GDT: Devils vs Caps 7:00 PM MSG

[SteveCangialosi123]

He actually reminds me a lot more of Cory. He's just smaller. But he plays that kind of style. Good positionally, calm movements, and a very tight butterfly. Basically a mini, poor mans Cory.

I wouldn't describe him as calm haha...he's pretty erratic but I like it. Fun to watch.

 

[I Hate Tie DOMI]

I really don't want this season to end, I've had a lot of fun with it. Definitely more fun than the last 3 seasons before this.

But the silver lining is NEVER having to see Ruutu, Tootoo, Gionta, Warsofsky, and some other trash again.

The sad part is that we don't know that the last 3 won't be back. Pretty safe to assume that Ruutu won't be.

Ruutu and Tootoo won't be back. I'm sure of that. I mean how can they be back. It's impossible.

Gionta I know will be back despite his 1 goal and terrible faceoff percentage.....because it's Gionta. They can't ice an entire bottom six of young guys so he's the veteran to show the kids like Pietala or Coleman the ropes next year. Coaches love him, fans love to hate him.

Warsofsky is probably a RFA, so he probably comes back but is waiver material and replaces Gragnani in Albany when he ultimately clears.

 

[tr83]

I really don't want this season to end, I've had a lot of fun with it. Definitely more fun than the last 3 seasons before this.

But the silver lining is NEVER having to see Ruutu, Tootoo, Gionta, Warsofsky, and some other trash again.

The sad part is that we don't know that the last 3 won't be back. Pretty safe to assume that Ruutu won't be.

I have to echo this sentiment. But I also find it sad that our team is a perennial playoff no show. It's just this year, we won't miss it by much.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Just twice

Remember we already played them once, shutout by Padzilla about 4 weeks ago?

Which was on a Friday night at home also, as was that embarrassing shutout to Achy Breaky Halak.

Friday's at home are like shutout for the opponent night. Is this the last Friday game at home? Thank god.

Cory was also injured on a Friday, ****in Friday's suck in the last 5 or 6 weeks.

You are right. Lots of cream of the crap left too. Canes, Slugs, Laffs.

 

[JK3]

Oh man, we have the Lightning two more times.

I knew we had at least once more, since I'm going to the game down here.

But Bishop is probably the guy we get shutout the most by these days, after Fleury, Holtby and Halak.

Frickin Padzilla could probably steal the Vezina from Holtby, just by playing us 3 times.

Are you going to any of those? Given how we've done on this trip in the past it's probably a good thing that you don't drink.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I have to echo this sentiment. But I also find it sad that our team is a perennial playoff no show. It's just this year, we won't miss it by much.

Well we are moving in the right direction for the first time in a while, and we have young kids to start getting excited about.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I wouldn't describe him as calm haha...he's pretty erratic but I like it. Fun to watch.

I suppose it's in comparison to Kinky. In that way, he's like a Buddhist monk.

 

[Bleedred]

Ruutu and Tootoo won't be back. I'm sure of that. I mean how can they be back. It's impossible.

Gionta I know will be back despite his 1 goal and terrible faceoff percentage.....because it's Gionta. They can't ice an entire bottom six of young guys so he's the veteran to show the kids like Pietala or Coleman the ropes next year. Coaches love him, fans love to hate him.

Warsofsky is probably a RFA, so he probably comes back but is waiver material and replaces Gragnani in Albany when he ultimately clears.

Out of all of them, Gionta is the lesser of 4 evils. Though many people won't agree.

My only issues with bringing back Gionta is that he will play every night if he's signed, people have been saying for years now that he's the odd man out. And he never is. It never happens. And that it might prevent Josefson from being 4th line center and 4th line anything. Don't want him on the 3rd line again, it was a massive failure of a gamble. The main reason we don't score enough goals is because we have too many 4th liners like Josefson playing on the 3rd line.

I'm not convinced Tootoo is definitely gone. They might want him to be the veteran 4th line guy. Hopefully Shero isn't a huge fan of his from the Nashville days.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Ruutu and Tootoo won't be back. I'm sure of that. I mean how can they be back. It's impossible.

Gionta I know will be back despite his 1 goal and terrible faceoff percentage.....because it's Gionta. They can't ice an entire bottom six of young guys so he's the veteran to show the kids like Pietala or Coleman the ropes next year. Coaches love him, fans love to hate him.

Warsofsky is probably a RFA, so he probably comes back but is waiver material and replaces Gragnani in Albany when he ultimately clears.

