GDT: Devils vs. Penguins - 1:00 PM - MSG+

[njdevil26]

They had a lot of possession, Gusev and Johnsson just never finished their chances, as usual. Maltsev's line is almost always the best or 2nd best in possession.

What chances? Gusev tried the same shot from the slot that everyone knows is coming.... didn’t get it on net. I don’t think Johnsson even had a shot attempt.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

I like the idea of playing Zacha or Maltsev on Hughes' LW and letting them share some of the face-off/defensive lifting.

 

[StevenToddIves]

What chances? Gusev tried the same shot from the slot that everyone knows is coming.... didn’t get it on net. I don’t think Johnsson even had a shot attempt.

He had one in the third period. It was blocked up high in the slot.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Finally got to attend a game. It was shockingly 'normal.'

Had a blast outside of the result and the bs goal being called back.

 

[Guttersniped]

Too bad, I thought today would be different. Not so.

GF was good start

1st GA was a result of sloppy play by our team especially the D. Never should have scored.

2nd GA, guess what, another score because of sloppy play by our team.

3rd GA was a beautiful goal by Pittsburgh set up perfectly by Crosby.
The game started out good for the Devils but that only lasted for the first period.

My prediction of 2 points for the Devils in the two games is going to be tough. Pittsburgh going home, they know to just rattle the Devils they have the talent to do that. Sorry to say it doesn't look good for the Devils tomorrow.

Then the schedule sets the Devils up for 5 straight failures playing Flyers, Washington twice and Boston twice and the month is over.

Time to sell the veterans all of them. Zajac won't go because he has a No Trade clause and he deserves to stay as a result of his play. The defense has players to sell, doing so will weaken the Devils for next season, as long as they have a mind set not to buy FAs, but it won't matter. Next season will be a non playoff year as well because of their rebuild plan with youth.

The Flyers aren’t doing well either, 4-6-0 in their last 10 (with a win coming from OT and one from SO), we’re 3-0-1 against the Bruins and theoretically some day we’ll beat the Capitals so I don’t know why we’re “set up for 5 straight failures”. This schedule was always going to be tough, we don’t get to our annual 4 points from Vancouver or get to beat on the Habs or take a West Coast trip and feed on the weak the Pacific Division.

Trades will come, I don’t think any could happen to stop them from happening. I don’t know if we’re shipping everyone out, I doubt it, but trades are coming, we’re sellers. I guess the big question is what kind of TDL this will be with quarantining, a flat cap and teams in cap hell, no playoff profits etc

 

[TheDuke93]

I like the idea of playing Zacha or Maltsev on Hughes' LW and letting them share some of the face-off/defensive lifting.

I for the life of me can't understand why he refuses to play Zacha with Hughes or Bratt, both of them complement his game so much, seems like a no brainer to at least try it for a few games.

 

[AfroThunder396]

The Flyers aren’t doing well either, 4-6-0 in their last 10 (with a win coming from OT and one from SO), we’re 3-0-1 against the Bruins and theoretically some day we’ll beat the Capitals so I don’t know why we’re “set up for 5 straight failures”. This schedule was always going to be tough, we don’t get to our annual 4 points from Vancouver or get to beat on the Habs or take a West Coast trip and feed on the weak the Pacific Division.

Trades will come, I don’t think any could happen to stop them from happening. I don’t know if we’re shipping everyone out, I doubt it, but trades are coming, we’re sellers. I guess the big question is what kind of TDL this will be with quarantining, a flat cap and teams in cap hell, no playoff profits etc

I expect GMs of Canadian teams are making calls now and will try to get their moves in early. We might end up seeing an early pseudo-deadline, one for Canada<->US trades two weeks early and another for inter conference deals.

 

[RyGuy]

Merkley was the Devils most dangerous forward. Once again he outperformed the “big bodies”

Yeah! Just like Seney!

 

[Hisch13r]

I for the life of me can't understand why he refuses to play Zacha with Hughes or Bratt, both of them complement his game so much, seems like a no brainer to at least try it for a few games.

I don't think they want one of Hughes or Zacha to not be in the middle with Nico out. If Nico was playing I think we probably would've seen it. It's worth a shot. It'd be interesting to see if Jack/Bratt can prop up Zacha's let's just say lackluster possession game or if he drags them down. Zacha is more suited to the wing too

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Blender]

1 shot on 4 power plays should get the coach fired.

If there aren't some serious personnel changes for tomorrow on the power play, I'll be pissed.

 

[Hisch13r]

1 shot on 4 power plays should get the coach fired.

If there aren't some serious personnel changes for tomorrow on the power play, I'll be pissed.

