multiple pp coaches and our pp has never been anything to brag about.

Agreed...the one major problem with Deboer is that he NEVER keeps the lines the same so there is hardly ever good chemistry with the forwards....now on defense well lets just say Pete has a hard-on for the vets (same can be said for the forwards)
- Gambi99

I think its a big reason we still look like a team that is still adjusting to new teammates, but at this point we shouldn't be. Aside from last night, our scoring has been decent and the problem with the forwards is the opposite that we had last year. Last year we would dominate the games consistently but had no finish. This year we are having trouble getting a consistent attack but we have finished our chances pretty well. Put Henrique and Elias back at their natural positions, put together a skilled top 6, and give the lines some time to develop chemistry.

At what point does the PP not be the coaches fault we have had multiple pp coaches and our pp has never been anything to brag about.
- blizzzard

It was decent at the end of Oates time. And some of it is on the personnel. We really don't have a true threat and since our coaches refuse to use the better PP quaterbacks in the minors, e have to use Greene and Harrold on our second unit. That said, using Zajac on the point is stupid.

It was decent at the end of Oates time. And some of it is on the personnel. We really don't have a true threat and since our coaches refuse to use the better PP quaterbacks in the minors, e have to use Greene and Harrold on our second unit. That said, using Zajac on the point is stupid.
- rmdevil313

Yea I am just saying we have had many guys in here and some of them have been some very smart guys and it still hasn't worked. I wonder what it would take to get Zibinajad I know he is a center but he is likely better then JJ and Loktionov maybe we could package both and a decent asset? then go for a guy like Yak by moving Larsson although I am not sold on giving him up yet I am ready for some excitement

Pete is a great coach and his coaching is allowing this team to compete as much as they can. the problem is the team has no offense. This is all on Lou he panicked when Kovi left and signed mediocre to bad players to terrible contracts. The problem lies with Lou and he shouldn't have traded for Scneider. you have another capable goalie in Marty and could have signed a decent backup to go along with him. The main problem is you guys lack a acouple of guys who can score goals consistently and until that's addressed you will be losing games by one o two goals often.
- mighty13duck

No one on this message board cares what an Islander fan has to say! Especially since your team hasn't been relevant in 30 years!

Yea I am just saying we have had many guys in here and some of them have been some very smart guys and it still hasn't worked. I wonder what it would take to get Zibinajad I know he is a center but he is likely better then JJ and Loktionov maybe we could package both and a decent asset? then go for a guy like Yak by moving Larsson although I am not sold on giving him up yet I am ready for some excitement
- blizzzard

As nice as those deals are, I don't think anything will change as long as 2/3s of our D is useless.

At what point does the PP not be the coaches fault we have had multiple pp coaches and our pp has never been anything to brag about.
- blizzzard

Our pp is so weak

As nice as those deals are, I don't think anything will change as long as 2/3s of our D is useless.
- rmdevil313

Hopefully if he is willing to pull off trades like those he is willing to bring up the young D in Gelinas and Merril but we all know nothing is likely to happen other then maybe Lou fires Pete and goes behind the bench himself and continues to ice the same team.

Our pp is so weak
- shvingter88

Be nice if you could decline a powerplay

I think its a big reason we still look like a team that is still adjusting to new teammates, but at this point we shouldn't be. Aside from last night, our scoring has been decent and the problem with the forwards is the opposite that we had last year. Last year we would dominate the games consistently but had no finish. This year we are having trouble getting a consistent attack but we have finished our chances pretty well. Put Henrique and Elias back at their natural positions, put together a skilled top 6, and give the lines some time to develop chemistry.
- rmdevil313

Now Deboer wants to keep Elias at center which I rather have him on the wing and what happened to Deboer finding "pairs" and keeping them together. He mentioned earlier in preseason that he liked Brunner and Elias together but now Elias seems to be stuck with Jagr. I might be in the minority but I would like to see a Elias, Lokti and Brunner line. I thought Lokti and Brunner showed some good quickness and chemistry two games ago and with Elias I think we can have one good offensive line that has some pretty good speed. Then you can put Henrique with Ryder and Clowe and move Zajac to the 3rd line with Jagr and Zubrus.

