Post-Game Talk: Devils get their lunch money stolen 4-0 to the Quacks

[njdevil26]

Holy Crap PK did it again.
Suspension incoming. What the hell is wrong with him.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

A friendly reminder that Nico could be shooting his career average and have 2 whole goals.

This is a good point. He would in fact be pacing 20 goals if he merely had 1 more goal. #statistics

He hasn’t had “production issues” for years. He’s been the 20ish goal 50ish points guy every year except for the COVID year. He has had durability issues and you have expectation issues.

 

[Hisch13r]

Right now, based on the last few games and especially this game. There's no doubt we have the worst special teams in the league, I don't know if the stats agree yet, but it's only a matter of time, if they keep playing like this. If you lose to bottom feeder teams like Anaheim, Columbus and Buffalo, where does it put us? The Pittsburgh game was good, but other than that it's been pretty awful the last few games.

A lot of us were hoping we'd be fighting for a wildcard spot, but they've been playing even worse than last season, even with Dougie, Graves, Bernier and Tatar added and the youngsters being a year older.

Hopefully this is a wakeup call and they'll be a lot better against the kings.

They 100% have not been worse than last season. This is a clear better 5v5 team with the same special teams and will have improved goaltending now that Blackwood's back. This will be undoubtedly be a better team. The question is how much better and that will really depend on what happens with Dougie and if they make special teams changes. We also expected to be fighting for a playoff spot with the thought that our 2nd best player wouldn't dislocate his shoulder 4 periods into the season.

 

[Derps]

This is a good point. He would in fact be pacing 20 goals if he merely had 1 more goal. #statistics

He hasn’t had “production issues” for years. He’s been the 20ish goal 50ish points guy every year except for the COVID year. He has had durability issues and you have expectation issues.

I know he would be. I don't think that's great, but it's not bad. But people here are acting like he has no points because his shooting percentage is low and it's categorically untrue.

Maybe I have expectation issues. I expect the 1OA top 6 captain center to not get hurt every year and put up more than 50 points. Wild shit, I know. I just can't take not having prodcution issues seriously when he has the career numbers he has. It's just a stupid opinion.

 

[Devils731]

Holy Crap PK did it again.
Suspension incoming. What the hell is wrong with him.

That looks like a nothingburger to me. Multiple hits like that every night.

Zacha was slew footed much worse in the same game, although I didn’t get a replay of it.

Seems like this is a combo of Subban’s earlier hit and Zegras seems to draw extra league scrutiny. I would guess he gets the next level up fine just because they’re meeting with him.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We have lost 4 of our last 6 since Jack got hurt, plus Hawks and Kraken have been awful and we still had tons of problems with them. And this loss is the worst of them all, with our lineup we had no reason to lose to a team like the Ducks let alone get shut down and absolutely embarrased. This makes us possibly the worst team in the league right now. I have no faith that they'll win anyone if they keep playing like this. Something radical needs to happen asap!

Man come on lol

There hasn't been a full 82 game season in a few years now, but man you guys are forgetting how these things go

 

[Call Me Al]

Yes, duh, that is exactly the point that Nico isn't Matthews - jfc. You're smarter than this. The point is that even the best of the best players have cold streaks, and a 60 point player is almost certain to have a stretch of 3 points in 8 games at some point during the season.

this was an intentionally glib post on my part, but i’ll elaborate - matthews has an elite track record, so his slump is unfortunate but of course he is an elite player and will go back to his regular scoring rates. if he stays at what he’s been for his career he will be a first ballot hall of famer and maybe top 10 goal scorer of all time.

we need nico to take a step forward, and if he just pulls back to his career average that alone is disappointing, i don’t think i’m wrong to say we all expect more

 

[Devils731]

Maybe I have expectation issues. I expect the 1OA

If you stop using draft position to evaluate a player or set expectations then you’ll probably set more accurate expectations.

 

[Derps]

If you stop using draft position to evaluate a player or set expectations then you’ll probably set more accurate expectations.

He's a captain and part of a center duo that was supposed to eventually form one of the best ones in the league. That is looking like a pipe dream at the moment. I dont think my expectations are wrong at all, but you all do you.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I know he would be. I don't think that's great, but it's not bad. But people here are acting like he has no points because his shooting percentage is low and it's categorically untrue.

Maybe I have expectation issues. I expect the 1OA top 6 captain center to not get hurt every year and put up more than 50 points. Wild shit, I know. I just can't take not having prodcution issues seriously when he has the career numbers he has. It's just a stupid opinion.

You’re just confusing multiple issues. I am also underwhelmed with what we got at 1OA. It’s obviously tough luck to get a player like this instead of a Matthews.

But we have an idea what Nico is and it’s a pretty good player. Let’s stop making up the narrative that he’s been underperforming for years. He has been a 50ish point player.

He needs to stay healthy, but he has one season where he wasn’t a 50 point player and it was ~20 games long and anyone that thinks for 2 seconds should see why that season shouldn’t hold much weight. You can pivot to constantly complaining about his durability, but that is different than making up his production issues.

 

[Derps]

You’re just confusing multiple issues. I am also underwhelmed with what we got at 1OA. It’s obviously tough luck to get a player like this instead of a Matthews.

But we have an idea what Nico is and it’s a pretty good player. Let’s stop making up the narrative that he’s been underperforming for years. He has been a 50ish point player.

He needs to stay healthy, but he has one season where he wasn’t a 50 point player and it was ~20 games long and anyone that thinks for 2 seconds should see why that seasons shouldn’t hold much weight. You can pivot to constantly complaining about his durability, but that is different than making up his production issues.

