GDT: We're Here: Your New Jersey Devils @ Philadelphia Flyers, 7 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[guitarguyvic]

Graves is probably the worst dman on the team.

A shot being “uncontested” doesn’t necessarily make it more dangerous, especially when the goalie has zero ability to track a puck through traffic. This clown got beat by a weak wrister from the blue line and was saved by the pipe too. Traffic, no traffic, contested, uncontested…he stinks.

An uncontested shot from the circle or in close is always going to be dangerous. I never said no other types of chances are dangerous. Of course other factors are at play. Like who’s doing the shooting. A contested but screened shot could be dangerous too, sure. Lots of different contextual examples. How do the HD analytics account for this?

Bringing up that Blackwood sucks…You’re debating a point that no one is arguing, while ignoring the one that people are.

 

[britdevil]

Haula was fine. He’s a 3rd line player who was asked to fill in for the captain.

Palat isn’t going to become a PP1 30 goal winger. Anyone expecting that is delusional.

He was brought in as a winning veteran and who can play in most situations and not look out of place.

Breaking up the Palat - Hughes - Holtz trio that was clicking in preseason is on, you guessed it, Lindy Fluff.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

If we don't beat Detroit it'll be catastrophic. We are sitting resting, wanting to make up for that horrible performance... Detroit is coming in on the road, 2nd game of a back to back, their a non-playoff team --- We lose this one

Detroit isn't a bad team. Certainly much better than Philly.

 

[JimEIV]

Detroit isn't a bad team. Certainly much better than Philly.

We need points vs non-playoff teams if we expect to improve. Especially when they are on the 2nd game game of a back to back.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Haula was fine. He’s a 3rd line player who was asked to fill in for the captain.

Palat isn’t going to become a PP1 30 goal winger. Anyone expecting that is delusional.

He was brought in as a winning veteran and who can play in most situations and not look out of place.

Breaking up the Palat - Hughes - Holtz trio that was clicking in preseason is on, you guessed it, Lindy Fluff.

Bratts minutes and Blackwood starting are almost fireable offenses in and of themselves. I have no idea what he was thinking

 

[JimEIV]

Bratts minutes and Blackwood starting are almost fireable offenses in and of themselves. I have no idea what he was thinking

Maybe the thought was to start Vitek at home and get Jack all the extra minutes possible with almost 23 minutes... (22:54)

Seems somewhat reasonable?

 

[Devs3cups]

Bratts minutes and Blackwood starting are almost fireable offenses in and of themselves. I have no idea what he was thinking

Mixing the lines/pairings after keeping them pretty much the same for the whole preseason is also a HUGE head scratcher. How to f*** up the little bit of chemistry they had 101.

Makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[FooteBahl]

Mixing the lines/pairings after keeping them pretty much the same for the whole preseason is also a HUGE head scratcher. How to f*** up the little bit of chemistry they had 101.

Makes no sense whatsoever.

Yup. I don’t mind Blackwood starting the game, but the chemistry part is 100% dead on.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Bratts minutes and Blackwood starting are almost fireable offenses in and of themselves. I have no idea what he was thinking

I'd normally say the Bratt minutes thing is not as big a deal as is being made out...but in the context of how Ruff has handled him in the past, and the issues with the contract extensions...something seems foul there. Just another question mark about how this organization operates.

Starting Blackwood and jumbling up the lines before the puck was even dropped in game 1 of the season...inexplicable.

But the real ball buster is how lost this f***ing team is as a unit on the ice. They don't play with an NHL level structure at all. The PP still looks lost and ineffective.

The fact that this was pointed to as a concern during his time with Dallas and the Rangers is pretty major red flag that this isn't just a player issue.

 

[Ol Dirty Bstrd]

The most maddening thing to me was the PP configuration. Having Tatar over Bratt on PP1 and Palat running it on the half wall are inexcusable - hope that wasn’t Brunette’s genius on display. Bratt and Hughes should be on the flanks, Hamilton up top and Palat in the bumper or net front role. The other spot can go to any of Mercer/Haula/Tatar/Shara (or even Holtz in the bumper role) until Nico gets back. Not exactly rocket science

 

[Devs3cups]

I'd love to have Bruce Cassidy behind the bench right now.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

The most maddening thing to me was the PP configuration. Having Tatar over Bratt on PP1 and Palat running it on the half wall are inexcusable - hope that wasn’t Brunette’s genius on display. Bratt and Hughes should be on the flanks, Hamilton up top and Palat in the bumper or net front role. The other spot can go to any of Mercer/Haula/Tatar/Shara (or even Holtz in the bumper role) until Nico gets back. Not exactly rocket science

Don’t really have a problem with Tatar there in the role he was playing. Agree that Palat shouldn’t be on the half wall.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

An uncontested shot from the circle or in close is always going to be dangerous. I never said no other types of chances are dangerous. Of course other factors are at play. Like who’s doing the shooting. A contested but screened shot could be dangerous too, sure. Lots of different contextual examples. How do the HD analytics account for this?

