GDT: It's been Rough Devils @ Red Wings 8:00 PM

[devilsblood]

But I haven’t seen the 5 on 5 defensive play as working so why does “the boards” take matter for dismissing my concerns? Or saying people are effectively being flip floppers?

In particular since you said people weren’t criticizing it before when people definitely were.

But again we had solid 5v5 results.

Remove the boards take and just focus on performance.

The system provided good results until very recently.

 

[Devils731]

But again we had solid 5v5 results.

Remove the boards take and just focus on performance.

The system provided good results until very recently.

The Devils allowed the 4th most goals in the league last year and I think the defensive system actually hinders there offense. So no, I don’t think the results were good.

They were also 8th worst 5 on 5. Drops to 6th worst if we combine last year and this year. Not good results.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I thought Zacha had a good 3rd period. Which makes his previous 5 periods look all that much worse. I figured he must have been battling sickness he was so bad. But unless he IV'd up in between periods, that excuse looks off the table.

I've been a defender of Zacha for a very long time. I like a lot of his game and he seems to fit in with the guys well. But more and more I'm zoning in on the things that the Zacha haters have been harping on from day one. He's like the Severson of forwards, but even more aloof. There is absolutely no intensity to his game ever. He is Charmin soft always. He has good speed and size but virtually never uses it. He loses every single loose puck battle and is prone to massive mistakes. When he's on he can be very good, but he has way too many stretches of being off.

 

[devilsblood]

The Devils allowed the 4th most goals in the league last year and I think the defensive system actually hinders there offense. So no, I don’t think the results were good.

The GA's last year were largely attributed to the PK which was putrid. Goaltending wasn't great either.

PK has been significantly better this year, especially recently where it has actually become very good.

The PP on the other hand continues to be garbage. I don't even think that that is really a system issue, but I'm all in in changing Recchi. Do something.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The Devils allowed the 4th most goals in the league last year and I think the defensive system actually hinders there offense. So no, I don’t think the results were good.

They were also 8th worst 5 on 5. Drops to 6th worst if we combine last year and this year. Not good results.

Not that I think we would have been near the top of the league in goals allowed last year with NHL goaltending, but likely we would have been middle of the pack. Beer league goaltending basically sunk us in the GA category.

 

[Devils731]

The GA's last year were largely attributed to the PK which was putrid. Goaltending wasn't great either.

PK has been significantly better this year, especially recently where it has actually become very good.

The PP on the other hand continues to be garbage. I don't even think that that is really a system issue, but I'm all in in changing Recchi. Do something.

I updated. 5 on 5 the Devils stunk for GA as well.

The goaltending isn’t helped by the system. People are looking at save percentage, shot location, and eyeball test and saying all the goalies stink. They may not be great but when goalie are under a barrage of unscreened slot shots, point shots with 2 bodies screening them, and cross crease back door passes the goalies are going to look bad no matter their talent level.

 

[devilsblood]

I've been a defender of Zacha for a very long time. I like a lot of his game and he seems to fit in with the guys well. But more and more I'm zoning in on the things that the Zacha haters have been harping on from day one. He's like the Severson of forwards, but even more aloof. There is absolutely no intensity to his game ever. He is Charmin soft always. He has good speed and size but virtually never uses it. He loses every single loose puck battle and is prone to massive mistakes. When he's on he can be very good, but he has way too many stretches of being off.

He actually had a solid hit in the 3rd period last night. Came away with the puck and led the transition back up ice. Got too cute with the passing immediately after, but for a moment we got a glimmer of what an aggressive Zacha could be.

Just way too little of that. Now I think that is absolutely on Zacha. But it's also on coaching. Be tougher on him. I absolutely think he got called out in intermission. I think it's also a little bit on Nico. He's the Captain, he's Zacha's buddy. Demand more.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I've been a defender of Zacha for a very long time. I like a lot of his game and he seems to fit in with the guys well. But more and more I'm zoning in on the things that the Zacha haters have been harping on from day one. He's like the Severson of forwards, but even more aloof. There is absolutely no intensity to his game ever. He is Charmin soft always. He has good speed and size but virtually never uses it. He loses every single loose puck battle and is prone to massive mistakes. When he's on he can be very good, but he has way too many stretches of being off.

Same here... Been trying to wait it out but I feel on all these points its hard to truly defend him now. This last stretch i see it strongly. Hes like viktor kozlov somehow.... A lot of tools but doesnt use em with intensity. Two seasons ago he was pulling power moves. He hardly does it this season. Dont know why give a shit level is like at 3.

I even got a jersey jersey coming with his name but i think its lost cause now lol. (Ordered it nov 23rd before the team tanked and its been delayed by shipping problems)

 

[Combat Koala]

They don’t score enough to be offensive and they aren’t good at team defense, they might be fast but many teams look just as fast, maybe faster. Other teams are developing faster and better..


This team has ZERO identity..

Couldn't agree more on the identity issue. That's what I've been thinking for the the past couple of seasons. On paper, or on the ice, I just can't decrypt what the team makeup is supposed to be. What's the identity, what type of team are they trying to construct? I see some good pieces, but the big picture is really lacking. On the other hand the team is the youngest in the league (correct me if I'm wrong) so growing pains are practically unavoidable and last year was the first or second in the league for many players and this year seems to be filled with sophomore slumps so it's hard to evaluate what there is and what there isn't. I personally can't get behind the ideas of trading Smith, Kuokkanen or Sharangovich. Not yet. I'd give them at least one more season to show what they got. If you want to explore trades see what you can get for Severson/Zacha/Boqvist and ditch Subban@50% at deadline.

