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

[PKs Broken Stick]

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.

I'm perfectly fine with having that as a top 6, but they need to really upgrade 3rd line and defense then. The current d is soft af.

 

[StevenToddIves]

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.

Thanks for the info on the chart.

Many of the goals were the direct result of the Blue Jackets being physical and/or the Devils not being physical, however, regardless of the chart. Danforth's hit results in a goal. Tatar and Johnsson playing soft on the puck results in another Columbus goal. A hit by Columbus gets them possession which Laine scores on because Severson does not want to hit a vulnerable-but-bigger-than-him Laine. These things recur for the Devils... game after game after game. I've counted over 20 goals scored on the Devils with Smith on the ice where a crucial factor in the goal was Smith being physically dominated by an opposition player.

And then we have to also look at the courage and the physicality of Columbus' defensemen versus our own. Columbus blocked 24 shots. If the Devils had blocked 24 shots, the Blue Jackets would have only had 13 shots on net all night! Again, I offer you one of the most amazing stats I've seen all year -- the Devils defense had 5 blocked shots combined tonight, while Andrew Peeke personally blocked 4 shots by Jack Hughes alone. I mean, that's a pretty big indictment of the difference in our blueline mentalities. I never imagined I could miss Andy Greene so badly.

Ultimately, I think it's not helping anyone if we throw our hands up in the air and say well, it was anyone's game, we just didn't get the breaks tonight. Because to me, this game was a precise example of what the Devils need to fix to improve in the future. We have the high end skill core guys, let's build around them with players consisting of a few differing and complimentary skill sets.

 

[njdevils1982]

Thanks for the info on the chart.

Many of the goals were the direct result of the Blue Jackets being physical and/or the Devils not being physical, however, regardless of the chart. Danforth's hit results in a goal. Tatar and Johnsson playing soft on the puck results in another Columbus goal. A hit by Columbus gets them possession which Laine scores on because Severson does not want to hit a vulnerable-but-bigger-than-him Laine. These things recur for the Devils... game after game after game. I've counted over 20 goals scored on the Devils with Smith on the ice where a crucial factor in the goal was Smith being physically dominated by an opposition player.

And then we have to also look at the courage and the physicality of Columbus' defensemen versus our own. Columbus blocked 24 shots. If the Devils had blocked 24 shots, the Blue Jackets would have only had 13 shots on net all night! Again, I offer you one of the most amazing stats I've seen all year -- the Devils defense had 5 blocked shots combined tonight, while Andrew Peeke personally blocked 4 shots by Jack Hughes alone. I mean, that's a pretty big indictment of the difference in our blueline mentalities. I never imagined I could miss Andy Greene so badly.

Ultimately, I think it's not helping anyone if we throw our hands up in the air and say well, it was anyone's game, we just didn't get the breaks tonight. Because to me, this game was a precise example of what the Devils need to fix to improve in the future. We have the high end skill core guys, let's build around them with players consisting of a few differing and complimentary skill sets.

he hard stopped instead of laying the shoulder…….weak ass play

 

[DVision44]

I'm perfectly fine with having that as a top 6, but they need to really upgrade 3rd line and defense then. The current d is soft af.

Having a healthy Miles Wood would be nice.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

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.

Very difficult to do that for a $2 mil cap hit. Value contracts are key in the cap era and a player with a $2 mil cap hit that can put up 20 plus goals is valuable.

 

[Billdo]

Officiating aside this is one of those games where you just lost. Not because of bad goaltending, not because of huge defensive mistakes, not because of not enough offense. Sometimes a loss is just a loss. I don't think it was a bad game. I think we desperately need more from our bottom 6. I didn't even realize Tatar-Boqvist-Johnsson were even playing until late in the third. Just a loss, can't win them all.

 

[RangerDoggo]

All things considered, I will take an honorable loss with Daws playing two nights in a row than whatever fresh hell we would have seen with Gillies in net.

