GDT: Dallas Stars (16-8-5) @ New Jersey Devils (21-5-2), 7 PM, MSG, BSSW

[glenwo2]

Generally speaking, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to nitpick the defensive play of guys who score at better than a point per game pace. I don't think Bratt's defensive liabilities outweigh his offensive contributions.

The issue with the game tying goal is not Bratt's average defensive awareness. It's the fact that as a team they decided to try to make a play in their own zone with a few seconds left on the clock instead of just trying to protect the puck until the clock ran out.

Expecting a Forward to suddenly turn into a defensive stalwart is silly anyway.

This is why Forwards are not Defensemen.

And some are nitpicking because of the result and not just because of Bratt not morphing into a Defenseman all of a sudden.

 

[TBF1972]

Between looking at the standings and "we have 21 wins, chill", I think a lot of fans are stuck with their heads in the sand. Three losses in a row and four losses out of six is concerning. Team still haven't played a full sixty minute game all season. Players looking gassed and fans are still hyping Jack playing a six minute shift in a lost game.

I had a lost of question about Ruff's management even during the streak, and that hasn't stopped. The team at its best looks like a juggernaut, but we're only at our best half the time. The league is going to figure us out. We need to get consistency. Also, the depth scoring having dried up basically coincides with the losing streak. Tatar, Zetterlund, even Bratt isn't putting up points at the rate we need them to.

Team needs to rally and figure it out. It doesn't matter if we play even with a good team if we keep using that as the excuse after losses that "things will be fine". Things were supposed to be "fine" against the Rags after Isles, too.

bold -> columbus

 

[Camille the Eel]

Expecting a Forward to suddenly turn into a defensive stalwart is silly anyway.

This is why Forwards are not Defensemen.

actually his attention to his defense is much improved this year. In the Rangers game - for one example - he made a great one on one play to stop Kreider on what could have been a partial breakaway, steal a puck and head back the other direction. I thought at the time that this was something I'd never seen from Bratt before. I think his decreased production these last few weeks may well be the trade off for the attention to the 200 foot responsibilities.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah you have impossible standards if you think they ‘haven’t played a 60-minute game all season’, like it’s literally impossible to dominate teams every minute out of sixty.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Yeah you have impossible standards if you think they ‘haven’t played a 60-minute game all season’, like it’s literally impossible to dominate teams every minute out of sixty.

The "playing a full 60 minute game" thing is a myth anyway. No team plays well for an entire 60 minutes in this league lol. These are the best players in the world competing against each other.

More evidence that a lot of posters really don't watch or pay attention to the NHL outside of the Devils.

 

[glenwo2]

actually his attention to his defense is much improved this year. In the Rangers game - for one example - he made a great one on one play to stop Kreider on what could have been a partial breakaway, steal a puck and head back the other direction. I thought at the time that this was something I'd never seen from Bratt before. I think his decreased production these last few weeks may well be the trade off for the attention to the 200 foot responsibilities.

Oh no question but expecting him to completely turn into a D-man at all times is kind of unfair.

I mean this blame regarding "filling the shooting lanes" is just a bit too nit-picky, wouldn't you say?

 

[billingtons ghost]

We could use Palat back right now. Would be a nice boost. Bastian too. Blackwood not as much.

Zetterlund is really good defensively. One of our bets IMO. Always in shooting lanes, cutting off passing lanes, winning battles and getting pucks out

Absolutely. I love his shot blocking too. His transition to the NHL has been easy bc he's a two way guy...

But even so he's a rookie so he's making the occasional blunder and getting lined up for big hits so it's a step down from Bastians chemistry on that line. I actually thought he was more valuable to us in the top6

 

[My3Sons]

i heard he prefers lovejoy over sex

To be fair, who doesn't.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I didn't say he should play with Jack. I actually don't think he should.

I was merely responding to a comment saying that Ruff needs to get Shara better linemates. Well, the top two lines are very good, so you don't want to change those. And with the injuries, there just isn't really anyone that good left over to play with.

