GDT: Blue Jackets @ Devils 1pm MSG+

[Jets012]

I'm just saying I've noticed him out there in just about every favorable offensive zone face off. Obviously with Moore, those two are our best weapons offensively so it's understandable. Obviously there aren't many stats to back it up, but it seems like every icing situation he's out there for the next face-off which has to be favorable to boosting his numbers even if those stats disregard the first 10 seconds.

Sure Hynes has been using him in more favorable situations the last 5-10 games, but that shouldn't be used as a rationale for his high CF% as everyone's said. There's long pieces done in the advanced stats community that Zone Starts actually have next to zero impact on CF% and Severson was consistently at the top of our team as well even when he was playing 20+ minutes with Greene against top opponents lines. He's just really really good and when this team as a collective hole gets better, he'll start looking better by the eye test.



Anyways....another thing that's been going unnoticed is how great Blandisi has been possession wise. I think we can all agree we need more centers that can drive lines possession wise. He's a 51.5 CF% relative to zone starts on the year which is third on the team (behind Hall/Bennett). Now he has played a ton of time with Bennett and that obviously helps, but his numbers are even average when he's away from DSP. But when you factor in Blandisi has scored at a solid rate, this has to be the most encouraging thing to have happened during this losing streak. He's becoming a legitimate third liner for us. If the points ever continue to develop, this guy could even be a 2nd liner.

By the way how bad is Lovejoy. Blandisi's stats with or without him on the ice:

Blandisi With Lovejoy: 44.3 CF%, 62 minutes on 5 on 5
Blandisi Without Lovejoy: 55.2 CF%, 120 minutes on 5 on 5

That's a massive difference.

 

[Scorcho]

Maybe it's time you take a break from HF until the season is over if all you're going to do is complain?

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

I hope you are in the minority, fans like that are reasons why franchises eventually get relocated if they cannot find success on the ice for a while. So I will indeed judge it. Also the logic is not there. If you want to be better then you should embrace the total rebuild because that is how we are going to get better again. You do not embrace it at all, you complain and do not even watch the games anymore and do not care if our kids play great even though the team lost. So why bother even coming here just to complain and poke at the fans who actually WATCHED the game and saw a well played game by the kids yesterday? Rubbish.

To be honest, I doubt I'm in the minority. Devils had to give out a lot of free tickets this year to try to fill their arena (and I know because I've seen them hand them out where I work--free tickets to random employees).

Teams relocate because fans don't want to watch bad teams get bad results year in and year out. They have better uses for their time and money. The blame for this is not on the fans, but rather on the team for trying to sell a substandard product. That is how capitalism works.

This year, I am fine with losing, since the season for all intents and purposes is over, but next year, I would hope not to have to write off yet. I would hope for some improvement, not for another league basement finish.

If we make tangible improvements, my support for the team will rise. If we get more vague promises about brighter future with no improvements in present, hard to justify paying money to see the Devils when I could support other sports that I like (with teams that actually have success) or the performing arts. I only have so much time and money to spend on entertainment and a team that can't provide much entertainment does indeed start to play second fiddle or third fiddle when it comes to how my entertainment time and money gets budgeted.

My initial comment in this thread was meant to be a humorous (though mildly ironic) observation. I don't intend to mock any fans devotion to or interest in this team (or really any other team). I more wanted to lighten the mood a little bit, but that backfired. But my jokes are really all at the team's expense, not its long-suffering fans.

 

[Edmonton East]

I really don't think anyone gets influenced by Steve and Dano considering all the mocking they get here, and because everyone knows Dano is a huge homer. Advanced stats have a lot more sway with people here than anyone on the broadcast, that's where you see the disconnect between praising production and praising style points.

That's fair too, and another topic I've often argued against on here. For example, playing perimeter hockey with poor angle shots skews a certain stat some people like to refer to on here.

 

[217 Forever]

To be honest, I doubt I'm in the minority. Devils had to give out a lot of free tickets this year to try to fill their arena (and I know because I've seen them hand them out where I work--free tickets to random employees).

Teams relocate because fans don't want to watch bad teams get bad results year in and year out. They have better uses for their time and money. The blame for this is not on the fans, but rather on the team for trying to sell a substandard product. That is how capitalism works.

