Josh Biringer: G10 Review / Prospect Update

Toffoli - Huala - Meier
Palat - Mcleod - Bratt
Max - Mercer - Holtz
Lazar - Tierney - Bastian

or really shake it ...

Toffoli - Mcleod - Holtz
Palat - Mercer - Bratt
Max - Huala- Meier
Lazar - Tierney - Bastian

Heck of a blog! Love the prospect updates!

Per the team, Jack will not play tonight and is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He is already back in NJ with the athletic care staff.

Lindy says they were "very fortunate" on the severity of the injury.

Per the team, Jack will not play tonight and is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He is already back in NJ with the athletic care staff.

Lindy says they were "very fortunate" on the severity of the injury.
- vlongo4419

Guess still no word on Nico

Guess still no word on Nico
- devils2929

Wont hear anything until the team gets back home, but he's apparently been skating. So I suspect we'll probably see him our first game back on the 10th, we'll see though. I'd rather them make sure these guys are 100% before they return.

Wont hear anything until the team gets back home, but he's apparently been skating. So I suspect we'll probably see him our first game back on the 10th, we'll see though. I'd rather them make sure these guys are 100% before they return.
- vlongo4419

Absolutely.. still early into the season

Lines for tonight:

Toffoli-Mercer-Timo
Palat-McLeod-Bratt
Willman-Haula-Lazar
Holtz-Tierney-Bastian

Same D

Vanecek in net

Huge opportunity for Mercer here, time for him to show up and be the guy we think he can be. No excuses for him. Holtz still being on the 4th line is an absolute joke, no justification for it.

Lines for tonight:

Toffoli-Mercer-Timo
Palat-McLeod-Bratt
Willman-Haula-Lazar
Holtz-Tierney-Bastian

Same D

Vanecek in net

Huge opportunity for Mercer here, time for him to show up and be the guy we think he can be. No excuses for him. Holtz still being on the 4th line is an absolute joke, no justification for it.
- vlongo4419

I look at the Holtz situation differently.
He was given top 6 minutes = zero results
Given bottom 6 minutes = playing well and contributing.

The important thing is, he is contributing to the team playing well where he's at now, so why not just keep him there? Who cares what line he's on. Hes learning how to score and doing it consistently in his current role.

Also, if we have a threat on the 4th line, can you imagine what that'll do to the other teams strategy and it'll make us that more deeper.

Its win/win for everyone where he is I think.

Im sure by season end he would have worked his way up the lineup somehow.

I look at the Holtz situation differently.
He was given top 6 minutes = zero results
Given bottom 6 minutes = playing well and contributing.

The important thing is, he is contributing to the team playing well where he's at now, so why not just keep him there? Who cares what line he's on. Hes learning how to score and doing it consistently in his current role.

Also, if we have a threat on the 4th line, can you imagine what that'll do to the other teams strategy and it'll make us that more deeper.

Its win/win for everyone where he is I think.

Im sure by season end he would have worked his way up the lineup somehow.
- Leniwm1

Except he actually hasnt. He was hardly given any consistent time playing in the top 6. He has only played 20 minutes with Jack and 48 minutes with Nico at 5v5. 271 minutes in a bottom 6 role. Even simpler, he has averaged 48 seconds per game playing with Jack and 1:38 per game playing with Nico. So yeah, of course he's had zero results playing in the top 6. Thats not even giving him an opportunity to succeed, its just dogpoop management from Ruff.

He has fully earned an opportunity to play in a scoring role this season. And instead of being rewarded with more ice time and a promotion in the lineup, he gets demoted down to the 4th line to play with Chris (frank)ing Tierney and Nate Bastian for 10 minutes a game. The complete opposite of using this guy to his actual potential. Its just garbage, theres no justifying it. The more he continues to play well, the more Ruff continues to look like a fool.

I've said it before and ill keep saying it. Use him in the top 6 or trade him. If you're going to play Max (frank)ing Willman ahead of him, then move him to a different team and get something in return that this team needs and will actually use properly.

Good for Mercer getting on the board. Gotta hope that gets the monkey off his back and gets him going. The team needs him to.

