GDT: GAME # 60 - Devils @ Canucks - 10pm ET

[Mgd31]

So what the heck happened after we tied it 2-2? We had a powerplay to go up 3-2 and then gave up a shorty? And then it was over from there?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

 

[RangerDoggo]

At least we have Jack Hughes. Wonderful, handsome, nice Jewish boy Jack Hughes. Even in a shitty game like this, he is the light of this franchise.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Mercer has also been bounced around the lineup a lot. Center, wing, all up and down the top 3 lines with random linemates from game to game.

I think if the plan is to put him on the wing in the top 6 consistently he should be fine playing with either Hughes or Hischier.

This.

Mercer has been given different linemates every other week it seems and has been asked to play 2 different positions since the start of the year.

It's super hard to create chemistry with certain players and when you get shuffled around like that, it's never an easy thing... especially for a 20 year old rookie.

We should figure where we want him to play and stick with that option.

 

[glenwo2]

At least we have Jack Hughes. Wonderful, handsome, nice Jewish boy Jack Hughes. Even in a shitty game like this, he is the light of this franchise.

I didn't know he was Jewish.

And now that you mentioned it, I did some research and found this article :

Jack Hughes becomes first Jewish No. 1 pick in NHL draft

New Jersey Devils choose the teenage prodigy, the son of a Jewish mother and a Catholic father

www.timesofisrael.com

Pretty neat. This is the first time I've ever seen / heard this.

 

[Triumph]

Team just wasn't sharp all night. They have the talent now to make games like that look respectable, but they weren't any good from puck drop, just too loose structurally and forcing plays that weren't there.

 

[devilsblood]

I feel a good coach like Bruce Boudreau saw Siegenthaler was out of the line-up, and the pre-game speech was heavily about crashing the Devils crease. The Canucks flooded the Devils crease all game, creating havoc and goals galore. When you've got Colin White and Ty Smith going up against JT Miller and Bo Horvat, it's just a mismatch, plain and simple. Then when you complicate the situation with several giveaways by the forwards (looking at you, Mr. Tatar), you're not going to win unless it's Vasilevskiy in your net.

Do the Devils need better goaltending? Yes. Is that why they lost tonight? No.

Meh, I think you might be trying to have the result fit your narrative. Horvat scored two goals on semi breakaways. Miller also had a great chance on the rush. The tap in goal was off the rush.

 

[devilsblood]

Team just wasn't sharp all night. They have the talent now to make games like that look respectable, but they weren't any good from puck drop, just too loose structurally and forcing plays that weren't there.

I think this kind of points to the "learning to win" process.

In a big way we are following Jack Hughes's lead, playing an offensive game, letting his, and other players talent, come through, and sometimes that looks great. And then other times it leads to bad decisions and dangerous chances against.

At this point in the season I think playing an offensive game is probably the way to go, I don't see the need for clamping down defensively and thus clamping down on some of our own offensive creativity, but longer term we probably want to lean more towards Nico's style of play, even if, as evidenced by Nico's production early, it does come at the expense of some of our own offense.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Meh, I think you might be trying to have the result fit your narrative. Horvat scored two goals on semi breakaways. Miller also had a great chance on the rush. The tap in goal was off the rush.

You could be right. Thanks for calling me out.

 

[Eggtimer]

Again, I agree with you the Devils need to improve in net. I just get this feeling in the pit of my stomach when we lose games for a litany of reasons and people are thinking it's just that one thing. With league average goaltending, the Devils are still not a playoff team. They still need a more interior game and better team defense. They need an entire 3rd line. They need to be tougher to play against. I see Tampa win games when Vasilevskiy has an off-night, I see Calgary win games when Markstrom has an off-night. I still feel the Devils would have won tonight had Tatar not gift-wrapped them a breakaway at the worst possible time. The ice was tilted to NJ, but then that huge Canucks goal just took the air out of the Devils completely. We're a young team with a lot of fight, but we're still a work in progress.

I think it’s just easier to say “ need a goalie amd we are in the playoffs.” Yes we need a goalie big time. But yes we need to make more changes besides goaltending and I think that involves getting a entire 3rd line or 2/3/4 forwards that play a more interior game , replace Tatar Johnson and ? Zacha with those types. Replace Subban with a RH Seigenthaler type.

 

[devilsblood]

You could be right. Thanks for calling me out.

The pleasure is mine.

 

[My3Sons]

Why not just come to terms with the fact that Gillies sucks, he's NOT NHL caliber, he never has been, even before he got here with our terrible defense and stop making your own spins and rationalizations as to why he doesn't.

''In a vacuum we're playing differently''.

''I'm not saying he's good, we all know he sucks but''.

And it's not just you who said that, I'm not singling you out.

Of course they are playing differently in a vacuum. If it's one of those Dyson models they are all getting swirled around constantly like a cyclone for starters.

