GDT: THE OPPOSITE: Devils @ Arizona 5PM MSGSN

[Devils731]

I'm more mad we lost Brunette

Brunette is going to go Jack Adams finalist, assistant on one of the biggest turnarounds in history, to having a team overachieve expectations in 3 different situations.

It sure seems like the Devils may have blown that one.

 

[jkrdevil]

what is this shitting on nico? c'mon.

When teams are bad the top players get the blame even when individually they are doing as expected.

Nico and Bratt haven’t been the problem this year. Both have been the best players on the team. Nico is even a plus player on the team which has leaked goals.

The issue for the team has been Jack underperforming what we need him to be (injury related), the goaltending, and the depth being sapped out of the team. And in injuries and a certain player facing prison time and what should be 3rd place in the Metro team is looking at the lottery.

 

[Bleedred]

what is this shitting on nico? c'mon.

We should be more fixated on how terrible of a leader he is than these weird obsessions with Travis Green and BUMS like Vitek Vanecek.

I don't care if we have an .850% save percentage for the rest of the season. I'm so glad that LOSER is gone.

I lost all my respect for him when he stopped coming out and facing the media after games this year, and left the skaters and Ruff to answer all the media's questions about him every night.

I can't remember how many times Cory Schneider no-showed a post game presser here in his twilight years, but it wasn't often. He came out there every night and said he needed to be better. Even in his years when he was still good. We even got to hear from Schmid and Daws after rough games this year.

The only time we saw him off the ice this year was acting like a drunk fool at the sweep the deck thing.

Brunette is going to go Jack Adams finalist, assistant on one of the biggest turnarounds in history, to having a team overachieve expectations in 3 different situations.

It sure seems like the Devils may have blown that one.

I'm sure Fitz already wants that one back. I'm sure he's come to terms with that one in his mind.

I doubt he regrets anything else people talk about here daily. Like Sharangovich and letting the two UFA defensemen walk.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Brunette is going to go Jack Adams finalist, assistant on one of the biggest turnarounds in history, to having a team overachieve expectations in 3 different situations.

It sure seems like the Devils may have blown that one.

im blaming Fitz for that short sited move

 

[jkrdevil]

f*** it

I'm more mad we lost Brunette than anyone else that gets talked about on here daily. Like the players that went to UFA or trade.

So we let him go to Nashville. We hired Travis Green to replace him, which is a problem even if he were just replacing Adam Oates or Geoff Ward. We gave Ruff his option for this year (fine), then gave him a ''Multi-year extension'' right before the start of the regular season (not fine, but not my money, so I don't care) only to fire him 60 games into the season and probably coming to terms with the fact that he wasn't gonna make next year by about 30 games into the year.

I was saying even before last year ended that they should let Ruff come back for one more year, tell everybody behind the scenes that Ruff will not coach the team in 24-25 and that Brunette will take over as head coach that year.

I'm not convinced Ruff wasn't on the hot seat already when Brunette was hired here. The finger was on the button for Ruff in the 1st intermission of game 3 of last season.

This is 100% accurate and why I’m a bit worried about the coaching decisions moving forward. Seems to be a bit more based on the GM’s personal relationships rather than strategic skills. Because if you know Ruff leans on on his assistants for X’a and O’s (and a GM should know that about a coach) than you do everything to keep the successful X’s and O’s Coach. Even if it means tossing the “culture” coach aside.

And Brunette was a personal relationship hire too. He just happened to go to the Quinville and Lemaire schools of coaching first.

 

[jkrdevil]

im blaming Fitz for that short sited move

Also probably wasn’t a coincidence that the guy who swooped in and hired Brunette was a guy who has been successful everywhere he has went and coached under two very successful GMs (and won a Cup in the third place).

 

[Devs3cups]

People can talk about Brunette/Ruff for the 10000th time if they want but Ruff wasn't getting fired after a record setting season.

It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

 

[Bleedred]

Also probably wasn’t a coincidence that the guy who swooped in and hired Brunette was a guy who has been successful everywhere he has went and coached under two very successful GMs (and won a Cup in the third place).

He actually won a cup in his second place (if you mean Trotz and I read that right) as Washington was only his second head coaching job, after spending about 15 or 16 years with Nashville. It felt like it could have been his third stop, but it really was only his second because he was in Nashville forever.

Your point still stands. That was a poor one by Fitz. I'm pretty convinced Brunette is one of the best head coaches in the league. Florida wound up making the cup finals last year without him and that's pretty much the only thing that maybe makes him not look like this god of a coach.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of percentages this Nashville team may be riding right now and it doesn't look there's much fluke going on, other than them getting the kinds of numbers they're getting out of that roster. Shooting percentage is dead average, save percentage is one point better than dead average. 5 on 5 shooting percentage is a little below average.

