GDT: Buffalo Sabres (5-8-2) vs. Your New Jersey Devils (6-5-2), 7 PM, MSG+

[HBK27]

Frustrating to see them lose again, but this may ultimately be the best thing for the franchise in the long-term.

The team could certainly use another top 10 pick in a defense-heavy top of the draft. We're also loading with vets on expiring contracts: Palms, Gusev, Zajac, Murray, Vantanen, Kulikov, Dell. They don't all have to go (especially Murray), but getting some picks/prospects back that could be part of the future or used as capital for immediate help in the next 2-3 years when this team is competitive could go a long way. Just sucks we don't own Vancouver's 1st rounder this year.

 

[Billdo]

but I feel the response to these "meaningless goals" would have been way more positive had Nico, Bratt, Hughes or Smith been on the scoresheet instead of the top most hated Gusev, PK and Zacha.

Of course it would've. Had it been the first group it would've been "got the monkey off his back" "getting on the scoresheet will help confidence" etc. However since it was from Goose it was a meaningless goal that only inflates his meaningless stats.

 

[FinnishDevil]

I feel like the loss was deserved tonight, Buffalo hit bunch of posts and had the chance to run away with the game in the 2nd. I feel like we're honestly not generating much offense compared to earlier in the season. I know we made Ullmark work for his almost-shutout, but I dont think there were too many great chances we generated that he wouldve had to save. Especially 5on5. Many of our shots were low danger chances, point shots that resulted in easy saves. Ullmark played good nonetheless.

I feel for Gusev. Judging simply by eye test, I have respect for him. To me it seems like he is working a lot, its not like he would be coasting around and just waiting for points here and there, there were times he was the first man back on D, but he just cant seem to put it together. I feel like offense died quite a few times when he got the puck on his stick. His decisions are not fast, he's not using his strengths effective, that being his game sense and both of his goals have been in meaningless situations. I cant see him extending here even if he were to get on a hot streak, but I hope and think he can carve out an NHL career for himself if he so wants to.

Vatanen has been very meh. To me it seems like he's not doing much, he's just kinda there. He's not being the difference maker most of the time and I get that maybe he's not supposed to be, but his play has definitely not made me jump out of my seat. He's better than Tennyson, but other than that he has been underwhelming. Kulikov bailed him out in the first period, what a great hustle by him to get back. Maybe Vats gets going eventually.

Nico seems not only rusty, but I bet there is some sort of added pressure to perform after he was handed the C. I didnt and still dont expect him to be great right out of the gate, I want to give him atleast 10 games before I start to judge his play, he did just come back from injury to a new system and coach and obviously had a long break off of hockey before that. I'm happy with the captaincy choice, but I hope it doesnt weight him down too much and he pots in a couple points very soon to ease him a little bit.

Bratt.. Bratt is good. I dont think I've ever seen a better player in a Devils jersey in terms of his edge work. He did the Parayko-burn move again, it was so goddamn effortless! Just the amount he can do with his edgework in the corners, in very tight spaces, makes me love this guy so much. He is such a treat to much. Here's hoping that his good play results more in the scoreboard too. He's been good the time he's been back, but there is probably that sense of believe that he could definitely have more points by now. Still, positive in my eyes.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I feel like the loss was deserved tonight, Buffalo hit bunch of posts and had the chance to run away with the game in the 2nd. I feel like we're honestly not generating much offense compared to earlier in the season. I know we made Ullmark work for his almost-shutout, but I dont think there were too many great chances we generated that he wouldve had to save. Especially 5on5. Many of our shots were low danger chances, point shots that resulted in easy saves. Ullmark played good nonetheless.

This

 

[Triumph]

I’m not a Nas fan at all but it’s hard to blame him for the PK when they’ve had good PK’s under him before, lost a lot of the players on said PK’s, had next to no camp and are never going to get practice time to rectify things.

That said it’s SO bad I wouldn’t say firing him is completely off the table. This isn’t just bad, this is historically awful.

Okay, you fire him. You now have to hire a midseason replacement who will get exactly 0 practice time with the team.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We need to replace Goose next season with a proper finisher.

 

[FooteBahl]

We need to replace Goose next season with a proper finisher.

Hopefully his name is Alexander Holtz, but that’s a lot of pressure to put on the kid. Who knows what league finances will look like due to covid, but hopefully we can jump on some bargain basement deals.

 

[Edmonton East]

Firing an assistant mid-season without removing the rest of the coaching staff is something that happens like once a season, it's bush-league stuff. Nasreddine has been here for 5+ years and the PK has been anywhere from average to great, he didn't just forget how to coach.

Having a PK at 59% 14 games into the season is bush league.

I actually agree with the bottom point, which again, reinforces Ruff having HORRENDOUS pks for a decade now. But if Nas (assuming you are right, and he runs PK) doesn't have the balls to disagree with Ruff or can't get him to listen, then he needs to go. No use in having a pylon on the staff. If Ruff is just a neanderthal and won't listen to anyone regardless, then the org has an even bigger problem.

 

[My3Sons]

We need to replace Goose next season with a proper finisher.

