GDT: Devils @ Senators: This Seasons Sucks Almost As Much As Grandpa Joe

[MadDevil]

They both look like Will Butcher

It is kind of scary how similarly Smith has fallen off after looking good initially like Butcher did. But he's still a kid so I'm not writing him off yet.

 

[Bleedred]

Could have been 10 if he wasn't on his game.

Team defense was atrocious. And Hamilton and Smith playing together?

C'mon, man.

Agreed.

But hey, if we could get David Rittich here, wouldn't that be quite the tandem?

 

[Billdo]

He's been a special kind of bad since he's come back from injury.

These last two performances are pretty unacceptable for an NHL team or even an AHL team considering they were both against AHL level competition. I guess that makes us an ECHL level team right now.

We are AHL level competition... the saying other teams are has run its course for me. We've gone a few years of facing good teams backups because we suck so bad. This group that played tonight is every bit as bad as the lineups we used from 2013-2017.

 

[Bleedred]

Absolute goaltending duel tonight!

3.02 xGF. 3.34 xGA. 5 GA.

It wasn't his worst game. The second power play goal against was wet toilet paper soft.

I thought he played the shorthanded goal against and the OT winner poorly.

That said, he brings his stoppable goal percentage on the season under 35% with this game lol.

 

[Whaddagoal]

He's been a special kind of bad since he's come back from injury.

These last two performances are pretty unacceptable for an NHL team or even an AHL team considering they were both against AHL level competition. I guess that makes us an ECHL level team right now.

I hope the offseason brings back the original hamilton........

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Walsh was playing like a forward. At least it was something different to look at versus this nuclear wasteland of a season.

Realize he was chasing the breakaway on the shorthanded goal, but how many times this season have Devils made diagonal passes at the top of the zone that got turned into rushes?

That should have been corrected in bantam hockey.

 

[Eggtimer]

It is kind of scary how similarly Smith has fallen off after looking good initially like Butcher did. But he's still a kid so I'm not writing him off yet.

Thing is we don’t have the luxury of trotting him out there when he is so terrible . We have several kids pushing for roster spots. Can’t play Smith and hope he figures it out while he gets caved in . I think he is traded or given a very very short leash next year . If he even makes the starting roster

 

[Auto Pilot]

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I hope the offseason brings back the original hamilton........

There's a reason he's on his fourth team.

 

[glenwo2]

Just got home. Hello Nolan. Goodbye Bratt.

WTF was this supposed to mean?

Yeah Nolan scored twice which is great but the hell is up with that latter statement?

 

[Emperoreddy]

There's a reason he's on his fourth team.

This isn't the reason at all. Just garbage tier takes

 

[Camille the Eel]

Good entertaining game tonight though really. The come back was super. Foote almost had the hat trick. The kids were something to watch. Both clubs seemed to play with an edge more and more as the game went on. And I thought Walsh looked good actually.

That forward turned Smith into a pretzel on the OT goal. Hehe.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Two more games, then at least the playoffs start and I get to watch real hockey for a couple weeks. Then complain all off-season how boring it is without hockey, be somewhat excited for next season only to watch another bottom 5 finish.

 

[Bleedred]

There's a reason he's on his fourth team.

So? David Rittich is on his third team and he's good.

He hasn't quite gotten to that fourth team, but I'm sure it's coming next year.....


Somewhere in the Czech league......

 

[Devs3cups]

Two more games, then at least the playoffs start and I get to watch real hockey for a couple weeks. Then complain all off-season how boring it is without hockey, be somewhat excited for next season only to watch another bottom 5 finish.

Have to admit I'm honestly gonna miss your pessimism until October 2022!

 

[MadDevil]

Thing is we don’t have the luxury of trotting him out there when he is so terrible . We have several kids pushing for roster spots. Can’t play Smith and hope he figures it out while he gets caved in . I think he is traded or given a very very short leash next year . If he even makes the starting roster

I'm not suggesting he should be given a spot, he definitely needs to earn it, and with other kids pushing he might just naturally get weeded out. But this board has a habit of writing players off rather quickly. We've seen firsthand that some kids take longer to develop than others, and defensemen usually take longer than forwards.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Two more games, then at least the playoffs start and I get to watch real hockey for a couple weeks. Then complain all off-season how boring it is without hockey, be somewhat excited for next season only to watch another bottom 5 finish.

Yes but tonight was entertaining and intriguing as to the Devils because of the youngsters. On the other hand I really wonder whether Kuokannen and Johnson have a place on this team next year vis a vis vis the kids. Smith too. Well camp next fall will be interesting.

 

[Bleedred]

Just got home. Hello Nolan. Goodbye Bratt.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a family friendly or PG version of the Supertramp song?

 

[MadDevil]

WTF was this supposed to mean?

Yeah Nolan scored twice which is great but the hell is up with that latter statement?

Don't bite.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm kind of over Kuokkanen (can I even spell his name right yet?), he's been a ginormous disappointment this year.

I never really had much expectations for McLeod, other than maybe not more 25-30 game droughts.

So in that sense, he's been a bit of a disappointment (along with Smith and probably Blackwood) for me this year, as I thought we'd get better out of him.

I guess I thought he'd build on last season like Sharangovich did or at least be on par with last season.

Or at the very least not a significant step back.

I'm sure he just overachieved last year.

 

[Eggtimer]

I'm not suggesting he should be given a spot, he definitely needs to earn it, and with other kids pushing he might just naturally get weeded out. But this board has a habit of writing players off rather quickly. We've seen firsthand that some kids take longer to develop than others, and defensemen usually take longer than forwards.

He should be seen on a level playing field with the rookies come camp next year . If he doesn’t earn it , then he needs to be used as the spare D man or play in the AHL until he hopefully figures it out . I would not be upset if he is traded . Even if he does turn it around , his style of game will be redundant when Luke gets here . Don’t need a slow small D who’s strength is supposed to be his offence / puck moving ability when we have Hamilton and Luke and Severson .
I know I’m being harsh but I’m sick of having losing seasons ( bottom of the league bad losing seasons) and have the mentality of “ oh give it time , we are developing , one day they may be good “ F that . If he sucks next year at camp , he sits or plays in the AHL . If he isn’t traded before then which I hope he is . It’s not like he is going to turn it around to the point where he is the next Makar .

 

[Bleedred]

Dougie has just been a BRUTAL signing by Fitz. Just a disaster.

He could have signed Adam Larsson and Kulikov BOTH and for much less.

Thanks again Fitz

 

[NJDevs26]

So? David Rittich is on his third team and he's good.

He hasn't quite gotten to that fourth team, but I'm sure it's coming next year.....


Somewhere in the Czech league......

How many teams did Jagr play for, I lost count

 

[glenwo2]

Don't bite.

 

[Eggtimer]

View attachment 536276
Dougie has just been a BRUTAL signing by Fitz. Just a disaster.

He could have signed Adam Larsson and Kulikov BOTH and for much less.

Thanks again Fitz

Is this sarcasm or for real ?