Post-Game Talk: Devils run ends, lose in 5 to Carolina.

[JrFischer54]

I thought Bratt was majorly disapointing this playoffs and was frustrated watching him play, but the numbers are hard to refute. Last game I thought he mostly wasn't effective and then he had that one pass back to a wide open palat after rushing to the end boards and pulling two defenders. That's a glorious scoring chance he deserves full credit for, maybe the frustrating shifts are coloring everything and we're forgetting a bunch of shifts like that one that add up.

IDK betting on "territorial numbers" or "advanced stats" has tradtionally been a lot smarter than betting on the eye test, but it's really in Bratt's corner I think. I think Fitz has a bunch of contract terms/AAVs he's comfortable with and if Bratt isn't willing to sign any of them he will be moved. I don't expect Fitz to trade him cause of this "can't do it in the playoff" narrative but I bet he'll bring it up in contract negotiations.

As the games got more important the further we went he just was more invisible and I dunno lacked confidence? There was a rush last night in the third he had a step along the boards he could’ve dipped the shoulder and drove to the net instead he curls up at the circle tries some lame cross ice pass

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So that’s it? I mean guess we are doomed next year if we play a good goalie or a good team with defense. Just stop it bro those are super lazy excuses

No? We can do better next year. Welcome to reality, things don’t always work out. What you don’t do is throw out one of your best players in a hissy fit because the first try wasn’t a complete success.

 

[Omar Little]

As the games got more important the further we went he just was more invisible and I dunno lacked confidence? There was a rush last night in the third he had a step along the boards he could’ve dipped the shoulder and drove to the net instead he curls up at the circle tries some lame cross ice pass

That was the most frustrating part. Just drive the net. He's fast and elusive enough to create mismatches. See if you can draw a penalty

 

[JrFischer54]

All I know is: that Burns goal was probably the most disappointing thing I’ve seen all season from a player. The biggest game of the year up one goal and Bratt was too scared to put his body in front of a shot.

Was Bratt as bad as some people in the playoffs are making it out? Not at all. Had some good moments and made some things happen. But he also played scared and didn’t want to take a hit at least for the last 3-4 games and avoiding Burns shot like that was one of the worst things I’ve seen from a player at that level.

That being said he’s still one of our best forwards and someone who needs to be resigned. But he needs to grow some balls in time for next years playoffs.

Blocking shots in general with this team was big time lacking just look at the final goal nico wasn’t even standing in front of the guy

 

[New Jersey]

Man am I stoked for these boardwalk strolls my first summer down the shore with the logo tatted (last September) on the calf.

I'll take credit for the Devils' renaissance, k thx.

 

[JrFischer54]

No? We can do better next year. Welcome to reality, things don’t always work out. What you don’t do is throw out one of your best players in a hissy fit because the first try wasn’t a complete success.

But what we should do is ink him to a long term top dollar contract?

 

[glenwo2]

My issue is that it’s little things that are necessary in the playoffs that Bratt wasn’t doing. If you’re not scoring for whatever reason, then you need to be contributing those little things in other areas, at minimum. His failure to put in any effort to block that point shot on goal #2 was one pathetic example The constant shying away from contact and losing puck battles as well.

In a vacuum I’d say we need to keep him for the offensive production. But when you factor in the contract BS, the fact that he might be asking for north of $8 per long term, and the need for more physical forwards in our top 6, I think you have to take a long look at what options might exist to replace him. Fitz has his work cut out for him on this one.

You say Fitz has his work cut out for him, but I disagree. And here's why:

Last season Bratt got 70+ points.

He went to Fitz and asked him for a particular number for a new contract.

Fitz basically said Prove It Again The Following season and I'll consider it.

Fast-forward to this year and he did the same thing so guess what?

He proved it and he proved he deserved whatever contract he asked for.

Now if that contract is over 8 million, then guess what? he's going to get over 8 million!!


if it's over nine? goodbye. LOL

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

That was the most frustrating part. Just drive the net. He's fast and elusive enough to create mismatches. See if you can draw a penalty

Did that on our first shot of the game. Also won a race for a puck, then a battle to get it to Palat for a point blank chance. Things certainly do look worse when all plays that don’t result in goals are ignored.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Man am I stoked for these boardwalk strolls my first summer down the shore with the logo tatted (last September) on the calf.

I'll take credit for the Devils' renaissance, k thx.

Are you in that Devils tattoo commercial

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

But what we should do is ink him to a long term top dollar contract?

Yep.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Blocking shots in general with this team was big time lacking just look at the final goal nico wasn’t even standing in front of the guy

I don’t care about that much about guys missing a shot block as long as they’re trying to block it. Nico was fully trying to and actually doing what he’s supposed to on that. Our PKers main responsibility on those is to block off the far side. If the shots getting through it has to be short side and the goalie’s responsibility. Nico did that and he has a long history of laying out and putting his body on the line to block shots. Some of our other forwards such as Tatar, Mercer, and Bastian are great at that too.

