their roster is bad. every other fan base predicted the devils to finish at the bottom of the league and devils fans on here constantly said "we're being underestimated as always! we're gonna be better than that! we have a chance of sneaking into the playoffs!"

some are having a reality check right now while others are still in denial.

you guys sucked major cack when kovy went down to injury last season and now he's permanently gone and you've replaced him with clowe and jagr and you guys suck even more major cack. i don't think playing 3 rookie defensemen is going to save your season.

you guys should firesale already. i'd love ryder on the rangers...maybe for a 2nd?
- rangerdanger94

Is Hertl going to be better than Jagr after he put up 4 goals on the best defense and goalie in the NHL?

their roster is bad. every other fan base predicted the devils to finish at the bottom of the league and devils fans on here constantly said "we're being underestimated as always! we're gonna be better than that! we have a chance of sneaking into the playoffs!"

some are having a reality check right now while others are still in denial.

you guys sucked major cack when kovy went down to injury last season and now he's permanently gone and you've replaced him with clowe and jagr and you guys suck even more major cack. i don't think playing 3 rookie defensemen is going to save your season.

you guys should firesale already. i'd love ryder on the rangers...maybe for a 2nd?
- rangerdanger94

And funny thing is we're still in 5th right where most of us picked the team to land anyway...

Is Hertl going to be better than Jagr after he put up 4 goals on the best defense and goalie in the NHL?
- rmdevil313

what does this question even mean?

all-time? no, hertl probably won't be better than jagr. but at this stage in their careers? i think all 30 GMs in the league would pick 19 year old hertl over 40-something year old jagr.

biron was in net for 3 of hertl's goals btw.

what does this question even mean?

all-time? no, hertl probably won't be better than jagr. but at this stage in their careers? i think all 30 GMs in the league would pick 19 year old hertl over 40-something year old jagr.

biron was in net for 3 of hertl's goals btw.
- rangerdanger94

It means rangers fans overrate their roster too. And as I said, we're still in 5th place, that says how much we should be reading in to this season so far.

their roster is bad. every other fan base predicted the devils to finish at the bottom of the league and devils fans on here constantly said "we're being underestimated as always! we're gonna be better than that! we have a chance of sneaking into the playoffs!"

some are having a reality check right now while others are still in denial.

you guys sucked major cack when kovy went down to injury last season and now he's permanently gone and you've replaced him with clowe and jagr and you guys suck even more major cack. i don't think playing 3 rookie defensemen is going to save your season.

you guys should firesale already. i'd love ryder on the rangers...maybe for a 2nd?
- rangerdanger94

Wait wait wait....lemme see if I'm understanding this. A rags fan is on a Devils blog talking about us sucking after the rags have been completely embarrassed and shelled in the last 3 games. The King looks like a Queen, the D looks like they are sleeping and the only shining spot is that Richards is actually scoring. Go worry about your own team first smacker. The funny thing is that everyone thought the Rags were gonna be a top team. Welcome to your reality check

Wait wait wait....lemme see if I'm understanding this. A rags fan is on a Devils blog talking about us sucking after the rags have been completely embarrassed and shelled in the last 3 games. The King looks like a Queen, the D looks like they are sleeping and the only shining spot is that Richards is actually scoring. Go sorry about your own team first smacker. The funny thing is that everyone thought the Rags were gonna be a top team. Welcome to your reality check
- bigjersey3

growing pains adjusting to a new coach. i expected us to be a mess until mid-november. with that said, at least we have a win...

and the king looked like the king last game buddy so do some research before you try trash talking. take a lap.

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

Everyone needs to relax a little bit.

You change 4 top 6 forwards and it's basically the same effect as changing coaches. It takes 20-25 games for everything to fall into place. Probably no coincidence the Rangers are also off to a bad start.

The problem is in the transition game offensively.

The 2nd outlet pass is off the mark way too often. It breaks up to play from a cohesive offensive rush and it turns into a scrum. Obviously they want to play chip and chase. That's the system. And I think you can see why guys like Jagr and Clowe are going to fit in just fine.

Point is, it's hard to play that game when you're always behind the puck. You miss that 2nd outlet and you chase it to the far blueline then you chase it in deep and more often than not it's flipped out to center before you get anything going.

Once the transition game settles down and players are even with the puck from the red line in the offense is going to get a lot sharper. These guys will be a step ahead on the forecheck instead of a step behind. It just takes time.

That being said, the defensive issues are obvious. Brodeur has looked soft at times, Larsson should've easily rubbed out Kane on the 1st goal last night, and the at the end of the day the NHL is just too fast for Peter Harrold.

