GDT: Rangers @ Devils 7PM - MSGSN MSG2

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

The media, what media? Amanda team approved “so how does it feel” softballs, three other randos? We have no media lmao. There were like six questions tonight. One dude was whispering, ummmm, ahhhh, soooooo something about special teams, like he was even afraid to ask a question.

They’re not even questions most of the time, mostly statements. “So the power play came up empty tonight….”and then Ruff will comment on it. Pressure from the media hahahahahahahahahaha holy crap.

They took away Novo's mic chance, he said it on twitter

 

[JK3]

Which is why I generally don't give a rat's ass about post game pressers. What's going to happen if Ryan asks a tough question? Lindy gives him some pissy answer and walks off?

He bailed pretty quick tonight. Ryan complained that he didn’t get to ask him anything lol.

 

[Lou is God]

Ruff complaining about NJ hockey media being too much pressure is fantastic.

Gas on Lindy, gas on!

 

[Emperoreddy]

Ruff has the easiest job ever when it comes to media. Local news is totally neutered and he is surrounded by team employees that would dare ask him an actual question.

National media barely cares about us and when they do, they are a good old boys club totally on Ruff's side. They instantly go with the excuses and give Ruff a pass because he is such a "great coach" despite no real evidence.

When Biss trashes this team, he isn't trashing Ruff, he is solely blaming the players with the mindset the players are letting Ruff down, not the other way around.

Ruff currently has no one he has to answer to. Fitz doesn't seem to blame him or care. Ownership is busy raising ticket prices to buy other teams. Media blames everything but him.

 

[Camille the Eel]

What stands out most this morning is how we got physically dominated last night. From the first hit on Bastian to the end, they hit and manhandled us to a frightening degree.

Unlike last year, it wasn’t just Trouba and nobody else could catch us, but up and down the lineup from top to bottom: Kreider, Miller, Laf, Panarin even, Fox, Trocheck, guys I don’t even know who they are. When we were on the power play or even strength. For 60 minutes, we got consistently beaten the shit out of and thrown around. It was like men against boys. An NFL team against a B division college team.

That guy blasting Luke practically head over heels into the boards and Luke then going back to the bench and throwing his stick is the image that sticks in my mind. We had no answer.

To compete in this league seriously, we simply must get heavier and better able to dish it out. It is in my mind every bit as critical a need as upgrading the goaltending and harder to fix because it can’t be solved by upgrading just one guy.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Glad I sat this one out. May have to do that a few more times. At least that should cripple the playoffs chances for good, hopefully ensuring Fitz doesn't do anything hyper stupid at the deadline.

 

[theoptimist]

THIS! A team wants to block shots? Cool. In response, I’m shooting as hard as humanly possible. Always make them pay!

Ryan Graves did this a few summers ago and it cost the Avs a game in the playoffs.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

What stands out most this morning is how we got physically dominated last night. From the first hit on Bastian to the end, they hit and manhandled us to a frightening degree.

Unlike last year, it wasn’t just Trouba and nobody else could catch us, but up and down the lineup from top to bottom: Kreider, Miller, Laf, Panarin even, Fox, Trocheck, guys I don’t even know who they are. When we were on the power play or even strength. For 60 minutes, we got consistently beaten the shit out of and thrown around. It was like men against boys. An NFL team against a B division college team.

That guy blasting Luke practically head over heels into the boards and Luke then going back to the bench and throwing his stick is the image that sticks in my mind. We had no answer.

To compete in this league seriously, we simply must get heavier and better able to dish it out. It is in my mind every bit as critical a need as upgrading the goaltending and harder to fix because it can’t be solved by upgrading just one guy.

That's not easy, like you said. We are kinda screwed at the moment from an identity perspective. We do not have the horses to be the team we were last year. And it would take 4 or 5 additions to get back to that team. But we also don't have the horses to play a physical team game, and it might take 6 or 7 additions to get there.

As I don't see Fitz realistically being able to do either of those things, you need to start with to obvious. Bring in a new coach and see if he can maximize what we do have.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

What stands out most this morning is how we got physically dominated last night. From the first hit on Bastian to the end, they hit and manhandled us to a frightening degree.