God those announcers were awful. Not a shred of enthusiasm between the two. Hextall is an obvious nepotism hire.

 

[Goptor]

Officiating aside this is one of those games where you just lost. Not because of bad goaltending, not because of huge defensive mistakes, not because of not enough offense. Sometimes a loss is just a loss. I don't think it was a bad game. I think we desperately need more from our bottom 6. I didn't even realize Tatar-Boqvist-Johnsson were even playing until late in the third. Just a loss, can't win them all.

They called the game like a playoff game. There is a reason Montreal and NY Isles have been going far in the playoffs but barely make them in the regular season.

The NHL has two different types of hockey depending upon how the officials want to call the game. You can't just build a team for one way and then give up and say its a loss when they want the game played differently.

 

[Blackjack]

Thanks for the info on the chart.

Many of the goals were the direct result of the Blue Jackets being physical and/or the Devils not being physical, however, regardless of the chart. Danforth's hit results in a goal. Tatar and Johnsson playing soft on the puck results in another Columbus goal. A hit by Columbus gets them possession which Laine scores on because Severson does not want to hit a vulnerable-but-bigger-than-him Laine. These things recur for the Devils... game after game after game. I've counted over 20 goals scored on the Devils with Smith on the ice where a crucial factor in the goal was Smith being physically dominated by an opposition player.

And then we have to also look at the courage and the physicality of Columbus' defensemen versus our own. Columbus blocked 24 shots. If the Devils had blocked 24 shots, the Blue Jackets would have only had 13 shots on net all night! Again, I offer you one of the most amazing stats I've seen all year -- the Devils defense had 5 blocked shots combined tonight, while Andrew Peeke personally blocked 4 shots by Jack Hughes alone. I mean, that's a pretty big indictment of the difference in our blueline mentalities. I never imagined I could miss Andy Greene so badly.

Ultimately, I think it's not helping anyone if we throw our hands up in the air and say well, it was anyone's game, we just didn't get the breaks tonight. Because to me, this game was a precise example of what the Devils need to fix to improve in the future. We have the high end skill core guys, let's build around them with players consisting of a few differing and complimentary skill sets.

I'm coming around to your way of thinking, but I think my reluctance on adding the size and physicality is the dismal track record we have of trying to add these guys in the recent past.

Zacha, Foote, Simmonds, and McLeod all worked out so poorly. Bastian is the only big, physical forward that we drafted or signed recently that I'm really happy with. But yeah, it's easy to see the problem when we play teams like Columbus or Washington.

 

[Camille the Eel]

well in looking for that elusive tying goal I certainly didn’t see us generating rebounds or getting in close to move the puck around the goal or get those second chances; nor did we often get the puck to the net in those situations even. That’s the game we should play better.

credit their defense and team defense however for that. They have been playing well lately.

Plus we got 2 goals down to them repeatedly and that’s not a good way to play anyone.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Subban was trying to get physical behind the net on goal #1 and left the front of the net abandoned for an easy cross-ice pass.

Goal #2 had nothing to do with physical play, it was just multiple bad passes and failed clears by Johnsson and Tatar who had time but couldn't get it done.

Goal #3 was a two man advantage. Hard to blame anyone/anything besides the guys who took the penalties.

Severson tried to get physical on Laine and ended up embarrassing himself on goal #4.

 

[Hisch13r]

lol

 

[OmNomNom]

lol

wow 3rd line got killed

 

[billingtons ghost]

I'm coming around to your way of thinking, but I think my reluctance on adding the size and physicality is the dismal track record we have of trying to add these guys in the recent past.

Zacha, Foote, Simmonds, and McLeod all worked out so poorly. Bastian is the only big, physical forward that we drafted or signed recently that I'm really happy with. But yeah, it's easy to see the problem when we play teams like Columbus or Washington.

See now... Worked out so poorly?
Simmonds was a goon plug, so let's ignore that.

