GDT: 3/29/18 - Penguins @ Devils - Reel 'Em In Edition - 7PM MSG+

[Devils Dominion]

Mueller has been a beauty

Much better than LJ

 

[Colin226]

How was the atmosphere in the building?

I would say it was “anxious excitement.” The crowd was definitely going nuts for every goal and when players got into scuffles, and there were also some good LGD chants. But during play at times you could tell everyone was holding their breath. Fair amount of Penguins band wagoners as well..

 

[Bleedred]

I definitely believe this team makes the playoff. Once we get in two things worry me. One, with Zajac, Boyle and Maroon, we lose to much team speed. That’s why one of Boyle or Maroon should sit. Second, our defense is real weak along the boards in our zone and have problems getting the puck out, especially Greene and Moore. I’d like for them to give Santini a few games and if he looks good, sit Moore. A couple of tweaks and we could be dangerous going forward.

Maroon definitely shouldn’t sit. He’s been real good, outside of his lack of speed. He can make up for it in other areas. He won a couple big board battles last night. He’s really good in that role.

My biggest worry is Hynes deploying Greene and Vatanen out there every other shift when we have a lead or a tie. Mainly Greene is the worry, not Vatanen. If he coaches like that then our playoff stay is going to be a very short one.

 

[My3Sons]

Maroon definitely shouldn’t sit. He’s been real good, outside of his lack of speed. He can make up for it in other areas. He won a couple big board battles last night. He’s really good in that role.

My biggest worry is Hynes deploying Greene and Vatanen out there every other shift when we have a lead or a tie. Mainly Greene is the worry, not Vatanen. If he coaches like that then our playoff stay is going to be a very short one.

I don’t think either Butcher or Mueller are ready to be shutdown players yet. That leaves Moore or Sevs or Ben “Bobby Orr” Lovejoy to pair with Vats. It’s not like there are great choices at LD1. I agree Greene is old and breaking down but who is a better alternative? Pretty obvious what Shero’s offseason priority needs to be.

 

[VaxjoDevil]

That's not what happened.

Mueller was banking the puck off the wall to the Devils forward up ice (forget who it was), but the forward turned inward to center ice instead of going to the wall for Mueller's pass. It's the equivalent of the QB and WR not being on the same page and a slant got run when an out-pattern was expected.

I watched replay and yes, that is correct it was the play he tried to make. However, he is waiting too long and the player who curls from the boards at the blueline does so because he would have been offside on that play if he kept going forwards. It's still a bad play, you have free ice in front of you til the red line, you take it in that situation no matter what, no risky passes there.

It is a perfect example of what a "cute play" is.

That said, every player makes mistakes, I'm not trying to diminish Mueller.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I would say it was “anxious excitement.” The crowd was definitely going nuts for every goal and when players got into scuffles, and there were also some good LGD chants. But during play at times you could tell everyone was holding their breath. Fair amount of Penguins band wagoners as well..

Tues crowd was more juiced.

 

[VaxjoDevil]

Coleman mimicking the hot dog lover yapping is gif worthy.

 

[Bleedred]

I don’t think either Butcher or Mueller are ready to be shutdown players yet. That leaves Moore or Sevs or Ben “Bobby Orr” Lovejoy to pair with Vats. It’s not like there are great choices at LD1. I agree Greene is old and breaking down but who is a better alternative? Pretty obvious what Shero’s offseason priority needs to be.

Greene is one of the biggest problems with this team right now. Not so much his presence on the roster or in-game, as much as the fact that he’s still a 21 minute defenseman and going against top players, which he gets caved in while doing. Eye test has even been confirming it.

If we have to nurse him in this role the rest of the year, then do it. Can’t do it next year.

Mueller probably wouldn’t do a great job in that role, but I don’t think he’d be as bad as Greene. We’re at the point where Greene looks worse this year than Lovejoy did in that role last year. And he keeps getting worse the further we go into the season.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Coleman mimicking the hot dog lover yapping is gif worthy.

I wish I could find a video!

 

[njdevil26]

I wish I could find a video!

 

[MartyOwns]

the best part about this gif is I can actually hear the ‘ohm nom nom nom’ noises he’s making in my mind

 

[Better Call Sal]

You, sir, are a saint!

 

[My3Sons]

Greene is one of the biggest problems with this team right now. Not so much his presence on the roster or in-game, as much as the fact that he’s still a 21 minute defenseman and going against top players, which he gets caved in while doing. Eye test has even been confirming it.

