GDT: Yes, there's a game today... Yotes @ Devils - 7PM - MSG+

[JK3]

I listened to the Gomez one from Spittin Chicklets a while back, say what you want about him but he's a good storyteller. I actually got a laugh out of the one where he and Drury were discussing what numbers they were going to wear when they joined the Rangers, Drury said something to the effect of 'you take 23, I'll take 11' and Gomez said 'hey dumbass, where do you think we just signed? You aren't getting 11'

The Gomez ones are always good. There’s one from last summer with him and Dano that had some great stories.

 

[NJDevs26]

The Gomez ones are always good. There’s one from last summer with him and Dano that had some great stories.

Those long-form interviews/conversations are great. I binged the ones with Patty and Dano along with Gomez recently. I saw the original one with Gomez last year, I guess he's gonna be a three-parter on their show since they didn't get to his later years yet

 

[jkrdevil]

I think he's done here after next year. That's when his contract ends and he has one more year of RFA status after that. If he shows little to no improvement next year from his last two years then he has no leg to stand on to ask for a raise.

I don't know if he does have a lot of good goaltending left in him. I can almost see him like the next Steve Mason, who washed out of Columbus after about 3 or 4 poor years in a row which followed one of the best rookie goalie seasons we had seen in a bit before that. Especially for only being 20 years old.

Mason resurrected his career for a few years in Philadelphia, but he was out of the league by 30 years old, which I think was because of injuries. Blackwood is already a few months older now than Mason was at the time he had been traded from Columbus to Philly.

You cannot bring back Blackwood under any circumstances next year. Just eat the final year of his contract and bury him in the minors or find a taker for him.

He delayed in getting the heel taken care of, shouted up to camp not ready and unvaccinated, and has been total shit this year. I question his commitment at this point and just want him gone from the organization under any circumstance.

 

[tr83]

My buddy is at the game and sent me a pic. It’s embarrassingly empty. Worst I’ve seen in a while.

Woof. There might have been more people at the matinee performance of Disney on Ice I went to last Sunday.

And yeah, few concessions were open

 

[NJDevs26]

I do wonder if the furor and controversy surrounding the whole vaccine stuff in camp had a negative effect on Blackwood mentally this year. I have no idea what the deal is with his hip, I know athletes don't want to get surgery if they can avoid it but something's off as to why it was still bothering him in camp.

 

[Blackjack]

Remember the 17-18 season? Could you have ever possibly imagined how the next four seasons would go?

I have never been so demoralized as a sports fan and I root for the f***ing jets.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Remember the 17-18 season? Could you have ever possibly imagined how the next four seasons would go?

I have never been so demoralized as a sports fan and I root for the f***ing jets.

You expect the Jets to be f*** ups, so you can at least laugh at them. The Devils are so bad right now, it’s just at the “who cares” point with them

 

[NJDevs26]

You expect the Jets to be f*** ups, so you can at least laugh at them. The Devils are so bad right now, it’s just at the “who cares” point with them

Honestly I'd take the Jets right now over the Devils...at least the Jets competed for most of the season outside of the two Pats games and the first Bills game and I have a lot more faith in the Jets quarterback than the Devil goaltender at this point. The Devils, there's zero accountability for diddly squat from anyone - media, front office or peer pressure.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Honestly I'd take the Jets right now over the Devils...at least the Jets competed for most of the season outside of the two Pats games and the first Bills game and I have a lot more faith in the Jets quarterback than the Devil goaltender at this point. The Devils, there's zero accountability for diddly squat from anyone - media, front office or peer pressure.

100%, Saleh gives more accountability in one press conference than Ruff has in 2 years here.

 

[guitarguyvic]

You cannot bring back Blackwood under any circumstances next year. Just eat the final year of his contract and bury him in the minors or find a taker for him.

He delayed in getting the heel taken care of, shouted up to camp not ready and unvaccinated, and has been total shit this year. I question his commitment at this point and just want him gone from the organization under any circumstance.

