GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (19-29-5) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (27-25-1), 7 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[PKs Broken Stick]

I wouldn't mind bigger guys, but I don't think getting rid of our skill guys is the answer.

Not all of them, just certain ones. For top 2 lines, Jack and Mercer are keepers. Same with Nico and Bratt. We need 2 wingers that play the heavier game to compliment those lines. And as I have said multiple times, the 3rd line needs significant upgrades.

 

[Devs3cups]

One thing I think we can agree on, is that this team has been way better these last few weeks. We're getting killed by goaltending, but their play looks better. Daws also looks solid out there and they seem a whole lot more confident when he's in net. That, to me is an encouraging sign.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Finally a real analysis of the game. I know you got a lot on your plate but a lot of us would probably appreciate if you did post game analysis after each one lol. Just so many wrong takes in here about what went wrong.

I think the problem is that people have the natural inclinations to use their analysis to justify the arguments they had the greatest convictions for before the puck even hit the ice. It's human nature.

I was off last night and tonight, but normally I work nights so it's tough for me to do this sometimes. But again, I'm not discouraged by the loss because it was an obvious and perfect highlighting of what the Devils need to improve upon this off-season, so I felt it was utterly necessary to write it up.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

and it's his job to figure it out.

Also the coaching staff, but I guess we can just give up on that aspect.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Jack Hughes wasn't on the ice for a single high danger chance at 5 on 5. He was also on for a goal against.

I'm not sure how you can say the way Columbus played didn't slow him down.

We’re going to ignore the team leading 14 scoring chances when he was on the ice?

 

[Devs3cups]

Umm sorry but was that big save on Bratt not a high danger chance?

First one I though of lol, I'm sure he was on for a few more.

 

[My3Sons]

I think the problem is that people have the natural inclinations to use their analysis to justify the arguments they had the greatest convictions for before the puck even hit the ice. It's human nature.

I was off last night and tonight, but normally I work nights so it's tough for me to do this sometimes. But again, I'm not discouraged by the loss because it was an obvious and perfect highlighting of what the Devils need to improve upon this off-season, so I felt it was utterly necessary to write it up.

I think that hit on White was a penalty on CLB. That said Subban shoukd not have abandoned his post to chase the forward who hit White.

 

[Bleedred]

Like I said, I’m still a little worried that if Daws plays out of his mind that they’ll give him a spot next year. That’s how Blackwood got a spot to start 19-20. Because he played really well in 18-19 when he was called up because we had nobody any better. And of course they only played him every other game because they had to give Schneider pity starts every other game and come back with him the next year.

Now Blackwood played well the next year too, but he had more time in the AHL. He was a few years ahead of Daws in development.

I don’t think they’ll go with Daws as one of the two goalies next year, no matter how well he plays, but I sometimes live in a constant state of fear.

 

[My3Sons]

I wish, when the stretch pass game isn't there, we had a dump, chase and cycle game we could go to more successfully. When they had us on our heels in the 2d period; or again with about 10 minutes left, if we could have taken a couple of shifts on the forecheck it would have maybe changed the flow of the game and provided some contrast for the top two lines. It's been a couple of years or more since we had any forecheck. I wasn't a fan of Rooney but he was a good first man in at separating the defense from the puck, something the forecheck depends on. Bastian is a nice addition but doesn't have the speed to play that role. McLeod isn't particularly good at being the first man into the opposing teams end. You see us try to dump the puck but then we don't retrieve it and we are just caught chasing their rush. As it is we depend on the stretch pass and speed game almost exclusively and it's pretty one dimensional and if it doesn't work, there's no option but just to keep on trying it.

That said, I was impressed how we got it going again on Nico's goal late in the 2d period. In the past, once we lost that speed game flow, we didn't manage to recover it. These days we seem to persist and be able to get back to it even after lulls.

they need a genuine third line that can play like the McLeod line but with more skill. Not an easy thing but doable. They also need a better sniper for Jack although I am rooting for Shara to step up more and maybe figure out that role. Nico and Bratt need someone with more oomph than Pavel. Hopefully that’s Holtz but we will see.

