GDT: Delicious Backhands and Games in Hand are Cure Alls: Devils @ Flyers, 1 PM, MSG+

[My3Sons]

Haha I wasn't sure if your name was a nod to the TV show or if you literally had 3 sons!

I get a lot of text pictures from this friend of events and functions in his family. He lives near me, so I've even been invited to some of them. He's even sent pictures from christening's, which I've even attended.

I get it, people like to show off their family and I know if I had a family, I'd probably be doing the same. One of my best friend's, who lives back in Jersey, sent me pictures of his son driving when he first got his license. He was pretty stoked about that and took all these pictures of him driving.

He even gave him his GT500 when he got his license and wanted to take all these pictures of him driving it. It's an 07 I think, from when they put them out back then. And that's his only son/child, so he loves taking pictures and showing off his son's accomplishments. I also was sent pictures of him going to work. He's in a carpenters union now, which is the kind of work I did when I was still living up there. He got in right after graduating high school 1.5 years ago, so he was pretty proud of that.

That’s all great stuff. Most of us with kids are pretty insufferable if you let us show our kids off in photos or stories. I try to choose my spots carefully. Excitement and joy usually just sounds like boasting and I’m very aware that my kids’ accomplishments are their own and it doesn’t prove anything about me as a person or parent.

Anyway back to hockey and the game today was pretty ugly but as others have noted that will happen from time to time when a team with a flawed roster plays a certain style and fails to execute it.

 

[glenwo2]

This team will be out of a playoff spot right before all star weekend.

We are not beating Boston in Boston or Nashville in Nashville.

And I won't be shocked if they lose to Detroit on Monday.

Where will we be without your insight?

Screw this defeatist attitude already!

 

[guitarguyvic]

This team will be out of a playoff spot right before all star weekend.

We are not beating Boston in Boston or Nashville in Nashville.

And I won't be shocked if they lose to Detroit on Monday.

Lol ok so I take you will definitely not be watching right?

 

[Maine Fan]

Disappointing game. I am not sure where I am at regarding Kinkaid. I am beginning to think he has to go.

 

[MadDevil]

Disappointing game. I am not sure where I am at regarding Kinkaid. I am beginning to think he has to go.

I think we do need to look into other options for a backup this offseason.

 

[Emperoreddy]

That's been one of my concerns the last couple months, that it was gonna be a lot easier to play with no expectations than when there got to be expectations.

I think the expectations are a bigger issue for the fans then the team.

 

[Bleedred]

Disappointing game. I am not sure where I am at regarding Kinkaid. I am beginning to think he has to go.

I think we do need to look into other options for a backup this offseason.

His career pattern might suggest that he'll be solid next year, but he's been very bad this year. Just looking up all the goalies that have played at least 10 games and have been worse than him this year. Only 5 have been worse. Antti Niemi. Maxime Legace, that fourth string scrub goalie that Vegas was playing when the other 3 guys were all hurt at the same time. Chad Johnson, who is all too similar to Kinkaid in the good one year, poor the next year. Laurent Brossoit. And Thomas Greiss, a backup goalie that's been used as a 1b this year. He fell below Wedgewood today. Mike Condon is right near him, another good one year, bad the next year, stereotypical, fluctuating career backup.

When we got a minimum of 5 games played, there's 8 guys worse than Kinkaid. Louis Domingue, who was waived by Arizona when they traded for Wedgewood and ended up in TB because they have a really awful backup in Budaj. Budaj is another name that's been worse than him, when we expand to a minimum of 5 games played. If you recall, Peter Budaj washed out of the league several years ago, before masquerading as a decent starting goalie for LA last year in Quick's injured absence. It was clearly a fluke run. And then there's Al Montoya, another Kinkaid type that fluctuates from year to year, with some solid years, in between really bad years.

This is reminding me of Alex Stalock with the Sharks 2 years ago, who somehow found his way back into the league again with Minnesota this year and is having a decent season. Stalock's first year in the NHL was far better than any of Kinkaid's years in the NHL though. Stalock was a liability for the Sharks in 15-16, they couldn't start him at all, he was flushing points in games they might have gotten some if they had average goaltending. He wasn't getting the goal support that Kinkaid has gotten this year, but he was rancid and they traded for James Reimer and Stalock went to Toronto and finished the season with the Marlies. Martin Jones had to play almost every game until they got Reimer. Luckily Jones was good that season, unlike these last two seasons.

