GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (10-9-5) vs. Nashville Predators (15-10-1), 7:30 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[NJDevs26]

And not for nothing but we can throw away the excuse that last year we started great and then COVID ruined the season, since they pulled the same crap this year without COVID. 6-3-2 last year, then the roof fell in. 7-3-2 this year, and now three wins in thirteen games since.

 

[NJDevs26]

I was thinking that our 1sr round pick should not be in play but I wouldn’t be opposed to using it in trade for a winger. It would be 2-3-4 years before we see that player as possibly impactful (unless it was a top 3 pick / Bedard) . I’d rather package a pick in trade for a Forsberg / Boeser / Fiala now. At this poi t I’d rather trade for an established and proven player instead of a lotto ticket for a player that might be ready in a few years.

Until this team actually makes the playoffs like two straight years it wouldn't be feasible to trade a first-rounder, yet I'm getting pretty damn apathetic to even first-rounders at this point, we literally have four first-round centers that we drafted and still suck so why should I stress over losing a pick or where we pick at this point?

 

[devilsblood]

I say this virtually every day, but with the team in the dumps Holtz should not see a second of NHL ice this season. Let him have success in Utica and let his ELC slide.

As for Sharangovich, he is 23 and team doesn’t have a lot invested in him (he was a 5th rounder). Put up or move on for him.

Put him with Hughes and I have no issue.

Shara, agree he needs to step up, but I'm still giving him significant ice time right now.

 

[devilsblood]

And not for nothing but we can throw away the excuse that last year we started great and then COVID ruined the season, since they pulled the same crap this year without COVID. 6-3-2 last year, then the roof fell in. 7-3-2 this year, and now three wins in thirteen games since.

I never bought into that.

But youth was an issue last year, and it's an issue this year. We are very young. It's difficult winning games in this league. Even moreso with this much youth.

Fans don't want to hear it but it's the truth.

 

[devilsblood]

Since we've tightened it up, we've sacrificed our own offense too. While also not being able to score more than 2 (non empty net) goals in a game.

PP.

 

[Bleedred]

PP.

That ain't getting fixed under this staff.

If our power play finishes below 20th in the league (at the WORST) we can't any of this crew back next year. So that means if we score a bunch of goals to end the year on the power play and finish 25th, I don't wanna hear ''Well, the fixed it, look at all the goals we scored the last few months'' no they didn't fix it.

 

[devilsblood]

Until this team actually makes the playoffs like two straight years it wouldn't be feasible to trade a first-rounder, yet I'm getting pretty damn apathetic to even first-rounders at this point, we literally have four first-round centers that we drafted and still suck so why should I stress over losing a pick or where we pick at this point?

2 of those centers are still 20 years old. Another is 22. The oldest is 23.

 

[devilsblood]

That ain't getting fixed under this staff.

If our power play finishes below 20th in the league (at the WORST) we can't any of this crew back next year. So that means if we score a bunch of goals to end the year on the power play and finish 25th, I don't wanna hear ''Well, the fixed it, look at all the goals we scored the last few months'' no they didn't fix it.

I'm not making any statements about what we do this offseason until I see how we play the remainder of this season.

But I can very much see moving on from Recchi. Either very soon or at the end of the season.

 

[NJDevs26]

I never bought into that.

But youth was an issue last year, and it's an issue this year. We are very young. It's difficult winning games in this league. Even moreso with this much youth.

Fans don't want to hear it but it's the truth.

Then don't ice a lineup where like ten of the twelve forwards are >25 years old. You need some balance with youth and vet, just like you need more balance between so-called skill and toughness, or playmaking and scoring.

Plus the D isn't that young anymore and they're still having breakdown after breakdown.

 

[jkrdevil]

Put him with Hughes and I have no issue.

I’m not burning a year off his contract off, period

 

[devilsblood]

Then don't ice a lineup where like ten of the twelve guys are >25 years old. You need some balance with youth and vet, just like you need balance between skill and toughness.

So we keep Mercer in the AHL until he's 23?

When you have so many draft picks, and those guys hit, your going to have a young team. These are the growing pains.

But count me in on acquiring a more mature physical top 6 winger.

 

[RSeen]

I’m not burning a year off his contract off, period

This year is not about making the playoffs, its about development. No need for Holtz to be in the NHL, he needs to keep developing.

 

[jkrdevil]

Mercer is actually an example of how it should be done. He forced himself into the team. Not sure some of the others have as much as no better option.

 

[jkrdevil]

This year is not about making the playoffs, its about development. No need for Holtz to be in the NHL, he needs to keep developing.