 

[Eggtimer]

Bratt and Hughes played well tonight, no doubt.

But Columbus' physicality absolutely swayed the outcome of the game. The first goal was directly after Danforth crushed White, both winning possession for CBJ and creating an odd-man situation for Columbus down low while Subban tried to cover ground for both himself and his dazed defense partner. The Laine goal was scored after a possession change following a big Columbus hit in the neutral zone, and Laine posterized Severson because Severson was trying to avoid physical collision when hitting Laine in the mid-section would have ended the rush. The second Columbus goal was scored after consecutive turnovers in the D zone by Johnsson then Tatar, both trying to avoid getting hit by making cutesy puck pokes instead of taking the hit to bang the puck out of the zone. The shot-blocking by Columbus was sublime, if you consider shot-blocking to be an aspect of physical play (I do).

This game does not discourage me, because it highlights some things the Devils need to fix for next year. Hughes is awesome and Bratt is awesome, anyone who does not see that is drinking paint-thinner. They're not going to score 7 goals every game, however, and the Devils need another dimension so they do not consistently lose games determined by heavy, interior play. And yes, the Devils need better goaltending on the regular, but if anything I'd commend Daws for his work tonight.

I think we are totally on the same page. When I try to beat my drum that we need to replace some guys with “interior” or players that play a heavier style game ,I am by no means saying that we get rid of Bratt amd Hughes . I, say if we are lucky enough to have those elite players , however because of their stature and skill set , we need to compliment them with players that can help the entire line. Having three players exactly like Bratt on a line would just not work against a physical team . I have said this 1000times and yet it is still getting confused what I am trying to say. We need to get more interior / heavy / gritty / harder to play against ( whatever the F you want to call it) but people just take it as me wanting to trade Bratt amd dump all skilled players for slow 4th line face punchers. That’s not at all what I’m trying to say. I’m trying to say that instead of a forward line of Shara Hughes Tatar for example is not a good balance to have at all. Who digs the puck out of the corner? Who pressure the D on the forecheck and makes them scared to gold the puck ? Who stands in from of the net for a rebound / deflections / screen ? Not just a fly-by and wave their stick at the puck or take a quick poke at a lose puck . Someone to stand there and take a beating . Some one to take a hit to get the puck out of our own end. Someone to crush the other teams D and turn the puck over. Someone who can drive to the cemrer portion of the O zone instead of being forced wide and to play on the perimeter . I’m not saying trade Bratt for Reaves . I’m saying if we have a line of Shara Hughes Johnson , they are going to get the shit kicked out of them and not be as effective as they could be.
We need to phase out Shara Tatar Johnson types . Guys that play a perimeter and soft game yet are not dynamic enough to make up for them being soft as baby shit.
I will say all of this and people will not read what I wrote and just say “Shara is good, why replace him with a goon?”
Yes Shara is good but we have too many of that type of player . Shara is redundant. I’m not sure how else to say what I’m trying to say.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Also the coaching staff, but I guess we can just give up on that aspect.

Like I keep saying, Hughes is the least of my worries. Bratt is also of no concern to me -- let's pay him and keep him around forever. Hischier is also not a worry -- let the naysayers keep naysaying, because Nico is great and saying otherwise is just an admission of not understanding the finer points of what makes a hockey player good.

Did Hughes or Bratt play their best game tonight? No, but they both were dangerous all game long. Connor McDavid doesn't score two goals every game, Auston Matthews doesn't score two goals every game. Sometimes the other players need to pick up a bit of slack.

Dawson Mercer -- who as everyone knows is my guy -- had a very tough game tonight. He was consistently overwhelmed by Columbus matching his normally-best-on-the-ice compete level, and he fumbled multiple pucks. He had a point on the scoresheet, but I'm sure he knows tonight was not his best showing, and with his intelligence and work ethic I expect him to show up with a great follow up in his next game. Boqvist, too -- he's been great of late but was invisible tonight -- although this was complicated by the incessant puck coughing up of both his line-mates. Severson made the one highlight-reel stretch pass to Hischier, but otherwise he was completely problematic.