Roster doesn't look anything that good. It DEFINITELY doesn't look better than ours, outside of the starting goalie and the starting goalie isn't really having one of his best seasons or in the Vezina conversation.

 

[jkrdevil]

People can talk about Brunette/Ruff for the 10000th time if they want but Ruff wasn't getting fired after a record setting season.

It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

This is right, but also part of the problem moving forward. Having a GM who may not be willing to make unpopular (in the league) or difficult decisions. A GM needs to have pulse on the team to know who on the staff is responsible for things.

None of this is hindsight. Many of us said during the win streak last year that is was going to set up a situation where Lindy would have to be outed anyways or lose Brunette.

It is all still relevant because this GM is making the next coaching hire.

 

[jkrdevil]

He actually won a cup in his second place (if you mean Trotz and I read that right) as Washington was only his second head coaching job, after spending about 15 or 16 years with Nashville. It felt like it could have been his third stop, but it really was only his second because he was in Nashville forever..

I didn’t mean third chronologically, but third as in his other stop beside Nashville (under Poile) and Long Island (under Lou).

As for Nashville, Saros underperforming early in the season hurt them standings wise. They had good underlyings throughout the season.

 

[Bleedred]

People can talk about Brunette/Ruff for the 10000th time if they want but Ruff wasn't getting fired after a record setting season.

It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

I know he wasn't getting fired, but they should have come up with a backroom deal that Ruff would transition the team over to Brunette after one more season.

Is it possible that happened and Brunette was like ''Yeah, f*** this, Nashville is giving me the head coaching job NOW, peace out Jersey boys!'? I mean, it's possible? Especially since Fitz hadn't even picked up Ruff's option by the middle of summer (though he still committed to Ruff coming back and said it would get done) and that may have been what caused the Ruff multi-year deal extension that didn't come until early October? It's possible I guess?

 

[jkrdevil]

I know he wasn't getting fired, but they should have come up with a backroom deal that Ruff would transition the team over to Brunette after one more season.

Is it possible that happened and Brunette was like ''Yeah, f*** this, Nashville is giving me the head coaching job NOW, peace out Jersey boys!'? I mean, it's possible? Especially since Fitz hadn't even picked up Ruff's option by the middle of summer (though he still committed to Ruff coming back and said it would get done) and that may have been what caused the Ruff multi-year deal extension that didn't come until early October? It's possible I guess?

Also if you remember he interviewed with Calgary first and he was a late hire in Nashville when Trotz took officially took over (or right before). So there was plenty of time was interest started to hit to make a deal with him to stay or punt Ruff in order to keep him.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Well that little fantasy rally was over fast. I didn’t watch the game but today finished both us and Pittsburgh for the season and this game certainly put us out of our misery quickly.

From the goalie through the defense out, Nashville had a much better team than ours once the season progressed and you took a healthy Hughes and Hamilton and McLeod out of the picture. From our record season last year we probably had fully half the roster gone in the lineup we iced today. We are in the midst of another rebuild from last years club. And we better hope Jack Hughes’ issue is something that will fully heal with whatever is done to address it during the off season. He’s our franchise guy but has only had one season with close to 82 games (last year) and even then had a serious injury that he was playing with at the end.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I would have gone with Allen to at least get a 2 game roll. And then just wing it with Kahkonen for Vegas. Such is life.

Make no mistake, I put most of this game on the D and Forward core. How many f***ing chances does Jack, Bratt, and Nico need to bury a f***ing goal?

Also. That DeSimone giveaway was absolutely brutal. Smith was also skating around like a chicken with his head cut.

 

[Call Me Al]

man i watched this game late and holy shit what was that?!

thankfully this was convincing enough to put the sliver of playoff hope to rest - this team isn’t winning anything.

thoughts on the game:

- shut jack down. he can still skate, but that’s it. his handles are terrible, he’s not shooting, the decision making is actually hurting the team. sucks to see him like this but our pp should not be going through a half board qb who can’t shoot the puck.

- why can’t they make a tape to tape pass? high school players move the puck better than this devils team

- team has no killer instinct. it’s probably the most important game of the season and they barely looked like they were trying the first period.

- game was odd man rush city for the coyotes. score could have been 6 or 7-1.

- the shot total is misleading because they have the abso-f***ing-lute worst shot selection i’ve ever seen. easy wristers from outside that are easily stopped, IF they don’t hit the other team and cause an odd man rush the other way.