War is playing on an injury plagued D right now so I'm not to concerned there.

Pie is working to win a spot in the bottom 6 next year. Ruutu and Tootoo are definitely gone. I could see Gio and Farnham back though, but hopefully kids push them out as healthy scratches.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The point was if you put Blender out there, he is going to make a risky play trying to make something happen that either wins the game or leads to an odd man situation coming back.

They were avoiding plays that could lead to lots of open ice the other way for the Caps and in a way that succeeded as the goal was scored with all 3 guys in the zone.

We just are usually more aggressive and that was a poor move. Take the chance and try to win it in OT. Not hang back and hold on for a shootout.

Don't get why Rico didn't get a shift though.

That's a total 180 from the way they have been playing, and winning, OTs all season. I don't subscribe to the theory that it's better to play safe with no chance of winning than risky with a chance. That said, putting that trio out is the absolute riskiest thing you can do. It's an all risk, no reward move.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Out of all of them, Gionta is the lesser of 4 evils. Though many people won't agree.

My only issues with bringing back Gionta is that he will play every night if he's signed, people have been saying for years now that he's the odd man out. And he never is. It never happens. And that it might prevent Josefson from being 4th line center and 4th line anything. Don't want him on the 3rd line again, it was a massive failure of a gamble. The main reason we don't score enough goals is because we have too many 4th liners like Josefson playing on the 3rd line.

I'm not convinced Tootoo is definitely gone. They might want him to be the veteran 4th line guy. Hopefully Shero isn't a huge fan of his from the Nashville days.

Shero made the cuts we needed to make last year, he will do it again this year. Tootoo has been awful this year, they won't bring him back.

Worst case is a PTO.

 

[Emperoreddy]

That's a total 180 from the way they have been playing, and winning, OTs all season. I don't subscribe to the theory that it's better to play safe with no chance of winning than risky with a chance. That said, putting the trio out is the absolute riskiest thing you can do. It's an all risk, no reward move.

Well I agree it is a 180 and I wouldn't of done that. Should of been aggressive and went for it.

Also who else do you put out there if you decide to go two D and one forward? Lars and Greene started the OT period. Moore ya, but Mozik wasn't going out there.

 

[R8Devs]

there are young guys coming from albany and im sure they are looking at Europe(Sweden, Russia, Finland, etc) again where they can find better options than guys like Tootoo.

 

[JK3]

If Gio sticks around he HAS to be at RW and that's it. I'm not a fan of him really but there is no questioning his effort and sacrifice every game but just not at center for the love of god.

#cockroachstrong

 

[Bleedred]

Are you going to any of those? Given how we've done on this trip in the past it's probably a good thing that you don't drink.

Going to the games in Tampa and Sunrise.

I've had some great times there over these past few years. One year in Sunrise when we blew that 3-1 lead and lost 5-3, my buddy kept going up to buy beer that they sell in a plastic cup.

He bought about 4 from the same vendor, before he asked me to buy one for him because he was afraid they would stop serving him by his fifth.

He's not even a Devils fan, and was annoyed by that game.

Then I brought a girlfriend to the Lightning game we blew a 2 goal lead and lost in the shootout late in the lockout year. She was embarrassed at how pissed I was about the loss and didn't talk to me for the rest of the night.

Good times.

Last year I booed at screamed at Fraser after he cost us the game in TB.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Well I agree it is a 180 and I wouldn't of done that. Should of been aggressive and went for it.

Also who else do you put out there if you decide to go two D and one forward? Lars and Greene started the OT period. Moore ya, but Mozik wasn't going out there.

I'd rather Mozik, absolutely. But I absolutely would not have played 2D. I think that was a mistake. The times they've done that this season are the times they've looked the worst in OT.

Their speed in open ice is what has allowed them to succeed in OT this season. It allows guys like Blandisi and Palmieri amd even Moore to really fly around out there. Sure, they give up chances, but their best defense in OT is keeping the other team pinned in their own zone. And they've done a good job doing that.

 

[I Hate Tie DOMI]

Out of all of them, Gionta is the lesser of 4 evils. Though many people won't agree.

My only issues with bringing back Gionta is that he will play every night if he's signed, people have been saying for years now that he's the odd man out. And he never is. It never happens. And that it might prevent Josefson from being 4th line center and 4th line anything. Don't want him on the 3rd line again, it was a massive failure of a gamble. The main reason we don't score enough goals is because we have too many 4th liners like Josefson playing on the 3rd line.

