Should be 4-4-1. We didn't deserve to win any of the California games. Got totally outplayed and this is why everyone's freaking out.
- Twist

Okay, we also outplayed VAN, TOR, and LA earlier in the season and lost. I also disagree that we got totally outplayed by Anaheim. It's like a catch 22 with everyone here. When we play well and lose, it's not fair, and when we play badly and win, we suck and didn't deserve it at all.

doomed.

Should be 4-4-1. We didn't deserve to win any of the California games. Got totally outplayed and this is why everyone's freaking out.
- Twist

I am freaking out over the lack of direction of this franchise. It's been since the draft that Lou made a move for the future and still drafting a top ten pick could of been more so for the future then trading for Schneider who has done all we could of asked him to do. But we can all sit here and assume Elias has 3-4 more years in him but no one knows for certain and Jagr likely has 1 more at best as realistically he can't catch any records that really mean something to him and he will be to old. You take those 3 guys away and keep this roster and we are right there with the Oil and Sabres for last place. The lack of anything coming in the pipeline and how badly we struggle to score on a nightly basis is getting tiresome. I just want to see something done at this point. Sure there have been stretches where we have played some great hockey but come on guys does that make you think we are a legit contender? It's great we are doing well but right now the team is just so blah and all of the most important guys are over 35. That scares the hell out of me . I would really like to know what Lou's master plan is other then riding out the mediocrity and retiring with all the good players on this team. I mean we haven't even begun to replace Parise Kovalchuk and even Clarkson and the fact is we won't have replaced any of them by the time that the next group of forwards leaves in Elias, Jagr and Zubrus. There is little question that this team is headed for a rough stretch if something doesn't happen. By something I mean the opposite of Ryder and Brunner.

we'll never win anything ever again

we'll never win anything ever again
- MrToast

The voice of reason

Tanking this year makes no sense regardless. We should be trying to get as high in the standings as we can even if we are out of the playoff picture. As far as the next few years, I still don't think we should tank. I think tanking can set a dangerous precedent for the organization. No free agent will sign with us and having a losing mentality can be tough to break. We have plenty of talented young defensemen ready to step in over the next 4 years and hopefully a cornerstone in net with Schneids. We don't need a bunch of 1st overalls to rebuild, a few talented young forwards for sure but we'll be building from the net out. For every Blackhawks and Pittsburgh team that build through lottery picks there are teams like Boston, LA, and St Louis who's top players are mostly mid-late first rounders.

As for the Ryder/Brunner situation, I think the problem is actually on the LW. I know they both have been playing terrible and it shouldn't excuse that, but Henrique and Zajac both have 8 points, just like Ryder and Brunner has 7. Our 2nd and 3rd lines simply do not create enough chances. If you look at our 2nd and 3rd line wingers throughout the season its been combinations of Tedenby, Josefson, Ryder, Brunner, Henrique, and Olesz. The one thing they have in common is that none of them produce on the left. I'd like to see us make a move for Fleishmann and go with:

Fleishmann-Zajac-Jagr
Clowe-Elias-Brunner
Zubrus-Henrique-Ryder
Carter-Lokti-Bernier

I threw Clowe in because he's supposedly skating again but if he never comes back then move elias to the wing, bump lokti and Henrique up and throw JJ or gio in.

Tanking this year makes no sense regardless. We should be trying to get as high in the standings as we can even if we are out of the playoff picture. As far as the next few years, I still don't think we should tank. I think tanking can set a dangerous precedent for the organization. No free agent will sign with us and having a losing mentality can be tough to break. We have plenty of talented young defensemen ready to step in over the next 4 years and hopefully a cornerstone in net with Schneids. We don't need a bunch of 1st overalls to rebuild, a few talented young forwards for sure but we'll be building from the net out. For every Blackhawks and Pittsburgh team that build through lottery picks there are teams like Boston, LA, and St Louis who's top players are mostly mid-late first rounders.

As for the Ryder/Brunner situation, I think the problem is actually on the LW. I know they both have been playing terrible and it shouldn't excuse that, but Henrique and Zajac both have 8 points, just like Ryder and Brunner has 7. Our 2nd and 3rd lines simply do not create enough chances. If you look at our 2nd and 3rd line wingers throughout the season its been combinations of Tedenby, Josefson, Ryder, Brunner, Henrique, and Olesz. The one thing they have in common is that none of them produce on the left. I'd like to see us make a move for Fleishmann and go with:

Fleishmann-Zajac-Jagr
Clowe-Elias-Brunner
Zubrus-Henrique-Ryder
Carter-Lokti-Bernier

I threw Clowe in because he's supposedly skating again but if he never comes back then move elias to the wing, bump lokti and Henrique up and throw JJ or gio in.
- rmdevil313

I don't think we should be tnaking and I agree with the mentality it creates but Lou should be looking like a mad man to get some guys who can score and even young guys who are stuck behind to many other guys like Connolly who could be a star one day. I have never seen a team struggle to score the way the Devils do. Most games we have to wait till mid way through the third period to see our first goal and the second we get scored on first or the other team ties it you instantly get a feeling that we won't be able to score another one. I want to be good in every area not Great at defense and horrid at scoring. Even in the AHL ranks there are maybe 2 forwards who might become NHLers in Matteau and Boucher the rest are like 25 and officially career minor league players.

we'll never win anything ever again
- MrToast

I hear Quebec is nice.

I hear Quebec is nice.
- Xnightwish

The temperature is especially nice this time of year.

Wow, lot's of negativity today. I'm on the other side of the fence. I think this team is actually starting to hit its stride and IS a playoff team. Call me crazy (most people would agree) but IN LOU I TRUST! GO DEVILS!