I kinda disagree with the sentiment though. Whatever is best for the team's performance is what they should run. Regardless if Shara hasn't been doing everything exactly right.

Right. It is 100% a depth problem. We have four guys there including Mango tryin to find their game and zero true NHL vets who can just plug in and do their job. Sharas the most complete guy so he looks like a victim.

They kinda just all need to be better.

 

[My3Sons]

I'm guessing this is sarcasm. But would you care to guess which forward didn't fill the shooting lane on what proved to be the game-winning goal last night?

The only problem is that all of the other NHL teams have professional scouts, too.

There was plenty of blame to go around on that goal. From the defender and forward who allowed the puck to come off the wall cleanly to the high slot to the lack of coverage in front of the net - that you wouldn't ask from Bratt. It's not as simple as saying it's all Bratt's fault when it's all their fault. Heck, if Schmid bats that puck away Hintz never gets a stick on it. it wasn't like the shot wasn't visible to him and the puck was equally available to him as Hintz. it was just an off night all around.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Oh no question but expecting him to completely turn into a D-man at all times is kind of unfair.

I mean this blame regarding "filling the shooting lanes" is just a bit too nit-picky, wouldn't you say?

Look, nothing is nitpicky if you are asking for 8x8.

If he's putting up points every night on his own it won't matter, and someone's going to pay him. If you want him to stay and for us to win a Cup and for him not to become a whipping boy when he doesn't do the little things that we will need from our top three guys....

Patrick Kane gets away with that. Bratter ain't Kane yet. Laine does not get away with that. I don't want a Laine.

 

[bossram]

Meh, in the bad stretch, I didn’t like the Philly and Isles games, but other than that I thought they were fine in the 2 Rangers games, the one last night, the Chicago one, and I’d even throw the Nashville game in there. They played well enough to win in all those games.

They’re not gonna steamroll teams all year, that pace isn’t sustainable even for true Cup contenders and teams are gonna adjust.

Yep. Even elite teams (not saying the Devils are elite) are going to have losing streaks or runs of losing 4 out of 6. In a long season, it happens.

I have zero panic with the Devils right now. I thought they played fairly well in the B2B. They played the Rangers very well at 5v5, but made a couple of key mistakes backtracking on the rush (they will need to clean that up) and special teams lost the battle.

Dallas was a close, hard-fought game. Dallas is a good team. Sometimes you're just on the wrong end of those.

I'm expecting a bounce-back win against Philly.

Sitting back and pointing at the standings EVERYTIME *is* using the standings as a crutch.

And what I "prefer" is for some people to not be jerks.

Also, what I "prefer" is for the Devils to remove their heads out of their collective asses and start winning in the stat that matters (instead of Analytics) : The Final Score.

They have been ahead in The Final Score most nights.

That's because their "Analytics" are strong and indicate a pretty good team under the hood.

 

[youryeah]

good gawd people are losing their minds. ya'll need some chamomile tea

 

[Triumph]

Yeah you have impossible standards if you think they ‘haven’t played a 60-minute game all season’, like it’s literally impossible to dominate teams every minute out of sixty.

The thing is, they basically did as close as possible to that in the wins against Columbus and the Islanders this season. You can't find Devils games looking like that for 20 years.

 

[glenwo2]

Look, nothing is nitpicky if you are asking for 8x8.

If he's putting up points every night on his own it won't matter, and someone's going to pay him. If you want him to stay and for us to win a Cup and for him not to become a whipping boy when he doesn't do the little things that we will need from our top three guys....

Patrick Kane gets away with that. Bratter ain't Kane yet. Laine does not get away with that. I don't want a Laine.

Now this is just a ridiculous take but okay.

 

[MartyOwns]

No team plays well for an entire 60 minutes in this league lol.

this is true, but what i want is 60 minutes of effort, including right up to the intermissions. i don’t think that’s asking too much

 

[glenwo2]

They have been ahead in The Final Score most nights.

That's because their "Analytics" are strong and indicate a pretty good team under the hood.