Hopefully if he is willing to pull off trades like those he is willing to bring up the young D in Gelinas and Merril but we all know nothing is likely to happen other then maybe Lou fires Pete and goes behind the bench himself and continues to ice the same team.
- blizzzard

Bring back Lemaire!

Bring back Lemaire!
- rmdevil313

Bring back the jar of jelly so lou can throw it off the wall

Bring back Lemaire!
- rmdevil313

i would go from 6 to midnight if they did that

Bring back the jar of jelly so lou can throw it off the wall
- blizzzard

i would go from 6 to midnight if they did that
- BDizzlez

Honestly, I think he might get better results out of this team. You know he'd fix the defense and probably help Larsson develop. We'd have no offense, but Lemaire would love all the 2-1 wins.

Be nice if you could decline a powerplay
- blizzzard

I agree!
I mean it's a man advantage, how can it be that bad?!
I think that's where we would benefit from having Merrill play up here.
From the games i've seen him play in college he did have a hard, accurate shot from the point.

Honestly, I think he might get better results out of this team. You know he'd fix the defense and probably help Larsson develop. We'd have no offense, but Lemaire would love all the 2-1 wins.
- rmdevil313

We should of found a way to keep Robinson. He seemed to be great with Larsson.

Bring back the jar of jelly so lou can throw it off the wall
- blizzzard

Now Deboer wants to keep Elias at center which I rather have him on the wing and what happened to Deboer finding "pairs" and keeping them together. He mentioned earlier in preseason that he liked Brunner and Elias together but now Elias seems to be stuck with Jagr. I might be in the minority but I would like to see a Elias, Lokti and Brunner line. I thought Lokti and Brunner showed some good quickness and chemistry two games ago and with Elias I think we can have one good offensive line that has some pretty good speed. Then you can put Henrique with Ryder and Clowe and move Zajac to the 3rd line with Jagr and Zubrus.
- Gambi99

Agreed on the pairs and Elias at Winger and Henrique at Center.

We should of found a way to keep Robinson. He seemed to be great with Larsson.
- blizzzard

Robinson wanted to be closer to his daughter, so there was no way to keep him. Definitely think we miss him though.

Robinson wanted to be closer to his daughter, so there was no way to keep him. Definitely think we miss him though.
- rmdevil313

It's hard to tell how Stevens is doing because you don't know how much of it is what Pete says or if Scott has the ball in his hands on Defense. You would think he would be a great guy to learn from but you can't be certain that he just isn't doing a good job. Like I said it's hard to tell with assistants.

It's hard to tell how Stevens is doing because you don't know how much of it is what Pete says or if Scott has the ball in his hands on Defense. You would think he would be a great guy to learn from but you can't be certain that he just isn't doing a good job. Like I said it's hard to tell with assistants.
- blizzzard

Its tough to tell with all our problems really. The owners, Lou, Pete, and even the assistants could have all had an influence on who has ultimately played so far. We don't know who is really the most to blame. Todd places a lot of blame on Lou, but I usually blame DeBoer. Don't really know who is right, could be a little of both.

On D I would:

Get Fayne into lineup and bench Volchie.

Send Larsson to AHL and bring up Gelinas.

Put a forward on IR (Carter?) and bring up Merrill. Go with the following pairings:

Greene-Fayne
Sal-Gelinas
Merrill-Zids


Alot changes but what is Lou waiting for on Gelinas and Merrill. Gelinas has played 2 full yrs in AHL. Merrill played 3 years in college.

Larsson has been bad. He made 4 bad D plays last night alone. He creates no offsense except to throw a weak shot into a crowd.
- ChuckNJ

bust

bust
- rangerdanger94

If only your opinion mattered.