GDT: Devils vs. Panthers - 7:00PM MSG+

[Maine Fan]

Cory had a real good night for himself. Defense played well. Good to break the streak and win.
Good game

Go Devils, on to Chicago

 

[Bleedred]

Cory had a real good night for himself. Defense played well. Good to break the streak and win.
Good game

Go Devils, on to Chicago

I thought the defense was poor.

I mean the team defense, not necessarily the actual defensemen.

It was a pretty poor game, especially since the Panthers have been getting blown to smithereens all season and routinely allowing 40 shots per game. They're dead last in shots against in the entire league, or they were before this game. I'd expect their shots against dropped off significantly. They might even be second to worst now, with how little we tested them tonight....

I'd say this one was mostly Cory. He made the performance look better than it actually was.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm also yet to be impressed with this coaching staff. What exactly should they be getting credit for? Nothing stands out other than the weird unbreakable obsession with John Moore.

They've resisted the temptation to play Ben Lovejoy for more than 7 games this year? Yeah, I got nothing else. The best I'll settle for is they do nothing to make the team worse, but they also do nothing to make the team much better either.

I thought we outplayed Edmonton the other night, but got some unfortunate goaltending. Cory made up for it tonight and probably stole this one, so I'll consider it the percentages evening out.

I thought the Calgary game was fairly even too, but I'd say we were outplayed in every other game since probably the Ottawa game after that week long layoff.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Cory was great, Santini a beast. I thought Hiercher had a very good game. Muller looking better every game and big Boyle with those 3 face off wins in the last minute was big. Just not a big fan of this system. Although, we still are giving up to many shots I thought they stayed aggressive and played a smart 3rd period. Good win.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Switch Johansson and Henrique and I'm good with that.

I would still keep Nico, Bratt and Hall together.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Giving credit where credit is due to Jim, who remained adamant on his stance on Blake Coleman through and through. I thought he'd be a great spare forward who would fill in on the 4th line at best, but he has been one of the most consistent players all season long.

Glad to see him become a staple in the lineup.

 

[tr83]

Blake Coleman continues to be this team's best player each and every game. And by that I mean that he stays true to himself, the team and the way the game is supposed to play. Every single night.

Without a doubt I feel most comfortable when he's on the ice. He's great defensively, he keeps his feet moving, he's got skill, he's great on the PK and he makes his linemates better.

I see so so much of Madden in him and the way he plays and skates.

Without a doubt my new favourite player on this team and in the organization.

Agreed.

I thought after last year, he didn't have a prayer to make the big club this year. But he's so noticeable and such a pest defensively. He's the anti-Henrique

 

[Better Call Sal]

Can watch this forever.

 

[Blender]

Agreed.

I thought after last year, he didn't have a prayer to make the big club this year. But he's so noticeable and such a pest defensively. He's the anti-Henrique

Anti-Henrique is a great description for Coleman.

 

[Bleedred]

I hate to take another shot at Henrique, but because someone else brought it up....

Coleman is like Henrique, if he really were as good at defense as so many people (and coaches and analyst’s) seem to believe.

His offensive abilities aren’t as good as Henrique though.

 

[NJDevs26]

Anti-Henrique is a great description for Coleman.

Especially since one guy has talent but seemingly no heart while the other guy has no talent but tons of heart. I like Coleman but he still isn't going to produce enough offensively to get off the fourth line (two goals and no assists in 16 games, although you'd probably think the numbers were better by his play).

 

[JimEIV]

Giving credit where credit is due to Jim, who remained adamant on his stance on Blake Coleman through and through. I thought he'd be a great spare forward who would fill in on the 4th line at best, but he has been one of the most consistent players all season long.

Glad to see him become a staple in the lineup.

I don't think any credit is due. But thanks.

I just think he was being unfairly written off for various reasons. I just objected to writing him off prematurely because of his age or draft position or reasons other than his actual play. That's all.

If you've seen him play in college or in the AHL his game is translating almost perfectly to the NHL. I thought that was possible and because of that I always thought he was a good prospect. Not really a radical thought.

But... I will say, after seeing him in a more important/larger role this season, I think he's better just a 4th liner. I think his learning process has risen exponentially since he became a Pro just two years ago and I think he skilled enough to play with better players and contribute more.

 

[Blender]

Especially since one guy has talent but seemingly no heart while the other guy has no talent but tons of heart. I like Coleman but he still isn't going to produce enough offensively to get off the fourth line (two goals and no assists in 16 games, although you'd probably think the numbers were better by his play).

Absolutely, he's a 4th line player. He's a good 4th liner that we can trust though.

