GDT: Canucks @ Devils - 7:30 PM - MSGSN

[HugeInTheShire]

McLeod at least add value by playing the PK and being one of the top faceoff guys in the league...at less than a third of the cost of Wood. I'm not too bothered by McLeod.

He drives me crazy just because I'll get excited thinking a Devil player is going to get a scoring chance and then see the number and cry

 

[Saugus]

McLeod at least add value by playing the PK and being one of the top faceoff guys in the league...at less than a third of the cost of Wood. I'm not too bothered by McLeod.

McLeod is mostly frustrating because of things he can't control, like Ruff playing him so goddamn much in unnecessary situations.

It worked out in this game, but that FOGO shit is ridiculous and half the time it backfires when McLeod is stuck out in 3 on 3 OT against the other team's top guys.

 

[HBK27]

McLeod is mostly frustrating because of things he can't control, like Ruff playing him so goddamn much in unnecessary situations.

It worked out in this game, but that FOGO shit is ridiculous and half the time it backfires when McLeod is stuck out in 3 on 3 OT against the other team's top guys.

If we don't have possession of the puck, McLeod is one of the guys I would want out there in OT - no sense in wasting one of our top guys playing defense if we lose the draw. McLeod also has the speed to keep up with guys defensively in OT.

There's a major drop in FOW% after our top 3:
McLeod (58.7%)
Haula (56.2%)
Hischier (53.6%)

Mercer (38.8%)

Possession is key in OT, so unless Nico is out there we damn well better have McLeod or Haula out for a draw.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Idk I have zero issue with McLeod taking the opening 3 on 3 faceoff when Nico doesn't start.

It's a legit important faceoff

 

[JK3]

McLeod has been fine, actually he's been pretty solid out there for most of the season, he's physical and can get the puck up ice fairly quick albeit very awkwardly. Too bad the dude has the hands of a German Shepherd wearing oven mitts though lol. He's perfectly fine though as a FOGO guy but I don't want to see him out there every other shift.

The problem I have is with Wood, poor guy is just a shell of himself. Seems to have lost a step, is not physical at all anymore, barely crashes the net and just makes the absolute worst decisions with the puck, he's been totally useless out there.

That line used to terrorize opponents, they used to be very fast and physical, just nasty to play against and could chip in with some goals. I don't know what the hell happened to them. I guess Wood's poor play doesn't help and Bastian has been very meh since he's come back.

 

[Triumph]

I suspect Bastian is still hurt and Wood is likely playing through something as well. Bastian probably needs surgery so that can't get fixed in season, but if whatever's wrong with Wood has a chance of being fixed, they need for him to sit. He just does not have the same speed, we saw it last night - he got the puck in the neutral zone in stride, normally a place where he can drive the net and get a shot off, maybe even beat the defender to the inside and get a real good scoring chance, but instead he ended up carrying the puck around the net and losing it, or maybe he got off a weak bad-angle shot before that happened.

 

[Devils731]

I suspect Bastian is still hurt and Wood is likely playing through something as well. Bastian probably needs surgery so that can't get fixed in season, but if whatever's wrong with Wood has a chance of being fixed, they need for him to sit. He just does not have the same speed, we saw it last night - he got the puck in the neutral zone in stride, normally a place where he can drive the net and get a shot off, maybe even beat the defender to the inside and get a real good scoring chance, but instead he ended up carrying the puck around the net and losing it, or maybe he got off a weak bad-angle shot before that happened.

But if you scratch Wood, how could replace what he brings to PP2?

 

[My3Sons]

McLeod is mostly frustrating because of things he can't control, like Ruff playing him so goddamn much in unnecessary situations.

It worked out in this game, but that FOGO shit is ridiculous and half the time it backfires when McLeod is stuck out in 3 on 3 OT against the other team's top guys.

Isn’t NJ 8-4 in OT this season?

 

[billingtons ghost]

Not many teams have an amazing collection of 6 defenseman where the worst one is better than Smith.

Not sure a cheap add will be an upgrade to Smith, particularly when have to take into account that they have to learn our weird system.

And it would have to be a very cheap upgrade to work capwise since we have accrued zero cap space by using LTIR.

And Smith annoys the crap out of me too.

^this.
And honestly Smith is better than about 80% of the defensemen we've played the last ten years and clearly is one of those guys who will go thru a wall come playoff time. We don't have many of those.

Did anyone notice Boeser good or bad? NJ is still allegedly linked to him in trade rumors. I didn’t notice him one way or the other but I wasn’t looking for him either.

Did nothing.

Remember when some folks thought we needed to trade for him?

 

[My3Sons]

^this.
And honestly Smith is better than about 80% of the defensemen we've played the last ten years and clearly is one of those guys who will go thru a wall come playoff time. We don't have many of those.


Did nothing.

Remember when some folks thought we needed to trade for him?

I don’t recall any NJ fans advocating for Boeser as opposed to begrudging acceptance is the acquisition cost is low and there is retention.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Bastian Wood and McLeod were all minus players last night. I’d also argue that the line that gave up two goals wasn’t actually a line.

As someone else pointed out, they were on the ice for Hamilton's "Ole!" on the first goal.

Was far more disconcerting watching the lack of detail up 4-1...

