Before training camp I thought the lines should be this, because I didn't want to rush Boucher. The top six at least is what I thought it should be.

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Zubrus-Ryder/Brunner
Carter-Gionta-Ruutu
Brunner, Bernier, JJ

But if Boucher continues to play like he did last night than I think so far it should be:

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Boucher-Henrique-Ryder?
Clowe-Elias-Havlat
Ruutu/Carter-Zubrus-Tootoo
Brunner, JJ, Gio, Bernier (last 2 can be sent down for all I care)

I usually don't like Zubrus at center, but he had over 50% in F/O percentage last year.

correction- they're four DECENT lines. ..ok maybe good, but not great. We see these names and I think we kind of remember the very best of each of these players. Elias doesn't have bleached hair anymore folks.

There's no dominant line on this team. Elias and Havlat can't dominate and fly like 5-10 years ago. Neither can the other 3 lines. There's no Datsyuk, no Kopitar, no Crosby. There's no Kane, OV, Kessel. No Bobby Holik, Claude Lemieux, John Maclean.

depth and system will give us a fighting chance in every game. but none of these are really good or great. Maybe Cammalleri can put that top line in the good category. Maybe we can have a line worth calling a #1 line in this league.
- MartysBetter88

Agree with a lot of what you said. Think it's pivotal for the team to play Henrique and Elias together. I get what your saying with Patty but he is still very good he just needs some more help on his line, he has for the past two years. I mean he put 53 pts in 65 games last year and who was his linemates? I can't name you even one guy he played with consistently last year. Give him Henrique on his wing or as his center frankly I don't care all I know is to get the most production out of both guys they should skate with one another.

With the amount of guys we have in camp we should be able to find two more lines there that are decent and not liabilities. And really that's all you need from your bottom six.Also with Cammallri I think we have a line worthy of calling a #1 line not all top lines in this league have superstars on them.

Its not like we are playing guys like this anymore Erik Rasmussen see if any of you remember that.
- Bowkes

Ugh

Agree with a lot of what you said. Think it's pivotal for the team to play Henrique and Elias together. I get what your saying with Patty but he is still very good he just needs some more help on his line, he has for the past two years. I mean he put 53 pts in 65 games last year and who was his linemates? I can't name you even one guy he played with consistently last year. Give him Henrique on his wing or as his center frankly I don't care all I know is to get the most production out of both guys they should skate with one another.

With the amount of guys we have in camp we should be able to find two more lines there that are decent and not liabilities. And really that's all you need from your bottom six.Also with Cammallri I think we have a line worthy of calling a #1 line not all top lines in this league have superstars on them.
- NickA

I agree to an extent. To me, if Boucher can continue to play the way he did than we have to keep him with Henrique and in the top six. Elias is getting toward the end of his career and while he is still a good top six forward, I think he and Havlat might benefit from playing on the third line against lesser competition. If we do keep Ryder than I think the lines should be what I mentioned above.

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Bouchr- Henrique-Ryder
Clowe-Elias-Havlat

Three lines that are not a liability.

I agree to an extent. To me, if Boucher can continue to play the way he did than we have to keep him with Henrique and in the top six. Elias is getting toward the end of his career and while he is still a good top six forward, I think he and Havlat might benefit from playing on the third line against lesser competition. If we do keep Ryder than I think the lines should be what I mentioned above.

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Bouchr- Henrique-Ryder
Clowe-Elias-Havlat

Three lines that are not a liability.
- Devils9503

My opinion of playing Elias and Henrique both in the top 6 changes if Boucher makes the jump for sure. Those lines are solid lot hinges on Ryder finding his game and the health of Elias's wingers. Feel like both Clowe and Havlat are probably on borrowed time unfortunately.

