GDT: Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils 3PM MSGSN

[Mgd31]

Yes Curtis Lazar is questionable for tomorrow’s game but what about Nico?

 

[njdevils1982]

nm

 

[Bleedred]

Ruff isn’t getting fired until we have a couple weeks like this with Nico and Timo back. Assuming nobody else important is injured in the meantime.

I’m kind of okay with that, because I don’t think they have a plan that isn’t worthless Travis Green or even more worthless Kevin Dineen.

But let’s not kid ourselves. The team wasn’t playing much better when healthy. Right from game one of the season, the 1st periods were a problem. Constantly getting outshot by double in the 1st period to teams like Arizona, Montreal, St Louis, Detroit and now Columbus.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

It feels worse because the only reason the Devils even have this record is the PP running at a historic rate so far this season.

At 5 on 5 they have the second worst scoring rate in the whole league.

Last year this team looked like it was a strong 5 on 5 team playing wide open, trade chance hockey. This year they look much less effective 5 on 5 in almost all facets of the game.

Last year we were great 5 on 5 with a decent powerplay and good penalty kill. This year alot changed for the worse minus the powerplay exploding early in the year. Couldn't really predict this.

 

[Guadana]

M-m-m-meh.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Ruff isn’t getting fired until we have a couple weeks like this with Nico and Timo back. Assuming nobody else important is injured in the meantime.

I’m kind of okay with that, because I don’t think they have a plan that isn’t worthless Travis Green or even more worthless Kevin Dineen.

But let’s not kid ourselves. The team wasn’t playing much better when healthy. Right from game one of the season, the 1st periods were a problem. Constantly getting outshot by double in the 1st period to teams like Arizona, Montreal, St Louis, Detroit and now Columbus.

They can get a pass for the first few games of the year. We thought it was a somewhat flukeish start to the year like many teams have but it never really got better. That's a sign that this ship is not going to turn around. Somehow the players did after game 3 last year vs the Ducks but we are almost at game 20 and it has gotten worse. That's usually the sign of a long season. We have seen this way to many times the last decade.

 

[NJDevs26]

The team is 8-9-1 and yet it somehow feels alot worse than that. Literally the only leverage Ruff has is that Jack misses a fee games and so did Nico. Yes Nico is missed but he isn't an elite player and certainly wasn't playing like one before he got hurt. The team was starting to win some games before the injury but still didn't really look too convincing in the process. Guys like Cassidy. Montgomery , Maurice came in and took teams to another level a bit. That's the kind of move we need to make instead of trading for some overpriced 3rd pairing defenseman. Lindy will still find a way to get Smith on the ice somehow.

Because they really are some miracle finishes and early Jack magic away from having a farrr worse record than even under NHL .500, this was the kind of 'concern trolling' that was handwaved away when we were winning those ridiculous games early but they haven't improved on the stuff that was off early, and now that the PP and Jack aren't each scoring every game they look like total shit.

 

[NJDevs26]

Nothing crazy. The reporter asked “You’re now 1 and 6 in your last 7. Is there any systematic changes that need to happen or are you considering that at all”?

Lindy “When you say systematic…” but the reporter stuttered lol and mentioned further lineup changes. He slipped in a “teams may be figuring out your system” but Lindy kind of cut him off and said there are no real lineup changes we can make.

Ryan or whoever else it was can sod off too, that sounds like the same kind of backing off we do on the ice whenever things get chippy.

 

[JimEIV]

I'd like to think that they did good defensively tonight, but they were facing the Blue Jackets.

They didn't do good defensively tonight...both goals were defensive breakdowns....they only allowed 2 because they controlled the puck for pretty much the entire time after the first 25 minutes or so.

That's how this team HAS to play defense and it's the only way they can win.

They played a good game tonight and definitely did enough to win a game on most nights. If they're not controlling the puck and using their speed they're dead in the water....but they did control the puck and use their speed tonight...and if that becomes a trend again they'll win a lot more games than they lose

 

[Bleedred]

Ryan or whoever else it was can sod off too, that sounds like the same kind of backing off we do on the ice whenever things get chippy.

I wonder if it’s the same whimp last year who asked if we could possibly see Schmid back later in the year, when he was sent back in March and then when Lindy was like “What?” He said “never mind” or “sorry, never mind” or whatever it was lol.

He may not have even got to finishing asking that question before he was like “never mind” I just clearly remember that late last year and know exactly what he was trying to ask.

 

[R8Devs]

The team is 8-9-1 and yet it somehow feels alot worse than that. Literally the only leverage Ruff has is that Jack misses a fee games and so did Nico. Yes Nico is missed but he isn't an elite player and certainly wasn't playing like one before he got hurt. The team was starting to win some games before the injury but still didn't really look too convincing in the process. Guys like Cassidy. Montgomery , Maurice came in and took teams to another level a bit. That's the kind of move we need to make instead of trading for some overpriced 3rd pairing defenseman. Lindy will still find a way to get Smith on the ice somehow.