Last night Harrold make a nifty little backhand drag at the blueline to keep the point but then he softly rolled the puck to the middle and the Jets pushed it out to center. Whats the point of his offensive skills if he just doesnt have the sense to sustain plays? He shouldn't be in the lineup at this time. Especially with the pressure it puts on Volchenkov in terms of being caught out of position.

That being said, the defense will be a lot less glaring when the offensive transition settles down.

growing pains adjusting to a new coach. i expected us to be a mess until mid-november. with that said, at least we have a win...

and the king looked like the king last game buddy so do some research before you try trash talking. take a lap.
- rangerdanger94

Ah ok...you are right. He did only allow 1 goal in 20 min of relief time. I guess my research would have shown his amazing GAA over 4 and his steller SV % at .889. Kingly numbers.

Point being, don't show up talking when your team is no better. Both equally suck. You guys are adjusting to a coach and apparently the Devs are adjusting to its new players. Again both teams suck. 1 more win and 1 more point don't mean anything...

growing pains adjusting to a new coach. i expected us to be a mess until mid-november. with that said, at least we have a win...

and the king looked like the king last game buddy so do some research before you try trash talking. take a lap.
- rangerdanger94

Except the system isnt that different and is still D oriented

yet they had games they lost 9 2 and 6 0

and thats supposedly with a top defense and one of the best goalies

Except the system isnt that different and is still D oriented

yet they had games they lost 9 2 and 6 0

and thats supposedly with a top defense and one of the best goalies
- dmarsden2988

the system isn't that different? instead of playing a conservative zone defense where we collapse and block shots, the new system is an aggressive man-to-man defense where the philosophy is to clear everything out of the way for the goalie to see instead of blocking anything. it's basically as opposite as can be.

those 2 losses were disgraceful. i won't deny them. no "adjustment" to a new system is an excuse for a combined total of 15-2. but they're also just 2 games and we dominated the kings and played pretty well despite biron's awfulness against the blues. it seems like possessing the puck and not scoring is a common issue for you guys dating to last year though.

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

It might not be a coaching decision. We don't have the room to bring anyone up until Lou decides to send someone down or make a trade. With the current roster we don't have any better options than Zajac on the point. This is really where just having Kovalchuk there hurts us. He drew so much attention that even if he was scoring he opened time and space up for others.

I don't count where the Devils are in relation to other teams. The target points is still 95 and they're on pace for 41. To achieve the 95 pace, they have to win 5 games in a row. This is a huge pit. Don't let false hopes dictate otherwise. You fall slow in the ranks, but you also rise slow in the ranks.

If their defense was where it was at the start of last year, they'd have beaten Edmonton, NYI, Calgary, and Vancouver and they'd be 4-2-0 and looking pretty good.

And really, Larsson's play is the product of being treated like dirt last year. That's not just PDB, that's Lou. Not only that, he was a + player for most the year last year, so he shouldn't have been benched and he was. I don't know who the real Larsson is, not under Pete the Tyrant to Young Players Deboer...

I don't think it's time for some huge over-reaction right now. I think we start by somehow, someway getting rid of a couple the old D guys and getting Merrill and/or Gelinas in the line-up.

I don't think it's time for some huge over-reaction right now. I think we start by somehow, someway getting rid of a couple the old D guys and getting Merrill and/or Gelinas in the line-up.
- MannySilvers

Watched 2 1/2 periods of the Albany game today and Merrill was great. He was getting lots of pucks on net and releasing them quick. He was very poised on the blueline and kept the puck in the offensive zone nicely. Gelinas was solid and I was also impressed with Scarlett. Really solid puck mover. That timmins guy also played well, his line with Whitney and Boucher was easily the best on the ice. Matteau looked a lot more active which leads me to believe he'll live or die by his skating at the NHL level.

Edit: Wedgewood was fantastic as well.

It might not be a coaching decision. We don't have the room to bring anyone up until Lou decides to send someone down or make a trade. With the current roster we don't have any better options than Zajac on the point. This is really where just having Kovalchuk there hurts us. He drew so much attention that even if he was scoring he opened time and space up for others.
- Rseen

I just don't see any reason why Zajac is our best option on the point. He isn't creative enough and doesn't have a dangerous enough shot to be any kind of threat. I'd rather go with Brunner (played the point a bit in detroit) or go with 2 defensman on both units. Hell I'd rather use Jagr at the point than Zajac. If its that serious of a problem then we should make the roster moves to call up Merrill or Gelinas.