I don't think they're going to make an in season change

 

[TheDuke93]

I don't think they want one of Hughes or Zacha to not be in the middle with Nico out. If Nico was playing I think we probably would've seen it. It's worth a shot. It'd be interesting to see if Jack/Bratt can prop up Zacha's let's just say lackluster possession game or if he drags them down. Zacha is more suited to the wing too

I don't even think Zacha is bad possession wise, I do however think that his biggest strength in transition is driving the net full speed because he's an absolute bull when he does this. However when he doesn't get to drive into the zone with speed he is easier to contain, this is were Hughes and Bratt's elite zone entry ability would really shine.

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[Call Me Al]

i can’t believe there are power plays worse than ours

 

[Hisch13r]

I don't even think Zacha is bad possession wise, I do however think that his biggest strength in transition is driving the net full speed because he's an absolute bull when he does this. However when he doesn't get to drive into the zone with speed he is easier to contain, this is were Hughes and Bratt's elite zone entry ability would really shine.

His numbers are always very bad and this season is no different. 2nd worst forward in CF%, xGF% and HDCF, 3rd worst SCF%. It's nice that pucks have gone in for him and he's racking up some pts but he's bleeding goals against at twice the rate they're going in

 

[Maine Fan]

The Flyers aren’t doing well either, 4-6-0 in their last 10 (with a win coming from OT and one from SO), we’re 3-0-1 against the Bruins and theoretically some day we’ll beat the Capitals so I don’t know why we’re “set up for 5 straight failures”. This schedule was always going to be tough, we don’t get to our annual 4 points from Vancouver or get to beat on the Habs or take a West Coast trip and feed on the weak the Pacific Division.

Trades will come, I don’t think any could happen to stop them from happening. I don’t know if we’re shipping everyone out, I doubt it, but trades are coming, we’re sellers. I guess the big question is what kind of TDL this will be with quarantining, a flat cap and teams in cap hell, no playoff profits etc

I hope you are correct about the 5 straight failures. I will stay with my position and we can discuss on April 1, April Fool's Day or sooner as the Devils beat the Flyers, Washington, and the Bruins. I will be delighted to say you were correct.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I'd rather see Maltsev on the power play the Johnsson and Gusev. He's clearly the best player out of that trio right now.

and Shango, Kuok, other guys who can handle pressure on the puck and who will move it quickly and not let it stagnate, including Bratt, even Merkley today . . . I mean the stiffs we have out there. If I see Goose's dipsy doo deke and take it inside and try the wrist shot move one more time it's one time too many. And number 11 just does nothing, not even shoot the puck when he has a chance.

 

[TheDuke93]

His numbers are always very bad and this season is no different. 2nd worst forward in CF%, xGF% and HDCF, 3rd worst SCF%. It's nice that pucks have gone in for him and he's racking up some pts but he's bleeding goals against at twice the rate they're going in

Yeah that might be so, but he has also looked down right dominant when playing with Nico and Bratt, I still feel his analytics a more a product of who his teammates are and how he gets deployed. I despise him being forced to play center with Wood almost every game, basically makes the line a 2 man group for the majority of the shift.

 

[glenwo2]

How does Sharangovich have a higher "shot assist"?

Maybe I'm mistaking "shot assist" with an actual assist?

 

[TheDuke93]

How does Sharangovich have a higher "shot assist"?

Maybe I'm mistaking "shot assist" with an actual assist?

It means his pass lead to an actual shot.

 

[glenwo2]

It means his pass lead to an actual shot.

ah ha! Got it.

Thanks.

 

[Guttersniped]

I hope you are correct about the 5 straight failures. I will stay with my position and we can discuss on April 1, April Fool's Day or sooner as the Devils beat the Flyers, Washington, and the Bruins. I will be delighted to say you were correct.

I didn’t claim we would win those five games, and in particular I don’t see how saying we will “theoretically some day beat the Capitals” can be seen as optimistic. The Flyers have been struggling and we’re 3-0-1 against Boston, just I just don’t see how we’re clearly doomed to go 0-5-0 either. Philly in particular is at least doable, they’re 15-10-3 overall and 4-6-0 in their last 10 games and we’re 3-5-2 in the our last 10 games. The other teams in their last 10 games: Boston is 5-3-2, Pittsburgh is now 7-3-0 (and yet we beat them) and Washington is, uh, 9-1-0. (Hence the purely theoretical aspect of our future win against the Caps.)

 

[My3Sons]

1 shot on 4 power plays should get the coach fired.

If there aren't some serious personnel changes for tomorrow on the power play, I'll be pissed.

I think the best offensive players should play on it but to be fair it hasn’t worked all season no matter who has played in it.