GDT: Islanders (31-27-9) @ Devils (24-38-6) - 4:00PM - TNT/SN360

[Bleedred]

I agree the goaltending is an issue. I also agree coaching, especially on the PP is an issue, but does a season like this change the opinions of fans in regards to the importance of "plugs"?

What exactly is a ''Plug'' though?

 

[NJDevs26]

I agree the goaltending is an issue. I also agree coaching, especially on the PP is an issue, but does a season like this change the opinions of fans in regards to the importance of "plugs"?

Not when the coaching and goaltending have been such glaring issues, and when the staff has gone regressive with guys like Geertsen to no good effect.

Besides it's not that people think 'plugs' are unimportant, just overrated or overvalued in terms of price/picks people are willing to deal for one. I'm pretty sure Fitz and Marty will continue to address the size/physicality issue, hopefully without jumping the shark on it but they gotta address the main issues too, which include the medical staff

 

[devilsblood]

Not when the coaching and goaltending have been such glaring issues, and when the staff has gone regressive with guys like Geertsen to no good effect.

Besides it's not that people think 'plugs' are unimportant, just overrated or overvalued in terms of price/picks people are willing to deal for one. I'm pretty sure Fitz and Marty will continue to address the size/physicality issue, hopefully without jumping the shark on it but they gotta address the main issues too, which include the medical staff

Geertsen has played less then half of our games played, and played very limited minutes in those games he has played. Even while showing flexibility in playing both fwd and d.

And outside of Geertsen and his very limited minutes, who else are we talking about?

 

[devilsblood]

What exactly is a ''Plug'' though?

Exactly.

Posters here want to categorize any player who doesn't produce a point in a game the team loses as a plug. Which is rather simplistc imo.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I don’t want PK back at all.

I do think there’s a lack of intensity around this team and if he’s not a part of the problem, he’s not helping.

I did like him going after Wahlstrom today. Someone needs to take old Wahlstrom’s number for next year. Remember it. The time will come when he’s exposed to a good clean pay back.

 

[My3Sons]

I did like him going after Wahlstrom today. Someone needs to take old Wahlstrom’s number for next year. Remember it. The time will come when he’s exposed to a good clean pay back.

I don’t think so. How many times have people said that about Wilson and Marchand and nothing ever happens.

 

[NJDevs26]

Geertsen has played less then half of our games played, and played very limited minutes in those games he has played. Even while showing flexibility in playing both fwd and d.

And outside of Geertsen and his very limited minutes, who else are we talking about?

He plays limited minutes, which means other forwards necessarily have to play more minutes and lines get screwed up.

Exactly.

Posters here want to categorize any player who doesn't produce a point in a game the team loses as a plug. Which is rather simplistc imo.

No that's simplistic because there are plenty of guys who put up .5 points a game (give or take) that don't get described as plugs because they're 'skill' guys, usually with some quickness a la the Tatars and Jonssons of the world. Plug is more or less a codeword for size, and some people do automatically pigeonhole all big guys in a box of being unskilled, which isn't the case any more than it's the case that you need big guys for the sake of having big guys. You need big guys that can skate/play a regular shift and those guys aren't easy to find.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I don’t think so. How many times have people said that about Wilson and Marchand and nothing ever happens.

alas true . . .

 

[devilsblood]

He plays limited minutes, which means other forwards necessarily have to play more minutes and lines get screwed up.

No that's simplistic because there are plenty of guys who put up .5 points a game (give or take) that don't get described as plugs because they're 'skill' guys, usually with some quickness a la the Tatars and Jonssons of the world. Plug is more or less a codeword for size, and some people do automatically pigeonhole all big guys in a box of being unskilled, which isn't the case any more than it's the case that you need size guys for the sake of size guys. You need size guys that can play a regular shift.

But again 24 games. Less than half the games played. Posters here focus way too much on him.

And if itis not Geertsen in the lineup then, then who is? And is that player a plug as well?

 

[Forge]

I would absolutely keep PK around for another couple years if he's willing. We don't have anyone who could fill that spot in the organization and I don't know what we could get on the open market that will be as good as him.

It's physically painful for me to watch him skate. I can't do it.

 

[Auto Pilot]

Exactly.

Posters here want to categorize any player who doesn't produce a point in a game the team loses as a plug. Which is rather simplistc imo.

Plugs are players that barely contribute outside of a body on the roster.

Our entire 4th line can be labeled as such. They’re replaceable players and just plug into the lineup.

 

[devilsblood]

Plugs are players that barely contribute outside of a body on the roster.

Our entire 4th line can be labeled as such. They’re replaceable players and just plug into the lineup.

I haven't dug into the #'s recently but our 4th line for much of the season have played some of the most difficult minutes in the league.

Which allows our more offensive players to play easier minutes.

Again guys here seem not to consider such allocation of minutes.

 

[Auto Pilot]

Then you got this idiot testicle in a suit coaching those geriatric nursing home patients saying shit like this.

 

[Auto Pilot]

I haven't dug into the #'s recently but our 4th line for much of the season have played some of the most difficult minutes in the league.

Which allows our more offensive players to play easier minutes.

Again guys here seem not to consider such allocation of minutes.

