Yea wood has not even been in front or shooting all that much..i think it's his linemates..he need faster players and playmakers than freakn Hayden and rooney..he needs zacha..dont know what is going on with ty Smith but he need to wake up before its too late..he looks legitimately scared out there..maybe the speed and physicalality of the nhl has overwhelmed him wish he could go to ahl

That makes sense but if he stinks his way thru the prospect challenge games, all of preseason and 9 NHL games I don’t see how you keep him with the big club.
- Queenie_5_hole

prospect challenge was meaningless, even Hughes didn't do much. It takes time for a defenseman to adjust and we're definitely seeing that right now. He's a good skater so he just needs some time with a consistent pairing and he'll play sheltered minutes. I think the last couple of preseason games where almost full rosters are going to get a look will be a good time to see what he's got.

I don't really think sending Smith down to Juniors is going to help him at all. He really needs to be able to play against tougher competition to get better. I think keeping him for nine games makes a lot of sense, and then probably keeping him afterward even if he is rotating as a 6-7th defenseman.
- Pomegrant

I agree. Even if he's not playing everyday the level of competition is what he needs to improve. Also, we can still loan him to the WJC squad where he could get top minutes.

Let's start with the goaltenders as we already know who they are...

Goaltenders: It they can stay healthy, it looks like the Devils will have a great 1-2 punch in goal with Schneider and Blackwood. If the Devils are to make the playoff this season, these two goaltenders will have played a key role.

Defensemen: We know that Subban will be the leader of the Devils' defensemen. The Devils have not had a defenseman this good since the days of Stevens and Niedermayer, and that was a long time ago. Questions that Hynes needs to answer... Who plays on the left side of P.K., it is Vatanen or Butcher? Severson will likely play 2nd pair on the right side. Who will play on his right side, will it be Butcher, Greene or maybe Mueller?. Ideally, I would like to see Greene be on the 3rd defensive line to keep him fresh for the P.K. and to help or to mentor the Smith or Carrick.

Perhaps the biggest question that Devils organization needs to answer is what to do the Ty Smith. Smith did not impressed in the Prospects Challenge and he has yet to impressed in the preseason games he has played. Do the Devils send him back to Juniors to play every game, to play in all situations, to kill penalties, to quarterback the power play, be a leader; or do they keep him in New Jersey, training with the team and sitting in the press box during games? Young players need to play to develop. Keeping Smith in New Jersey may not be the best move to develop him as a player.

Forwards: It looks like the New Jersey Devils will have two great lines with the combination of Hall, Hischier, Hughes, Gusev, Palmieri and whoever fills the 2nd line. Will the additional top six forward be Bratt, Simmonds, Boqvist or maybe someone else? The 3rd line should be solid with Zajac centering Coleman. Who else will play on this line? Personally, I would like to see Boqvist on this line. On the 4th line, unless he proves that he can be a good match on the 2nd or 3rd line, I would like to see Simmonds playing RW on the 4th line. Let McLeod and Ronney show that they deserved to be 4th line center. Bastian, Haynes, Woods have one or two preseason games to earn a spot on the opening day roster. Woods, Haynes, and Rooney, having one-way contracts, likely have the advantage making the opening day roster.

Unless Zacha returns early this week to join the Devils, it would not bother me one bit if we see Zacha start the season in Binghamton getting into game shape. Call it a rehap assignment.

I think Hughes gonna take 1C and the 2nd will be Goose, Nico, Bratt.

I think Jack needs not to worry about playing with a guy that cant communicate where as Nico and Bratt, being European might be able to communicate with Goose more efficiently.

Also, both lines had such chemistry.

This is unreal.
- Leniwm1

This makes so much sense

I think the devils have what it takes to make some real noise.I wouldn't be surprised with the devils battling for first in the division.They have as much firepower on those top two lines as pretty much anyone.

I think the devils have what it takes to make some real noise.I wouldn't be surprised with the devils battling for first in the division.They have as much firepower on those top two lines as pretty much anyone.
- kaptaan

Things look good, but preseason and the regular season are different. Team is definitely improved but we'll see how it plays out.

Trade us Quinn!!!

Things look good, but preseason and the regular season are different. Team is definitely improved but we'll see how it plays out.

Trade us Quinn!!!
- Queenie_5_hole

I'll still have my expectations tempered even if they start 4 and 0. We now how it went after that last year.

I'll still have my expectations tempered even if they start 4 and 0. We now how it went after that last year.
- devilspep

What's the old saying from Lou Holtz; 'your never as good as everyone tells you when you win or as bad as they say when you lose.'

Early thoughts on Gusev’s center - I personally liked Gusev more with Hughes than Nico just based on the eye test. It seemed like Hughes and Gusev’s creativity together was off the charts. They had an awesome give-and-go almost every shift that led to a dangerous scoring chance, which is something I didn’t necessarily see with Nico. With Nico it felt more traditional pass and shoot but nothing too creative/out of the box.

Nico and Hall already have a history of success (ie Hall won a Hart trophy playing with Nico and got them into the playoffs) so I think I’d rather see them stick together and see what Hughes and Gusev can do in the regular season.

Having that said, I’m sure Hughes and Hall would do just fine together.