I do wonder if the furor and controversy surrounding the whole vaccine stuff in camp had a negative effect on Blackwood mentally this year. I have no idea what the deal is with his hip, I know athletes don't want to get surgery if they can avoid it but something's off as to why it was still bothering him in camp.

After watching him in person tonight, I absolutely have to question his attitude. That was some of the worst body language I have ever seen from any hockey player, much less a goalie. He was moping and giving off serious IDGAF /I don’t want to be here vibes.

The only thing more pathetic than his performance was Lindy not pulling him. Like, how do you leave in a goalie who’s given up 3 goals on 8 shots while your team is dominating the shot clock?

I’ve never ever been so bewildered as a devils fan. Like what the f*** are even doing at this point?

 

[glenwo2]

Ok. I'm going to turn off the TV and just assume the Devils are the best team in the NHL before the Yotes wake up.

I really hope you followed through on that.

This is the type of game where Zacha scores that meaningless goal when we’re down 4-5 goals

Devils didn't even get THAT tonight. lol.

It's a sh*tshow all-around (with the exception of Bratt/Hughes)...

devils aren’t losing because they are young. They are losing because this team has no nhl talent. It’s pure garbage. But don’t worry about 4-5 top 5 picks will get us there

Yeah...I'm beginning to think the only way the Devils add talent to the team is to draft them 'cause thus far the signings of Tatar, for example, by Fitz aren't paying off.

 

[Emperoreddy]

You cannot bring back Blackwood under any circumstances next year. Just eat the final year of his contract and bury him in the minors or find a taker for him.

He delayed in getting the heel taken care of, shouted up to camp not ready and unvaccinated, and has been total shit this year. I question his commitment at this point and just want him gone from the organization under any circumstance.

It was reported he wanted heel surgery in season last year. The team told him no.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah the third goal should have led to an automatic pull but everyone in the organization from Lindy to Fitz to the doggone media team are trying to pass of Blackwood as the no-doubt guy, and shoveling us the shit of how can we even THINK of playing anyone else?

Say what you want about Pete DeBoer, he had the balls to pull Marty in a tie playoff game when he clearly merited it.

 

[NJDevs26]

It was reported he wanted heel surgery in season last year. The team told him no.

So our medical team sucks again. Or he's just milking the severity of his hip problems now cause they wouldn't let him get surgery then.

 

[My3Sons]

I really hope you followed through on that.



Devils didn't even get THAT tonight. lol.

It's a sh*tshow all-around (with the exception of Bratt/Hughes)...





Yeah...I'm beginning to think the only way the Devils add talent to the team is to draft them 'cause thus far the signings of Tatar, for example, by Fitz aren't paying off.

Dr Evil and zGraves have been good. Siegenthaler has been pretty good. If the team had competent goaltending we’d probably be looking at things differently.

 

[Eggtimer]

I have no idea anymore where the hell this team is as far as their “rebuild” goes. They are still a bottom 5 team in the entire league.
I just don’t get how teams like , Ducks, Redwings , Kings, are doing so good while we sit here and spin our wheels.
I’d like to think we have some nice pieces with Hughes , Nico , Mercer , Hamilton , Bratt , but we continue to be dog shit?
There are a few team that are miles better but I don’t get why ? The flames on paper have one good line and a bunch of “meh” after that. They have Hanifin on D then…. Crap. Yet they are one of the better teams in the league.
Ducks and Redwings have done a complete 180 this year. Drysdale Zegras Raymond and Seider turned them around . We have Hughes Mercer Hamilton Graves all somewhat “ added” and still we are a bottom feeder team.

I am sick and tired of losing and I’m done worrying about what the team needs to do to get better. Just wake me up when they don’t suck.

 

[Bleedred]

You cannot bring back Blackwood under any circumstances next year. Just eat the final year of his contract and bury him in the minors or find a taker for him.

He delayed in getting the heel taken care of, shouted up to camp not ready and unvaccinated, and has been total shit this year. I question his commitment at this point and just want him gone from the organization under any circumstance.

