One point that is missed by the "we only have Dillon" crowd is the effect he will have on his teammates/ opponents. When we got Stevens, he hit people so hard that they were reluctant to start a war. Our opponents knew that if a war happened, we had a nuke. Also, when every member of NJ sees Dillon, Noeson, Cotter, Colton and Kovasevic hitting at every opportunity, it becomes your team identity and you see Jesper Bratt and Thomas Tatar finishing their checks. It goes right down the line. They will learn to close out the player and take the body as a team. The team buying in to solid body play is why Florida lifted Lord Stanley this year.

Back to the glory days on D: pairing a banger with a puck mover.

imagine if we still have Mcleod . he was a big part of this team . so sad , Lets go devils👹 big season coming 💪🏽

I didn't know Toronto was 3rd in hits. Even our new coach is heavier, edgier and more violent.

Can’t wait for Devils hockey. Jack will win MVP. 🎉

Looking forward to this seasons ‘24 /‘25 NJ Devils !! Now I feel good about seeing them at the Rock! All the best!

Nice breakdown Ace! Speed and finesse not getting you Lord Stanley. Fitz made the muscle moves. Gonna be sweet seeing/hearing the boards crunch at the rock this year!

I think we should all strive to be heavier, edgier, and more violent gentlemen.

I think we may have (hopefully) found lightning in a bottle with Keefes unique system combining with our skill players and a heavy and violent remodel.

Yep all things we needed… NHl is moving back to big like years ago… definitely the new trend…be nice to pick up another fwd though Any chance for Necas? Anyone else there you think there might be a chance to pick up?

This is by far my favorite show of yours haha. You’re right and a lot of fans have been on the same page with the fact that we need more than skill and speed. I’ve never been more embarrassed watching our boys than the last two games against the dirty rags. They absolutely rag dolled us and we had no chance against them bc of that. We better come out on fire and just punish teams. We are not going to be easy to play against at all and that’s music to my ears.

The top eight teams in hits all have one thing in common. Great forechecking teams. That is an area the Devils will improve this season.

I was at the NJ vs NYR game last year at the Rock, you know the one where Matt Rempe completely punked our entire team by himself and knocked down 2 of our players before being ejected. That was the most embarrassed I've ever been to be a Devils fan, calling us soft is putting it nicely. We also lost that game 5-1, to add insult to injury. Not a good time to be a Devils fan for sure. The next game we played the Rags was the line brawl which helped to heal the wounds a little. We needed these offseason moves. No more being soft in Jersey!

I think the Florida panthers and how tough they were motivated fitzy

The banished mike mcleod is a goated statement

I love it!! Cant wait to start this season!! LGD

Ace , I like how you’ve grown from almost hating Fitz to almost loving him . I am with you in that boat trying to see things in a positive way until proven otherwise . Nobody’s perfect . Instead of signing Palat for ridiculous money he should have kept Tatar for fraction of a price . He should have addressed goalie situation earlier and should have stopped Lindy experiment sooner but we’ve been moving in the right direction . Now we need results ! LGD !

Ace.. Grit is what won us 3 cups I’ve been a fan since the late 80’s. I truly believe hard nose D is what wins cups !!!!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

❓ Big Game Hunted ✅ Ran the Gauntlet ✅ Heavier ✅ Edgier ✅ More Violent

I get PTSD anytime i see stuff like 'heavier, edgier, more violent' or insert whatever 3 key words to describe the team. Nothing against you, It reminds me of the Shero era of 'fast, attacking and supportive' or whatever slogans they used, then we ended up finishing last 😅.

Hope you had a good 4th and 4th of July weekend bro. So pumped for this season

Great analysis Ace!

We needed size but most of all size that can play and that is what Fitz added...Not dumping the pick added a move for the future and that was another good move...

Bare minimum to me: Rangers got butt hurt losing in the playoffs to us. So they spent the next season bullying us around. Physically and on the scoreboard. This year, I want payback. We need to flip this narrative, and show we are a different team. I'm expecting this just like I was expecting Rempe to drop gloves to MacDermid. No more pond hockey, playground crap. Our fans deserve this.

I see Brady Tkachuk was top 3 in hits. #BringBradytoNJ

New Jersey Dhevils...That's how we spell it now..H(eavier), E(dgier), V(iolent)

I can't put into words how excited I am for next season. There's just so much talent on this team now that will seriously compliment the core and lay people out while doing it.

Maybe you already heard it, and not related to the video, but on the last Jeff Marek show of the season around 40 min Brady comes up and Ian Mendes of the Athletic doesn't commit to completely shutting down the rumors that Brady might start getting antsy if Ottawa misses the playoffs again this season.

i agree i think we have gotten stronger on blue line this offseason combined with hopefully healthy dougie hamilton should help us out and cut down on the ton of oddman rushes that went against us last year. I would however like to see a player like a daniel sprong or tyler johnson sprong at 2-3 mil with 20 goal possibility would be a great add at that cost and provide and element that other teams will have to prepare for nightly. this is a move i believe most fans would be very happy with

I do believe the added size we acquired and getting a hopefully healthy hamilton back will help out the defense and cut down on the tons of odd man rushes we had go against us last year so optimistic here. but i still feel adding a player like a daniel sprong could help us or a tyler johnson could we get a sprong for a 2-3 mil deal potential to add 20 goals i think gives reassurance and adds an element that other teams will have to prepare for nightly.

I have a feeling cotter plays w jack on the wing idk I feel it love it

I totally agree with your assessment. We needed to become tougher and we did. You can't win the Cup if you can get pushed around and don't respond. We needed to become more like the Panthers and we did. The best Devils teams of the past had this grit. Make the opposing forwards have to keep their heads up more often.

