GDT: WTFVision: Your New Jersey Devils (7-10-2) vs. New York Rangers (9-9-3), 1 PM, MSG+

[Richer's Ghost]

You can always tell how bleak the future is by the average post length and avg. number of gifs in the final 3 pages of the GDT.

This is very bleak.

 

[HersheyBob27]

He’s been top 5 in points on this team the majority of his career. Not sure where we can replace his production from, maybe Nate bastian and his 3 hits will suffice

Top 5? Ok great he is like the tallest midget

 

[Bcap88]

Top-5 in points on a team that can’t score isn’t an accomplishment. I think he is a mid-tier forward on a good team.

he isn’t a guy you get rid of. He is a guy you try to bump down the lineup.

Yea that’s the point he has the most upside of any of our bottom 6

 

[HersheyBob27]

Yea that’s the point he has the most upside of any of our bottom 6

He’s been going sideways for awhile

 

[Maine Fan]

Smith? Really odd to leave him out

Wasn't odd, I forgot to mention him. You missed the point whether he was on the list or not it is sickening that there are these few keepers after this many years since Lou left and Shero came in. Very Sad.

 

[Bcap88]

He’s been going sideways for awhile

Weird considering he had 16 goals last year which 15 of them were at even strength

 

[tr83]

So the thing about Lou's "reload, never rebuild" mantra is that you at least have a base. The team might be crap for a time and loaded with plugs, but the plugs should at least give some consistency and the team gets better with each replacement. That plan fell on it's face when bad drafts, losing kovy, parise clarkson and low picks meant we had no replacements and all plugs.

The beginning of the year we had consistency in goal, consistency of three defense pairings, and at least one forward line.

Right now there is absolutely zero consistency anywhere, and our breakdowns have been so bad that we have even broken our goalie.

Reload also worked a lot better when there wasnt a salary cap. We all know how bad he was as a GM post-lockout

 

[jkrdevil]

Lou made a lot of mistakes post-cap to try and keep the team going. But I will say the franchise desperately misses his influence and organization in getting everyone to pull in the same direction.

Obviously bringing in Trotz with him has been one of the biggest factors, but it isn’t a coincidence the Isles went from tire fire to competent over night when he came in.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ole one goal bratt he’s a keeper

can I ask how old you are?

Given the fact that you love "toughness" and players like Nate Bastian and hate players like Bratt, I'm going to guess 50+ years old?

 

[HersheyBob27]

can I ask how old you are?

Given the fact that you love "toughness" and players like Nate Bastian and hate players like Bratt, I'm going to guess 50+ years old?

Seems to be lots of older posters on here but I’m not one of them. And I do not hate any player. Its just hockey my friend

 

[JimEIV]

I mean, the Oilers have McDavid and Draisaitl and still suck somehow.

Oilers are 14-11 and in 3rd place in their Division. That's not suck.

 

[Bleedred]

I don’t know if this is more on the coaching staff, management, or both, but I feel the team hasn’t been proactive or aggressive enough in maybe funneling guys in and out from Bingo (which is across the hall and Foote is the one guy they probably should get a look at. Seney is just more of the same level of JAG) taking forever to scratch the bums that ain’t doing shit like Gusev or McLeod. Or forcing Zajac and Gusev on the power play and Subban getting all this power play time like he’s still good. It’s getting ridiculous.

Try something new on the power play at least. Why do we keep going back to the well with Gusev on the power play? Zajac isn’t a good offensive player anymore. What’s he doing on the power play?

 

[EnglishDevil]

Bratt isn't a literal anchor like a bunch of our forwards, but boy do some people here massively overrate him. I suspect this is partially because of how massively he's outperformed expectations given his draft position, but he's definitely not a core part of this team in my eyes.

He's a young 2nd/3rd line tweener signed to a fair contract for his level of production and hopefully he will continue to improve, but don't delude yourselves into thinking he's a genuine top line or even nailed on top six forward. For every good part of his game there's a huge deficiency in dire need of improvement; he's a fantastic skater, has good vision & puck skills which make him a decent playmaker, but he's also an extremely weak perimeter player who lacks the physicality and toughness to go to the areas he needs to score more goals. His shot is nowhere near good enough for him to become a prolific goal scorer with his current perimeter style of play, the vast majority of his shots end up being softballs from the top of the circle that end up hitting the goalie right in the logo on their jersey. Add into the mix his overall poor defensive awareness, short reach and lack of intensity/physicality to break up plays in the defensive zone, you have a noticeably flawed player who routinely gets bullied out of the game by more physical teams and reduced to almost complete ineffectiveness.