 

[devilsblood]

Again, I agree with you the Devils need to improve in net. I just get this feeling in the pit of my stomach when we lose games for a litany of reasons and people are thinking it's just that one thing. With league average goaltending, the Devils are still not a playoff team. They still need a more interior game and better team defense. They need an entire 3rd line. They need to be tougher to play against. I see Tampa win games when Vasilevskiy has an off-night, I see Calgary win games when Markstrom has an off-night. I still feel the Devils would have won tonight had Tatar not gift-wrapped them a breakaway at the worst possible time. The ice was tilted to NJ, but then that huge Canucks goal just took the air out of the Devils completely. We're a young team with a lot of fight, but we're still a work in progress.

Do we need an entire 3rd line? I thought Boq had some real good shifts again last night. If he is not traded in a big package I don't see how he is not on that 3rd line. He's very much earned that imo.

I know you don't like Johnsson, I figure you don't like Tatar either, I'd be OK with one of them(much prefer Johnsson) though I do very much agree that I don't think we should have both on that 3rd line.

Think it was @Devils son who brought up Comtois, and I've warmed to that idea. Brings size, physicality, some offensive/goal scoring ability, and he should be relatively cheap. Much more into that idea then bringing in a pipe dream guy like Tkachuk who, while really good, would be all sorts of expensive.

 

[devilsblood]

Why not just come to terms with the fact that Gillies sucks, he's NOT NHL caliber, he never has been, even before he got here with our terrible defense and stop making your own spins and rationalizations as to why he doesn't.

''In a vacuum we're playing differently''.

''I'm not saying he's good, we all know he sucks but''.

And it's not just you who said that, I'm not singling you out.

Dude we all get it. The rants over a guy who we all know is not NHL level are boring at this point.

 

[Bleedred]

Dude we all get it. The rants over a guy who we all know is not NHL level are boring at this point.

I know it sounds harsh but if he can't play in the NHL then just f***ing retire. He knows there's a chance he'll be at the NHL level with the contract he has.

Or, keep playing and take my criticism.

I'm not saying he should retire, I'm just saying I'm gonna keep f***ing ranting on him if I have to keep f***ing seeing him.

Of course he lets in one bad one last night.

FORTY f***ING PERCENT OF THE GOALS HE'S ALLOWED AS A DEVIL ARE BAD! Literally, 19 out of 47.

Twilight Schneider don't have shit on this f***in guy.

Last 1.5 months that Blackwood played are almost better than this f***. He's no worse, at least.

The only thing that might be worse is Louis Domingue when he was here, but it's pretty close. Of course Schneider had his really awful stretches, but the difference between Gillies and the end of Schneider is that Schneider at the end had those .920% stretches that I laughed about. He even had a shutout in his second to last game played as a Devil. Very rare you get a 2 goal against game from Gillies and SUPER RARE that you get a 1 goal against game out of him.

 

[devilsblood]

I know it sounds harsh but if he can't play in the NHL then just f***ing retire. He knows there's a chance he'll be at the NHL level with the contract he has.

Or, keep playing and take my criticism.

I'm not saying he should retire, I'm just saying I'm gonna keep f***ing ranting on him if I have to keep f***ing seeing him.

Of course he lets in one bad one last night.

FORTY f***ING PERCENT OF THE GOALS HE'S ALLOWED AS A DEVIL ARE BAD! Literally, 19 out of 47.

Twilight Schneider don't have shit on this f***in guy.

Last 1.5 months that Blackwood played are almost better than this f***. He's no worse, at least.

The only thing that might be worse is Louis Domingue when he was here, but it's pretty close. Of course Schneider had his really awful stretches, but the difference between Gillies and the end of Schneider is that Schneider at the end had those .920% stretches that I laughed about. He even had a shutout in his second to last game played as a Devil. Very rare you get a 2 goal against game from Gillies and SUPER RARE that you get a 1 goal against game out of him.

Here's the part you are missing. If we are not playing Gillies, we are playing some other guy who shouldn't be in the NHL. It's not about Gillies, it's about our top 2 goalies both being out.

 

[My3Sons]

Do we need an entire 3rd line? I thought Boq had some real good shifts again last night. If he is not traded in a big package I don't see how he is not on that 3rd line. He's very much earned that imo.

I know you don't like Johnsson, I figure you don't like Tatar either, I'd be OK with one of them(much prefer Johnsson) though I do very much agree that I don't think we should have both on that 3rd line.

Think it was @Devils son who brought up Comtois, and I've warmed to that idea. Brings size, physicality, some offensive/goal scoring ability, and he should be relatively cheap. Much more into that idea then bringing in a pipe dream guy like Tkachuk who, while really good, would be all sorts of expensive.