"most" nights being the key term here.

There's a saying that "you're only as good as your last game".

And while the Analytics look good, it won't amount to anything if the result is still a big, fat "L" in the standings.

At the end of the day, Pro Sports is still a Results-Oriented business.

And for 3 straight games, Analytics-be-damned, the Devils did not get the Results desired.

This has to change and quickly.

Getting back into the "W" column against the Flyers is a must.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Now this is just a ridiculous take but okay.

Why? It's pretty simple... As long as Bratt produces hes fine and it's all good .... But you act like you're shocked that people start sniffing around the rest of his game when he is in a lull. Get used to it.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Oh no question but expecting him to completely turn into a D-man at all times is kind of unfair.

I mean this blame regarding "filling the shooting lanes" is just a bit too nit-picky, wouldn't you say?

Agree and Bratt is someone I actually don't want to see trying to block shots the way Zetterlund does and that goes for Jack Hughes too, at least not until we get to game seven of a playoff series and even then . . .

 

[glenwo2]

Why? It's pretty simple... As long as Bratt produces hes fine and it's all good .... But you act like you're shocked that people start sniffing around the rest of his game when he is in a lull. Get used to it.

whatever you say, man.

 

[Bleedred]

We're only even 0-2-1 in the last 3.

We haven't even lost 2 in a row in regulation since the first two games of the season.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Yeah you have impossible standards if you think they ‘haven’t played a 60-minute game all season’, like it’s literally impossible to dominate teams every minute out of sixty.

They dominated every single minute of that first Islanders game. Theres others as well.

Edit: @Triumph beat me to it

 

[glenwo2]

Agree and Bratt is someone I actually don't want to see trying to block shots the way Zetterlund does and that goes for Jack Hughes too, at least not until we get to game seven of a playoff series and even then . . .

And if he does get hurt while "filling the lanes", people would be like "Why did 'Bratt do that? He's so stupid! Now he's injured!'".

Forwards are Forwards.

Defensemen are Defensemen.

both have their own roles.

Asking for one to be another is unrealistic.

 

[My3Sons]

this is true, but what i want is 60 minutes of effort, including right up to the intermissions. i don’t think that’s asking too much

I don't think it's fair to say that guys aren't trying. I think the effort is always there. It's just that some nights the legs are heavy or the brain is foggy. That gets magnified when you are put in disadvantageous situations. Do you really think that Tatar and Bratt are well situated to slow down Robertson and Pavelski? Hischier was clearly off last night for some reason. He was losing draws and wasn't covering Hintz on the goal. Maybe he had to adjust to the high slot shot? It was just not a great night and a bad matchup. It happens. I'm sure they will learn from it and make some adjustments. It's also a lot of responsibility on Hischier's line. They are asked to slow down the other team's best line and create offense on top of that. Again, I don't think of Tatar and Bratt as true two way players and at times their limitations will play a role in a game. It's ok, most teams have their own faults, Dallas just happens to have a very good veteran team playing well this season. Losing what was essentially a one goal game to them is not the disaster some see it as.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't think it's fair to say that guys aren't trying. I think the effort is always there. It's just that some nights the legs are heavy or the brain is foggy. That gets magnified when you are put in disadvantageous situations. Do you really think that Tatar and Bratt are well situated to slow down Robertson and Pavelski? Hischier was clearly off last night for some reason. He was losing draws and wasn't covering Hintz on the goal. Maybe he had to adjust to the high slot shot? It was just not a great night and a bad matchup. It happens. I'm sure they will learn from it and make some adjustments. It's also a lot of responsibility on Hischier's line. They are asked to slow down the other team's best line and create offense on top of that. Again, I don't think of Tatar and Bratt as true two way players and at times their limitations will play a role in a game. It's ok, most teams have their own faults, Dallas just happens to have a very good veteran team playing well this season. Losing what was essentially a one goal game to them is not the disaster some see it as.

Agree 1000% here.

Not every player can be a Two-Way player.