Wow, lot's of negativity today. I'm on the other side of the fence. I think this team is actually starting to hit its stride and IS a playoff team. Call me crazy (most people would agree) but IN LOU I TRUST! GO DEVILS!
- Crushers68

Not disputing if it is a play off team or not it's whether or not it would be worth to get punched out in the first or second round or give up a good piece to help within the next few years. It all started for me when I seen the lines lol made me a little loopy then word of Larsson being injured and I went off the tracks

Wow, lot's of negativity today. I'm on the other side of the fence. I think this team is actually starting to hit its stride and IS a playoff team. Call me crazy (most people would agree) but IN LOU I TRUST! GO DEVILS!
- Crushers68

misery is the bond that holds us together.

misery is the bond that holds us together.
- MrToast

We are a tight nit group... except for that one guy. He's a weirdo

We are a tight nit group... except for that one guy. He's a weirdo
- blizzzard

I see.

I see.
- willschulme

I have a question for you. This is out of no where but are you the Parise guy ?

I have a question for you. This is out of no where but are you the Parise guy ?
- blizzzard

No, I am not. Am i missing something important that happened?

No, I am not. Am i missing something important that happened?
- willschulme

No there was a guy I can't remember his exact name but it had Parise in it and his display was Parise and he used to post a lot here until Parise walked. But I am pretty sure he created a new account and for some reason I thought you might have been that guy

our misery gives us purpose but in the end, all is fruitless.

No there was a guy I can't remember his exact name but it had Parise in it and his display was Parise and he used to post a lot here until Parise walked. But I am pretty sure he created a new account and for some reason I thought you might have been that guy
- blizzzard

Nope. Wonder if he'd come back if we got Parise back under a drastic turn of events.

I don't know, I look at this as a half-full situation. After a brutal start we are at 9-9-5. Two out of 3 against really tough teams out west, including one where Schneider basically stole the game. We are capable of winning all 4 this week, with three of them being at home. The team defense and goaltending have been strong. Home cooking on open ice against weak defensive teams should get our offense going somewhat. Not playing as often has to be helping Marty be more fresh as well, which means we are getting the best goaltending we have gotten in years.

We also have $18M in cap space next year. Maybe more if Clowe is lost long term to injury. This is not a typical Devils team nor is it an ideal one. A playmaking center would be helpful to getting a guy like Ryder going. We're still in every game and we're playing better...hanging right in there with the top teams out west even on nights where we got outplayed. And the best part is both west coast trips are over. We've played just 8 at home and 15 on the road against an awful lot of good teams. I think we're in very good shape.

Nope. Wonder if he'd come back if we got Parise back under a drastic turn of events.
- willschulme

Parise is a bum.

Parise is a bum.
- blizzzard

True, but I'm more afraid of that contract. Yikes.

I don't know, I look at this as a half-full situation. After a brutal start we are at 9-9-5. Two out of 3 against really tough teams out west, including one where Schneider basically stole the game. We are capable of winning all 4 this week, with three of them being at home. The team defense and goaltending have been strong. Home cooking on open ice against weak defensive teams should get our offense going somewhat. Not playing as often has to be helping Marty be more fresh as well, which means we are getting the best goaltending we have gotten in years.

We also have $18M in cap space next year. Maybe more if Clowe is lost long term to injury. This is not a typical Devils team nor is it an ideal one. A playmaking center would be helpful to getting a guy like Ryder going. We're still in every game and we're playing better...hanging right in there with the top teams out west even on nights where we got outplayed. And the best part is both west coast trips are over. We've played just 8 at home and 15 on the road against an awful lot of good teams. I think we're in very good shape.
- BarryB1124

Would've liked to save that Nashville game to when we weren't winning a lot of games, but i won't complain.

True, but I'm more afraid of that contract. Yikes.
- willschulme

Yea a little much for him. He certainly is a hell of a player but he doesn't take over games or control them. That's what happens to any player that goes to free agency though, they get overpaid.

Would've liked to save that Nashville game to when we weren't winning a lot of games, but i won't complain.
- willschulme

That was also vs a team that isn't known for it's scoring and has been forced to play a guy with less then a season of NHL experience in net. It would be like if we where to play ourselves and have Kinkaid in the net for the other us

Im tired of everything adding up this team is a total bunch of misfits. There is next to no identity on it and we aren't really building to make one. Like Elias and Jagr are not going to be around for 5 more years and we still haven't replaced Kovy or Parise let alone worrying about replacing Elias and Jagr now to. No first round pick this year. Pete makes the worst line combo's he has one line that his going and that is all because he is worrying way to much about Brunner and Ryder we could have at least 2 maybe 3 good lines going if he wasn't bending over to try and make two guys work who may never.I could maybe handle all of this poop if the lines weren't constantly Richarded around with to fit the needs of poop guys. There have been trades so far this season. It isn't illegal maybe someone should send this memo to Lou if Brunner and Ryder aren't working and they haven't and it's already the quarter mark of the season then he needs to be trading them for guys who will work. I haven't seen him "try" to improve this clube yet sign free agency and that was a huge failure. Why is he just sitting there when most games we struggle to score 1 goal. How does that not come across as alarming. Or the fact that they have misused core pieces of this franchises future for most of this season and the previous 2 season. This whole thing is a complete poop show. Since the new owners took over the only thing that has changed is the marketing of the damn team and the web page layout it's insane.
- blizzzard

Remember Blizz we reload we dont rebuild. We have a group of vets probably the oldest team in the league. With patience they will improve. You should be on Deboers case as his lines are terrible they cost us big time at the start of the season. Another thing u should consider is that brodeur is the best offensive goalie in the history of the game, thats why he gets more goal support. He plays the puck and creates chances