Zacha: led team in points last year
McLeod: maybe only consistent player in his role the entire season. 4th liner yeah, but I remember him being drafted for his skating speed (why?) and two way play so it's hard to say that went poorly. Foote might be out third best prospect.

Miles Wood was the closest equivalent to Jesper Bratt as far as surprise and has been one of our most effective players for years...
I mean, surely draft position expectations are disappointing, but?

 

[billingtons ghost]

Subban was trying to get physical behind the net on goal #1 and left the front of the net abandoned for an easy cross-ice pass.

Goal #2 had nothing to do with physical play, it was just multiple bad passes and failed clears by Johnsson and Tatar who had time but couldn't get it done.

Goal #3 was a two man advantage. Hard to blame anyone/anything besides the guys who took the penalties.

Severson tried to get physical on Laine and ended up embarrassing himself on goal #4.

Didn't watch the game huh?

Colton white getting bug splattered was the direct cause of one goal. Severson hard stopping and avoiding Laine another. Just bc he's BAD at being physical doesn't make it ok.

Hughes was used as a bar mung rag much of the night by Peeke.


There was a five minute period where the BJ crowd cheered hit after hit after hit.

Their physicality reached playoff level and our inability to stay in our feet in strong gusts of wind made it such that the refs put away their whistles and the remainder of the game was an interference festival. We couldn't slog through it.

It was positively gross.

So, nice take.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

lol

Man, look how those big physical guys neutralized little Jack. He just couldn’t get anything going all night.

 

[Oneiro]

People are down on Foote, I'm assuming because of his speed and scoring wise in the AHL, but he started to pick up his pace in Utica. He hasn't played much the last two years but struck me as a heady player. I could see him being a good third line solution, ditto for Thompson and Stillman. I suspect he's smart enough to compensate for his lack of skating, wouldn't say that for most prospects. I'm possibly giving him too much credit based on his dad and brief stint.

I wonder if we'll dip into the group of forward prospects with trades soon. Starting to look crowded.

 

[My3Sons]

Didn't watch the game huh?

Colton white getting bug splattered was the direct cause of one goal. Severson hard stopping and avoiding Laine another. Just bc he's BAD at being physical doesn't make it ok.

Hughes was used as a bar mung rag much of the night by Peeke.


There was a five minute period where the BJ crowd cheered hit after hit after hit.

Their physicality reached playoff level and our inability to stay in our feet in strong gusts of wind made it such that the refs put away their whistles and the remainder of the game was an interference festival. We couldn't slog through it.

It was positively gross.

So, nice take.

It's probably good for NJ to have a game like that once in a while so they are reminded of what they are gearing up for, but the holding and interference is a bigger issue than one game. I cannot imagine that ESPN wants to sell a clutch and grab fest to the casual hockey fan or the non-hockey fan who may be just picking up the game. It's miserable to watch and takes away most of what is fun about the game. Hitting is fine but that is different from the obstruction stuff which has made an ugly return this year and is slowing the game down too much.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Subban was trying to get physical behind the net on goal #1 and left the front of the net abandoned for an easy cross-ice pass.

Goal #2 had nothing to do with physical play, it was just multiple bad passes and failed clears by Johnsson and Tatar who had time but couldn't get it done.

Goal #3 was a two man advantage. Hard to blame anyone/anything besides the guys who took the penalties.

Severson tried to get physical on Laine and ended up embarrassing himself on goal #4.

Subban and White were both thrown out of position directly because of the Danforth hit on White.

Goal #2 is murkier, but I feel Tatar and Johnsson both rushed their plays because they were being hit so much and they don't like being hit.

The Laine goal you couldn't be more wrong on, watch the replay. Severson literally ducked and crouched to avoid physical contact with Laine. And Columbus had possession because of yet another big Blue Jackets hit in the neutral zone.