I don't know if I question his commitment, but he isn't getting the job done and that's the bottom line. He's playing absolutely horrendously. I bet he's a little better than an .890% since game 6 of last year and I think that was 53 games ago tonight. He was an .893% the last time I did this math, but I can't remember if that was before the Boston game or not. He's had one good game since then that probably keeps from going at or below .890%.

Tom is gambling with his own job if he gambles on him being able to be the starter next year or having any confidence in him playing a significant number of games with his last two years of play.

If Fitz takes that gamble for next year and still has Blackwood be our number one next year that will be almost as suspect of a gamble as Ken Holland thinking Mike Smith would replicate last season. And now Blackwood is coming up on being bad for as long as he was ever good in the first place.

And f*** Lindy Ruff too and this propaganda machine they're shoving down our throats. MSG and their crew can go f*** themselves for that too. ''We're handing him the ball. He's gonna play a lot'' and I hope when he does it costs you your f***ing job, you f***in thick skulled f***, laying on your NHL head coaching deathbed for good.

If management thinks as much of Blackwood as Lindy showed with this quotes then we're really in trouble. He was talking him up like it was Hughes, Hischier or Bratt or somebody. He ain't even talked about Siegenthaler like that. We're gonna play him as much as we can. The worst (regular) player on the team this year. That whole thing two weeks ago was the hockey version of a pathetic and failed political campaign.

 

[jkrdevil]

It was reported he wanted heel surgery in season last year. The team told him no.

Then fire the people behind that decision as well.

 

[My3Sons]

I have no idea anymore where the hell this team is as far as their “rebuild” goes. They are still a bottom 5 team in the entire league.
I just don’t get how teams like , Ducks, Redwings , Kings, are doing so good while we sit here and spin our wheels.
I’d like to think we have some nice pieces with Hughes , Nico , Mercer , Hamilton , Bratt , but we continue to be dog shit?
There are a few team that are miles better but I don’t get why ? The flames on paper have one good line and a bunch of “meh” after that. They have Hanifin on D then…. Crap. Yet they are one of the better teams in the league.
Ducks and Redwings have done a complete 180 this year. Drysdale Zegras Raymond and Seider turned them around . We have Hughes Mercer Hamilton Graves all somewhat “ added” and still we are a bottom feeder team.

I am sick and tired of losing and I’m done worrying about what the team needs to do to get better. Just wake me up when they don’t suck.

Some of it is that some players haven’t progressed in their skill level enough to be able to play soft. That’s why coaches overplay fourth liners and grinders so much. They are hard to play against and if they are disciplined they break even against teams like NJ and the first line is enough to win the game.

 

[Devs3cups]

I have no idea anymore where the hell this team is as far as their “rebuild” goes. They are still a bottom 5 team in the entire league.
I just don’t get how teams like , Ducks, Redwings , Kings, are doing so good while we sit here and spin our wheels.
I’d like to think we have some nice pieces with Hughes , Nico , Mercer , Hamilton , Bratt , but we continue to be dog shit?
There are a few team that are miles better but I don’t get why ? The flames on paper have one good line and a bunch of “meh” after that. They have Hanifin on D then…. Crap. Yet they are one of the better teams in the league.
Ducks and Redwings have done a complete 180 this year. Drysdale Zegras Raymond and Seider turned them around . We have Hughes Mercer Hamilton Graves all somewhat “ added” and still we are a bottom feeder team.

I am sick and tired of losing and I’m done worrying about what the team needs to do to get better. Just wake me up when they don’t suck.

I’ll wake you up when we have competent goaltending then. Imo, that’s what it boils down to.

 

[JrFischer54]

Woof. There might have been more people at the matinee performance of Disney on Ice I went to last Sunday.