I wasn't arguing against a coach change. im pretty indifferent just against the point where fans were being blamed/front office making decisions on-ice decisions based on fan pressure. Nico wasn't at an elite level before he got injured this season but last season he def was elite.

Those coaches you named were offseason moves, I guess the closest to that is available now is probably Woodcroft

 

[NjDevsRR]

3 gms back of wild card with 2 gms in hand

RUN OFF AN ADEQUATE STRETCH HERE. Need a 5-2 type record the next 7. Then build off that

 

[Camille the Eel]

They didn't do good defensively tonight...both goals were defensive breakdowns....they only allowed 2 because they controlled the puck for pretty much the entire time after the first 25 minutes or so.

That's how this team HAS to play defense and it's the only way they can win.

They played a good game tonight and definitely did enough to win a game on most nights. If they're not controlling the puck and using their speed they're dead in the water....but they did control the puck and use their speed tonight...and if that becomes a trend again they'll win a lot more games than they lose

Didn’t see the game except for her last 6 minutes of frustrating close chances. This is the kind of game we tied up so often with the goalie pulled last year.

It’s definitely too early to write this season off. If we actually played better tonight, it’s the thing that has to happen for us to start winning more than we lose. From the last few minutes, it looked like we deserved a better result.

 

[denverdevil]

3 gms back of wild card with 2 gms in hand

RUN OFF AN ADEQUATE STRETCH HERE. Need a 5-2 type record the next 7. Then build off that

I'm into the positivity, but I was hoping a stretch like this would've started with the Detroit game. If it starts now though, so be it.

 

[JK3]

Ryan or whoever else it was can sod off too, that sounds like the same kind of backing off we do on the ice whenever things get chippy.

I don’t think it was Ryan but whoever it was totally crumbled with a little pushback and just stuttered and stumbled the follow up lol.

I knew where he was going with it, it would have been interesting just to see hear the reply.

We’ll probably get some passive aggressive tweets later.

 

[Billdo]

Ruff needs to go. But Tom needs to get so much shit for not addressing the goaltending. View attachment 772848

There really weren't a whole lot of options without sacrificing a decent portion of the talent or future.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Watching the Buffalo Pittsburgh game Alex Nedeljkovic who we could have had when Detroit waved him is playing lights out for Pittsburgh but we didn't need a goalie

 

[Devils731]

Watching the Buffalo Pittsburgh game Alex Nedeljkovic who we could have had when Detroit waved him is playing lights out for Pittsburgh but we didn't need a goalie

He had a .901 and .895 save percentage the last 2 seasons.

There was no reason to feel he was an upgrade over what the Devils had.

He could only get a 1 year deal because nobody believed he was a sure-fire NHL goalie around the league.

 

[JimEIV]

Didn’t see the game except for her last 6 minutes of frustrating close chances. This is the kind of game we tied up so often with the goalie pulled last year.

It’s definitely too early to write this season off. If we actually played better tonight, it’s the thing that has to happen for us to start winning more than we lose. From the last few minutes, it looked like we deserved a better result.

"Played better" is relative. I mean, I thought the Detroit game was the absolute low point. Compared to that they played much better. But they need to start scoring more. A lot more.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Watching the Buffalo Pittsburgh game Alex Nedeljkovic who we could have had when Detroit waved him is playing lights out for Pittsburgh but we didn't need a goalie

Yes, I’m sure Alex Nedeljkovic was the real solution to our current problems.

We just lost a game 2-1, are we really going to spend the thread complaining about the goaltending again? Schmid did fine today. The two goals against were result of trash defensive breakdowns. We should be able to win a game when we get goaltending like today.

 

[JimEIV]

We have one goal in our last 2 games. It feels like if Jack isn't putting the team on his back there isn't much offense anywhere else.

 

[njdevil26]

Regarding that weird face off issue… I saw Haula smash his stick while sitting on the bench then broke it in half over his knee

 

[Billdo]

Watching the Buffalo Pittsburgh game Alex Nedeljkovic who we could have had when Detroit waved him is playing lights out for Pittsburgh but we didn't need a goalie

These kind of posts are worthless. Nedeljkovic was not a clear upgrade at the time nor is he probably an upgrade anyway. The only goalies we should've tried to get would've been Hellebyuk or one of Bostons and that's probably a bad move cost wise anyway.

 

[Dylan9z9]

He had a .901 and .895 save percentage the last 2 seasons.

There was no reason to feel he was an upgrade over what the Devils had.

He could only get a 1 year deal because nobody believed he was a sure-fire NHL goalie around the league.

Yet he shut out Vegas and is playing lights out again tonight...it's up to a good GM to locate potential when others can't. He is just one guy there are others. And Fitz knew coming into this season we needed an upgrade at goal and half tried to get Hellebuyck and then just gave up .... not good enough sorry

 

[NjDevsRR]

We have one goal in our last 2 games. It feels like if Jack isn't putting the team on his back there isn't much offense anywhere else.

Need the other big two back. Timo and Nico does help a lot. Hopefully things start clicking again offensively while the goaltending and d play slowly improves