My opinion of playing Elias and Henrique both in the top 6 changes if Boucher makes the jump for sure. Those lines are solid lot hinges on Ryder finding his game and the health of Elias's wingers. Feel like both Clowe and Havlat are probably on borrowed time unfortunately.
- NickA

I know. I think we need to have players that can fill in those roles when they go down. Clowe, Havlat, and Ruutu are all but guaranteed to get injured. Zubrus can fill a spot and if Ruutu is on the fourth line than someone like Tootoo, Gionta can fill the fourth line spot. That's why I think we should of invited or signed Penner because if Clowe gets injured Penner could of taken his spot with ease. As for Ryder, I would like to get someone who can play without the puck, like Stafford. I know there are some guys on here that don't like him and say that he is a third line guy or whatever, but he can play both sides of the game and would do it with consistently. Ryder scored 18 goals last year and I think he had some games where he scored 2, so lets say he scored in 16 gmes, that's 66 games where is doing nothing because of his skill set or lack there of.

The 2nd group today seemed to be guys leaning to start the season so far:
cammi-zajac-jagr
zubrus-elias-havlat
clowe-henrique-ryder
ruutu-josefson-brunner

greene-harrold
gelinas-larsson
Salvador-zidlicky

Harrold is just place holding for Merrill I assume

Hey, I said that Henrique line was awesome, give me some credit. It was only a 1/8 of a troll post.
- mdw7413

I didn't think it was a troll post just sarcastic

I know. I think we need to have players that can fill in those roles when they go down. Clowe, Havlat, and Ruutu are all but guaranteed to get injured. Zubrus can fill a spot and if Ruutu is on the fourth line than someone like Tootoo, Gionta can fill the fourth line spot. That's why I think we should of invited or signed Penner because if Clowe gets injured Penner could of taken his spot with ease. As for Ryder, I would like to get someone who can play without the puck, like Stafford. I know there are some guys on here that don't like him and say that he is a third line guy or whatever, but he can play both sides of the game and would do it with consistently. Ryder scored 18 goals last year and I think he had some games where he scored 2, so lets say he scored in 16 gmes, that's 66 games where is doing nothing because of his skill set or lack there of.
- Devils9503

I'm with you on that. Ryder drives me nuts guy needs to be spoon fed like a baby. If he's not shooting when he has the puck he most likely is doing something stupid.

I'm with you on that. Ryder drives me nuts guy needs to be spoon fed like a baby. If he's not shooting when he has the puck he most likely is doing something stupid.
- NickA

I didn't think Ryder played that well at all last night. Yea he put up goals and points put almost any play he touched he ruined he stool looks like poop and can't do anything but occasionally be in the right place at the right time there where time he could of passed it to Boucher and just kept it and turned it over

I didn't think Ryder played that well at all last night. Yea he put up goals and points put almost any play he touched he ruined he stool looks like poop and can't do anything but occasionally be in the right place at the right time there where time he could of passed it to Boucher and just kept it and turned it over
- blizzzard

I don't know as much as I dislike ryder the line as a whole was solid last night and you don't get that with a complete passenger. The clowe-henrique-ryder line looked decent for a stretch as well so hopefully they can keep their chemistry from that and continue on, and if clowe stays healthy (huge if), but if not we can call up boucher as they seemed to have good chem last night a well.

I don't know as much as I dislike ryder the line as a whole was solid last night and you don't get that with a complete passenger. The clowe-henrique-ryder line looked decent for a stretch as well so hopefully they can keep their chemistry from that and continue on, and if clowe stays healthy (huge if), but if not we can call up boucher as they seemed to have good chem last night a well.
- BDizzlez

Ryder just messes to much up for me. If we moved him and had Boucher play in his spot I don't think you would see as many broken plays but it is still earlier yet it's been one pre season game Ryder could keep producing and Boucher could start to look lost

Barry Tallackson finally getting his chance?

Barry Tallackson finally getting his chance?
- FLdevilsFAN

I believe he and Ari Ahonen make their preseason debuts on Thursday.

