GDT: Devils @ Flames - 10:00 PM - MSG

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I wouldnt care if Jack went 0% on faceoffs. Its not even worthy of a debate IMO.

Hiim sucking at FO means he needs to play someone who doesn't suck at FO. Currently that means Haula isn't playing C and is on the wing, that's one less candidate to play 3C. It has spillover effects and it's at least annoying.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

No, it doesnt mean anything at all. Because faceoffs are (next to) meaningless.

I dont get why people cant just be happy with how they've played lol you don't need to come in with your hot takes like "Jack isnt a 1C" or whatever nonsense I saw in here yesterday.

Of course there are always things to improve. Bitching about Jack Hughes aint it.

 

[Guadana]

So I found out my gf is cheating on me but I'm drunk and the devils got a 6 game winning streak so that's all that matters. Motto of the night trust no one but trust the streak. Let's go Devils.

That’s for good.

 

[Blender]

We're not even in the same stratosphere here. Most centers struggling early with faceoffs are in the 40-44% range.

He's been a consistent career 35% with absolutely zero improvement. You'll be hard pressed to find a decent center in the league close to that.



First 4 years

MacKinnon - 46.5%
McDavid - 42.8%
Hughes - 35.3%

Those two also consistently improved over that time. Jack has not.

Consistently improved?

McDavid: 41.23%, 43.18%, 41.36%, 46.62%, 47.76%
MacKinnon: 42.92%, 46.96%, 48.42%, 50.56%, 41.92%

I would not call that consistent improvement.

 

[billingtons ghost]

One thing I don't think we've talked about is Markstrom kicking the net off the pegs twice intentionally, and almost getting it a third time. Can we send a tape somewhere and get him suspended for next game? I was really pissed after the first one.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

No, it doesnt mean anything at all. Because faceoffs are (next to) meaningless.

I dont get why people cant just be happy with how they've played lol you don't need to come in with your hot takes like "Jack isnt a 1C" or whatever nonsense I saw in here yesterday.

Of course there are always things to improve. Bitching about Jack Hughes aint it.

He does need to get better, but it’s way far down on the list of things I care about. If he gets anywhere in the 40s, that’s acceptable. Elias stunk at faceoffs his whole career and he was still one of the best centers in the NHL in all situations when he was playing there.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Another statement win. Devils managed to hang around in a "tight-checking" game and get to OT to get the win.

I thought defensively, the battle level from almost everyone was high. They were winning battles in the corners and the walls in the D-zone. Marino was fantastic all over the ice again.

Side note, I am definitely one to rail on Graves, but that is one of the best games I've seen from him. He did what you want a guy like him to do ideally: Be physical and win battles in the D-zone, make simple plays to move the puck out. He didn't try his usual wannabe Bobby Orr antics.

I thought the same thing. After some stinkers last game, he made some huge plays. I like he can use his stick to break up plays, he blocks shots, and most of all he uses his body around the net to clear people out. We are going to need more of that come playoff time.


(There, I said it)

 

[Guttersniped]

only 60 pages? is the Devils winning so common that we don't go crazy anymore?

For shame.

Oh, don’t worry.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Faceoffs don’t matter at all except in rare special situations where you can specifically choose to have certain guys out there to take advantage of them.

How many faceoffs per game does a team “win” and then immediately lose possession? Like half easily

 

[TrufleShufle]

No, it doesnt mean anything at all. Because faceoffs are (next to) meaningless.

I dont get why people cant just be happy with how they've played lol you don't need to come in with your hot takes like "Jack isnt a 1C" or whatever nonsense I saw in here yesterday.

Of course there are always things to improve. Bitching about Jack Hughes aint it.

Bitching about Hughes and saying faceoffs are meaningless, are about the same world of nonsense.

As always, truth is hanging out right there in the middle, just a bunch of Evel Knievels jumping straight over it.

 

[MauDevils]

Consistently improved?

McDavid: 41.23%, 43.18%, 41.36%, 46.62%, 47.76%
MacKinnon: 42.92%, 46.96%, 48.42%, 50.56%, 41.92%

I would not call that consistent improvement.