I just don't see any reason why Zajac is our best option on the point. He isn't creative enough and doesn't have a dangerous enough shot to be any kind of threat. I'd rather go with Brunner (played the point a bit in detroit) or go with 2 defensman on both units. Hell I'd rather use Jagr at the point than Zajac. If its that serious of a problem then we should make the roster moves to call up Merrill or Gelinas.
- rmdevil313

I agree no forward is going to make a big enough difference back there to not just have 2 D maybe one day a forward will step up and be point worthy on the pp we can only pray Boucher pans out.

I just don't see any reason why Zajac is our best option on the point. He isn't creative enough and doesn't have a dangerous enough shot to be any kind of threat. I'd rather go with Brunner (played the point a bit in detroit) or go with 2 defensman on both units. Hell I'd rather use Jagr at the point than Zajac. If its that serious of a problem then we should make the roster moves to call up Merrill or Gelinas.
- rmdevil313

Jagr is most effective on the half boards where he can use his body and vision to protect the puck and make some passes.

I'd take a look at Ryder instead of Harrold. If they get enough movement for him to be able to walk it down a few steps and snap it he could be very effective.

I agree no forward is going to make a big enough difference back there to not just have 2 D maybe one day a forward will step up and be point worthy on the pp we can only pray Boucher pans out.
- blizzzard

Myles Bell is supposed to have a cannon but he might be a bit of a longshot to make the NHL.

Do we really want Gelinas and Merrill to play for DeBoer? He's done nothing to show he's a positive influence on young players. Exhibit A: Larsson.

Win 3-5 in a row & everyone's tune changes. But, I too am ready for some changes, because I realistically don't see them winning 3-5 games in a row anytime soon. I see this team possibly going 0-7-3 until something shakes down.

let's see you get used the way Larsson has and see how well you do. I agree he hasn't been the player we seen in pre season but what can you expect when Pete is setting him up to fail.
- blizzzard

They are "tedenbying" him. Free Teddy!

Lou Lamoriello: 'I believe in these players and this coaching staff' (NJ.com article)

I guess he's still sticking by his 20 game minimum before he tries to change anything, by that time, well be 3-12-5. At least he's still high on Larsson.

growing pains adjusting to a new coach. i expected us to be a mess until mid-november. with that said, at least we have a win...

and the king looked like the king last game buddy so do some research before you try trash talking. take a lap.
- rangerdanger94

Congrats, you have a win and are sitting a point behind the devils with a game in hand. When do we get the parade plans started?

Seriously, you are trolling a team that has 3 cups and 5 finals appearances since the last time you were past an Eastern Conference Finals. I don't think any Devils fan would trade places over the past twenty years even if that means we are looking at a crap season or two right now.

By the way, your location is quite cute for someone telling others to do research. Since the beginning of the 2010-2011 season both Nash and Grabner have 204 games played and Nash has a whopping 11 more goals than Grabner.

Grabner also has 2 more goals than pudding head this year. Trust me, I know, he scored both of them against us.

their roster is bad. every other fan base predicted the devils to finish at the bottom of the league and devils fans on here constantly said "we're being underestimated as always! we're gonna be better than that! we have a chance of sneaking into the playoffs!"

some are having a reality check right now while others are still in denial.

you guys sucked major cack when kovy went down to injury last season and now he's permanently gone and you've replaced him with clowe and jagr and you guys suck even more major cack. i don't think playing 3 rookie defensemen is going to save your season.

you guys should firesale already. i'd love ryder on the rangers...maybe for a 2nd?
- rangerdanger94

Funny how the Devils have yet to register a win yet they're still ahead of the Rangers in the standings. If you're going to partake in this thread, make a constructive response. I'm sure you'll have plenty to say when your goalie and captain leave via free agency this offseason. Then again, looks like those smaller pads aren't really doing your queen much good.

I just don't see any reason why Zajac is our best option on the point. He isn't creative enough and doesn't have a dangerous enough shot to be any kind of threat. I'd rather go with Brunner (played the point a bit in detroit) or go with 2 defensman on both units. Hell I'd rather use Jagr at the point than Zajac. If its that serious of a problem then we should make the roster moves to call up Merrill or Gelinas.
- rmdevil313

A lot of people say that other players (Parise, Kovalchuk) made Zajac appear better than he is. Call me crazy but if a team is dumb enough to take on his contract or if the Devils retain a little salary, would trading Zajac be a viable shakeup for this team that can get them a decent return?

A lot of people say that other players (Parise, Kovalchuk) made Zajac appear better than he is. Call me crazy but if a team is dumb enough to take on his contract or if the Devils retain a little salary, would trading Zajac be a viable shakeup for this team that can get them a decent return?
- amerk626

Considering his contract, I'd be surprised if he gets traded. With that said, he's been playing well.