But Hughes and Bratt? I'm not worried. And again, I think it's important to stress the Devils who played well. Siegenthaler was a rock yet again, Daws was very good between the pipes. I thought Zacha was excellent for like the 5th game in a row -- which for him is a really good string. Nico was downright phenomenal in his two-way play and compete.

Like I keep saying, this game was far from a disaster. It was a learning experience.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Bratt and Hughes played well tonight, no doubt.

But Columbus' physicality absolutely swayed the outcome of the game. The first goal was directly after Danforth crushed White, both winning possession for CBJ and creating an odd-man situation for Columbus down low while Subban tried to cover ground for both himself and his dazed defense partner. The Laine goal was scored after a possession change following a big Columbus hit in the neutral zone, and Laine posterized Severson because Severson was trying to avoid physical collision when hitting Laine in the mid-section would have ended the rush. The second Columbus goal was scored after consecutive turnovers in the D zone by Johnsson then Tatar, both trying to avoid getting hit by making cutesy puck pokes instead of taking the hit to bang the puck out of the zone. The shot-blocking by Columbus was sublime, if you consider shot-blocking to be an aspect of physical play (I do).

This game does not discourage me, because it highlights some things the Devils need to fix for next year. Hughes is awesome and Bratt is awesome, anyone who does not see that is drinking paint-thinner. They're not going to score 7 goals every game, however, and the Devils need another dimension so they do not consistently lose games determined by heavy, interior play. And yes, the Devils need better goaltending on the regular, but if anything I'd commend Daws for his work tonight.

The boarding on White that wasn’t called definitely did impact the game. The rest of these things are just things that happen in a hockey game. Severson with a terrible blunder against a great scorer. A couple of failed clears by the 3rd line that bit us in the ass. It was a very even game. They are obviously more physical and we’re obviously much more skilled. Luckily I think what we have is rarer and we can augment our roster to get tougher to play against easily.

 

[Eggtimer]

We need more Tom Wilson / Tkachuk brothers / Evander Kane / type players and less soft players. We have some extremely talented players that are core pieces but their play style needs to be complimented by players that are hard to play against and can take the physicality more so.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I think we are totally on the same page. When I try to beat my drum that we need to replace some guys with “interior” or players that play a heavier style game ,I am by no means saying that we get rid of Bratt amd Hughes . I, say if we are lucky enough to have those elite players , however because of their stature and skill set , we need to compliment them with players that can help the entire line. Having three players exactly like Bratt on a line would just not work against a physical team . I have said this 1000times and yet it is still getting confused what I am trying to say. We need to get more interior / heavy / gritty / harder to play against ( whatever the F you want to call it) but people just take it as me wanting to trade Bratt amd dump all skilled players for slow 4th line face punchers. That’s not at all what I’m trying to say. I’m trying to say that instead of a forward line of Shara Hughes Tatar for example is not a good balance to have at all. Who digs the puck out of the corner? Who pressure the D on the forecheck and makes them scared to gold the puck ? Who stands in from of the net for a rebound / deflections / screen ? Not just a fly-by and wave their stick at the puck or take a quick poke at a lose puck . Someone to stand there and take a beating . Some one to take a hit to get the puck out of our own end. Someone to crush the other teams D and turn the puck over. Someone who can drive to the cemrer portion of the O zone instead of being forced wide and to play on the perimeter . I’m not saying trade Bratt for Reaves . I’m saying if we have a line of Shara Hughes Johnson , they are going to get the shit kicked out of them and not be as effective as they could be.
We need to phase out Shara Tatar Johnson types . Guys that play a perimeter and soft game yet are not dynamic enough to make up for them being soft as baby shit.

Sharangovich has scored 19 points in his last 21 games, and many of them were between the circles and the crease. He may not be a Tkachuk, but he's far from soft or definitively "perimeter". To me, you don't ship out a kid with 30-goal upside in his sophomore season because he was so-so in a loss to Columbus.

But I do agree that the Devils need more interior forwards up front. We got to watch one of my favorites tonight in Boone Jenner -- heck of an underrated player. There's a reason Columbus has a superior record to NJ despite about one-third as much talent, and it's not simply goaltending, where Columbus has had issues, as well.