Columbus literally won this game because they were more physical than the Devils, competed harder than the Devils and more courageous in shot-blocking (24 to 6!) than the Devils. The Blue Jackets were dominated in terms of skill and the shot attempts were almost 2 to 1 in favor of New Jersey, and this is not a game where we can blame goaltending. Columbus literally has one forward -- Laine -- who could crack the Devils top 6 in terms of skill, and they have 9 more wins in the same amount of games.

 

[StevenToddIves]

wow 3rd line got killed

We need a chart to know this?

 

[billingtons ghost]

It's probably good for NJ to have a game like that once in a while so they are reminded of what they are gearing up for, but the holding and interference is a bigger issue than one game. I cannot imagine that ESPN wants to sell a clutch and grab fest to the casual hockey fan or the non-hockey fan who may be just picking up the game. It's miserable to watch and takes away most of what is fun about the game. Hitting is fine but that is different from the obstruction stuff which has made an ugly return this year and is slowing the game down too much.

Yeah I agree. I think the refs are a bit old school in that they want our kids to fight through it.

Man, look how those big physical guys neutralized little Jack. He just couldn’t get anything going all night.

Do you have a breakdown by period, or do we just throw up a chart and bow to it as usual?

He was absolutely dominant in the first period with 3 shots, 2 more blocked and one goal. He got hit once.
He had 2 shots in the second, 2 blocked, and got hit twice in the 2nd. We went almost 10 minutes with 1 shot on goal.
He had 0 shots on goal in the third, 2 blocked and got hit twice.

He had a great expected goal number at the end of the day, but with 0 shots in the third, none of it happened in the third period.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Yeah I agree. I think the refs are a bit old school in that they want our kids to fight through it.


Do you have a breakdown by period, or do we just throw up a chart and bow to it as usual?

He was absolutely dominant in the first period with 3 shots, 2 more blocked and one goal. He got hit once.
He had 2 shots in the second, 2 blocked, and got hit twice in the 2nd. We went almost 10 minutes with 1 shot on goal.
He had 0 shots on goal in the third, 2 blocked and got hit twice.

He had a great expected goal number at the end of the day, but with 0 shots in the third, none of it happened in the third period.

Yeah, I didn’t watch every second of the game, I just posted a chart. He had a fine game, especially as a 20 year old on a back to back.

 

[My3Sons]

We need a chart to know this?

part of me thinks that if you got stable goaltending and replaced the third line en masse with interior players that hit and can skate and play solid defense even if the scoring is meh and got decent bottom pair options on defense, none of which should be difficult or expensive, with the exception of the goalie, I'd live with coming back with the top six and the fourth line assuming Wood can play and the top four on defense. Would it be great? No, but they could be a lot better than this season's team and maybe the team we were hoping for this season, or even a bit better.

 

[R8Devs]

Subban and White were both thrown out of position directly because of the Danforth hit on White.

Goal #2 is murkier, but I feel Tatar and Johnsson both rushed their plays because they were being hit so much and they don't like being hit.

The Laine goal you couldn't be more wrong on, watch the replay. Severson literally ducked and crouched to avoid physical contact with Laine. And Columbus had possession because of yet another big Blue Jackets hit in the neutral zone.

Columbus literally won this game because they were more physical than the Devils, competed harder than the Devils and more courageous in shot-blocking (24 to 6!) than the Devils. The Blue Jackets were dominated in terms of skill and the shot attempts were almost 2 to 1 in favor of New Jersey, and this is not a game where we can blame goaltending. Columbus literally has one forward -- Laine -- who could crack the Devils top 6 in terms of skill, and they have 9 more wins in the same amount of games.

I really don't think Severson was trying to avoid Laine there, he was trying to line him up for a hit and missed. This replay shows that pretty clearly

 

[My3Sons]

I really don't think Severson was trying to avoid Laine there, he was trying to line him up for a hit and missed. This replay shows that pretty clearly

That's what happens when the guy who doesn't really ever line up an open ice hit tries to line up an open ice hit. Laine showed more agility and awareness than he gets credit for and Severson showed one of his limitations as a defender.