Devils 2020-21 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XIX

[Emperoreddy]

So we really stink again. 9 points out with 1 game in hand. Season is over 1/4th of the way through for the 5th time in the last 6 years?

We're killing it!! Are you all eNjoYing the ride?

We have 4 games in hand on the Isles, 3 on the Penguins, 2 on the Rangers...so no the season isn't over

 

[TonySoprano]

We have 4 games in hand on the Isles, 3 on the Penguins, 2 on the Rangers...so no the season isn't over

Was talking about philly.

 

[Azathoth]

When we have been successful this year it’s by being aggressive with Boston and the Rags, even Philly for periods, and playing faster than them. We were not very aggressive this weekend against the Caps. A lot of that is the Caps being better. But I thought we paid them too much respect and were peeling back too much, being very hesitant and tentative. That was playing Washington’s game in effect.

I also do wonder how this crazy condensed schedule might be playing into how up tempo and aggressive they are able to play.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So we really stink again. 9 points out with 1 game in hand. Season is over 1/4th of the way through for the 5th time in the last 6 years?

We're killing it!! Are you all eNjoYing the ride?

 

[Billdo]

Was talking about philly.

Only have to be a top 4 in the division and since all the games are in division games a good week can pull them back but yeah, tough sledding so far.

 

[glenwo2]

Devils should claim Connolly. Need goal scorers. Still only 27 and not a bad contract at all.

Connolly would immediately become one of the Devils best Goal-scorers by virtue of signing him.

 

[haak84]

Totally expected this team to make the playoffs in one of the most competitive divisions in hockey after a year off of hockey. Minimal training camp. New coach and system. Number one center injured most of the season. Worst covid outbreak in the NHL.

even if they miraculously made the playoffs. They’ll be buried by a more experienced team in the first round.

 

[haak84]

This team is 0-5 against the Flyers and caps. 7-3-1 against the rest of the league.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

They’re in the poop tier with Buffalo and the Rangers. I was hoping they’d be playing meaningful games down the stretch, don’t see it happening.

 

[njdevils1982]

This team is 0-5 against the Flyers and caps. 7-3-1 against the rest of the league.

ah, the sabres losses

 

[JimEIV]

We only have 1 player in the top 100 in Points Per Game. Pavel Zacha at 81 tied with Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel and William Karlsson.

2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

 

[njdevils1982]

so. for quick reference ...

the march schedule is:

tues…thursday…saturday.sunday…

repeat

(with a thurs.fri but not the sat. one time at the end of the month)

 

[JimEIV]

so. for quick reference ...

the march schedule is:

tues…thursday…saturday.sunday…

repeat

(with a thurs.fri but not the sat. one time at the end of the month)

What was the trivia today I missed the the game.

 

[Better Call Sal]

It's amusing how quickly people jump on and off the bandwagon. Optimism was the highest it's been since the playoff year less than 2 weeks ago.

Roll with the punches with this team, seriously. The hysteria with every high and low is a bit much when those same highs and lows are a part of the season with a team that was going to take its lumps.

Between the shortened season, shortened training camp, COVID outbreak, new coaching staff and everything in between, I don't know how anyone can make any definitive statements about anyone on this team.

Yes, losing sucks. But try and actually embrace what's going on here. The team has cornerstones, and plenty of talent in the pipeline along the way. We're on the right track, even if it doesn't necessarily feel that way right now.

 

[Better Call Sal]

What was the trivia today I missed the the game.

It was actually Caps related, asking who holds the record for most points in a season for the Capitals.

 

[njdevils1982]

What was the trivia today I missed the the game.

ya you got this


single season caps scoring leader

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Bratt has 1 goal in like 11 games. The issue with the young players is that they struggle with consistency but show flashes of excellence. We can come up with a bunch of excuses but the team underperforming is ultimately why we are slipping. That and the abysmal penalty kill which actually looked better against the caps the last 2 days...

 

[JimEIV]

It was actually Caps related, asking who holds the record for most points in a season for the Capitals.

Thanks!

 

[JimEIV]

ya you got this


single season caps scoring leader

I don't think I would have gotten that to be honest.

 

[Billdo]

It's amusing how quickly people jump on and off the bandwagon. Optimism was the highest it's been since the playoff year less than 2 weeks ago.

Roll with the punches with this team, seriously. The hysteria with every high and low is a bit much when those same highs and lows are a part of the season with a team that was going to take its lumps.

Between the shortened season, shortened training camp, COVID outbreak, new coaching staff and everything in between, I don't know how anyone can make any definitive statements about anyone on this team.

Yes, losing sucks. But try and actually embrace what's going on here. The team has cornerstones, and plenty of talent in the pipeline along the way. We're on the right track, even if it doesn't necessarily feel that way right now.

This page has the highest peaks and the lowest valleys, very few people can stay on the middle. It's astonishing. I've said it's a psychologists wet dream just to read some of these posts and see how drastically different some of the posts are from the same member.

 

[njdevils1982]

I don't think I would have gotten that to be honest.

i knew outright…. an outlier season

 

[Derps]

We only have 1 player in the top 100 in Points Per Game. Pavel Zacha at 81 tied with Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel and William Karlsson.

2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

Not great!

This team just isn't ready. They need MASSIVE upgrades at wing on the first line and they need some of the older dead weight to drop off.

I think the most important thing is that we're seeing Jack play quite a bit better. Smith looks good. Zacha looks like an NHL player at the very least. We will see if Nico can continue his play -- he absolutely needs to take another step from his last couple years. And they should have a top 10 pick which they desperately need.

But this offseason they need to start taking steps to move forward. They need to bring in some culture guys to cement some changes. They need goal scorers. It's is so frustrating to watch so many scoring chances end with a fanned shot or a puck shot into a defenseman's ass. We wonder why we keep having goal scoring issues but the best goal scorer we have has 1 season in his career with 30 goals.

 

[JimEIV]

i knew outright…. an outlier season

When @Prezidentas Zubrus wrote the question, my first thought was *how can it not be Ovechkin". Then I remembered Gartner had some big seasons. But Maruk never came to mind

 

[The 29th Pick]

It's amusing how quickly people jump on and off the bandwagon. Optimism was the highest it's been since the playoff year less than 2 weeks ago.

Yes, losing sucks. But try and actually embrace what's going on here. The team has cornerstones, and plenty of talent in the pipeline along the way. We're on the right track, even if it doesn't necessarily feel that way right now.

I've been hearing this for too long now, I've watched this team since the 80's and never seen them so bad for so long, we're not even a decent team yet, its been years, almost a decade. I'm not talking about a contender, just a respectable team that competes every game.

 

[Call Me Al]

i don’t think people are freaking out after a single loss, and i don’t think most fans are giving up on the bright future ahead of this core. but this has been a week of terrible hockey including 2 losses to last place buffalo with the vets most notably standing out as making the team worse with bad play. it’s frustrating to watch subban get trotted out on the first pp when we have better options and it’s frustrating to watch gusev basically become an automatic turnover whenever he gets the puck and it’s frustrating to watch special teams turn into a joke