 

[devilsblood]

I updated. 5 on 5 the Devils stunk for GA as well.

The goaltending isn’t helped by the system. People are looking at save percentage, shot location, and eyeball test and saying all the goalies stink. They may not be great but when goalie are under a barrage of unscreened slot shots, point shots with 2 bodies screening them, and cross crease back door passes the goalies are going to look bad no matter their talent level.

I don't completely disagree, but we played Wedgewood or Dell in 33% of our games last year. And a post covid Blackwood, who has admitted to having after effects, for another however many games.

This year we are again playing 3rd, 4th and soon to be 5th string goalies. 2 different 20 year olds making their NHL debuts. This is a bad recipe.

Also consider we traded or lost however many d-men, or d oriented fwd's last year. That absolutely skewed the #'s late in the season. Right now we are without a top pairing d-man, as well as another d-man who played pretty substantial minutes despite being "3rd" pair.

So a lot of stuff going on. But when healthy? The system provided solid results.

 

[Devils731]

Two seasons ago he was pulling power moves

Man, I loved when Zacha would be one on one with a defender and just lower his shoulder and lean into the defenders chest. It’s definitely missing from his toolset this year.

Especially being missed since him and Wood are the most effective at the move.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

How was Schmidt in this one?

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Schmid's first 2 starts were disappointing. He shouldn't even really be here right now and it's not like he is damaged goods or anything. Not a fan of seeing him give up 4 and 5 goals respectively. Really though he would give us a dominant game in one of his 2 starts. Doesn't help both games we only scored 2 goals. This season can f*** off already.

 

[Devs3cups]

Schmid's first 2 starts were disappointing. He shouldn't even really be here right now and it's not like he is damaged goods or anything. Not a fan of seeing him give up 4 and 5 goals respectively. Really though he would give us a dominant game in one of his 2 starts. Doesn't help both games we only scored 2 goals. This season can f*** off already.

Basically, our defense is also atrocious, so it’s hard to tell. The first one last night was a freak bounce and a fluke. The second goal against was a Larkin shot from the slot eith absolutely horrible coverage by Smith. Never should’ve happened. I guess Bertuzzi’s 2 goals were stoppable, but they were great shots and the last one was a bad play by Dougie who was inches from the blue line and couldn’t clear. All in all, this team’s defense right now isn’t helping our goalies at all, and even with average defense, they’d look better.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Schmid's first 2 starts were disappointing. He shouldn't even really be here right now and it's not like he is damaged goods or anything. Not a fan of seeing him give up 4 and 5 goals respectively. Really though he would give us a dominant game in one of his 2 starts. Doesn't help both games we only scored 2 goals. This season can f*** off already.

biggest issue is adjusting to the speed of the NHL game. But fundamentally sound. The snipes that beat him over the shoulder were world class.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

How was Schmidt in this one?

He let in some goals that an NHL goalie should stop but I could imagine him one day being a capable NHL goaltender. He didn't look as shaky as Gilles Senn did or Daws did in his awful (2nd) start.

 

[Bleedred]

How was Schmidt in this one?

First goal was just bad luck. I've never nailed a goalie on that before. He just went out to play the puck but it never got to him after it bounced off the boards for an easy empty net goal. How was he supposed to know that the puck wasn't gonna come to him on his stick? That almost never happens. If there's been 10 goals like that this season in the league, I'd be surprised. I remember it happening about 5-6 times from my goals against reviews. I'll nail a goalie on a goal that results from a puck turned over behind the net or a giveaway, but this wasn't one of those.

Second goal I thought was stoppable, but also very forgivable. He was square to that shot and went through his arm. It was very close range though.

Third goal was a bit of a stoppable one too, but once again, a very forgivable goal against. Unlike the goal Andy Greene scored on him last week against the Islanders in his debut.

Fourth goal I think was maybe a partial breakaway from what I remember, but the guy was all alone in front of the net and just lifted it over him. That don't get a stoppable goal from me.

Fifth goal was a softy and not as forgivable. He looked really bad on that goal. He probably could have even gloved that shot and the entire short side was lit up with a welcome sign on that one. It's not softy of the night caliber at all and still not as bad as that goal Andy Greene scored on him, but it was pretty weak. It actually looked very amateurish. That was one where I thought he showed his lack of experience.

 

[Bleedred]

biggest issue is adjusting to the speed of the NHL game. But fundamentally sound. The snipes that beat him over the shoulder were world class.

I didn't like the last one at all. Like I said, that's one where he really showed that he's very green.

He let in some goals that an NHL goalie should stop but I could imagine him one day being a capable NHL goaltender. He didn't look as shaky as Gilles Senn did or Daws did in his awful (2nd) start.

I thought Daws looked fine. I have him down for 1 goal stoppable in my database and I'm pretty sure that was a Milan Lucic breakaway goal that beat him 5-hole when he was barely even moving. From the little I remember of it, his stick positioning was no good on that one and left too much room between the pads or he would have shut it down.

I do remember Senn looking pretty wild and I think I gave him a stoppable goal for all 3 goals he allowed in his only game.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Man, I loved when Zacha would be one on one with a defender and just lower his shoulder and lean into the defenders chest. It’s definitely missing from his toolset this year.

Especially being missed since him and Wood are the most effective at the move.

Yep thats what i remember. Dont know why he stopped that or if coaching coached that out. I think its on him mainly though... Lack of intensity....

 

[Call Me Al]

zacha would be such a valuable player if he played to his size. alas…