GDT: Spidey's Return: Devils @ Wild, 8 PM, MSG+

[NjDevsRR]

BTW, I think it was already mentioned but didn't Rico get a Gordie Howe Hat Trick with a Goal, an assist, and a fight?

Or did those incidents involving the Wild players not count as fights?

He didn’t get a fighting major so no gordie for him.

 

[Bleedred]

We should be playing Butcher more. Not because he'll score even more, but because he's been a good defenseman, who might help us have the puck more. He may even be able to drive play, but we won't know that until we try playing him some more.

 

[VoidCreature]

When you say points/game, is that points per 60 minutes?

Yes it is. My mistake.

 

[Blackjack]

We should be playing Butcher more. Not because he'll score even more, but because he's been a good defenseman, who might help us have the puck more. He may even be able to drive play, but we won't know that until we try playing him some more.

He's still a rookie, and he's small for a defenseman, I don't know if loading up his minutes is a good idea. I'm good with ~20 minutes per game and moving it up gradually from there if he can handle it.

I agree that he's very good in his own end, already one of our best at relieving pressure and moving the puck out of the zone under control.

 

[glenwo2]

He didn’t get a fighting major so no gordie for him.

BOOOOOO!!

So a fighting major is needed? Bah. He was in enough hockey fights that night that he should get the nod.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Given the number of secondary assists Butcher has, I wouldnt get too hung up on how many points he scores this season and think he'll do it every year, because whatever he ends up with this season, I'll take the under for next season.

I just want to see defensive improvement out of him more than additional offense. If he improves his defense, he could be really, really good.

 

[Bleedred]

He's still a rookie, and he's small for a defenseman, I don't know if loading up his minutes is a good idea. I'm good with ~20 minutes per game and moving it up gradually from there if he can handle it.

I agree that he's very good in his own end, already one of our best at relieving pressure and moving the puck out of the zone under control.

Oh, I'm definitely not saying that he should play for over 20 minutes, or even just 20 minutes. I'd like to see him consistently getting about 18 minutes per game. Lovejoy (who has been decent lately, but was abysmal last night) should never be playing more minutes than him, unless we're on the PK for half the game.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Lovejoy (who has been decent lately, but was abysmal last night)

I didnt see it that way, I thought Lovejoy was fine. No giveaways, finished E, 3rd of the 6 in ice-time etc...

 

[Bleedred]

I didnt see it that way, I thought Lovejoy was fine. No giveaways, finished E, 3rd of the 6 in ice-time etc...

I thought he struggled, we were pinned in a lot with him (not completely his fault), he was running around in circles on one shift to try and and get the puck and couldn't catch it. I thought Wood also had a terrible game, especially in the 3rd period. That might have been only the second or third time that Wood had a bad game all year long. The fact that Lovejoy finished third in icetime among defensemen, no doubt lowers his efficiency. He's been alright in games where he played 15-16 minutes or less.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I think Lovejoy on the 3rd pairing is just fine. He is serviceable there.

 

[Devils090]

I think Lovejoy on the 3rd pairing is just fine. He is serviceable there.

He had a pretty rough game in Minny but I agree totally with this. As a 7th who rotates in for injuries he's fine, we could honestly do a lot worse(see; Prout)

 

[Bleedred]

I'm starting to lean towards maybe agreeing that Lovejoy might indeed be alright in a third pairing role. I originally thought that, but started to move away from that, after seeing a lot of him last year.

Prout really shouldn't be in at all. Had a few good preseason games, even had a couple of good games last year, I just don't think he's as good as he showed last year. It was a small sample size too.

Since we won last game, while only allowing 3 goals, hopefully there's no surprise from Hynes with an insertion of Prout (that sounded weird haha) for this game. I don't think there will be, it would certainly be an out of nowhere move, outside of Boston being big and tough or whatever.

I was fearing we'd see Prout in for somebody after the Winnipeg game. Severson seemed like a logical candidate to come out, but his ice time was over 20 minutes in the Winnipeg game, so I figured it wouldn't be him.

 

[Devils090]

Prout is essentially Cam Janssen, only gonna play when the other team has a goon. Can't wait for the first game against Philly so him and Gudas can fight 3 times in a period.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think LJ is passable enough in the role to at least hold it down until Mueller is healthy.

No need to go make panic trades for thatspot.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Really what we need to be concerned about, even more than the treatment of Zacha, is the overuse of Boyle, and some of the line combos.

Boyle needs his ice time reduced. He needs to be moved to the 4th line. He needs to be taken off the PP. That full 2 minute PP shift he and Rico had last game where both had multiple opportunities to change drove we crazy.

Zajac and Bratt need to be separated. Boyle and Stafford need to be separated. Their styles are way too different, and it's killing all 4 of those players.

 

[Wingman77]

As we were clamoring for last season, Lovejoy playing in a more suited, limited role this season (less minutes, less bigger situations) has helped him look more serviceable all things considered.

Would rather do without him altogether, but given the current state of the defense, there isn't much of a choice so as long as we keep playing him in reduced minutes, we should hopefully continue to get by.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Oh, I'm definitely not saying that he should play for over 20 minutes, or even just 20 minutes. I'd like to see him consistently getting about 18 minutes per game. Lovejoy (who has been decent lately, but was abysmal last night) should never be playing more minutes than him, unless we're on the PK for half the game.

I actually agree. Butcher has looked surprisingly competent defensively, especially for an undersized rookie. And he can help push the play up for sure over someone like LJ.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Really what we need to be concerned about, even more than the treatment of Zacha, is the overuse of Boyle, and some of the line combos.

Boyle needs his ice time reduced. He needs to be moved to the 4th line. He needs to be taken off the PP. That full 2 minute PP shift he and Rico had last game where both had multiple opportunities to change drove we crazy.

Zajac and Bratt need to be separated. Boyle and Stafford need to be separated. Their styles are way too different, and it's killing all 4 of those players.

I agree on all fronts. I'm just concerned that Hynes is going to keep putting Boyle out on the PP especially after he saw he great he is at screening goalies

 

[Devils Dominion]

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