GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (4-7-4) @ Vancouver Canucks (9-5-3), 4 PM, MSG+

[PKs Broken Stick]

The timing was weird, but the results were fine. If the results stop being fine, then it's a bad move. People get so ****ing obsessed with player's ice times around here. Guess what, every coach in the league tries different combinations during a game. Even when they're winning. Personally I thought the move balanced out the bottom two lines a little more. Zacha provided some skill to the fourth line, and given how often they struggle to get the puck out, I'm okay with that. I trust the 4th line with Zacha more than I do the 4th line with Wood. And I don't think the Nico line looked significantly worse with Wood than Zacha. In fact Wood looked better than he has in a long time. Do I want to see those lines as regular lines? Probably not. But I doubt they will be anyway.

The reason it's such a big deal is because this isn't the first time this has happened. In the very first game of the season....Hynes switches up the lines for no damn reason at all. No, it didn't directly cause the loss but it was unnecessary. Then when they're losing, Hynes refuses to adjust anything at all. It has nothing to do with ice times.

Another reason why it's such a big deal for me personally, is because a player that plays the way Hynes likes it (dumb and unstructured) gets rewarded and someone who is actually a better player always gets the shaft. It's really annoying.

 

[devilsblood]

Even Zacha may be tuning him out

Zacha's effort level has been an issue since his rookie year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

His effort level has not been an issue this year.

 

[glenwo2]

Nico had 0 shots on goal. Bratt had 1 which was the goal. Wood did nothing to help that line create.

Interesting way to get Pav producing and be a dominant player, playing him with Rooney who has zero ability to score or create offense. Real confidence booster.

Hynes just has to make changes. He thinks he actually knows what he is doing. Zacha-Hischier-Bratt has been really good together in the time they played together. Leave them together and let them play. Apparently Pav can’t have a bad period but others guys can contribute nothing and keep getting rolled out there.

And that goal occured while the Zacha - Nico - Bratt line was STILL INTACT!!

After that line was split up, NOBODY scored ever again tonight.

 

[devilsblood]

Nico had 0 shots on goal. Bratt had 1 which was the goal. Wood did nothing to help that line create.

Interesting way to get Pav producing and be a dominant player, playing him with Rooney who has zero ability to score or create offense. Real confidence booster.

Hynes just has to make changes. He thinks he actually knows what he is doing. Zacha-Hischier-Bratt has been really good together in the time they played together. Leave them together and let them play. Apparently Pav can’t have a bad period but others guys can contribute nothing and keep getting rolled out there.

So Bratt missing the net was Wood's fault?

 

[devilsblood]

And that goal occured while the Zacha - Nico - Bratt line was STILL INTACT!!

After that line was split up, NOBODY scored ever again tonight.

We did have a million ops.

We also won the game.

 

[devilsblood]

His effort level has not been an issue this year.

I disagree.

I get it, he's producing better. But there is still more there. Unless you disagree that he could be a dominant player. I think he could be.

 

[devilsblood]

The reason it's such a big deal is because this isn't the first time this has happened. In the very first game of the season....Hynes switches up the lines for no damn reason at all. No, it didn't directly cause the loss but it was unnecessary. Then when they're losing, Hynes refuses to adjust anything at all. It has nothing to do with ice times.

Another reason why it's such a big deal for me personally, is because a player that plays the way Hynes likes it (dumb and unstructured) gets rewarded and someone who is actually a better player always gets the shaft. It's really annoying.

Hynes doesn't switch lines up when we are losing? Are you sure about that?

 

[Cheddabombs]

Wood did set Bratt up on the far side with which Bratt missed the net. He's been very good of late, and he was again very good today.

I also agree with Hynes that Zacha's effort level has not been where it needs to be. He'd be a dominant player if he played a harder game. Hynes is trying to get that out of Zacha.

I agree he can be. That doesn't mean the strides he's made so far this year, and they have been objectively large strides that's not just me saying that as a massive Zacha fan, should be diminished. He's not going to go from 25 points to a point per game player in one season. Take what he's done so far as it goes, giving him reinforcement that he's doing a good job but he can be better. Not f***ing demote him for no reason not even 20 minutes into a game.

And you know what I wouldn't have such an issue with it if this was how he treated everyone. Where the f*** has Palmieri's demotion been? Want to talk about effort level, the guy hasn't given any of that most of the season yet he's still strapped right next to Hall.