Think of a hockey team like a planet. You have the core, then you have the inner layers, then the surface. The Devils core looks great -- Hughes/Hischier/Bratt/Hamilton and soon Holtz and Luke Hughes. The inner layer is also potentially quite good -- Siegenthaler and Graves and Sharangovich and soon Gritsyuk and Mukhamadullin. But the Devils outer layer needs work -- though there are good pieces there like a 4th line of McLeod/Bastian/Wood and multiple guys coming on in the prospect pool, the Devils also have a lot of "spare parts" who would be better as players who could better compliment the Devils core and inner layer players.

But I repeat that I feel Fitzgerald has the Devils going in the right direction, and this team is not too far away if they answer a few nagging questions this upcoming off-season.

 

[Eggtimer]

Not all of them, just certain ones. For top 2 lines, Jack and Mercer are keepers. Same with Nico and Bratt. We need 2 wingers that play the heavier game to compliment those lines. And as I have said multiple times, the 3rd line needs significant upgrades.

This is an easy way to say exactly what I want for how to construct our roster. Depends on if Mercer is a winger or the 3c . I prefer him as a winger. Johnson Zacha Shara Tatar are redundant and need to be replaced with players that compliment the top 2 line players listed.

 

[Eggtimer]

Sharangovich has scored 19 points in his last 21 games, and many of them were between the circles and the crease. He may not be a Tkachuk, but he's far from soft or definitively "perimeter". To me, you don't ship out a kid with 30-goal upside in his sophomore season because he was so-so in a loss to Columbus.

But I do agree that the Devils need more interior forwards up front. We got to watch one of my favorites tonight in Boone Jenner -- heck of an underrated player. There's a reason Columbus has a superior record to NJ despite about one-third as much talent, and it's not simply goaltending, where Columbus has had issues, as well.

Think of a hockey team like a planet. You have the core, then you have the inner layers, then the surface. The Devils core looks great -- Hughes/Hischier/Bratt/Hamilton and soon Holtz and Luke Hughes. The inner layer is also potentially quite good -- Siegenthaler and Graves and Sharangovich and soon Gritsyuk and Mukhamadullin. But the Devils outer layer needs work -- though there are good pieces there like a 4th line of McLeod/Bastian/Wood and multiple guys coming on in the prospect pool, the Devils also have a lot of "spare parts" who would be better as players who could better compliment the Devils core and inner layer players.

But I repeat that I feel Fitzgerald has the Devils going in the right direction, and this team is not too far away if they answer a few nagging questions this upcoming off-season.

I still think Shara is propped up by Jack and is a redundant player once Holtz is here.Just no,room for him in the top 6 and he is not useful as a 3rd or 4th liner. I’m not saying he is junk. I’m saying there are better fits in the top 6 and Shara is not nearly effective as when he is stapled to Jack .

 

[StevenToddIves]

The boarding on White that wasn’t called definitely did impact the game. The rest of these things are just things that happen in a hockey game. Severson with a terrible blunder against a great scorer. A couple of failed clears by the 3rd line that bit us in the ass. It was a very even game. They are obviously more physical and we’re obviously much more skilled. Luckily I think what we have is rarer and we can augment our roster to get tougher to play against easily.

Well, I hope the Devils front office aren't skewing what actually happened in the game to support their preconceived notions instead of using actual information to improve areas of actual need.

"These things that just happen in a hockey game" are not being overwhelmingly outhit and out-shot-blocked and out-worked in one-on-one and down-low battles to such a degree that you still lose a game that was even in terms of goaltending and with your team absolutely dominant in terms of possession.

Better still, let's ask ourselves this. An extremely talented and skilled team just lost to an undermanned (missing their best D Werenski) team which is not even close in talent or skill to the team they beat. Why?