Bringing up that Blackwood sucks…You’re debating a point that no one is arguing, while ignoring the one that people are.

Well it’s certainly relevant considering no one would be harping on these super dangerous chances (that happen every game against every team) if they’re stopped at a higher rate than we’ve been getting over the last few seasons.

Obviously every aspect of the team needs to improve if they’re gonna do anything, but consistently giving up at least one softy will land us in the basement again.

 

[Devils090]

The most maddening thing to me was the PP configuration. Having Tatar over Bratt on PP1 and Palat running it on the half wall are inexcusable - hope that wasn’t Brunette’s genius on display. Bratt and Hughes should be on the flanks, Hamilton up top and Palat in the bumper or net front role. The other spot can go to any of Mercer/Haula/Tatar/Shara (or even Holtz in the bumper role) until Nico gets back. Not exactly rocket science

Our Powerplay is horrific for a few reasons but what drives me insane is the constant holding of the puck and waiting for guys to move around and get open. It needs to be quick passes and knowing where guys are going to be and guys already positioning themselves for a shot. It’s so easy to defend our PP because the guys on the wall just hold the puck and never look to shoot

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I want to see a Siegenthaler and Severson pairing again. And then Bahl and Marino.

Unless they pick it up let Graves and Hamilton stew on the third pair against easier competition where they can fire away all they want and don’t have to worry about playing decent D (they already don’t worry much about this).

As shitty as Smith as I might honestly rather him than Graves.

 

[Xirik]

Graves might be better overall then Bahl right now but at least Bahl seems to know his bread and butter which is crease clearing and sticks with it.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Amanda is so f**king annoying. Just a positive mouthpiece for the team.

Was pumping up Blackwood last night after he let in the first softie too.

 

[Xirik]

Amanda is so f**king annoying. Just a positive mouthpiece for the team.

Was pumping up Blackwood last night after he let in the first softie too.

Facts bad?

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Amanda is so f**king annoying. Just a positive mouthpiece for the team.

Was pumping up Blackwood last night after he let in the first softie too.

“A little more”…he averaged nearly 17 and a half minutes a night last season. Which by the way is also too low.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Graves might be better overall then Bahl right now but at least Bahl seems to know his bread and butter which is crease clearing and sticks with it.

There’s is nothing whatsoever that makes Graves better than Bahl right now. Since Bahl got called up last season he’s been better than Graves at every point including in preseason.
Graves is terrible.

 

[MadDevil]

Amanda is so f**king annoying. Just a positive mouthpiece for the team.

Was pumping up Blackwood last night after he let in the first softie too.

You mean she's...doing her job?

 

[guitarguyvic]

Well it’s certainly relevant considering no one would be harping on these super dangerous chances (that happen every game against every team) if they’re stopped at a higher rate than we’ve been getting over the last few seasons.

Obviously every aspect of the team needs to improve if they’re gonna do anything, but consistently giving up at least one softy will land us in the basement again.

But you're ignoring that the Devils allow severely uncontested shots and chances regularly, that the HD analytics seems to be missing. I've given two examples of this now, within the game against the flyers as well as comparing it to the Buffalo-Ottawa game. The eye test over the last couple of years suggests this is what's been happening.

Obviously the goaltending needs to be improved...but consistently giving opposition shooters huge amounts of time and space in the circles and front of the net (among a number of other deficiencies in our own zone) will land us in the basement again.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

You mean she's...doing her job?

Yes lol

But it’s so annoying and she’s doing more than she has to. She doesn’t need to be responding to people on twitter trying to justify Bratt’s low ice-time

 

[JimEIV]

But you're ignoring that the Devils allow severely uncontested shots and chances regularly, that the HD analytics seems to be missing. I've given two examples of this now, within the game against the flyers as well as comparing it to the Buffalo-Ottawa game. The eye test over the last couple of years suggests this is what's been happening.

Obviously the goaltending needs to be improved...but consistently giving opposition shooters huge amounts of time and space in the circles and front of the net (among a number of other deficiencies in our own zone) will land us in the basement again.

Not even a question. And no goaltending is going to withstand that....None. Give NHL shooters an inch and they can thread the needle...Give them 5 feet and your goalie has no chance.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Our Powerplay is horrific for a few reasons but what drives me insane is the constant holding of the puck and waiting for guys to move around and get open. It needs to be quick passes and knowing where guys are going to be and guys already positioning themselves for a shot. It’s so easy to defend our PP because the guys on the wall just hold the puck and never look to shoot

The Flyers PP last night was more effective at entering the zone and zipping the puck around than the Devils.

Their best guys are Hayes and Konecny.

LOL just crazy shit.