- team sucks

 

[MadDevil]

I know he wasn't getting fired, but they should have come up with a backroom deal that Ruff would transition the team over to Brunette after one more season.

Is it possible that happened and Brunette was like ''Yeah, f*** this, Nashville is giving me the head coaching job NOW, peace out Jersey boys!'? I mean, it's possible? Especially since Fitz hadn't even picked up Ruff's option by the middle of summer (though he still committed to Ruff coming back and said it would get done) and that may have been what caused the Ruff multi-year deal extension that didn't come until early October? It's possible I guess?

I still think the plan was to transition to Brunette, but last season actually threw a wrench in it because we were so good. If we'd been a bubble team that got bounced in the first round, I'm not sure Ruff would have gotten the rope he did. Letting Brunette go sucks, but I think not allowing him to interview for jobs because of some handshake deal on him getting the job next season would have kind of been bullshit from his perspective.

 

[Camille the Eel]

We really don’t know what the deal was with Brunette. I’m sorry he’s not here but I think we are ascribing way too much significance to his leaving and assuming way too much about whether he ever would have stayed.

 

[jkrdevil]

Well that little fantasy rally was over fast. I didn’t watch the game but today finished both us and Pittsburgh for the season and this game certainly put us out of our misery quickly.

From the goalie through the defense out, Nashville had a much better team than ours once the season progressed and you took a healthy Hughes and Hamilton and McLeod out of the picture. From our record season last year we probably had fully half the roster gone in the lineup we iced today. We are in the midst of another rebuild from last years club. And we better hope Jack Hughes’ issue is something that will fully heal with whatever is done to address it during the off season. He’s our franchise guy but has only had one season with close to 82 games (last year) and even then had a serious injury that he was playing with at the end.

I hope you aren’t blaming Jack for the global pandemic. His first two years in the league were full seasons.

 

[JK3]

Green stinks but the whole team is a disaster at this point. Can’t wait to hit the scrap pile for another old retread in the off-season, awesome.

 

[MadDevil]

Also, how would this actually work?

"Look Bruno, we like what you're doing, and want you to be our head coach...but not for another season. We'll let Lindy coach this season, basically admitting to everybody he's a lame duck coach, but I'm sure the players will still listen to him. You'll be the coach next season, we promise!"

 

[njdevils1982]

People can talk about Brunette/Ruff for the 10000th time if they want but Ruff wasn't getting fired after a record setting season.

It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

sad but true -metallica

 

[Better Call Sal]

This place really does get infested with the worst takes during the worst of times.

Yes, this season sucks. But the amount of upheaval people want is unnecessary.

We have to get through this so we can move on. A new coach who can implement a greater sense of structure and accountability should help get this more in order. Especially the immaturity bullshit Green is spewing, which is a riot coming from him when he’s been here all season long.

 

[NJDevs26]

Also, how would this actually work?

"Look Bruno, we like what you're doing, and want you to be our head coach...but not for another season. We'll let Lindy coach this season, basically admitting to everybody he's a lame duck coach, but I'm sure the players will still listen to him. You'll be the coach next season, we promise!"

Yeah the only realistic time you could have made him the head coach was right when you hired him and just dumped Lindy after two poor seasons, but Fitz wouldn't have been able to handle that emotionally.

 

[jkrdevil]

I still think the plan was to transition to Brunette, but last season actually threw a wrench in it because we were so good. If we'd been a bubble team that got bounced in the first round, I'm not sure Ruff would have gotten the rope he did. Letting Brunette go sucks, but I think not allowing him to interview for jobs because of some handshake deal on him getting the job next season would have kind of been bullshit from his perspective.

It wouldn’t be stopping him if there is an agreement. Of course if he wouldn’t agree
To that (and why would he) then you offer him the head job and push out Ruff. Politically difficult thing to do, but that why the GM gets the big bucks.

Of course he may not have even agreed to that. But that is why teams typically don’t make next in line guys the assistant. Because if they are successful then you are in a quandary. They are typically hired as a consultant or scout (see when Q was hired in Chicago as a scout originally when everyone knew it was to eventually push out Savard).

Obviously it is all in the past, but it was severely mishandled from the end of 2021-2022 on. And it is why confidence about how things will go moving forward isn’t high.

 

[NJDevs26]

There really are no 'coach in waiting' agreements, subterranean or otherwise. Besides, if you're Brunette and you could (presumably) have more autonomy in Nashville or be part of a decision-making tree here with pressure to win now, where would you rather coach?