This is getting nitpicky. Both guys had 1/5 years where they had regression. The trajectory is undeniably up.

Jack's is a flat line so far.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Anyway devils rock, we’re heading home, and we have some more winnable games coming up.

I wanna see 10 in a row.

 

[Guttersniped]

I think other than putting him out there for the odd shift to win Jack’s line a draw, Haula should be swapped off that line for Sharangovich. He’s playing fine, but I think the lineup is more solid with Haula as the 3C.

Then what will they do with Hischier?

That’s what they call a tap in and unlike Haula you didn’t miss.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Faceoffs don’t matter at all except in rare special situations where you can specifically choose to have certain guys out there to take advantage of them.

How many faceoffs per game does a team “win” and then immediately lose possession? Like half easily

How many shots get taken per game that don't go in? Spoiler, it's closer to damn near all, than "half easily." If we drew the same conclusions of importance from that, we would all be crazy.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

How many shots get taken per game that don't go in? Spoiler, it's closer to damn near all, than "half easily." If we drew the same conclusions of importance from that, we would all be crazy.

How can one possibly arrive at this analogy? Woof.

 

[Cheddabombs]

There's no way this team won 6 in a row, swept the western Canada road trip, and ya'll are arguing about faceoffs again

 

[Guttersniped]

Now that the Devils are good again, should the forum bring back the post-game three star polls?

We definitely can’t change it up while on a winning streak. It’s all endless GDT and RangerDoggo jokes until we hit a speed bump.

 

[Blender]

This is getting nitpicky. Both guys had 1/5 years where they had regression. The trajectory is undeniably up.

Jack's is a flat line so far.

The entire conversation is nitpicky as it started with saying he shouldn't be a center because of his faceoff numbers. The vast majority of shifts do not start on faceoffs.

 

[TrufleShufle]

How can one possibly arrive at this analogy? Woof.

Because it makes sense. How can one possibly ignore facts solely based on some weird opinion they decided everyone needs to agree to. Big woof.

 

[MasterofGrond]

How many shots get taken per game that don't go in? Spoiler, it's closer to damn near all, than "half easily." If we drew the same conclusions of importance from that, we would all be crazy.

I’m sorry but that’s a meaningless comparison that ignores the mechanics of hockey. Taking shots is positively correlated with scoring and winning games. This is something that can be studied and has been shown.

The statistical benefit of being a good face off team is orders of magnitude smaller, if it even exists.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Because it makes sense. How can one possibly ignore facts solely based on some weird opinion they decided everyone needs to agree to. Big woof.

Please present me the "facts" about how faceoffs are definitely important.

I will await this definitive analysis.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I’m sorry but that’s a meaningless comparison that ignores the mechanics of hockey. Taking shots is positively correlated with scoring and winning games. This is something that can be studied and has been shown.

The statistical benefit of being a good face off team is orders of magnitude smaller, if it even exists.

Again, something doesn't have to be the most important thing in the world or completely meaningless. I'm not sure why we keep needing to put stuff into one of those two boxes.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Please present me the "facts" about how faceoffs are definitely important.

I will await this definitive analysis.

With anyone else, I would go down this road. But I know with you, bringing up anything defending faceoffs from being "meaningless" would somehow turn into me trying to say faceoffs are more important than goals. I'm good.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I said next to meaningless. There are sometimes important faceoffs in a game. But overall as a whole, they don't mean very much at all.

if Jack Hughes was 45% instead of 35% or whatever he is, I Wouldnt think anything differently of him whatsoever.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I said next to meaningless. There are sometimes important faceoffs in a game. But overall as a whole, they don't mean very much at all.

if Jack Hughes was 45% instead of 35% or whatever he is, I Wouldnt think anything differently of him whatsoever.

Without the faceoffs we won against the Oilers, both offensively and possibly a few defensively (obviously no way to prove this,) we don't win that game. Without the 4th line last night, we don't win.

These things aren't the most important thing in the world, but they are worth talking about, to some people. If some maniac says Jack Hughes is garbage because he is bad at faceoffs, don't lump everyone who brings up faceoffs in with them.