Boqvist is young enough that you give him more opportunity to improve. To my eye test he looks better but still a bit inconsistent. I know some have posted advanced stats that support him as a productive player. It's tough to evaluate him given that he is sort of on an island of misfit toys. The NJ third line is less a product of chemistry and cohesion than just the three guys not quite good enough to play an offensive game effectively in a consistent manner but they also aren't great defensive forwards. That's a bad combination in my view. I'd like to see Boquist with two better defensive players who can create some time and space in the offensive end to let Boqvist work a bit more creatively when he has the puck. I'd try him with Bastian and Wood when Miles returns. Beyond that, I'd like to see Tatar and Johnsson replaced as third liners but I'm skeptical that happens until after next season.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Do we need an entire 3rd line? I thought Boq had some real good shifts again last night. If he is not traded in a big package I don't see how he is not on that 3rd line. He's very much earned that imo.

I know you don't like Johnsson, I figure you don't like Tatar either, I'd be OK with one of them(much prefer Johnsson) though I do very much agree that I don't think we should have both on that 3rd line.

Think it was @Devils son who brought up Comtois, and I've warmed to that idea. Brings size, physicality, some offensive/goal scoring ability, and he should be relatively cheap. Much more into that idea then bringing in a pipe dream guy like Tkachuk who, while really good, would be all sorts of expensive.

I've backed Boqvist a ton on these threads recently -- I think he's earned a try-out for 3C for the rest of this season, at least. He looks pretty good.

Tatar and Johnsson are two guys I like... in a trade scenario. I honestly think Johnsson goes to Arizona this week, and because of various salary cap nuances the Devils could actually receive as much as a second round pick in return:

Insider Trading: Is Fleury in Toronto's sights? - TSN.ca

Have the Maple Leafs checked in on the availability on other goaltenders? Are the Sabres in the market for a partner for Owen Power for next season? Would a Claude Giroux trade just involve the Flyers and one other team? The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss this and more.

www.tsn.ca

Tatar will be harder to trade because it's tough to see a team wanting his gaudy $4 million+ contract on the books next year, but maybe Fitzgerald will get lucky. The two 3rd-line wing slots would be better served giving some ice time to deserving Devils prospects like Zetterlund and Thompson.

 

[Bleedred]

Here's the part you are missing. If we are not playing Gillies, we are playing some other guy who shouldn't be in the NHL. It's not about Gillies, it's about our top 2 goalies both being out.

I'm not saying not to play him, we're kind of forced to. If we weren't, he would have DEFINITELY BEEN WAIVED after those last two games he started. You don't get to be a goalie of limited ability in the NHL like he is and get to not be waived after the Tampa and Chicago ames, unless you have the goalie situation we have.

I'm just saying when he plays I'm gonna f***in shred him if he allows a weak goal, like the first goal he allowed last night when we were down by just one early in the 3rd.

I'm at the point where I've f***ING HAD IT WITH THE GOALIES HERE! I'm at the point where I don't wanna see any of the goalies on this year's team after this year. Maybe Daws later on in the season, but absolutely not to start the season.

Bernier was fine, but I don't think he's gonna be any better than Rask was this year if he plays next year. So I don't really have any interest in seeing him play again.

After Blackwood's last 53 games, I'm not psyched to see him potentially play 30-40 games next year. I think he can bounce back, but I'm not very confident he will. I give it a higher chance than I ever did for Schneider.

 

[devilsblood]

I've backed Boqvist a ton on these threads recently -- I think he's earned a try-out for 3C for the rest of this season, at least. He looks pretty good.

Tatar and Johnsson are two guys I like... in a trade scenario. I honestly think Johnsson goes to Arizona this week, and because of various salary cap nuances the Devils could actually receive as much as a second round pick in return:

Insider Trading: Is Fleury in Toronto's sights? - TSN.ca

Have the Maple Leafs checked in on the availability on other goaltenders? Are the Sabres in the market for a partner for Owen Power for next season? Would a Claude Giroux trade just involve the Flyers and one other team? The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss this and more.

www.tsn.ca

Tatar will be harder to trade because it's tough to see a team wanting his gaudy $4 million+ contract on the books next year, but maybe Fitzgerald will get lucky. The two 3rd-line wing slots would be better served giving some ice time to deserving Devils prospects like Zetterlund and Thompson.

I thought Tatar's deal was $4mil total, not per year.

I'm fine with him as a potential 13th fwd.

I agree on Zetterlund. Not so sure on Thompson, would rather he start the year in Utica.

 

[Eggtimer]

Do we need an entire 3rd line? I thought Boq had some real good shifts again last night. If he is not traded in a big package I don't see how he is not on that 3rd line. He's very much earned that imo.

I know you don't like Johnsson, I figure you don't like Tatar either, I'd be OK with one of them(much prefer Johnsson) though I do very much agree that I don't think we should have both on that 3rd line.