Maybe as he gets older and stronger some of those weaknesses can be improved, I certainly hope so. I'm certainly not advocating we just dump him for peanuts, he's obviously got a lot of talent that he can potentially build on, but everyone talking as if he's a key part of an emerging core on this team needs to pace themselves in my opinion. If we had to include Bratt in a trade for a legitimate top line winger, I wouldn't think twice about pulling the trigger, he's not irreplaceable.

 

[njdevils1982]

missed this doing a reno….what in the f*** happened??!!

 

[JimEIV]

Falls on the players....Fitz has done good things in a short time....I believe he can rebuild this team not overnight it will take time.

Doesn't matter what we think, it only matters how much patience ownership has.

 

[The 29th Pick]

missed this doing a reno….what in the f*** happened??!!

get some booze and music my friend, enjoy the night

 

[Camille the Eel]

Obviously bringing in Trotz with him has been one of the biggest factors, but it isn’t a coincidence the Isles went from tire fire to competent over night when he came in.

Before Lou arrived with Trotz the Isles were one of the highest scoring teams in the league. They just had terrible defense. He had tons to work with there. And at least 4 stud defenders ready to go in the pipeline in Bridgeport. A lot of credit for that by the way should go to Garth Snow.

 

[njdevils1982]

get some booze and music my friend, enjoy the night

that bad huh

 

[MauDevils]

missed this doing a reno….what in the f*** happened??!!

Did you see Thursday's game? This was the sequel.

 

[The 29th Pick]

that bad huh

worse

 

[njdevils1982]

Did you see Thursday's game? This was the sequel.

ya, this was the first one i missed

 

[jkrdevil]

Before Lou arrived with Trotz the Isles were one of the highest scoring teams in the league. They just had terrible defense. He had tons to work with there. And at least 4 stud defenders ready to go in the pipeline in Bridgeport. A lot of credit for that by the way should go to Garth Snow.

This is true and something I never disputed. My point was his ability to get everyone in the organization on the same page and to insulate the players and coaches to focus solely on the ice. Do those pieces already in place shine through without him (especially after losing Tavares), maybe not.

In that regard it is similar to the Devils in the 80’s. A lot of the pieces were their but the organization needed to focus Lou brings.

obviously you need player talent, which is why things fell apart for him here. But the organization as a whole seems to be disfunctional without him (see last year’s GM search).

Again this is very big picture stuff that goes beyond the dressing room and coaches.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Doesn't matter what we think, it only matters how much patience ownership has.

I would be really concerned if they get jumpy after a covid shortened season.

That screams panic to me like what Montreal did with Julian.

 

[glenwo2]

Bratt isn't a literal anchor like a bunch of our forwards, but boy do some people here massively overrate him. I suspect this is partially because of how massively he's outperformed expectations given his draft position, but he's definitely not a core part of this team in my eyes.

He's a young 2nd/3rd line tweener signed to a fair contract for his level of production and hopefully he will continue to improve, but don't delude yourselves into thinking he's a genuine top line or even nailed on top six forward. For every good part of his game there's a huge deficiency in dire need of improvement; he's a fantastic skater, has good vision & puck skills which make him a decent playmaker, but he's also an extremely weak perimeter player who lacks the physicality and toughness to go to the areas he needs to score more goals. His shot is nowhere near good enough for him to become a prolific goal scorer with his current perimeter style of play, the vast majority of his shots end up being softballs from the top of the circle that end up hitting the goalie right in the logo on their jersey. Add into the mix his overall poor defensive awareness, short reach and lack of intensity/physicality to break up plays in the defensive zone, you have a noticeably flawed player who routinely gets bullied out of the game by more physical teams and reduced to almost complete ineffectiveness.

Maybe as he gets older and stronger some of those weaknesses can be improved, I certainly hope so. I'm certainly not advocating we just dump him for peanuts, he's obviously got a lot of talent that he can potentially build on, but everyone talking as if he's a key part of an emerging core on this team needs to pace themselves in my opinion. If we had to include Bratt in a trade for a legitimate top line winger, I wouldn't think twice about pulling the trigger, he's not irreplaceable.

I actually agree with 98% of what you said.

The 1% I don't agree is where you called him a "decent" playmaker.

If Jack Hughes is a Great playmaker, I'd put Bratt directly below him in the "Good" playmaker category.


The other 1% is more of an opinion I have that's counter to yours :

And that is that Bratt IS part of the emerging Core going forward.


Aside from that, you're pretty spot on with everything else.

Defensive awareness is something all the young players must get better at because opposing teams' players are better.

The issue is that whomever is teaching our D is a "D" for dumbass.

 

[NJ Diablos]

Looked good before COVID...great for the first 2 games after...then wtf happened