 

[devilsblood]

The Wood-Hischier-Bratt line finished with 37.5CF% Lol. But dumb **** Hynes thinks they were better than the Zacha line. I’m so tired of this ****ing idiot.

Zacha-Hischier-Bratt just broke even

Splits are important here given the push Vancouver made late in the game.

 

[mtnet]

I agree he can be. That doesn't mean the strides he's made so far this year, and they have been objectively large strides that's not just me saying that as a massive Zacha fan, should be diminished. He's not going to go from 25 points to a point per game player in one season. Take what he's done so far as it goes, giving him reinforcement that he's doing a good job but he can be better. Not ****ing demote him for no reason not even 20 minutes into a game.

And you know what I wouldn't have such an issue with it if this was how he treated everyone. Where the **** has Palmieri's demotion been? Want to talk about effort level, the guy hasn't given any of that most of the season yet he's still strapped right next to Hall.

 

[glenwo2]

We did have a million ops.

We also won the game.

As Doc Emrick says "They don't ask HOW. They ask HOW MANY."

Devils got 2 goals with the lines set up the way they were in the beginning of the game.

It's no coincidence that once those lines were split up, there were no goals scored the rest of this game.

You can say they had many ops but splitting up a line that just scored a goal is DOWNRIGHT STUPID!!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Unless you disagree that he could be a dominant player. I think he could be.

Disagree!

 

[devilsblood]

Disagree!

Knock it off, I'm trying to paint him into a corner.

 

[devilsblood]

As Doc Emrick says "They don't ask HOW. They ask HOW MANY."

Devils got 2 goals with the lines set up the way they were in the beginning of the game.

It's no coincidence that once those lines were split up, there were no goals scored the rest of this game.

You can say they had many ops but splitting up a line that just scored a goal is DOWNRIGHT STUPID!!

So Hall missed on those breakaways because Hynes switched the lines up?

 

[Tretyak 20]

Didn't watch the game. They won? Must have been an accident.

 

[devilsblood]

Didn't watch the game. They won? Must have been an accident.

Team played well, and Blackwood played excellent. Not sure, but I figure he was first star.

 

[glenwo2]

So Hall missed on those breakaways because Hynes switched the lines up?

So Hall is the entire team now?

( and I was referring to the splitting up of Zacha - Nico - Bratt. Why you had to shove Hall's ass into this, I have no clue)

 

[devilsblood]

3-2 on the roadtrip is probably way better then expected

Take that every time.

 

[devilsblood]

So Hall is the entire team now?

( and I was referring to the splitting up of Zacha - Nico - Bratt. Why you had to shove Hall's ass into this, I have no clue)

You were noting how the team didn't score after the switch.

I thought that meant the team was up for discussion.

 

[glenwo2]

You were noting how the team didn't score after the switch.

I thought that meant the team was up for discussion.

Yeah that certainly sounded that way but my aim was more focused on the fact that Hynes split up Zacha - Nico - Bratt after that line produced a goal.

My belief is that had he kept that line together, I think the Devils may have mustered up at least one more goal.

 

[oxman44]

Hynes handling of Zacha has always frustrated me. He always talks about how he needs to be more consistent and productive but then constantly moves him around the lineup, changes his linemates and/or then sticks him on a line with whoever the most offensively struggling player on the team is at the time (Goose, Stafford, Boyle, Noeson, Bennett, Josefson etc.)

THAT being said... I do think the last few games Zacha has not looked the same, as the first 10 or so. Its seems to be the skating, his speed looks diminished and not moving and handling the puck as well on cutbacks along the walls. I think he's fighting through a nagging injury though, because especially today his speed looked bad, and he got caught from behind a couple times. Trying to think back, maybe it was in the winnipeg game? or carolina? I remember he took a wicked slapper off the inner leg then took another right in the grill later on. I think hes looked a bit off since then.

 

[MadDevil]

Hynes doesn't switch lines up when we are losing? Are you sure about that?

Over the years I've learned Hynes doesn't change lines when the line has an HF Devils whipping boy on it, but changes them too fast when they have a kid or somebody we like on it.

Personally, I think Hynes reads this board and just likes trolling us.

 

[njdevils1982]

Knock it off, I'm trying to paint him into a corner.

nobody puts baby in a corner!

 

[Emperoreddy]

Even in a win this team is a chore to watch.

If they went full pond hockey it would at least be entertaining.