I dont think it is at all. Hypothetical goals are not goals and they don't help the team win. Like I said I dont think 50 points from him is good enough anyway, but we don't get 50 points. We get 15 missed games and something under that.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Only on HFBoards are you criticized for not putting up points in game you don't play in

 

[Derps]

Only on HFBoards are you criticized for not putting up points in game you don't play in

Only on HF boards are you given points for games you dont play in

 

[Derps]

And look, obviously it's not really Nico's "fault" that he's getting hurt so much. He's had some pretty awful luck. That part isnt a direct criticism of him as a person/player. But the player is what the player is. A guy that does maintain a 50ish point pace but is hurt enough where I dont really care about the pace.

I'll be more than happy to change my mind if he puts together some nice stretches and stays healthy.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Only on HF boards are you given points for games you dont play in

I see what you did there, you took my post and then changed the words to be in favor of your own argument. That was very clever! I'll make sure to give you a "like"

 

[Hisch13r]

You’re just confusing multiple issues. I am also underwhelmed with what we got at 1OA. It’s obviously tough luck to get a player like this instead of a Matthews.

But we have an idea what Nico is and it’s a pretty good player. Let’s stop making up the narrative that he’s been underperforming for years. He has been a 50ish point player.

He needs to stay healthy, but he has one season where he wasn’t a 50 point player and it was ~20 games long and anyone that thinks for 2 seconds should see why that season shouldn’t hold much weight. You can pivot to constantly complaining about his durability, but that is different than making up his production issues.

But even his expectations at the time of the draft were a high end 2/low end 1. I think you can say he's slightly underwhelmed that and been more of a mid tier 2C. Even if his offense improves very minimally from 50-55 to 55-60 and his defense continues to improve like it has been doing then he's going to fall right in line with his draft expectations.

 

[Derps]

I see what you did there, you took my post and then changed the words to be in favor of your own argument. That was very clever! I'll make sure to give you a "like"

Thanks mate, Im trying to keep my like:post ratio pretty high.

 

[guitarguyvic]

If you stop using draft position to evaluate a player or set expectations then you’ll probably set more accurate expectations.

What the hell is the point of enduring all this losing if we can’t even rely on high expectations for the resulting high draft picks? This is just bonkers. You’re basically acknowledging that our #1 overall that year is a disappointment.

A 50 point forward is someone you can find outside the top 10 and you wouldn’t have to endure nearly as much losing to get that player.

How can people who pray at the alter of “be bad to get good” strategy also insist that being bad should not come with the expectation of getting really great players? That’s just ridiculous and contradictory.

 

[My3Sons]

Yes, duh, that is exactly the point that Nico isn't Matthews - jfc. You're smarter than this. The point is that even the best of the best players have cold streaks, and a 60 point player is almost certain to have a stretch of 3 points in 8 games at some point during the season.

Well I’ve never seen them in a room together.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

But even his expectations at the time of the draft were a high end 2/low end 1. I think you can say he's slightly underwhelmed that and been more of a mid tier 2C. Even if his offense improves very minimally from 50-55 to 55-60 and his defense continues to improve like it has been doing then he's going to fall right in line with his draft expectations.

And really, I would definitely understand these complaints if we didn’t have “the guy” at center that is going to carry this team. But we’re pretty confident that we do! And we have Mercer who looks damn good himself.

And our number one goal scoring prospect is just about ready and should help boost someone’s assist totals. Things look okay, it just stinks that Jack isn’t here. He puts a bandaid on everything.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

holy hell this board is unbearable when it gets like this less than 10 games into the season and key injuries exaggerating issues.

 

[Devils731]

What the hell is the point of enduring all this losing if we can’t even rely on high expectations for the resulting high draft picks? This is just bonkers. You’re basically acknowledging that our #1 overall that year is a disappointment.

A 50 point forward is someone you can find outside the top 10 and you wouldn’t have to endure nearly as much losing to get that player.

How can people who pray at the alter of “be bad to get good” strategy also insist that being bad should not come with the expectation of getting really great players? That’s just ridiculous and contradictory.

All drafts aren’t the same. So judging a player by their draft position rather than the player themselves is lazy and will cause poor evaluations.

I do think Nico isn’t a finished product so saying he’s now topping out at 50 point seasons may be selling him short.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Devils did not no-show last night, this game was nothing like the Washington and Calgary losses. They controlled play at even strength for much oft the game but were terrible on special teams. Hamilton being hurt means losing another critical PP player, so they had to adjust to that mid-game. The issue with the power play is not entries, it is what is done after entries - the entering player seems to have little support and can't seem to find the open man.

I thought we were pretty weak after the first ten minutes, didn't see many chances at all, but did see us coughing up the puck, throwing it away, losing one on one battles, and getting dominated in center ice. I thought we were out muscled by them and didn't handle their pressure. Admittedly I missed a few minutes of broadcast here and there. But after we gave up the first Getzlaff goal I also thought we lost our confidence and just deflated.

 

[Call Me Al]

yeah i want to make clear that despite my harping on nico i don’t think it’s nearly as much of an issue as our inept pk and pp.

it’s disappointing but we have hughes

 

[guitarguyvic]

All drafts aren’t the same. So judging a player by their draft position rather than the player themselves is lazy and will cause poor evaluations.

I do think Nico isn’t a finished product so saying he’s now topping out at 50 point seasons may be selling him short.

“All drafts aren’t the same” in other words being bad to get good is really more of a calculated risk than an actual reliable strategy. Funny how it’s not presented that way by the usual cohorts. Also funny how we are now starting to move the goal posts from Nico being unlucky to now saying expectations from him should have been lower from the start.