Think it was @Devils son who brought up Comtois, and I've warmed to that idea. Brings size, physicality, some offensive/goal scoring ability, and he should be relatively cheap. Much more into that idea then bringing in a pipe dream guy like Tkachuk who, while really good, would be all sorts of expensive.

Ya we aren’t getting Tkachuk but players like - Comtois DeBrusk Neiderrieder Trochek Nichushkin Marchment Crouse should be on our radar. Probably more out there that are possibility available.
I think adding guys like that instead of Johnson Tatar types would help with games where the game is close and need to find a way to beat in a greasy goal, keep the game close and wear down their D but forechecking the crap out of them and keep energy level up. The Tatar screw up changed the game . Can’t have that anymore. When Tatar and Johnson aren’t scoring , they are not doing anything at all to help in other aspects of the game

Hopefully the deadweight in Johnson and Tatar are gone sooner than later. The second we get a goalie I want Gilles gone as well . It sounds harsh but he should not be in the NHL. If he want here , he would be long gone out of the NHL . He is essentially the last desperate option that was available. Only reason he is here is that the Devials did t want to be forced to play one of the kids. That has happened anyways because of how utterly terrible Gilles has been.

 

[devilsblood]

Ya we aren’t getting Tkachuk but players like - Comtois DeBrusk Neiderrieder Trochek Nichushkin Marchment Crouse should be on our radar. Probably more out there that are possibility available.
I think adding guys like that instead of Johnson Tatar types would help with games where the game is close and need to find a way to beat in a greasy goal, keep the game close and wear down their D but forechecking the crap out of them and keep energy level up. The Tatar screw up changed the game . Can’t have that anymore. When Tatar and Johnson aren’t scoring , they are not doing anything at all to help in other aspects of the game

I love him on that 4th line, the idea of a Wood McLeod Bastian mega 4th line is very enticing and imo reduces the concerns about the physicality on the 3rd line.

But is Bastian playing above 4th or even 3rd line level? I mean, if we are talking about a pure physical, net front, goal scoring winger, has he not been very good in that role? You might look at his stats and say no, not enough shots, not enough assists, but look at his usage. 27% offensive faceoff percentage, playing with McLeod and Vesey, it's not very conducive to putting up good offensive #'s.

Still, ya would like to replace the current 3rd line wingers with a more physical option.

 

[devilsblood]

Ya we aren’t getting Tkachuk but players like - Comtois DeBrusk Neiderrieder Trochek Nichushkin Marchment Crouse should be on our radar. Probably more out there that are possibility available.
I think adding guys like that instead of Johnson Tatar types would help with games where the game is close and need to find a way to beat in a greasy goal, keep the game close and wear down their D but forechecking the crap out of them and keep energy level up. The Tatar screw up changed the game . Can’t have that anymore. When Tatar and Johnson aren’t scoring , they are not doing anything at all to help in other aspects of the game

Hopefully the deadweight in Johnson and Tatar are gone sooner than later. The second we get a goalie I want Gilles gone as well . It sounds harsh but he should not be in the NHL. If he want here , he would be long gone out of the NHL . He is essentially the last desperate option that was available. Only reason he is here is that the Devials did t want to be forced to play one of the kids. That has happened anyways because of how utterly terrible Gilles has been.

And yeah that Tatar play, after a great shift by that line, and making such an obviously bad pass, that was a stinger. Not a play that the oldest guy on the team should be making.

 

[Bleedred]

I love him on that 4th line, the idea of a Wood McLeod Bastian mega 4th line is very enticing and imo reduces the concerns about the physicality on the 3rd line.

But is Bastian playing above 4th or even 3rd line level? I mean, if we are talking about a pure physical, net front, goal scoring winger, has he not been very good in that role? You might look at his stats and say no, not enough shots, not enough assists, but look at his usage. 27% offensive faceoff percentage, playing with McLeod and Vesey, it's not very conducive to putting up good offensive #'s.

Still, ya would like to replace the current 3rd line wingers with a more physical option.

That would be a pretty good 4th line, but I still have a little bit of hope that Wood is better than a 4th liner. Some years he's played like a pretty solid 3rd liner, while other years he's just been a really good 4th line guy.

It all seems to depend on how well he's shooting. Some years he's getting a lot of breakaways and just can't finish, then a couple other years he's actually finishing many more of those and scoring at almost a 20 goal pace.

 

[devilsblood]

That would be a pretty good 4th line, but I still have a little bit of hope that Wood is better than a 4th liner. Some years he's played like a pretty solid 3rd liner, while other years he's just been a really good 4th line guy.

It all seems to depend on how well he's shooting. Some years he's getting a lot of breakaways and just can't finish, then a couple other years he's actually finishing many more of those and scoring at almost a 20 goal pace.

I think that "4th line" would get 3rd line minutes.