Normally, I'd say that Fitz isn't likely to sign a blocking player, but with so much coming off the cap this offseason for the team, they may have to sign a relatively high profile UFA to get to the floor. If that doesn't happen, you've got young guys sitting around on the sidelines who have to play. They don't look to be finishers but If Sharangovich, Maltsev and one of the other kids (Kuokkanen?) can get it together similar to Wood McLeod and Bastian, that's a solid line. Between Johnsson Hughes and maybe an extended Palms and Zacha Nico and Bratt you just don't need Gusev back or really a direct replacement for him.

 

[Triumph]

Having a PK at 59% 14 games into the season is bush league.

I actually agree with the bottom point, which again, reinforces Ruff having HORRENDOUS pks for a decade now. But if Nas (assuming you are right, and he runs PK) doesn't have the balls to disagree with Ruff or can't get him to listen, then he needs to go. No use in having a pylon on the staff. If Ruff is just a neanderthal and won't listen to anyone regardless, then the org has an even bigger problem.

How are you going to hire anyone competent who can do anything given the circumstances of the season? There's not going to be another practice. Who would take this job and why would they take it? In addition, how would it fix things if Ruff is actually running the PK? It's just doing something to do something and then calling it progress.

 

[glenwo2]

but I feel the response to these "meaningless goals" would have been way more positive had Nico, Bratt, Hughes or Smith been on the scoresheet instead of the top most hated Gusev, PK and Zacha.

Of course it would've. Had it been the first group it would've been "got the monkey off his back" "getting on the scoresheet will help confidence" etc. However since it was from Goose it was a meaningless goal that only inflates his meaningless stats.

OR perhaps if the Devils *WON* the f'n game, Goose's "meaningless goal" wouldn't be viewed as meaningless.

If the game ended as a 4-1 DEVILS victory, we'd be happy for Goose and his scoring to add to the lead.

But as it is, we had 2 games in a row now where Goose scored with the goalie pulled while the Devils were down by multiple goals late(ensuring NO Win that night) so excuse us if we're not at all enthused by Garbage Time goals.



If the Devils win the next game and Goose contributes with another Goal THAT MATTERS, then we'll toss up the confetti.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Ironically, people jumping on Nico’s return, when you can easily say Vats’ return has been much worse.

I feel like the staff did this team a disservice. Those two (Nico/Vats) look like they needed some time. Nico can be electric but he looks slow and mundane. (Not his fault) Why give Dell a stint with Bing and not them? Additionally, they have a bunch of coaches, if you don’t want to send them down have a skills camp with the taxi squad. They have to get practices in somehow.

Vats and Zajac's returns have not gone well. Nico is getting back into game shape and he hasn't been the detriment the other two have.

I still think the team losing its edge has hurt even more though. They stopped playing their game and started playing a game that avoids penalties.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Maltsev and Merkley were playing well. We were beating teams by rolling 4 lines at them with younger legs. But we match up better against the Rags and Boston than we do against Washington and Buffalo.

 

[My3Sons]

Vats and Zajac's returns have not gone well. Nico is getting back into game shape and he hasn't been the detriment the other two have.

I still think the team losing its edge has hurt even more though. They stopped playing their game and started playing a game that avoids penalties.

Presumably this is where the "collaborative" approach will have to work and if in fact it is structural and not just young players out of sync, maybe someone who is a hall of fame goalie can "collaborate" with the head coach and tell him to get his head out of his derriere and listen to a more modern method of structuring a PK. This just shouldn't be that hard. Bad players are competent penalty killers all the time. No reason talented and fast young players and smart veteran defenders with a good goalie shouldn't be a decent PK unit.

 

[Billdo]

OR perhaps if the Devils *WON* the f'n game, Goose's "meaningless goal" wouldn't be viewed as meaningless.

If the game ended as a 4-1 DEVILS victory, we'd be happy for Goose and his scoring to add to the lead.

But as it is, we had 2 games in a row now where Goose scored with the goalie pulled while the Devils were down by multiple goals late(ensuring NO Win that night) so excuse us if we're not at all enthused by Garbage Time goals.



If the Devils win the next game and Goose contributes with another Goal THAT MATTERS, then we'll toss up the confetti.

I don't think it's about being enthused by a goal. Gusev hasn't done much. Maybe these "meaningless" goals give him a spark. At the very least they're not some negative thing like a lot of posts seemed to indicate.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't think it's about being enthused by a goal. Gusev hasn't done much. Maybe these "meaningless" goals give him a spark. At the very least they're not some negative thing like a lot of posts seemed to indicate.

Well of course it's better to score a goal than not.

That, I agree with you on.

It's just so damn frustrating these past several games that the Devils were only able to score goals when the game was well out of reach and it just so happened that Goose is the attractive Scapegoat here with his two garbage-time goals.

I do hope, though, that Goose starts scoring early in the game when the result is in doubt.

This team needs all the help it can get.

 

[Billdo]

Well of course it's better to score a goal than not.

That, I agree with you on.

It's just so damn frustrating these past several games that the Devils were only able to score goals when the game was well out of reach and it just so happened that Goose is the attractive Scapegoat here with his two garbage-time goals.

I do hope, though, that Goose starts scoring early in the game when the result is in doubt.

This team needs all the help it can get.

One thing is for sure, this board was a lot less annoying when we were winning games. The bi-polar ways of this page is a psychologists wet dream.

 

[njdevils1982]

This is what they tend to play at sporting events (edm):



This is techno:



I'm obviously not saying you have to enjoy either, but there is a difference.

fair enough, go devils