And yeah, few concessions were open

that surprisingly isn’t bad considering the team is garbage going on about 9 years of garbage on a Wednesday in January against the worst team in hockey

 

[JrFischer54]

I don't know if I question his commitment, but he isn't getting the job done and that's the bottom line. He's playing absolutely horrendously. I bet he's a little better than an .890% since game 6 of last year and I think that was 53 games ago tonight. He was an .893% the last time I did this math, but I can't remember if that was before the Boston game or not. He's had one good game since then that probably keeps from going at or below .890%.

Tom is gambling with his own job if he gambles on him being able to be the starter next year or having any confidence in him playing a significant number of games with his last two years of play.

If Fitz takes that gamble for next year and still has Blackwood be our number one next year that will be almost as suspect of a gamble as Ken Holland thinking Mike Smith would replicate last season. And now Blackwood is coming up on being bad for as long as he was ever good in the first place.

And f*** Lindy Ruff too and this propaganda machine they're shoving down our throats. MSG and their crew can go f*** themselves for that too. ''We're handing him the ball. He's gonna play a lot'' and I hope when he does it costs you your f***ing job, you f***in thick skulled f***, laying on your NHL head coaching deathbed for good.

If management thinks as much of Blackwood as Lindy showed with this quotes then we're really in trouble. He was talking him up like it was Hughes, Hischier or Bratt or somebody. He ain't even talked about Siegenthaler like that. We're gonna play him as much as we can. The worst (regular) player on the team this year. That whole thing two weeks ago was the hockey version of a pathetic and failed political campaign.

to be fair what choice does ruff have? He’s just trying and hoping it motivates Blackwood. He probably doesn’t believe the shit he’s saying at all.

 

[JrFischer54]

Woof. There might have been more people at the matinee performance of Disney on Ice I went to last Sunday.

And yeah, few concessions were open

I noticed a game I went to against the pens this year that concessions were closed in an area too and that game was packed. What are the owners trying to save money? Is that new theory this year?

 

[Bleedred]

I have no idea anymore where the hell this team is as far as their “rebuild” goes. They are still a bottom 5 team in the entire league.
I just don’t get how teams like , Ducks, Redwings , Kings, are doing so good while we sit here and spin our wheels.
I’d like to think we have some nice pieces with Hughes , Nico , Mercer , Hamilton , Bratt , but we continue to be dog shit?
There are a few team that are miles better but I don’t get why ? The flames on paper have one good line and a bunch of “meh” after that. They have Hanifin on D then…. Crap. Yet they are one of the better teams in the league.
Ducks and Redwings have done a complete 180 this year. Drysdale Zegras Raymond and Seider turned them around . We have Hughes Mercer Hamilton Graves all somewhat “ added” and still we are a bottom feeder team.

I am sick and tired of losing and I’m done worrying about what the team needs to do to get better. Just wake me up when they don’t suck.

I think you are prematurely anointing those teams. The Ducks and Kings have both been the beneficiary of a WEAK and underachieving division. The Sharks too. But here's one huge difference between our team and those 3 teams you mentioned, you ready for it? It's my most predictable answer of the night. All 3 of those teams have better goalies than us. Well, the Kings probably don't, but Quick has at least masqueraded as the Quick of old for the first half of this season, but I don't expect that to last for long. And with Timo Meier blowing him up the other day for 6 goals on 17 shots, it looks like that Quick mirage might be coming to an end real soon.

The Red Wings went out and got a good young goalie for a good price this past offseason. I'm not saying we should have done that last offseason too, but I am absolutely saying that's what we need to do if possible this offseason.

Blackwood can not be anything close to the starter next year. If he bounces back? Great, but he can't be relied on. He cannot be option A and Bernier really can't be option B. Bernier is more than likely gonna be on the IR or just downright ineffective for much of next year. That's the very safe prediction.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Ruff has repeatedly shown he believes the team is better off playing a hurt Blackwood then literally anyone else.

He won't shut him down and play someone else as long as he has a pulse despite it clearly being a demoralizing situation for the entire team.

He most likely ruined any chance of Blackwood developing into a good goalie barring some luck, and is costing the team wins and good morale a second year in a row.