Little Hughes played 82 games. I cannot see his hits stats. Probably it was too many they lost count. And he's gonna be top 4 D-man again.

The more I think back on the 23-24 season, the more I feel Fitz used it as a season to evaluate who he felt were long term pieces, and those who he was on the fence about were given a chance to prove they belonged on the team. Had 22-23 been a terrible year and Fitz spent the entire 23-24 season with the same roster watching the same thing happen, that would be reason for firing him. But the team was awesome in 22-23, individual records were set, team records were set, we came back and beat the Rangers in the first round, so to dismantle the team at that point would have made no sense. They probably overachieved, surprised the league with what they accomplished, and why wouldn’t Fitz want to run most of that team back in 23-24. Toffoli was signed to improve the team, but our goaltending took major steps back and we were plagued by injury and I think he knew it just wasn’t their year. So rather than overpay to upgrade between the pipes, they ran with what they had to decide who stayed and who went. Fast forward to this summer and the Markstrom deal got done, we said goodbye to Schmid and Holtz, got Cotter in trade and brought in the big men on the blue line like he said he would. Last season was disappointing for all of us but that’s in the past and the moves needed to improve in many areas were addressed and we are a far better team today than we were to close out last season. And WHEN NJ are a buyer at the 25 deadline, we can add another piece up front at that time in preparation for a deep playoff run. Fitz hasn’t been perfect but I’m very happy with the moves that have been made and this is as excited as I’ve been for a new season to start in a very long time. LGD!!

Forwards: Hughes, Hischier, Meier, Bratt, Mercer*, Palat, Bastian, Tatar, Cotter, Lazar, Haula etc Def.: Hamilton, Pesce, Hughes, Nemec, Dillon, Seganthaler, Macdermod Gaolies: Markstrom, Allen. Were set. If we dont win, then I honestly dont understand

Brady was #3 in terms of hits. Let's hope he is a future Devils

Hey ace, can I ask your opinion right now what your second and third line would be right now with our current roster?

Lots of fans came unhinged with Holtz being traded. He couldn’t even make his world championship team. He’s Pavel Zacha 2.0. Everyone including myself has to just take the L.

Roll players/position players It’s what the team needed and it’s what the team got. MacDermid, Lazar(only player that existed on the 2023-2024 roster that did his job as a Roll player besides Smith and until Mac joined), Cotter, Dillion, Noesen and Kovacevic. I saw the Baby Hughes comment, lol and I have to say, the Norris winner this past season had a total of 29 hits for the year. Luke wasn’t drafted to be the next Luke Schenn. Pretty sure they want him to develop like Quinn, the Norris winner with 29 hits for the year. There are others on the team that can throw the body around. If you want to see another Hughes injured most the season, tell the 20 year old in a 20 year old scrawny body to start using it as a wrecking ball.

Big game from big game Hunter - not checked!

thats what he meant when he said Big Game hunting get the big boys on the bench

I’m a life long leafsfan…with a major soft spot for the devils. Had 57 cards just of the goat Marty😂🔥 Sheldon Keefe is going to do so much magic with this line up. This is the best Goaltending and Defence he’s ever had… can argue offensively also. This team is going to be a fucking problem…..😈

I keep hearing about Askarov on the block and I’d love to hear us in talks.. may be too tough now but who knows .

They definitely won’t get pushed around this season

Long long LONG way to go until I have any faith in Fitz. At this point, a GREAT year followed by a first round KO should not be enough to keep his job. The team we had without injuries could go to round 2. If this revamped Fitz team doesn't reach Conference Finals in 24-25, Fitz needs to go.

I have the same jersey, CCM

Are you finally into Cotter now and back on the Fitzy train? You were livid on the Vegas trade.

The Devils aren't soft anymore.

Ace, I’m sure you’re aware who’s number 3 on that list. Can we print it out, circle it, and send it to Fitz? 😂 I mean seems to me like he checks all those boxes. Heavier, edgier, top 6 guy…just sayin! (I know I know, but I will continue to dream!)

Look at Brady at no. 3 in hitting. Number 3! If the Devils want a championship do everything to get that guy. Brady wants to get on a good team and get out of that backwater Ottawa. Maybe Jack is our Huberdeau? Ok - shoot me. But I want a Tkachuk on my team. I guarantee you if Brady suits up in a Devils jersey the Rangers bench won’t be laughing at us the way they’ve been doing after they ran over us this past season.

HEMV. Waiting for the t-shirt to come out so I can wear it to the gym. Fitz does have a way with words. Anyone remember "If we permit it, we promote it?" I could never figure that one out. Permit what? Promote what? Somebody please explain. Finally looking forward to running those Rags and their heathen fans out of our building. Time to turn the tables! 😊

I’m more confident in our defense

14:05-14:15 What was that?

Zadarov or Tanev didnt even crack the top 17 most hits wow

How about the Top 6 ?

LGD.

I still think the Devils should sign Nick Cousins

Over emphasis on size & physicality. Under emphasis on actual hockey talent. The offseason in a nut shell. These aren't guys that were brought in because they are good at hockey. They we're brought in because they are tall. No star was brought in. Nobody worth getting excited about. They are all kind of average players that are up there in age. I'm expected to believe that middling players like these will transform the team from the disaster we saw into a top contender? I don't think so. I find bringing back Tatar & Noesen particularly embarrassing. Nobody was clamoring for that. They aren't good. We already had enough underwhelming forwards in the bottom 6. One is being paid 6 million bucks a year to do nothing. Might as well of just done nothing at all at forward. Massive disappointment.

I'm sorry but my eyes glaze over every time a Devils fan tries to tell me the Devils are soft, just admit you don't understand whats going on in the games its okay.