Unlike last year, it wasn’t just Trouba and nobody else could catch us, but up and down the lineup from top to bottom: Kreider, Miller, Laf, Panarin even, Fox, Trocheck, guys I don’t even know who they are. When we were on the power play or even strength. For 60 minutes, we got consistently beaten the shit out of and thrown around. It was like men against boys. An NFL team against a B division college team.

That guy blasting Luke practically head over heels into the boards and Luke then going back to the bench and throwing his stick is the image that sticks in my mind. We had no answer.

To compete in this league seriously, we simply must get heavier and better able to dish it out. It is in my mind every bit as critical a need as upgrading the goaltending and harder to fix because it can’t be solved by upgrading just one guy.

I don't really agree with this but if the Rags play that type of game with Dougie Hamilton and they get routed 7-1 with the amount of stupidity they were showing in that game with the penalties. Good for them that he wasn't playing but that type of game from NYR gets beaten by 60-70% of the league. Also this is nothing new, heavier teams give NJD issues and that's why a guy like Toffoli was brought in to help them score In tight when space shrinks in big games + playoffs.

That's not easy, like you said. We are kinda screwed at the moment from an identity perspective. We do not have the horses to be the team we were last year. And it would take 4 or 5 additions to get back to that team. But we also don't have the horses to play a physical team game, and it might take 6 or 7 additions to get there.

As I don't see Fitz realistically being able to do either of those things, you need to start with to obvious. Bring in a new coach and see if he can maximize what we do have.

Are we? We have a power forward who showed he can play amazing in this system last spring against the same team we lost to last night + Carolina. And Fitz made a move to increase scoring in the playoffs, issue is that Toffoli is meh/stinks if he's not scoring.

 

[NJDevs26]

Media pressure for a small market hockey team (#4 sport in America) is a comical excuse.

Especially when these assholes have pretty well neutered the media from being able to actually ask tough questions. Why the PP has been dogshit for at least six weeks is not a tough question

 

[Clam Jensen]

Did they fire ruff yet?

 

[NJDevs26]

Ok, I just got back from that piss poor disaster of a game which still isn't somehow in the bottom 5 worst NYR NJD games I went to (maybe I'm a glutton for punishment) but here my thoughts: there aren't any. This is basically the same team we've seen all year, they wilt and fold under the slightest pressure and the players who last year dug them out of holes are either hurt or underwhelming this year or in someone's like Timo's case, both. In the long run, this will be good for the Devils but in the short term it's a massive kick in the balls. Take our lumps this year, trade off guys like Toff/Miller, make a goalie trade, fire the ever living f*** outta of Lindy and come back like 22-23 Vegas

I don’t think I could name five worse Devil-Ranger home games and I’ve been to like 99% of them in Rock history…Game 5 2008, Fan Depreciation Day in 2015, the first two playoff games last year and?? This is the only one I bailed out of in the second intermission

Come to think of it, the outdoor game too if you want to count that, that was also bad enough for me to throw the towel in after two periods, so yeah it’s actually possible to have at least five worse home games

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

The GM dismantled the team last year for a slow aging Toffoli and Meier. Timo was not entirely his fault but why mess with success? Fitzpatrick threw away brut strength, guys who are hard to play against like Zetterlund, Sharangovich, and Wood. These guys all had leg strength on the boards and were relentless. Tatar wasn't the same type but also an energetic little role player.

Our forwards got knocked around last night. And then the GM signs the same middle-of-the-road pacifying coach for another year.

We are still better than our record and fortunately have a nice nucleus of youth but now we have to find a way to bring back some strength.

 

[Camille the Eel]

That's not easy, like you said. We are kinda screwed at the moment from an identity perspective. We do not have the horses to be the team we were last year. And it would take 4 or 5 additions to get back to that team. But we also don't have the horses to play a physical team game, and it might take 6 or 7 additions to get there.

As I don't see Fitz realistically being able to do either of those things, you need to start with to obvious. Bring in a new coach and see if he can maximize what we do have.