I feel bad, as he seems like a good guy and a great teammate, but he hasn't been performing up to league caliber this year. He earned the win against the Islanders and Rangers back in October, but those are his only two wins where he allowed less than 3 goals.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Back ups are usually inconsistent from year to year. Might be better to just stick with the devil you know until a prospect goalie starts pushing hard up the ranks.

 

[Bleedred]

Back ups are usually inconsistent from year to year. Might be better to just stick with the devil you know until a prospect goalie starts pushing hard up the ranks.

It wouldn't be the worst thing to give him another crack next year, but with a very short leash. And I mean a short leash, like if he's still playing like this after 3-5 starts into the season? Give him the heave-ho. I wouldn't mind seeing what Lack has to offer, but he's really no better. He's had one season that was better than anything Kinkaid has ever done in the NHL, but he's also had some pretty bad seasons too. I only have a shred of confidence in him due to the Melanson connection.

With where we are right now, I don't see a need for him to start more than 4 more times this season. That's assuming that he's healthy enough to dress in a week from now, after the ASB ends. Cory got a nice break this week. There's 37 games left, if Cory starts 33 of them, he will have played 66 games, which isn't too high, at least not in a legitimate playoff year and not a throwaway year, like every other season he's been here. I don't even think 66 games would be a career high for Cory. He played 68 in 14-15?

 

[NJDevs26]

Being out of a playoff spot by the All-Star break is nonsense, the All-Star break is NEXT weekend and they're three points up on the Pens/Rangers and four up on the Flyers/Isles. At least three of those teams would have to pass them in a span of like three-four games and the Devils still have games in hand on most of them anyway. And btw the Rangers are going to the West Coast and the Flyers have to play at Washington twice, and home against Tampa before the break. This is the kind of stuff I'm talking about with hyperbolic negativity.

And already worrying about Washington in Game #82 when they're likely not gonna be playing for anything and resting players anyway? That's also looking to find things to be negative about

 

[MadDevil]

Back ups are usually inconsistent from year to year. Might be better to just stick with the devil you know until a prospect goalie starts pushing hard up the ranks.

Yes, but with points at a premium you do need to have somebody in there who can give you ~20 starts of at least league average goaltending. Kinkaid has been better in the past, but I don't know if that means he will be in the future. It's certainly not something that needs to be addressed immediately though. Give him whatever starts he gets from here on out and then reevaluate in the summer.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yes, but with points at a premium you do need to have somebody in there who can give you ~20 starts of at least league average goaltending. Kinkaid has been better in the past, but I don't know if that means he will be in the future. It's certainly not something that needs to be addressed immediately though. Give him whatever starts he gets from here on out and then reevaluate in the summer.

So far Keith's been an 'every other year' goalie. 2014-15 and last year he looked like a legitimate NHL backup. 2015-16 and this year he really hasn't. So maybe if you keep him next year's gonna be one of the good years But it wouldn't shock me if the team decided to upgrade the position sooner rather than later either.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yes, but with points at a premium you do need to have somebody in there who can give you ~20 starts of at least league average goaltending. Kinkaid has been better in the past, but I don't know if that means he will be in the future. It's certainly not something that needs to be addressed immediately though. Give him whatever starts he gets from here on out and then reevaluate in the summer.

I am just Leary of UFA goalies and trading for goalies.

I can also easily see Kink bouncing back while the new guy stumbles. You try to make camp competitive next year for the backup job but if Keith wins it he wins it.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Also I think the staff is happy with Kink overall in getting two out of three wins with Cory out sick.

Definitely more then i could ask for out of him this year.

 

[Bleedred]

Being out of a playoff spot by the All-Star break is nonsense, the All-Star break is NEXT weekend and they're three points up on the Pens/Rangers and four up on the Flyers/Isles. At least three of those teams would have to pass them in a span of like three-four games and the Devils still have games in hand on most of them anyway. And btw the Rangers are going to the West Coast and the Flyers have to play at Washington twice, and home against Tampa before the break. This is the kind of stuff I'm talking about with hyperbolic negativity.

And already worrying about Washington in Game #82 when they're likely not gonna be playing for anything and resting players anyway? That's also looking to find things to be negative about

I expect the Sharks and Ducks (hopefully) to take care of the Rangers, as long as the Sharks don’t remove Jones from witness protection before that game and Dell keeps playing like a legit goalie for that game.

