GDT: #15 Devils vs. Blues / 7:00 PM MSG+

[Whaddagoal]

Oh, yeah and Jim is right (taking some of his thoughts on the other thread). The bottom 6 guys better start producing or this team is going to be come very ordinary, very quickly. Maybe the honeymoon is starting to fade.

Henrique and Cam and Stemps, have already cooled a bit, we'll see if Zajac can pot some more.

This is where supposedly the much talked about bottom 6 guys have to pitch in: Yayo, Tlusty and others have to pitch in, or even get a defender goal. Has to come from somewhere....

Not implying its time to get upset, but if we don't see more distirbuted scoring in the next few games, this team will start falling quickly as the deeper skill, talented rosters pick up steam.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Blues D is gigantic and mobile.

If Allen doesn't crumble this could finally be their year to rep the West.

Depends on if forwards besides Tarasenko decide to show up in the playoffs, as well. Last post-season, Tarasenko was the only forward from the Blues who seemed to realize he had to play the games if I recall correctly.

 

[MadDevil]

Blues D is gigantic and mobile.

If Allen doesn't crumble this could finally be their year to rep the West.

They're like the new Sharks to me. The talent is there, but something seems to be missing in the playoffs. Of course it doesn't help to have to go through Chicago or LA, who seem to own the Blues.

 

[BahlDeep]

Kyle Palmieri said it. They stopped moving their feet. I didn't expect us to win. But they didn't put the effort at all.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

Blues doing something-i'll believe it when I see it.
I mean I never paid much attention to the kings and then they finally did something....

 

[Whaddagoal]

Eh, they were moving their feet, its just St. Louis was keeping equal pace in the game. Quick passes, good cycling, good transition (Blues). Devils just couldn't make and utilize time and space in the offensive zone effectively.

I think because they were being muscled around a bit by the Blue's D men. Not aggressively so, but disruptively enough so that no offensive flow was not maintained.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Kyle Palmieri said it. They stopped moving their feet. I didn't expect us to win. But they didn't put the effort at all.

Aside from about 12 minutes in the first, the energy/hustle/urgency was lacking.

Combo of big, structured and methodical Blues team and a weak effort and execution by NJD.

A letdown game after a few big wins.

 

[glenwo2]

We have Tlusty, O'Neill, Gionta, and Tootoo instead

I just threw up in my mouth.

 

[Bleedred]

Blues doing something-i'll believe it when I see it.
I mean I never paid much attention to the kings and then they finally did something....

Even the 95-99 Devils eventually got out of the second round and started winning again, so it's bound to happen possibly.

Only half that team actually won a cup in 95 by the time they won again in 2000, after years of playoff disappointments.

I'm not a believer in the Blues in the playoffs at all.

I was one of the only people that picked Minnesota to win that series last year, when so many people here picked St Louis and were shocked they went out to them.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Sad how much of an upgrade Tuomo Ruutu and a 39 year old Elias would probably be for our team right now.

 

[Bleedred]

Sad how much of an upgrade Tuomo Ruutu and a 39 year old Elias would probably be for our team right now.

I miss Ruutu.

O'Neill sucks, Sislo might be better in this league.

 

[John Pedro]

Sad how much of an upgrade Tuomo Ruutu and a 39 year old Elias would probably be for our team right now.

Ruutu is just as bad as O'neil and Gionta. Matteau should be playing instead of one of those guys.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Can't win them all. I knew we were in trouble when we didn't score in the first period after dominating. Than to have Havlat score the first goal of all players, was a killer. Probably be his only goal of the season for that bum. Unfortunately, I don't see us winning in Chicago after emmbarssing them for two periods. We probably have to wait until Calgary, which isn't an easy game, especially in their house.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Not getting goals from the bottom six or our defense is starting to worry me.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I'm getting sick of O'Neill. I'd much rather have a guy like Blandisi come up and show what he can do. We've seen plenty of what O'Neill can (can't?) do.

The bottom-6 can't continue to be passengers production-wise. We're too thin at forward to not have four lines that can score.

 

[indfin]

I'm getting sick of O'Neill. I'd much rather have a guy like Blandisi come up and show what he can do. We've seen plenty of what O'Neill can (can't?) do.

The bottom-6 can't continue to be passengers production-wise. We're too thin at forward to not have four lines that can score.