 

[Bleedred]

He kind of looks like John Madden, only with twilight Pandolfo-level offense. When I say twilight Pandolfo, I mean twilight Devils Pandolfo. Jay was one of the worst offensive players in the league after he left the Devils. He was one of the worst regular roster players in the league, by the end of his last season as a Devil.

I don’t think he’s quite as good as 2000-2007 Madden, and he’s probably a little better at producing offense than 2008-2010 Pandolfo.

 

[JimEIV]

Coleman is a more sturdy version of Brylin....more so than Madden.

Edit:. I say that because I think he's very versitile. I think Coleman is a player that you can put on any wing or at center on any line and get the same game. That's how Brylin was used for a lot of years.

 

[MadDevil]

Coleman is a more sturdy version of Brylin....more so than Madden.

Sarge was more skilled than Coleman, but he does kind of remind me of him the way he plays.

Also, I'm glad I was wrong about him. I was one of those who didn't think he'd be more than a depth guy, but he's definitely earned himself a regular spot in the lineup.

 

[JimEIV]

Especially since one guy has talent but seemingly no heart while the other guy has no talent but tons of heart. I like Coleman but he still isn't going to produce enough offensively to get off the fourth line (two goals and no assists in 16 games, although you'd probably think the numbers were better by his play).

The role he's being used in is not really conducive for point production.

He has less NHL expirience than Zacha and has produce as much in a defensive roll from the 4th line....he has 1 fewer goal than Henrique and Johansson and same amount as Hischier while starting in the defensive zone 80% of the time on the 4th line.

The assistant seem strange he's a +7, second best on the team, you'd think consistently being on the positive side of goals would've gotten him a couple of random assist but it hasn't, certainly not because of his play, he's a pretty good passer.

I do think he's capable of producing points though. Maybe the points will come on his 40th career game?

 

[Devilswede]

Coleman played more than 18 minutes last night and deserved every one of them. Not your typical 4th line minutes, even if you're a key PK guy.

He's deserved more icetime and I hope he keeps getting it from the coaching staff.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I really don't think Zacha will stay in the NHL if we manage to get everyone healthy...I just don't see how it's gonna happen. He's not gonna be in over Coleman or Gibbons with how they're playing. Boyle isn't going anywhere and I don't think Wood is either. And Hall, Bratt, Nico, Palmieri, Zajac, Johannson, Henrique, and Stafford are locks. That's 12 guys not even including Noesen or Hayes. It's looking like he's gonna need an injury or 2 to even crack the lineup sadly.

 

[Sir Fenwick Corsi]

Zacha needs to get his shit together. I honestly don't think he's been that bad and he's been quietly doing good things out there, but the team needs for him to elevate his game to the next level. He's improving but you want to see more. Frame and skills are there but it's not just completely clicking yet upstairs. He's still young so I'm not worried but when you have a kid like Bratt on the team that's thinking the game like a 5 year veteran, you wonder what's going on with PZ.

 

[JimEIV]

I know this will be a wildly unpopular thing to say but I really don't like the way Hischier has been playing the last couple of weeks. And I think some small things really need to be addressed now. Much more so than Zacha.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I really don't think Zacha will stay in the NHL if we manage to get everyone healthy...I just don't see how it's gonna happen. He's not gonna be in over Coleman or Gibbons with how they're playing. Boyle isn't going anywhere and I don't think Wood is either. And Hall, Bratt, Nico, Palmieri, Zajac, Johannson, Henrique, and Stafford are locks. That's 12 guys not even including Noesen or Hayes. It's looking like he's gonna need an injury or 2 to even crack the lineup sadly.

I like your analysis. But for the future of the team, you play Zacha over either Boyle or Wood. Boyle is a feel good story, but he is not the future of this club. Let's see what we have with Zacha now; play him at wing if necessary. He is not going to benefit from time in the AHL.

 

[Blender]

I know this will be a wildly unpopular thing to say but I really don't like the way Hischier has been playing the last couple of weeks. And I think some small things really need to be addressed now. Much more so than Zacha.

I'm fine with how he's playing. His problem is he isn't strong enough to be playing as a top line center against top competition in the NHL. A lot of his issues will be sorted out over time as he gets stronger.

 

[JimEIV]

I'm fine with how he's playing. His problem is he isn't strong enough to be playing as a top line center against top competition in the NHL. A lot of his issues will be sorted out over time as he gets stronger.

There has been a lot of missed assignments in his own zone that really have nothing to do with size or strength. Sometimes it looks like half effort. Of course he's young and learning but his IQ is better than the effort on a lot of plays especially in front of his own net.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I love Zacha, I think he has all the tools. But I don't know if he has the smarts in the offensive zone. He's fine along the boards but he practically skates into traffic, he does nothing to separate himself from the defenders or give his teammate an option in front of the net. It's very frustrating to watch.