Seemed certain players were far more concerned with cheating to get hat tricks than doing things the right way.

 

[My3Sons]

As someone else pointed out, they were on the ice for Hamilton's "Ole!" on the first goal.

Was far more disconcerting watching the lack of detail up 4-1...

Seemed certain players were far more concerned with cheating to get hat tricks than doing things the right way.

Once they got up by three it seemed most of the team put it on cruise control to my eyes. I understand your criticism of how some players play defense but those players are offensively biased and will play defense with their feet and some smarts. They aren’t going to play physically on defense and you wouldn’t want them to play that way. On two goals Jack was stuck on a longer shift and ended up with Bratt and Palat. Jack was out of synch with them and it led to two goals . That said that’s not a line and Jack was probably tired having to play a long shift. No team is perfect and while your observations are not all wrong you have to accept a player’s limitations. Look at Jack’s defense in OT. It’s not as if he won’t skate back But why would you want him tangling with other team’s puck carriers? Same for Bratt. They would get beaten up and fatigued. I’d rather get a Haula replacement that can actually play with Hughes. If Yzerman cheaps out on Larkin I’d call his agent if NJ doesn’t add Meier. I think he’d fill the Haula role well and actually be good.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I don’t recall any NJ fans advocating for Boeser as opposed to begrudging acceptance is the acquisition cost is low and there is retention.

Last year and the year before there was a vocal Boeser contingent, that he was a legit target... this year his play pretty much put a nail in that coffin

 

[My3Sons]

Last year and the year before there was a vocal Boeser contingent, that he was a legit target... this year his play pretty much put a nail in that coffin

When the team was bad and he was still in that age range where you could maybe foresee some improvement I get it. He’s apparently broken down compared to his younger self having had some injuries. Wood is in the same boat looking slower as this season has worn on.

 

[billingtons ghost]

When the team was bad and he was still in that age range where you could maybe foresee some improvement I get it. He’s apparently broken down compared to his younger self having had some injuries. Wood is in the same boat looking slower as this season has worn on.

Wood on his slowest day dragging a cement block is faster than Boeser. Maybe it's the back with Brock but I was never impressed with his game.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

As someone else pointed out, they were on the ice for Hamilton's "Ole!" on the first goal.

Was far more disconcerting watching the lack of detail up 4-1...

Seemed certain players were far more concerned with cheating to get hat tricks than doing things the right way.

are we really going to clown Jack Hughes right now? Thats what we're doing?

You need to loosen your pants man. Good god. Have some f***ing fun.

 

[Saugus]

Reading back through the thread a bit, some folks didn't seem to like Mercer's game last night.

I thought he was pretty good, and I definitely noticed him positively on the forecheck when he was winning puck battles. Didn't create a lot of chances, but played with his usual motor and did the little things right, meaning he was contributing even when not on the scoresheet.

 

[MasterofGrond]

^this.
And honestly Smith is better than about 80% of the defensemen we've played the last ten years and clearly is one of those guys who will go thru a wall come playoff time. We don't have many of those.

Go through a wall to turn the puck over and then take a bad penalty to recover? Man, he's not killing your team as a 6D but dream bigger.

And if "better than most of the NJ D corps over the past 10 years" is the bar, just about any NHL caliber guy is good enough for you.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Go through a wall to turn the puck over and then take a bad penalty to recover? Man, he's not killing your team as a 6D but dream bigger.

And if "better than most of the NJ D corps over the past 10 years" is the bar, just about any NHL caliber guy is good enough for you.

My bigger dream is like Hughes if he is ready.

Not everyone needs be a stats possession puck moving darling though. Smith has been pretty effective at tamping down Severson fires and that's what we will need when Graves and Marino reunite.

 

[Devs3cups]

Reading back through the thread a bit, some folks didn't seem to like Mercer's game last night.

I thought he was pretty good, and I definitely noticed him positively on the forecheck when he was winning puck battles. Didn't create a lot of chances, but played with his usual motor and did the little things right, meaning he was contributing even when not on the scoresheet.

Another young player who has a lot of talent, could contribute but is given the very short end of the stick in regards to his linemates. I’m not expecting him to do much with Tatar and Haula.

He had a good streak going a little while before the break there and has a monster game against Carolina. Hopefully he gets rewarded eventually. I really like him.

 

[Oneiro]

I like that third line (Tatar-Haula-Mercer) on paper. I'd keep it going for a few more games unless they really get caved in. I liked Zetterlund next to Jack as well. He can play the Hodor to Jack's Bran.

But if Mercer is here for 7+ years, I think he's always going to jump up and down. He's that kind of glue guy.

 

[glenwo2]

Isn’t NJ 8-4 in OT this season?

I thought it was 8-3?

I remember prior to the win, I saw a graphic saying 7-3 for the Devils.

Maybe I remembered wrong?

 

[TBF1972]

Erica out on the ice in high heels is the true MVP

most vulnerable person?

Jack 2nd in goals and 4th in points.

are you looking in espn? they miss pastrnak for some odd reasons.

 

[TBF1972]

They need to learn to win in regulation because playoff OT don't have this juice.

it's just more complex to create those 4 vs 3 pp opportunities

 

[TBF1972]

You should copyright that

he is our next special teams coach.