The answer is this: though being the more talented team will give you the opportunity to win every night, there are other factors which contribute to the result of a hockey game. One is goaltending -- and as we all know this is the greatest factor in the Devils being currently out of the playoff race. But another is physicality and interior play -- and the Devils are the very worst team in the division in these respects, while these are the only aspects of the game of hockey that Columbus is remotely good at. Tonight, the Blue Jackets game of hit/block shots/win battles/compete defeated the Devils game of out-skate them/make stretch passes leading to odd-man rushes/score highlight reel goals.

Now, by no means am I saying the Devils need to stop being good at what they are good at. I'm right there calling anyone crazy who dismisses Hughes or puts up cockamamie trade scenarios shipping out Hischier or Bratt. I'm just saying when it comes to building up the ancillary forwards, more perimeter guys like Tatar, Johnsson and Zacha would be better off replaced by more competitive, interior players and softer D like Smith (and, eventually, Severson) should be replaced by guys who can defend better. That's it. I'm not suggesting reinventing the wheel -- I'm just shining some light on the fact that the wheel existed long before hockey analytics came to the conclusion that, yes, it actually was a wheel.

Because ultimately, calling the Danforth hit on White boarding is giving up all accountability. Refereeing in NHL hockey is always a bit random and a bit of game management, and if you want to win in the playoffs where even fewer penalties are called? Bitching about the calls aren't going to help you. The fact was the hit led to the goal. The goal got Columbus back into the game. The Devils 3rd liners' dislike of being hit led to the second Columbus goal. And Severson's dislike of hitting led to the third goal, where Columbus got possession after... well, another big hit.

Physicality matters. Shot blocking matters. Winning battles down low matters. These are just a part of the game of hockey, but to say they do not matter at all diminishes the remainder of whatever your argument might be.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I still think Shara is propped up by Jack and is a redundant player once Holtz is here.Just no,room for him in the top 6 and he is not useful as a 3rd or 4th liner. I’m not saying he is junk. I’m saying there are better fits in the top 6 and Shara is not nearly effective as when he is stapled to Jack .

I don’t view him as redundant at all. His shot is extremely good — much better than almost everyone on the team. He plays well with Jack…he should keep playing with Jack.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I still think Shara is propped up by Jack and is a redundant player once Holtz is here.Just no,room for him in the top 6 and he is not useful as a 3rd or 4th liner. I’m not saying he is junk. I’m saying there are better fits in the top 6 and Shara is not nearly effective as when he is stapled to Jack .

Hughes is also improved by a finisher on his LW, and Sharangovich has shown that potential. I mean, you have to construct an imaginary roster with context. There are only two Tkachuks and they're both taken. Forsberg might not want to come to NJ. The Devils are not getting 4 new star wingers next year, even if Holtz comes in as one of them and produces right away. If Sharangovich has proven he can produce with Hughes? Then, that's fine with me. Keep him with Hughes, maybe he'll score 30 next year.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Well, I hope the Devils front office aren't skewing what actually happened in the game to support their preconceived notions instead of using actual information to improve areas of actual need.

"These things that just happen in a hockey game" are not being overwhelmingly outhit and out-shot-blocked and out-worked in one-on-one and down-low battles to such a degree that you still lose a game that was even in terms of goaltending and with your team absolutely dominant in terms of possession.

Better still, let's ask ourselves this. An extremely talented and skilled team just lost to an undermanned (missing their best D Werenski) team which is not even close in talent or skill to the team they beat. Why?

The answer is this: though being the more talented team will give you the opportunity to win every night, there are other factors which contribute to the result of a hockey game. One is goaltending -- and as we all know this is the greatest factor in the Devils being currently out of the playoff race. But another is physicality and interior play -- and the Devils are the very worst team in the division in these respects, while these are the only aspects of the game of hockey that Columbus is remotely good at. Tonight, the Blue Jackets game of hit/block shots/win battles/compete defeated the Devils game of out-skate them/make stretch passes leading to odd-man rushes/score highlight reel goals.