Yep, if the team was hanging around the playoff bubble where they could make a push then I would have no problem calling him up for a push. But they are not on the playoff bubble. Their pace is 14 points off the likely playoff cutline.

 

[Oneiro]

Fitz tried to get Saad and made an offer to Coleman. We still needed goals so we got Tatar. And we talked on Tarasenko.

I don't think the need for a veteran middle 6 scoring winger is lost on him.

Tonight I found myself thinking Filip Forsberg would be an absolute perfect fit for this team.

 

[devilsblood]

I’m not burning a year off his contract off, period

If his play in the AHL warrants a promotion, then I'm not sweating burning a year.

 

[NJDevs26]

So we keep Mercer in the AHL until he's 23?

When you have so many draft picks, and those guys hit, your going to have a young team. These are the growing pains.

But count me in on acquiring a more mature physical top 6 winger.

What proof do we have of a lot of these guys hitting? A couple of them (Shara, Kuokkanen and especially Ty Smith) had decent years last year that now look like short-season post-pandemic flukes. McLeod hasn't 'hit', he's a first-rounder that's salvaged a career as a fourth-line grinder.

 

[devilsblood]

This year is not about making the playoffs, its about development. No need for Holtz to be in the NHL, he needs to keep developing.

Players can develop in the NHL. See our entire team.

 

[devilsblood]

What proof do we have of a lot of these guys hitting? A couple of them (Shara and Kuokkanen) had decent years last year that now look like short-season post-pandemic flukes. McLeod hasn't 'hit', he's a first-rounder that's salvaged a career as a fourth-line grinder.

This is all based off your 1st round center comments.

Hughes
Nico
Mercer
McLeod.

You want to say McLeod hasn't hit? OK fine, but a 4th line veteran center is not changing the current situation in a significant way.

Maybe we want to say the other guys haven't actually hit either? At the very least I think, at this point, they have hit to a level where they belong in the NHL.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Fitz tried to get Saad and made an offer to Coleman. We still needed goals so we got Tatar. And we talked on Tarasenko.

I don't think the need for a veteran middle 6 scoring winger is lost on him.

Tonight I found myself thinking Filip Forsberg would be an absolute perfect fit for this team.

Of course it isn't. Taresenko was never traded so odds are St Louis was asking for too much.

We also weren't going into the season expecting Wood to be out for the entire year either.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Long story short you can't consistently beat good teams in this league while losing the special teams battle as often as we do.

It simply doesn't work.

You can get away with that against bad teams like Philly, but good teams will make you pay almost ever time.

For now they have to keep plugging away and get Ws against bad teams (Isles and Philly on deck) while trying to figure out some solution for the Power Play so they can be more competitive against better teams.

 

[Eggtimer]

Then don't ice a lineup where like ten of the twelve forwards are >25 years old. You need some balance with youth and vet, just like you need more balance between so-called skill and toughness, or playmaking and scoring.

Plus the D isn't that young anymore and they're still having breakdown after breakdown.

Yes but how much of it is on the D ? A lot of times it’s because a forward blew his coverage or assignment and the D tries to cover for it.

 

[NJDevs26]

This is all based off your 1st round center comments.

Hughes
Nico
Mercer
McLeod.

You want to say McLeod hasn't hit? OK fine, but a 4th line veteran center is not changing the current situation in a significant way.

Maybe we want to say the other guys haven't actually hit either? At the very least I think, at this point, they have hit to a level where they belong in the NHL.

The Hughes and Nico conversation is separate and already annoys too many people. Obviously they're NHL players, but we also haven't gotten as much from either of them as we need to given their draft position and spots in the lineup. For all the talk about Hughes (and Nico to an extent) just needing a scoring winger to produce, the same crappy wingers and centers without finish don't seem to be holding back Jesper Bratt from getting points.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yes but how much of it is on the D ? A lot of times it’s because a forward blew his coverage or assignment and the D tries to cover for it.

I think that comes because our defensive system heavily relies on ice awareness due to how open we play, which is something a lot of young players around the league struggle with.

It might make things a bit more boring, but sometimes I do wonder if simplifying things wouldn't help some.

 

[Eggtimer]

Long story short you can't consistently beat good teams in this league while losing the special teams battle as often as we do.

It simply doesn't work.

You can get away with that against bad teams like Philly, but good teams will make you pay almost ever time.

For now they have to keep plugging away and get Ws against bad teams (Isles and Philly on deck) while trying to figure out some solution for the Power Play so they can be more competitive against better teams.

This is a very good level headed way of taking things .
Thanks for that. It honestly makes me feel better about the team lol. I get way too upset when we suck. Still…. fire Recchi already