I agree. We are in between. But you not only get new coaching, you set your sights on who you want to be and start getting there.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I don't really agree with this but if the Rags play that type of game with Dougie Hamilton and they get routed 7-1 with the amount of stupidity they were showing in that game with the penalties. Good for them that he wasn't playing but that type of game from NYR gets beaten by 60-70% of the league. Also this is nothing new, heavier teams give NJD issues and that's why a guy like Toffoli was brought in to help them score In tight when space shrinks in big games + playoffs.



Are we? We have a power forward who showed he can play amazing in this system last spring against the same team we lost to last night + Carolina. And Fitz made a move to increase scoring in the playoffs, issue is that Toffoli is meh/stinks if he's not scoring.

I don’t think you can match up against a physical game with one guy - Meier. We already had trouble with it last year (viz. Carolina) and dropped Graves, Wood, Sevs, Tatar, McLeod. Meanwhile the Rangers got more physical and so did the rest of the league, remaking themselves in the image of Vegas and Florida.

Fast and big is the way to go. That’s the wave of the current moment. We need to surround our little water bugs with more size and more speed.

Luke will get there with age and muscle. Nemec looked like our best player the last two games, notwithstanding occasional mistakes.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I don’t think you can match up against a physical game with one guy - Meier. We already had trouble with it last year (viz. Carolina) and dropped Graves, Wood, Sevs, Tatar, McLeod. Meanwhile the Rangers got more physical and so did the rest of the league, remaking themselves in the image of Vegas and Florida.

Fast and big is the way to go. That’s the wave of the current moment. We need to surround our little water bugs with more size and more speed.

Luke will get there with age and muscle. Nemec looked like our best player the last two games, notwithstanding occasional mistakes.

Our team makeup can work. It worked for Pit. But it requires, absolutely requires, that your powerplay is deadly. That's how you slow down the stupidity from the other team. That's how you make the other team play your game.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Our team makeup can work. It worked for Pit. But it requires, absolutely requires, that you powerplay is deadly. That's how you slow down the stupidity from the other team. That's how you make the other team play your game.

It starts with getting Luke Hughes off PP1. He never ever gets his shot through, he makes poor puck decisions and constantly turns it over, and he defers way too much. Just not a remote threat up top and it all trickles down from there.

Until Dougie is back, I would have Nemec QB. With his puck distribution skills and uncanny ability to get pucks through to the net, he's by far the best option at turning things around.

 

[guitarguyvic]

It starts with getting Luke Hughes off PP1. He never ever gets his shot through, he makes poor puck decisions and constantly turns it over, and he defers way too much. Just not a remote threat up top and it all trickles down from there.

Until Dougie is back, I would have Nemec QB. With his puck distribution skills and uncanny ability to get pucks through to the net, he's by far the best option at turning things around.

Great, when do you plan to tell Lindy?

 

[Whaddagoal]

It starts with getting Luke Hughes off PP1. He never ever gets his shot through, he makes poor puck decisions and constantly turns it over, and he defers way too much. Just not a remote threat up top and it all trickles down from there.

Until Dougie is back, I would have Nemec QB. With his puck distribution skills and uncanny ability to get pucks through to the net, he's by far the best option at turning things around.

Lindy (or the coaching staffs) inability to recognize what you said is what makes me feel there needs to be a change now. Literally been this problem for about 15 games and zero, not a single attempt to put someone other than Luke up top on PP1. Not even for one PP shift. Meier stuck on PP2 all season too.

I'm still genuinely baffled that they shoved Dougie on PP2 to start the season after he was key all last season 20g and 70 points after Luke has proven nothing in this league at that point. Seemed off or genuinely insulting. Yes PP1 started hot with Luke but Dougie got the shaft there

Coaching staff stubboring throws Luke out there after gaffe after gaffe (not Luke's fault they playing him. His number is called he goes out). He had a bad game with Smith the game before (Smith was worse but Luke not good), and rangers game he fell apart in key moments.

That is just one killer this season. Not to mention the weird choices not to play Miller over Smith or Miller over Bahl.

Bahl didn't do shit last game with his size or physically and we got steamrolled by the rangers and he didn't make a single bit hit that I saw. Could have played miller at least instead.