Now, by no means am I saying the Devils need to stop being good at what they are good at. I'm right there calling anyone crazy who dismisses Hughes or puts up cockamamie trade scenarios shipping out Hischier or Bratt. I'm just saying when it comes to building up the ancillary forwards, more perimeter guys like Tatar, Johnsson and Zacha would be better off replaced by more competitive, interior players and softer D like Smith (and, eventually, Severson) should be replaced by guys who can defend better. That's it. I'm not suggesting reinventing the wheel -- I'm just shining some light on the fact that the wheel existed long before hockey analytics came to the conclusion that, yes, it actually was a wheel.

Because ultimately, calling the Danforth hit on White boarding is giving up all accountability. Refereeing in NHL hockey is always a bit random and a bit of game management, and if you want to win in the playoffs where even fewer penalties are called? Bitching about the calls aren't going to help you. The fact was the hit led to the goal. The goal got Columbus back into the game. The Devils 3rd liners' dislike of being hit led to the second Columbus goal. And Severson's dislike of hitting led to the third goal, where Columbus got possession after... well, another big hit.

Physicality matters. Shot blocking matters. Winning battles down low matters. These are just a part of the game of hockey, but to say they do not matter at all diminishes the remainder of whatever your argument might be.

I want some more physical players too. We don’t have many right now. We’re the youngest team in the league. Fitz will find a guy.

There have been plenty of games over the last few years where a team imposes their will on us and our style of play gets crippled. That isn’t what happened tonight. They hit us a bunch yet we still created a fair amount. We were the ones getting the chances in tight.

This is a game that we’re going to win at least half the time. It just didn’t happen tonight, that’s hockey.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I want some more physical players too. We don’t have many right now. We’re the youngest team in the league. Fitz will find a guy.

There have been plenty of games over the last few years where a team imposes their will on us and our style of play gets crippled. That isn’t what happened tonight. They hit us a bunch yet we still created a fair amount. We were the ones getting the chances in tight.

This is a game that we’re going to win at least half the time. It just didn’t happen tonight, that’s hockey.

I honestly have no idea what this chart signifies. I'd be sincerely interested in learning.

I will say this is a game we lose an overwhelming majority of the time. Check the standings for affirmation. Replacing some of the more soft and ancillary players with more interior and physically adept players will go a long way to turning this unfortunate habit around. And, of course, goaltending (though that was certainly not at fault in tonight's particular loss).

I will say that, yes -- the Devils had the huge majority in chances tonight. The obvious stats to look at here are the shots on net -- 33 to 31 in favor of NJ -- and an even more overwhelming blocked shots -- where Columbus absolutely trounced NJ 24 to 6. Again, shot-blocking is an extremely important aspect of winning hockey. Again, I don't want Hughes and Bratt diving to block shots, but when our entire blueline combined has as many blocked shots as Andrew Peeke on Jack Hughes alone, I think we can all agree it's something of a red flag.

But ultimately, we obliterated CLB in shot attempts 57 to 37. And still lost. And this game is far from an isolated incident, so the Devils management simply needs to learn from it so that next years Devils are more competitive in these types of games.

 

[Eggtimer]

I just feel that you could trade or sign or acquire a player that can produce close to what Shara can PLUS play a heavier game. If Holtz plays good enough to warrant a top 6 spot next season , where does he slot into the roster? I don’t want him Centered by mediocre talent. I’d want him with Hughes ideally. Then that line composition is not great either . Holtz “should” eventually out score Shara but I don’t see Holtz as an interior player either so at least one player that can play an interior game would be perfect. I think a line of (Player X - interior player)Hughes Holtz would be better than Shara Hughes ( player X interior player) . Holtz is the trigger man . Need a interior guy then to go with them. If you slot in Mercer on Hughes line with Shara , then where does Holtz go? I’d want Holtz with Nico and Bratt then , not on the third line . But then is that Nico Bratt Holtz line balanced enough then ? I just feel that Shara is one of the players that could be moved fans a different style player brought in to take his spot.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I just feel that you could trade or sign or acquire a player that can produce close to what Shara can PLUS play a heavier game. If Holtz plays good enough to warrant a top 6 spot next season , where does he slot into the roster? I don’t want him Centered by mediocre talent. I’d want him with Hughes ideally. Then that line composition is not great either . Holtz “should” eventually out score Shara but I don’t see Holtz as an interior player either so at least one player that can play an interior game would be perfect. I think a line of (Player X - interior player)Hughes Holtz would be better than Shara Hughes ( player X interior player) . Holtz is the trigger man . Need a interior guy then to go with them. If you slot in Mercer on Hughes line with Shara , then where does Holtz go? I’d want Holtz with Nico and Bratt then , not on the third line . But then is that Nico Bratt Holtz line balanced enough then ? I just feel that Shara is one of the players that could be moved fans a different style player brought in to take his spot.