This is always a good debate, would you rather have solid depth? Or an elite top line ? I think these decent lines will match up very well to other teams 2,3,4 th lines in the east. Devils hockey has never been about one player we always won by committee on forwards and having a solid system. I like the system we have been running the last couple years. It comes down to confidence adn finish. We have a foundation to succeed.
- Bowkes

this argument doesn't work. We've always been a committee team. We always won by committee. But you forget that the committee included 2 superstar forwards Parise and Kovalchuk. You forget the committee included one of the best goalies ever, in his prime (for all 3 Cups, 4 Finals.. and somehow a 5th). You forget our committee included 2 hall of fame defensemen in their prime for many years, and some pretty darn good #3s and 4s. The forwards we had consisted of Lemieux, Holik, MacLean, Elias-Arnott-Sykora, Mogilny.. when they were ALL in their prime.. and they were better than all of the forwards we have now. Pandolfo-Madden-Langenbrunner/Brylin could shut down forwards better than anyone on our "committee". Lets not get confused here.

Yes, committee wins championships, but you need some guys that are just better than the other guys.. or at least half of the other guys. We have guys that are better than 1/4 of the other team.. meaning their 3rd and 4th lines. Our top 2 lines are equal to or worse than most teams' top 2 lines. Our defense is average and inexperienced.

Before training camp I thought the lines should be this, because I didn't want to rush Boucher. The top six at least is what I thought it should be.

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Elias-Henrique-Havlat
Clowe-Zubrus-Ryder/Brunner
Carter-Gionta-Ruutu
Brunner, Bernier, JJ

But if Boucher continues to play like he did last night than I think so far it should be:

Cam-Zajac-Jagr
Boucher-Henrique-Ryder?
Clowe-Elias-Havlat
Ruutu/Carter-Zubrus-Tootoo
Brunner, JJ, Gio, Bernier (last 2 can be sent down for all I care)

I usually don't like Zubrus at center, but he had over 50% in F/O percentage last year.
- Devils9503

i'm fully on board with this. Ruutu-Zubrus-Tootoo/Brunner, depending how good brunner plays. We'll need him when Clowe/Havlat get hurt. .. or Zubrus could move up and Josefson centers that line. OR GIO. we have GIONTA lets not forget!

Its not like we are playing guys like this anymore Erik Rasmussen see if any of you remember that.
- Bowkes

how could anyone forget Rasmussen. that wasn't that long ago.

I believe he and Ari Ahonen make their preseason debuts on Thursday.
- smellmyfinger

About (frank)ing time.

Crosby 2.0

Speaking of Pittsburg, what's the odds on them getting McDavid?

Probably a little less now that Shero is gone. That guy pulled some lopsided deals like no ones business.


Shero could probably trade two 1sts and Beau Bennett for the #1 overall and get Connor.

Barry Tallackson finally getting his chance?
- FLdevilsFAN

Guy really has a bright future. He's a sure thing compared to that Duncan Keith bum that Chicago picked right after...

Lou...

Guy really has a bright future. He's a sure thing compared to that Duncan Keith bum that Chicago picked right after...

Lou...
- NJD Fan

Drafting after the fact is really easy. I'd obviously would have the best team ever if I could only see years into the future.

Drafting after the fact is really easy. I'd obviously would have the best team ever if I could only see years into the future.
- MrToast

Yea. Also there is no guarantee he turns out to be the same player coming up through a different system

Hey guys I have my draft tomorrow night and have yet yo do a mock draft for practicing can any one help me out with how much time is given to make a pick ? It said the draft could take two hours so I was wondering if that meant you get time to draft or if it was rushed and I might be scrambled for my first go if u didn't know exactly who I was taking as soon as it was my pick

Hey guys I have my draft tomorrow night and have yet yo do a mock draft for practicing can any one help me out with how much time is given to make a pick ? It said the draft could take two hours so I was wondering if that meant you get time to draft or if it was rushed and I might be scrambled for my first go if u didn't know exactly who I was taking as soon as it was my pick
- blizzzard

It takes an absurdly long time.

Why did we give Dan Kelly a 2-year contract?