 

[captainscott2]

What stands out most this morning is how we got physically dominated last night. From the first hit on Bastian to the end, they hit and manhandled us to a frightening degree.

Unlike last year, it wasn’t just Trouba and nobody else could catch us, but up and down the lineup from top to bottom: Kreider, Miller, Laf, Panarin even, Fox, Trocheck, guys I don’t even know who they are. When we were on the power play or even strength. For 60 minutes, we got consistently beaten the shit out of and thrown around. It was like men against boys. An NFL team against a B division college team.

That guy blasting Luke practically head over heels into the boards and Luke then going back to the bench and throwing his stick is the image that sticks in my mind. We had no answer.

To compete in this league seriously, we simply must get heavier and better able to dish it out. It is in my mind every bit as critical a need as upgrading the goaltending and harder to fix because it can’t be solved by upgrading just one guy.

new username here.. been saying this about this teams level of toughness for many years. it has not been addressed. some of that comes with having a young group. this team is so broken right now. in my opinion fitz is the main culprit. He took a deep roster, he took a deep prospect pool and pissed it away. he took a fast team and made them average speed and actually less tough at same time. he jumped the gun on this rebuild. they need to start over. it will be a quick one year rebuild because they have the foundation of players here and playing.. we have taken two steps back. Get a coach that will run this team his way not the Hughes brothers way. Need an authoritarian coach to right this ship. This year and maybe next year should go back to roster building. don't have a goalie, don't have a coach, and our core defensman are too young.

Trades I would make:

Taffoli

Marino ( yes he is our best guy) but you can maybe unload palat with him to shed that contract.

Meier has been a disaster don't see how we can get rid of this one.

 

[Call Me Al]

there's no shame in lessening luke's load and moving him off PP1 - he's a rookie, he was pushed higher in the lineup because of injuries and has never played this much before. give the kid a break, explain that they need to switch things up but his future is still bright, yada yada.

if we can't make sound personnel decisions because of egos or hurt feelings of the players then this team has a lot more problems than we see (not saying that's the case but I wouldn't be shocked). a new coach would hopefully nip that in the bud but it risks becoming a more serious problem.

anyway whoever is criticizing nico of all people is bananas - he's our best player right now and it's not even close

 

[HoliksGhost]

Prediction: in the off season, Ruff will resign from coaching but will remain in the devils organization in some capacity.

Unfortunately, I just don’t see Fitz firing Ruff and kicking him out.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Prediction: in the off season, Ruff will resign from coaching but will remain in the devils organization in some capacity.

Unfortunately, I just don’t see Fitz firing Ruff and kicking him out.

Exactly because it’s been evident for how long now this guy isn’t the right coach for this team to take the next step, and it’s never happened.

I think Fitz is all in on Ruff and pins the blame everywhere else. Draw whatever conclusions from that…

 

[billingtons ghost]

Ruff complaining about NJ hockey media being too much pressure is fantastic.

Gas on Lindy, gas on!

Right. They'd have it so much easier in any Canadian city.

It's especially galling after losing to a team that has 10x the media pressure.

Can I just say this all feels like a teen movie where you get joke invited to the prom and they make you homecoming king/queen just to pull your pants down on stage and dump blood on you?

Not a good feeling this morning

 

[billingtons ghost]

there's no shame in lessening luke's load and moving him off PP1 - he's a rookie, he was pushed higher in the lineup because of injuries and has never played this much before. give the kid a break, explain that they need to switch things up but his future is still bright, yada yada.

if we can't make sound personnel decisions because of egos or hurt feelings of the players then this team has a lot more problems than we see (not saying that's the case but I wouldn't be shocked). a new coach would hopefully nip that in the bud but it risks becoming a more serious problem.

anyway whoever is criticizing nico of all people is bananas - he's our best player right now and it's not even close

Oddly Lazar might be close, but sheesh you're right man.

Idk about this Luke handling. Kid has been shook for weeks and that blind backhand pass up the middle to the dot means he should hang in the press box and let the adults play hockey for a game or two.