If we had four lines that can score (or even 3), then we wouldn't be too thin at forward

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I'm getting sick of O'Neill. I'd much rather have a guy like Blandisi come up and show what he can do. We've seen plenty of what O'Neill can (can't?) do.

The bottom-6 can't continue to be passengers production-wise. We're too thin at forward to not have four lines that can score.

How about calling up Boucher. I'm mentioned that it's disappointing that we aren't getting scoring from the bottom six, however, it's actually the third line we need to see some more production from. Maybe Boucher can help JJ & Tlusty. Tootoo belongs on the 4th line. Tlusty-JJ-Boucher, Franham-Gio-Tootoo.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

If we had four lines that can score (or even 3), then we wouldn't be too thin at forward

I meant four lines that literally have the bare-bones capability to score

Guys like Farnham, O'Neill, even Gio.. they just cannot score. Let alone consistently. I'm saying we're too thin at forward to keep rolling out guys that can't put the puck in the net. Give Matteau and Boucher those spots.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

How about calling up Boucher. I'm mentioned that it's disappointing that we aren't getting scoring from the bottom six, however, it's actually the third line we need to see some more production from. Maybe Boucher can help JJ & Tlusty. Tootoo belongs on the 4th line. Tlusty-JJ-Boucher, Franham-Gio-Tootoo.

I'd be intrigued by a JJ-Boucher pairing. Maybe that would even spark Tlusty into action.

 

[217 Forever]

Oh, yeah and Jim is right (taking some of his thoughts on the other thread). The bottom 6 guys better start producing or this team is going to be come very ordinary, very quickly. Maybe the honeymoon is starting to fade.

Henrique and Cam and Stemps, have already cooled a bit, we'll see if Zajac can pot some more.

This is where supposedly the much talked about bottom 6 guys have to pitch in: Yayo, Tlusty and others have to pitch in, or even get a defender goal. Has to come from somewhere....

Not implying its time to get upset, but if we don't see more distirbuted scoring in the next few games, this team will start falling quickly as the deeper skill, talented rosters pick up steam.

We aren't ordinary now? Did people think that a journeyman like Stempniak was going to keep up his early pace? Is Zajac going to have 25 PPGs this year?

Anybody expecting anything from the bottom 6 is going to be sorely disappointed. The guys we have on those lines are functioning top 6 AHL players. The talent gap up front on this team hasn't budged.

The most encouraging thing I can say about this team is that they seem to like and respond to the coach and on most nights give it their best. That's a nice quality to have, but talent almost always wins out in the end.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

We aren't ordinary now? Did people think that a journeyman like Stempniak was going to keep up his early pace? Is Zajac going to have 25 PPGs this year?

Anybody expecting anything from the bottom 6 is going to be sorely disappointed. The guys we have on those lines are functioning top 6 AHL players. The talent gap up front on this team hasn't budged.

The most encouraging thing I can say about this team is that they seem to like and respond to the coach and on most nights give it their best. That's a nice quality to have, but talent almost always wins out in the end.

preach on!

It's nice to see everyone working hard and playing a fun style. But unless Henrique or Cammalleri or whoever pot goals, then this team is going to struggle.

 

[John Pedro]

Ruutu had 13 points in 73 games last season while Gionta got the same 13 pts but in only 63 games.

Ruutu sucks. He won't be an upgrade over Gionta as he's just as bad or even worse offensively.

At least Gionta isn't insanely overpaid as Ruutu is.

 

[NJDevs26]

preach on!

It's nice to see everyone working hard and playing a fun style. But unless Henrique or Cammalleri or whoever pot goals, then this team is going to struggle.

OTOH having even five forwards that score was like 1-2 more than anyone expected before the season.

 

[njdevil26]

I miss Ruutu.

O'Neill sucks, Sislo might be better in this league.

Worst thing about O'Neill is that we just showed the league that he is a turd and no one will pick him up on waivers.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ruutu had 13 points in 73 games last season while Gionta got the same 13 pts but in only 63 games.

Ruutu sucks. He won't be an upgrade over Gionta as he's just as bad or even worse offensively.

At least Gionta isn't insanely overpaid as Ruutu is.

again, just ridiculous.

who cares how much guys are paid when we're a zillion dollars under the cap?

Ruutu is an NHL player. Gionta is not.