Todd Cordell: Grading the New Jersey Devils' off-season

Fisty

Todd Cordell: Grading the New Jersey Devils' off-season
- Todd.Cordell

Looking better long term, still think they are a bottom 5 team right now.

Looking better long term, still think they are a bottom 5 team right now.
- smellmyfinger

Agreed

Nice blog, Todd. One thing I will say is that I think the improvement up front will help the D tremendously. The increase in skill up front will definitely help in terms of puck possession, which hopefully takes a great deal of pressure off the D.

While an upgrade back there is still absolutely needed, the improvements up front will improve overall on ice play a great deal. Constantly being pinned into your own end and sustaining little offensive pressure is not only physically tiring, it's completely demoralizing.

Now, an increase in moral of course isn't going to make the D more talented than it actually is, but Hynes will get more out of this group this year. This will also help Schneider tremendously, who should easily return to form as a top 7 NHL goalie.

As a Flyers fan, I hated hearing about the Johansson trade. That was a (frank)ing steal and a half.

Looking better long term, still think they are a bottom 5 team right now.
- smellmyfinger

Agree. They will be more exciting to watch but they don't have enough to take them out of the basement yet.

They will be fun to watch . Although I watch every game and don't really care if they win or lose. WinNING IS FUNNER > but I am watching anyway.

Being pinned in our own zone is the worst thing we do. and it happens a lot
. no offensive pressure and D cannot get the puck out of our zone.. that has not been addressed.

C+

Defense was and still is the team's biggest issue. Shero really did nothing to address it. Trading nothing for MJ saves him from having an F. I'm not sure we can give Shero credit for getting lucky and getting the #1 pick in the draft, so that's not a factor at all.

I don't see how losing Auvitu, Helgeson, Mozik and Merrill and adding Mirco Mueller can be seen as a winning off-season for the D. And that's after we downgraded ourselves by trading Quincey for Prout.

Losing Camm and adding MoJo and Boyle is better. Lost JJ, but he never developed here so fine. Nico is a gift from the hockey gods. Still not expecting a lot of offense but maybe they'll be respectable.

Still think we should sign Jagr and Franson.

Still think we should sign Jagr and Franson.
- Queenie_5_hole

Jagr will take up a young kids spot...no thanks. I know he will be a good mentor but rather see if Q and some others can take a step foward.

Franson I dont mind cause he will cost us nothing but cap room.

DOOMED

I don't see how losing Auvitu, Helgeson, Mozik and Merrill and adding Mirco Mueller can be seen as a winning off-season for the D. And that's after we downgraded ourselves by trading Quincey for Prout.

Losing Camm and adding MoJo and Boyle is better. Lost JJ, but he never developed here so fine. Nico is a gift from the hockey gods. Still not expecting a lot of offense but maybe they'll be respectable.

Still think we should sign Jagr and Franson.
- Queenie_5_hole

All of those dmen suck

All of those dmen suck
- shvingter88

This is true. I could see his point with Franson though. Mueller may not be ready to play every night, Greene is getting older and injuries are bound to happen. If signing Franson means we don't see Prout, I'm game.

This is true. I could see his point with Franson though. Mueller may not be ready to play every night, Greene is getting older and injuries are bound to happen. If signing Franson means we don't see Prout, I'm game.
- smellmyfinger

True