The Kings have been godawful lately though. They already got a big sign hanging out in front of Staples Center, that reads in capital letters “get your points here! Free points! Get em while they’re hot!”. They seem like they’ve lost as many games recently and Colorado has won.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Disappointing game. I am not sure where I am at regarding Kinkaid. I am beginning to think he has to go.

He's a cool dude but it's why I wasn't happy that they chose him over Wedge.

Maybe Wedge wouldn't be the answer either but I saw potential in him and not enough in Kink.

 

[Bleedred]

He's a cool dude but it's why I wasn't happy that they chose him over Wedge.

Maybe Wedge wouldn't be the answer either but I saw potential in him and not enough in Kink.

Wedgewood has stunk for Arizona.

Before you say it’s Arizona, this is not the first time that Wedge has stunk. He stunk in AHL Albany for a couple years and got outplayed by Kinkaid there, as well as 37 year old Scott Clemmensen one year.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Wedgewood has stunk for Arizona.

Before you say it’s Arizona, this is not the first time that Wedge has stunk. He stunk in AHL Albany for a couple years and got outplayed by Kinkaid there, as well as 37 year old Scott Clemmensen one year.

He stunk early on in the A but rebounded and played better than Kink ever did down there.

Hynes preferred Kink so he is the backup.

 

[NJDevs26]

Let's not do this again...Kinkaid had a solid year last year when they 'chose' him over Wedge. They were not going to give Wedge the backup job this offseason after an injury plagued year based on four games two years ago when Kink had two solid years out of three as the backup.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Let's not do this again...Kinkaid had a solid year last year when they 'chose' him over Wedge. They were not going to give Wedge the backup job this offseason after an injury plagued year based on four games two years ago when Kink had two solid years out of three as the backup.

If Kink is out an extended time what do we do?
Play Cory every game?
Give Ken a start?
Recall Lack when he's healthy?

Will be interesting.

 

[JimEIV]

Kinkaid wasn't good but a conversation focused on him seems misguided to me?

The team in front of him was atrocious. Go back and watch those goals, each one was a total team lack of effort. It's unbelievable how bad they were on each goal. So much standing and watching.

The Flyers looked like giant bluefin tuna slicing through stunned baitfish. Kinkaid wasn't good but he was left out to dry in a terrible way.

Kinkaid was just the icing on a crap cake.

 

[Bleedred]

Let's not do this again...Kinkaid had a solid year last year when they 'chose' him over Wedge. They were not going to give Wedge the backup job this offseason after an injury plagued year based on four games two years ago when Kink had two solid years out of three as the backup.

Yup.

I’m not second guessing signing him and choosing him over Wedgewood. I never did. And with as bad as he’s been this year, it still doesn’t look like a bad decision.

Kinkaid wasn't good but a conversation focused on him seems misguided to me?

The team in front of was atrocious. Go back and watch those goals, each one was a total team lack of effort. It's unbelievable how bad they were on each goal. The Flyers looked like giant bluefin tuna slicing through stunned baitfish. Kinkaid wasn't good but he was left out to dry in a terrible way. Kinkaid was just the icing on a crap cake.

It goes past this game though. He didn’t really play any better against Washington, but we scored 4 goals and Holtby didn’t look good either. He was pretty pedestrian in that game. Do we really applaud him because he didn’t allow 4 goals in one of our best defensive games of the season?

I can only think of 2 really good games he’s played this year, and that was at Barclays Center last week and at MSG back in October. He played fine against the Sharks back in October, and he was fine in St. Louis, but he looked pretty bad in the shootout.

 

[NJDevs26]

The other problem with yesterday for KK is it looks bad when the AHL scrub goalie comes in and vastly outplays you in the same game.

 

[Bleedred]

The other problem with yesterday for KK is it looks bad when the AHL scrub goalie comes in and vastly outplays you in the same game.

I know someone will argue it was garbage time, but Kinkaid hasn’t played that well since MSG back in that game where Hynes benched an entire line. That was like the second weekend of the season.

 

[JimEIV]

The other problem with yesterday for KK is it looks bad when the AHL scrub goalie comes in and vastly outplays you in the same game.

Seems to happen every single time a goalie is replaced. It's almost as if the team that played so poorly is saying "I'm sorry".

Even though it was an injury, Kinkaid for all intents was chased out of the net.