I'm not convinced Tootoo is definitely gone. They might want him to be the veteran 4th line guy. Hopefully Shero isn't a huge fan of his from the Nashville days.

I think Tootoo is gone because he wasn't a Shero signing anyways. He was Lou's parting gift if I remember correctly. Now if Tootoo replicated what he did last year, this year, then sure he'd probably be back, but he's been a dumpster fire much of the year. If they want a guy who will drop the gloves and hit somebody, then Farnham is probably the better choice to resign anyways.

 

[Emperoreddy]

there are young guys coming from albany and im sure they are looking at Europe(Sweden, Russia, Finland, etc) again where they can find better options than guys like Tootoo.

Absolutely and Shero is going to make the correct move with Tootoo. He isn't going to sign him out of some loyalty from his days in Nashville.

 

[Bleedred]

there are young guys coming from albany and im sure they are looking at Europe(Sweden, Russia, Finland, etc) again where they can find better options than guys like Tootoo.

My issue when they make these kinds of signings is I'm afraid these guys are forced in top 9 roles, even if they aren't really top 9 guys. I don't really think Kalinin is a top 9 guy at all, his offense isn't good enough.

Neither is Josefson's or any of these other so called 3rd liners.

Like I said, we'd be damn lucky if DSP was on our 3rd line.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'd rather Mozik, absolutely. But I absolutely would not have played 2D. I think that was a mistake. The times they've done that this season are the times they've looked the worst in OT.

Their speed in open ice is what has allowed them to succeed in OT this season. It allows guys like Blandisi and Palmieri amd even Moore to really fly around out there. Sure, they give up chances, but their best defense in OT is keeping the other team pinned in their own zone. And they've done a good job doing that.

I agree with you on playing two D. I wouldn't of either as its just conceding the control of play to the Caps. A GA was waiting to happen no matter who was out there.

Just to much open ice and letting them control the puck to much.

 

[Emperoreddy]

My issue when they make these kinds of signings is I'm afraid these guys are forced in top 9 roles, even if they aren't really top 9 guys. I don't really think Kalinin is a top 9 guy at all, his offense isn't good enough.

Neither is Josefson's or any of these other so called 3rd liners.

Like I said, we'd be damn lucky if DSP was on our 3rd line.

That is a depth issue too though. Plus Kalinin is a fresh signing and he showed some promise that it was worth giving him his shot. Then bodies started to drop.

Ideally barring some offensive growth want him on the 4th line, but considering what we had to worth with in hindsight. Not much problem rolling him on the 3rd line.

 

[Bleedred]

Absolutely and Shero is going to make the correct move with Tootoo. He isn't going to sign him out of some loyalty from his days in Nashville.

I'm just borderline afraid that they actually think this guy is really good, more than any kind of loyalty from the Nashville days.

He was a healthy scratch more under Pete than he was under Hynes. Just once under Hynes.

That's the only thing that frightens me. But logically we should assume that he's not good at all, and that he won't be back or playing at all in the NHL after this year. His career was resurrected for two more years by us.

 

[Bleedred]

That is a depth issue too though. Plus Kalinin is a fresh signing and he showed some promise that it was worth giving him his shot. Then bodies started to drop.

Ideally barring some offensive growth want him on the 4th line, but considering what we had to worth with in hindsight. Not much problem rolling him on the 3rd line.

I absolutely could justify him on the 3rd line more than Josefson going forward.

Since we don't know as much about him, but I think the 54 games Josefson played in is a large enough sample size to show that he's not really a 3rd line center or 3rd line anything.

He improved a bit offensively from previous years, but not by much. He's shown he's better than your typical 4th liner, but not good enough to be even a low end 3rd liner when you have a healthy lineup.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I absolutely could justify him on the 3rd line more than Josefson going forward.

Since we don't know as much about him, but I think the 54 games Josefson played in is a large enough sample size to show that he's not really a 3rd line center or 3rd line anything.

He improved a bit offensively from previous years, but not by much. He's shown he's better than your typical 4th liner, but not good enough to be even a low end 3rd liner when you have a healthy lineup.

Once we have better options neither of them will get 3rd line minutes going forward barring injuries.

 

[Bleedred]

Once we have better options neither of them will get 3rd line minutes going forward barring injuries.

I'm hoping that's next year.

I don't wanna rush JQ or Zacha, but it might take one of them to overthrow JJ of the 3rd line center/3rd line role.

I still think we'll make some kind of Palmieri-like acquisition to hopefully push some guy down.