Bratt fully wimped out of blocking that shot and avoided it. That was so disappointing to see.

 

[Devils Pride 26]

Get the f*** off my team

 

[glenwo2]

All I know is: that Burns goal was probably the most disappointing thing I’ve seen all season from a player. The biggest game of the year up one goal and Bratt was too scared to put his body in front of a shot.

Was Bratt as bad as some people in the playoffs are making it out? Not at all. Had some good moments and made some things happen. But he also played scared and didn’t want to take a hit at least for the last 3-4 games and avoiding Burns shot like that was one of the worst things I’ve seen from a player at that level.

That being said he’s still one of our best forwards and someone who needs to be resigned. But he needs to grow some balls in time for next years playoffs.

Maybe there is something to him not wanting to get hurt before signing a contract. If that's the case, he better f****** sign that contract so he can then grow the balls you want him to grow. LOL

 

[New Jersey]

Are you in that Devils tattoo commercial

lol, no, and I went to a shop in Saddle Brook that some friends of mine from my hometown recommended since it was my first tattoo.

The shop is called Handsome Devil Tattoo Company.

 

[Call Me Al]

i thought last nights game was bratts best of the playoffs, but he still had a few glaring plays that stood out to me - not blocking the shot was emblematic of not laying it on the line. he had one forecheck where he could have been first on the puck but sat back and tried to make a stick check and avoid body contact, end result was the carolina player just moved around him and through the stick check and broke the puck out easily. if he put a body on it he could have pinned the puck and waited for support but he made a weak passive play instead.

every carolina player gave everything they had every shift it seemed, we had some players who clearly didn’t do that

 

[Omar Little]

Did that on our first shot of the game. Also won a race for a puck, then a battle to get it to Palat for a point blank chance. Things certainly do look worse when all plays that don’t result in goals are ignored.

Well yea the frustrating part was him not recognizing how he was having success within the game.

 

[StevensRocks]

All I know is: had Palat buried Bratt's pass, there wouldn't be that much vitriol right now.

There are all kinds of missed chances every game.

 

[MauDevils]

Second half of the season Bratt was pacing for 60 points and he was pretty bad in the playoffs. I don't see a 7-8 million dollar player there.

Didn't even finish that close to a PPG in a year with insane scoring.

 

[New Jersey]

Man, it is really crazy to see how active HFDevils still is.

I posted a congratulations on the Canes board and still crickets.

 

[MauDevils]

Get the f*** off my team

Should show the full video where he also weakly lost two battles in front right before that shot.

 

[Devils731]

Get the f*** off my team

I didn’t want to clog the game thread up too much but I pointed out the first instance of the Devils playing the next point shot basically exactly the same. The Devils glide at defenseman shooting at the point; that’s what the team asks.

About 5 seconds before on the shift Bratt dove at a guy to try and prevent a slot shot. A guy not giving effort wouldn’t be diving to prevent shots.

 

[Eggtimer]

Get the f*** off my team

I know it’s harsh but players like that , I don’t want on my team.
I’m not expecting or asking him to toss bodychecks all over the ice , but you don’t have to be a bruiser to try to block a shot …..
He lost two puck battles in the slot just prior to that , then floated toward Burns , then moved out if tue way and waived his stick ( no where near the shooting lane )
It was a wrist shot … and he was relatively close where the chances of the puck hitting him up high was zero . If I was his teammate , where I’m out there blocking shots and taking hits to make plays , I get pissed at him for pulling shit like that .

 

[Devs3cups]

Ha, I was actually going to add that to my post.

Now that I said that I’m practically guaranteeing he signs some kind of 1 year deal and we have to fight about it until the trade deadline.

If Bratt doesn’t sign long-term he’ll get moved. I highly doubt Fitz signs him to a 1 year deal.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Second half of the season Bratt was pacing for 60 points and he was pretty bad in the playoffs. I don't see a 7-8 million dollar player there.

Didn't even finish that close to a PPG in a year with insane scoring.

What did you see in the first half of the season? Who are the 7-8 million dollar players?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I didn’t want to clog the game thread up too much but I pointed out the first instance of the Devils playing the next point shot basically exactly the same. The Devils glide at defenseman shooting at the point; that’s what the team asks.

About 5 seconds before on the shift Bratt dove at a guy to try and prevent a slot shot. A guy not giving effort wouldn’t be diving to prevent shots.

No one said he’s not giving effort. You can give effort but then be too scared to actually block a shot. That’s what happened. He wimped out of blocking the shot and it cost us.