I'm going to say as a guy who loves your enthusiasm and a guy who enjoys your posts that it's probably for the best to spend so much time calling to trade a guy like Sharangovich when the Devils have so many more pressing issues. Sharangovich is scoring at well beyond his pay scale, and he has 30 goal upside at reasonable cost. If, in two years, Sharangovich hasn't broken the 25-goal plateau? Sure, we can revisit this then. But right now, discussing why Sharangovich might need to go is really counterproductive to solving the Devils actual areas of needed improvement.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I honestly have no idea what this chart signifies. I'd be sincerely interested in learning.

I will say this is a game we lose an overwhelming majority of the time. Check the standings for affirmation. Replacing some of the more soft and ancillary players with more interior and physically adept players will go a long way to turning this unfortunate habit around. And, of course, goaltending (though that was certainly not at fault in tonight's particular loss).

I will say that, yes -- the Devils had the huge majority in chances tonight. The obvious stats to look at here are the shots on net -- 33 to 31 in favor of NJ -- and an even more overwhelming blocked shots -- where Columbus absolutely trounced NJ 24 to 6. Again, shot-blocking is an extremely important aspect of winning hockey. Again, I don't want Hughes and Bratt diving to block shots, but when our entire blueline combined has as many blocked shots as Andrew Peeke on Jack Hughes alone, I think we can all agree it's something of a red flag.

But ultimately, we obliterated CLB in shot attempts 57 to 37. And still lost. And this game is far from an isolated incident, so the Devils management simply needs to learn from it so that next years Devils are more competitive in these types of games.

The standings are the way they are because our goalies don’t make saves. Daws wasn’t bad tonight, he was just meh. This godforsaken year this is clearly not one of the bad goaltended games with the dogshit we’ve gotten.

The chart is just a heat map of where shot attempts are taken from. You wouldn’t expect a team that was pushed around, physically dominated, and thrown off their game to be taking way more shots in tight like that. Well yeah, I don’t think that’s what happened. We did our thing offensively for the most part and weren’t deterred by their rough play. A couple breakdowns and that’s the game.

 

[Devs3cups]

I just feel that you could trade or sign or acquire a player that can produce close to what Shara can PLUS play a heavier game. If Holtz plays good enough to warrant a top 6 spot next season , where does he slot into the roster? I don’t want him Centered by mediocre talent. I’d want him with Hughes ideally. Then that line composition is not great either . Holtz “should” eventually out score Shara but I don’t see Holtz as an interior player either so at least one player that can play an interior game would be perfect. I think a line of (Player X - interior player)Hughes Holtz would be better than Shara Hughes ( player X interior player) . Holtz is the trigger man . Need a interior guy then to go with them. If you slot in Mercer on Hughes line with Shara , then where does Holtz go? I’d want Holtz with Nico and Bratt then , not on the third line . But then is that Nico Bratt Holtz line balanced enough then ? I just feel that Shara is one of the players that could be moved fans a different style player brought in to take his spot.

Zacha is the odd man out in the top-6. Holtz fits in with Nico and Bratt. Bratt is a great playmaker, he’d fit nicely with Holtz, who is a shoot first player (with underrated playmaking abilities). Also, Holtz’s defensive game needs work from what we know, I’d be way more comfortable with him playing with a good two-way center, which Nico is, instead of Jack, who isn’t as defensively responsible.

A top-6 of, Rango-Hughes-Mercer, Holtz-Nico-Bratt is well balanced imo. Nico, Mercer and Holtz aren’t the grittiest of players, but they don’t mind going to the dirty areas as much and play with intensity and heart.