Todd Cordell: On Boqvist's usage, 5v5 concerns, and Gusev's defensive play

I did not feel happy after reading this

https://www.nj.com/devils...ter-lost-rangers-bet.html

Enjoy!

Trade Hall now before he gets hurt for some defense.

All great points by Todd.

On one hand I feel like someone will get hurt and the Devils will have Boqvist playing more hockey soon enough. On the other hand, Haynes makes questionable roster decisions and plays guys like Rooney and Hayden too much so maybe not. Clearly with Nico having been out of action Boqvist could have played somewhere in the lineup.

As for Goose I think this is partially a problem with team makeup. A lot of very talented forwards are not very good defensively. Usually line mates help cover for this. In our case we have a plethora of guys like Goose and it's hard to shelter all of them. Bratt isn't good defensively. Hughes isn't good defensively. Wood probably can't even spell defense....

So the only solution to this is to bring in defensively sound players. Either via trade or from the minors if there are any. But Goose's offense is to valuable to let it rot on the bench.

We can also teach him to play better. Even Kovalchuk worked on it when he was here.

Kovalchuk once learned how to play defense during his tenure with the Devils and became very good at it.
One can only hope that Gusev can learn as well and become a more well-rounded player... sooner than later, of course.

Kovalchuk once learned how to play defense during his tenure with the Devils and became very good at it.
One can only hope that Gusev can learn as well and become a more well-rounded player... sooner than later, of course.
- njsportzfanatic2

I wouldn't say he became very good at it....

This year he's already put up 3 goals, 4 assists and has nice -8 to show for it.

Or the coach could implement a more defensive system, as the players can create offence on there own

they can??

they can??
- MartysBetter88

In theory. Maybe not in practice.

You’d think they’d be better defensively since they play a trap system

You’d think they’d be better defensively since they play a trap system
- shvingter88

Hopefully that's a typo and you meant to write 'crap system'.

I wouldn't say he became very good at it....

This year he's already put up 3 goals, 4 assists and has nice -8 to show for it.
- Queenie_5_hole

the -8 isn't his fault, he's playing in front of the ghost of Johnathan Quick and that Kings defense.

Hopefully that's a typo and you meant to write 'crap system'.
- Queenie_5_hole

LMFAO!

the -8 isn't his fault, he's playing in front of the ghost of Johnathan Quick and that Kings defense.
- Pomegrant

haha too funny

Trade Hall now before he gets hurt for some defense.
- FAZOOL

Worked out great for the last team that traded him for a D......... I think if we move a Hart Trophy winner, it better be for a guy no older than 28, who is good for 1ppg. But with 25M Cap Space next season (plus whatever it gets raised by), I would like to see him ink a 6 year deal at 11.5M AAV. If not, trade him, ideally for a 1ppg+ RW.

haha too funny
- MartysBetter88

I'm not going to pretend Kovy isn't worse than he used to be but that Kings team is dreadful.

Kovalchuk once learned how to play defense during his tenure with the Devils and became very good at it.
One can only hope that Gusev can learn as well and become a more well-rounded player... sooner than later, of course.
- njsportzfanatic2

Kovy had Lemaire coaching him when he improved his two way game. I don’t have faith that Hynes can be that coach for Gusev.

This sucks:
New Jersey prospect Graeme Clarke was having a promising start to the season, showing a little more quickness to go with his traditionally great goal scoring. His coach Andre Tourigny praised the improvement he made with his skating. Unfortunately, he recently suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out most of the remainder of the OHL regular season.

Worked out great for the last team that traded him for a D......... I think if we move a Hart Trophy winner, it better be for a guy no older than 28, who is good for 1ppg. But with 25M Cap Space next season (plus whatever it gets raised by), I would like to see him ink a 6 year deal at 11.5M AAV. If not, trade him, ideally for a 1ppg+ RW.
- bikeguy99

He will be traded for Trevor Daley

Bo Hovart with the Hat Trick and Cory Schneider in danger of losing his starting gig.

Just saying.

This sucks:
New Jersey prospect Graeme Clarke was having a promising start to the season, showing a little more quickness to go with his traditionally great goal scoring. His coach Andre Tourigny praised the improvement he made with his skating. Unfortunately, he recently suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out most of the remainder of the OHL regular season. - redmonsters

Brutal this will defo set this kid back

Bo Hovart with the Hat Trick and Cory Schneider in danger of losing his starting gig.

Just saying.

don't care what anyone says. the cory deal was terrible for the team and set us back least 5 years. missed out on a young talent (hovart assumingly) plus cory played well enough on those shlt devils teams to lower our lotto odds for players like mcdavid, eichel, matthews, laine...

don't care what anyone says. the cory deal was terrible for the team and set us back least 5 years. missed out on a young talent (hovart assumingly) plus cory played well enough on those shlt devils teams to lower our lotto odds for players like mcdavid, eichel, matthews, laine...
- AkA

I think at the time we were looking at our core of Parise, Kovy, Henrique, Larsson.. right? We were thinking win now right? I forget.

But it was a trade for what we thought would be a franchise goalie for the next decade.. or take a risk on a 10th overall pick...

I think that's a move most GMs would take. Only thing was Schneider was always a backup.. steep price to pay for a backup, even the best backup in the league.

I think at the time we were looking at our core of Parise, Kovy, Henrique, Larsson.. right? We were thinking win now right? I forget.

But it was a trade for what we thought would be a franchise goalie for the next decade.. or take a risk on a 10th overall pick...

I think that's a move most GMs would take. Only thing was Schneider was always a backup.. steep price to pay for a backup, even the best backup in the league.
- MartysBetter88

Zach was already gone and Kovy "retired" a week later - which according to Lou he knew about. Just think it was wrong time for a deal like that. Clowe was the big FA get that year.