Hey I wonder why we are losing.

Our 4th line sucks. McLeod is bad, Bastian is meh, Vesey is okay on the pk. They’re replaceable and plugs.


Matching up your worst line against the other teams best is genuinely stupid

 

[Buck Dancer]

Every line should have a role and every player should bring something positive to the team. As much as people shit on Geertsen, he brings an element nobody else does. He’s not a thorn in our side because he plays about 5 minutes a night and our better players get double shifted for the remaining minutes, which they and we shouldn’t mind in the slightest. He‘a also not a very good hockey player but when he’s on the ice, he keeps the opposition in check.

Guys who are apparently offensive minded but can’t generate offense, can’t defend and can’t use their body to be effective on a dump in or to swing momentum our way, to me, are the definition of being a "replaceable player". We have about 3 or 4 players that fit that very description.

We’re not losing because Geertsen plays once in a while. We’re losing because we’re paper tissue soft, we have absolutely zero interior game and our goaltending is god awful.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

It's gotten to the point of talking about the coaches needing hair plugs now?

I can't.

 

[Patrik26]

I think we’re a goaltender away from possibly making the playoffs… and getting the shit kicked out of us.

Not to mention then falling into the abyss of mid-round selections and hoping a gem or two falls our way.

 

[JK3]

Sucks Hughes got that knee. I don't know if there's anything we can do about that hit, but clearly the concern is that we're going to have to watch these core guys sit out because they just aren't going to be durable enough.

Love that this is like another 'goalie loss', one night after getting 19 svs from our goalie in the third and barely leaving our own zone.

Was it the terrible giveaways, clean breakaways or wide-open tap ins that were stoppable this time. And oh yeah, let's compare xGA because it'll probably be a surprise that all of our 7 goalies numbers will be identical behind the same crap team.

The goaltending has been shit for sure but they have a ton of stuff to clean up. They turn the puck over at a horrific rate in all three zones. If we keep the same staff and systems around it’s going to be a rude awakening when we get better in net and wonder why it’s still a shit show back there. Sure we’ll win a few more games here and there but people will still be scratching their heads why this team stinks. We gave up a f***ing breakaway while in our own zone tonight lol.

 

[Blender]

thats one example thank you.. i can give you many more to counter your exception to the rule

So there isn't one way to build a Cup winning team, that's the point.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The goaltending has been shit for sure but they have a ton of stuff to clean up. They turn the puck over at a horrific rate in all three zones. If we keep the same staff and systems around it’s going to be a rude awakening when we get better in net and wonder why it’s still a shit show back there. Sure we’ll win a few more games here and there but people will still be scratching their heads why this team stinks. We gave up a f***ing breakaway while in our own zone tonight lol.

There’s just no way in hell Lindy or Recchi are back, I wouldn’t worry about that. It’s an imperfect roster that is extremely young, they’re going to have some sloppy play. This was supposed to be a year to get a step closer, not many expected the postseason. Giving up 40+ goals worse than expected translates more than a few wins, it’s probably like 10 wins.

 

[Hisch13r]

There’s just no way in hell Lindy or Recchi are back, I wouldn’t worry about that. It’s an imperfect roster that is extremely young, they’re going to have some sloppy play. This was supposed to be a year to get a step closer, not many expected the postseason. Giving up 40+ goals worse than expected translates more than a few wins, it’s probably like 10 wins.

We’d be right in the range that was expected before the season started if we had gotten goaltending

 

[DerekDevils30]

Sucks Hughes got that knee. I don't know if there's anything we can do about that hit, but clearly the concern is that we're going to have to watch these core guys sit out because they just aren't going to be durable enough.

Love that this is like another 'goalie loss', one night after getting 19 svs from our goalie in the third and barely leaving our own zone.

Was it the terrible giveaways, clean breakaways or wide-open tap ins that were stoppable this time. And oh yeah, let's compare xGA because it'll probably be a surprise that all of our 7 goalies numbers will be identical behind the same crap team.

Goal 4 was a back breaker. Team showed some balls in the 3rd and made a game of it. Were playing well and seemed to have rallied around the Hughes incident and Subban‘s response. You need a save there especially seeing as how they scored in the final minutes to make it a one goal game again.

But. Alas. I can’t be mad at Daws. Poor guy should be in the AHL posting stud numbers like he was.

 

[Bleedred]

The goaltending is really glaring in these close games, like the last two days, both one goal losses. More so in the Florida game where we scored 6 goals.

It was meaningless in the 7 goal loss against Boston.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m sure Subban is so thankful that he got tossed out of game and didn’t have to answer to Ross Johnston, who is a terribly scary guy.

Johnston wouldn’t have done shit to Subban. He would have just taken out Jesper or Nico or someone else good.

 

[Bleedred]

It’s such a joke these old dinosaurs (including some of the ones working for us) even ice these big f***in boners to go out there and keep everybody “Honest”.

I’m closer that ever to wanting fighting banned from hockey, but I certainly have no problem with Subban going out there and fighting or Wood the other night. It’s the pointless bullshit fights from Geertsen, Johnston and other players who suck at NHL hockey, but are out there to celebrate some outdated tradition that has left all but a few of these f***in guys extinct.