If we have to nurse him in this role the rest of the year, then do it. Can’t do it next year.

Mueller probably wouldn’t do a great job in that role, but I don’t think he’d be as bad as Greene. We’re at the point where Greene looks worse this year than Lovejoy did in that role last year. And he keeps getting worse the further we go into the season.

My concern is that Greene is signed for an eternity and Lovejoy has another year and Mueller and Santini are already blocked. Unless something falls into Shero’s lap I could see them simply letting Moore go and bringing back the rest of the crew and using Mueller in place of Moore and Santini with Butcher and Lovejoy as the seventh guy.

As an aside, does any team have a bigger younger Greene who can hold it together defensively against top players? NJ doesn’t need a big name defender just someone that can do what Greene does but have a bit more mobility and be sturdier. Not sure who would even be a candidate to target in a trade. I’m guessing they think Mueller has that potential but maybe in two years he can get there.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

My concern is that Greene is signed for an eternity and Lovejoy has another year and Mueller and Santini are already blocked. Unless something falls into Shero’s lap I could see them simply letting Moore go and bringing back the rest of the crew and using Mueller in place of Moore and Santini with Butcher and Lovejoy as the seventh guy.

As an aside, does any team have a bigger younger Greene who can hold it together defensively against top players? NJ doesn’t need a big name defender just someone that can do what Greene does but have a bit more mobility and be sturdier. Not sure who would even be a candidate to target in a trade. I’m guessing they think Mueller has that potential but maybe in two years he can get there.

Marco Scandella would've been a get and a half for this organization, but I understand not wanting another "lock" in the lineup when the staff was clearly intent on giving guys like Mueller, Butcher, and Santini extended looks. Now that we have a better idea of what we have, we can make a Scandella type move.

I'll maintain Los Angeles should be high on Shero's list. They have a lot going on with their back end, made even more complicated with the Phaneuf acquisition. They have the obvious Muzzin/Martinez/Doughty group, but they've been easing in guys like Derek Forbort, whom they extended before camp this year and have been leaning on for 23+ minutes a night of late (often paired with Doughty). Kale Clague and Paul LaDue are sure to get looks as potential full-timers as soon as next year. There's just a lot going on there.

I don't think they'd move Forbort, and Muzzin is just too good to be expendable. I think Martinez is our guy.

 

[VaxjoDevil]

Am I the only one who wants Shero to keep Moore?

 

[OmNomNom]

i'm still blown away by how fast coleman moves his mouth

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Am I the only one who wants Shero to keep Moore?

Keeping Moore essentially means going into next season with the status quo on D.

That cannot happen.

 

[NJDevils17]

Am I the only one who wants Shero to keep Moore?

Yes

 

[NJDevils17]

Moore’s an okay 3rd pair guy. He’s the odd man out if we improve our left side.

 

[Bleedred]

Keeping Moore essentially means going into next season with the status quo on D.

That cannot happen.

Moore’s an okay 3rd pair guy. He’s the odd man out if we improve our left side.

That’s pretty much the thing for me. Moore is also easier to get rid of, as he’s a UFA.

Someone is gonna have to be a victim of the numbers game and an improvement in the D, and it probably should be him. How else can it happen? We’re not gonna buyout Greene, I don’t think he’s gonna forfeit two years salary and retire? Lovejoy should be the 7th or bought out as it is.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Greene is never ready for the opening shift.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I don’t think either Butcher or Mueller are ready to be shutdown players yet. That leaves Moore or Sevs or Ben “Bobby Orr” Lovejoy to pair with Vats.

Last night was the 2nd game in a row that Skeletor benched Severson for Mueller in the final few minutes of a close game, putting Mueller out with Moore.

 

[mtnet]

Greene is never ready for the opening shift.

I know, drives me nuts he's always out there and right off the bat we're pinned in with a dangerous chance against

 

[JimEIV]

Not sure really how anyone watched Mueller and Butcher last night and liked what they saw.

The pair was a disaster all night and that is with being hidden for large portions of game.... Butcher played 10 minutes and Mueller played 13:52 of 5v5 time last night and they were still a huge liability.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Not sure really how anyone watched Mueller and Butcher last night and liked what they saw.

The pair was a disaster all night and that is with being hidden for large portions of game.... Butcher played 10 minutes and Mueller played 13:52 of 5v5 time last night and they were still a huge liability.

Better than Lovejoy