This year, I am fine with losing, since the season for all intents and purposes is over, but next year, I would hope not to have to write off yet. I would hope for some improvement, not for another league basement finish.

If we make tangible improvements, my support for the team will rise. If we get more vague promises about brighter future with no improvements in present, hard to justify paying money to see the Devils when I could support other sports that I like (with teams that actually have success) or the performing arts. I only have so much time and money to spend on entertainment and a team that can't provide much entertainment does indeed start to play second fiddle or third fiddle when it comes to how my entertainment time and money gets budgeted.

My initial comment in this thread was meant to be a humorous (though mildly ironic) observation. I don't intend to mock any fans devotion to or interest in this team (or really any other team). I more wanted to lighten the mood a little bit, but that backfired. But my jokes are really all at the team's expense, not its long-suffering fans.

Three years ago we had 78 points. 84 last year, and will have somewhere in the 70's this year. But hey we do have a couple of young guys who are great at driving possession, and an owner who (allegedly) will spend money "when the time is right". I can't wait to spend what little discretionary income that I have on our games though, as do you I'm sure.

 

[Edmonton East]

Three years ago we had 78 points. 84 last year, and will have somewhere in the 70's this year. But hey we do have a couple of young guys who are great at driving possession, and an owner who (allegedly) will spend money "when the time is right". I can't wait to spend what little discretionary income that I have on our games though, as do you I'm sure.

I may be mistaken, but weren't both of you anti-tank when I was suggesting it around here back then (3 years ago)?

Reason being, the only way the roster from 3 years ago was going to become a decent playoff team in such a short time would be by tanking and getting lucky.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Three years ago we had 78 points. 84 last year, and will have somewhere in the 70's this year. But hey we do have a couple of young guys who are great at driving possession, and an owner who (allegedly) will spend money "when the time is right". I can't wait to spend what little discretionary income that I have on our games though, as do you I'm sure.

Congrats, only been two years of a rebuild. If you and FJG had it your way we would still be the oldest team in the league with zero prospects, zero draft picks and signing old veteran stop gaps in hopes to make the 8th seed.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Three years ago we had 78 points. 84 last year, and will have somewhere in the 70's this year. But hey we do have a couple of young guys who are great at driving possession, and an owner who (allegedly) will spend money "when the time is right". I can't wait to spend what little discretionary income that I have on our games though, as do you I'm sure.

Just like our owner, I will spend money when the time is right.

 

[217 Forever]

I may be mistaken, but weren't both of you anti-tank when I was suggesting it around here back then (3 years ago)?

Reason being, the only way the roster from 3 years ago was going to become a decent playoff team in such a short time would be by tanking and getting lucky.

You are not. I'm not a big fan of tanking because I don't think it's necessary. I think you can both rebuild and make short-term improvements at the same time (gasp!). I'd prefer to make a few moves each off-season that at least provides hope for the current season since IMO a team owes that much to its fans. I will say however that the "anti-tank" attitude really only goes as far as you are in a legitimate playoff race. Like basically everyone else says though, winning games at this point would be counter-productive.

 

[Zippy316]

You are not. I'm not a big fan of tanking because I don't think it's necessary. I think you can both rebuild and make short-term improvements at the same time (gasp!). I'd prefer to make a few moves each off-season that at least provides hope for the current season since IMO a team owes that much to its fans. I will say however that the "anti-tank" attitude really only goes as far as you are in a legitimate playoff race. Like basically everyone else says though, winning games at this point would be counter-productive.

Devils are trying to do what you're saying, but when you're a team that doesn't attract the high-end players or young kids like a Rangers or Blackhawks, you need to build through the draft. Shero's being frugal with the team asset wise because we need to compile assets so we have a position of strength. If we end up with tons of picks/prospects, we would be able to trade those picks or prospects or better yet cash in on trading an NHL player that becomes expendable.

In all honesty, there wasn't really anything the Devils could've done the last two off-seasons that would've made much sense on top of what they did. Committing term and salary the last two off-seasons to a guy in his late 20s would've likely been a mistake.

Devils are finally entering the time when short term improvements (that don't handicap the team long-term) make sense.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Must be sad to sink so low to be proud of your decreasing interest in the Devils.

 

[Baemon Severson*]

Are the people whining about "the lack of spending" forgetting about Mike Cammalleri; with respect to the contract the owners gave him and his decline.