Except he actually hasnt. He was hardly given any consistent time playing in the top 6. He has only played 20 minutes with Jack and 48 minutes with Nico at 5v5. 271 minutes in a bottom 6 role. Even simpler, he has averaged 48 seconds per game playing with Jack and 1:38 per game playing with Nico. So yeah, of course he's had zero results playing in the top 6. Thats not even giving him an opportunity to succeed, its just dogpoop management from Ruff.


He has fully earned an opportunity to play in a scoring role this season. And instead of being rewarded with more ice time and a promotion in the lineup, he gets demoted down to the 4th line to play with Chris (frank)ing Tierney and Nate Bastian for 10 minutes a game. The complete opposite of using this guy to his actual potential. Its just garbage, theres no justifying it. The more he continues to play well, the more Ruff continues to look like a fool.

I've said it before and ill keep saying it. Use him in the top 6 or trade him. If you're going to play Max (frank)ing Willman ahead of him, then move him to a different team and get something in return that this team needs and will actually use properly.
- vlongo4419

Max Willman is already a legend

Max Willman is already a legend
- devils2929

Ryan Novozinsky confirms its a right shoulder injury for Jack. Says his source "guesses" it's a 3-4 week timeline.

Ryan Novozinsky confirms its a right shoulder injury for Jack. Says his source "guesses" it's a 3-4 week timeline.
- vlongo4419

Sounds like a dislocated shoulder again.

Also, i didnt have much confidence in VV after playoffs, but that saved showed he def has what it takes. Big relief.

Ryan Novozinsky confirms its a right shoulder injury for Jack. Says his source "guesses" it's a 3-4 week timeline.
- vlongo4419

Isn't that his 3rd shoulder injury in the last 4 seasons?

Isn't that his 3rd shoulder injury in the last 4 seasons?
- Crushers68

Yep. The bad one against Seattle 2 years ago, which was his left shoulder. In the playoffs against the Canes last year, which was his right shoulder. And this, also his right shoulder but apparently unrelated to the injury in the playoffs. He also suffered a shoulder injury back in his draft year during the world juniors.

He also got hurt last year during/right after the all-star break where he missed 4 games, but we never got confirmation on if it was shoulder. Just upper body.

Definitely concerning.

Yep. The bad one against Seattle 2 years ago, which was his left shoulder. In the playoffs against the Canes last year, which was his right shoulder. And this, also his right shoulder but apparently unrelated to the injury in the playoffs. He also suffered a shoulder injury back in his draft year during the world juniors.

He also got hurt last year during/right after the all-star break where he missed 4 games, but we never got confirmation on if it was shoulder. Just upper body.

Definitely concerning.
- vlongo4419

Exactly my point. Likely needs to alter his training to add more shoulder / upper body work.

I harken back to a time when I suggested taking the higher ranked Cooley over Nemec, considering that our top 2 centers combine to miss like 40 games a season. Would be nice to have another strong center option to move forward with. Instead we draft a dman, and then ship out other dmen already in our system looking to soon make the jump. Low and behold, Hischier and Hughes are out for a few weeks, and Cooley is looking great so far.. almost as if he was projected to be a top line center.
Obviously, Nemec is good and will likely be good.. but I see it as, the more talented player.. and the more obvious need.

I harken back to a time when I suggested taking the higher ranked Cooley over Nemec, considering that our top 2 centers combine to miss like 40 games a season. Would be nice to have another strong center option to move forward with. Instead we draft a dman, and then ship out other dmen already in our system looking to soon make the jump. Low and behold, Hischier and Hughes are out for a few weeks, and Cooley is looking great so far.. almost as if he was projected to be a top line center.
Obviously, Nemec is good and will likely be good.. but I see it as, the more talented player.. and the more obvious need.
- MartysBetter88

Yep, 100%. Cooley should've always been the pick. This is why you don't draft for need and why the people saying "we already have 2 top 6 centers, we don't need him" just didnt make any sense. Nemec could live up to the hype and be fantastic for us, still doesn't change the fact that it was the wrong pick. I'd trade Nemec for Cooley in a heartbeat.