GDT: Lazy, Post Bday GDT: Your New Jersey Devils @ Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[Triumph]

He’s a no show offensively since the start of the season. This "it’s just 5 games" has now turned into the "it’s just 9 games".

I get it, he’s our 1st overall pick and our captain but he has to step his up in a big way. This is a real cause for concern here because he’s generating absolutely nothing and he’s messing up golden opportunities from his line mates.

Hischier's line was 10-1 in shots last night and scored the only 5v5 goal.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

He’s a no show offensively since the start of the season. This "it’s just 5 games" has now turned into the "it’s just 9 games".

I get it, he’s our 1st overall pick and our captain but he has to step his offensive game up in a big way. This is a real cause for concern here because he’s generating absolutely nothing and he’s messing up golden opportunities from his line mates.

Dude, did you even watch the game?

His line was responsible for the goal (and also for the extra attacker goal), and the first one he created himself because of his back check

You are going off the rails with this nonsense.

 

[Derps]

The PK had one good game. There's a huge difference between having a good game and being improved. It's been an absolute slop fest all year long.

 

[Darkauron]

Nico was good last night. He needs to keep up that up

 

[Buck Dancer]

Hischier's line was 10-1 in shots last night and scored the only 5v5 goal.

That’s great and most of it was Bratt generating chances with his slick and shifty skating and playmaking.

Hischier is supposed to be a core player, not a guy you get all excited about because he forced a turnover on a back check. It was a great play, but we need more from him if we’re going to win games or else we’re screwed until Jack returns from his shoulder injury.

 

[Triumph]

That’s great and most of it was Bratt generating chances with his slick and shifty skating and playmaking.

Hischier is supposed to be a core player, not a guy you get all excited about because he forced a turnover on a back check. It was a great play, but we need more from him if we’re going to win games or else we’re screwed until Jack returns from his shoulder injury.

How do you think they only gave up 1 shot - just magic? It was all Bratt? They had a ton of possession time in the O zone and that's due to the entire line playing well.

 

[Derps]

That’s great and most of it was Bratt generating chances with his slick and shifty skating and playmaking.

Hischier is supposed to be a core player, not a guy you get all excited about because he forced a turnover on a back check. It was a great play, but we need more from him if we’re going to win games or else we’re screwed until Jack returns from his shoulder injury.

I hate to tell ya mate, but we ain't going to win that many games until Jack comes back regardless of how Nico plays

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

of 268 forwards with at least 100 minutes played at 5 on 5, Nico's ranks in the entire NHL:

CF%- 9th
shots for %- 4th
xGF%- 11th
high danger CF%- 3rd

So, yeah. I know I know nothing matters unless he putz up the pointzzzz though!

Also, Jesper Bratt's ranks:

CF%- 14th
shots for %- 1st
xGF%- 2nd
high danger CF%- 2nd

Bratt has been one of the better forwards in the league, especially since his benching.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Dude, did you even watch the game?

His line was responsible for the goal (and also for the extra attacker goal), and the first one he created himself because of his back check

You are going off the rails with this nonsense.

Dude, I watched all of it and saw absolutely no offense from him. His line was good, he just wasn’t. The kid is MIA offensively and the cuddling he’s getting from a handful of posters here is flat out comical.

It’s sad to see that now we have to be satisfied and impressed that he causes a turnover on a back check. It’s nothing new to his game, he’s done that plenty of times but I guess some are willing to take just about anything to say to themselves that he’s playing great.

 

[Buck Dancer]

of 268 forwards with at least 100 minutes played at 5 on 5, Nico's ranks in the entire NHL:

CF%- 9th
shots for %- 4th
xGF%- 11th
high danger CF%- 3rd

So, yeah. I know I know nothing matters unless he putz up the pointzzzz

Also, Jesper Bratt's ranks:

CF%- 14th
shots for %- 1st
xGF%- 2nd
high danger CF%- 2nd

Bratt has been one of the better forwards in the league, especially since his benching.

This doesn’t mean Jack shit if the scoreboard doesn’t get activated. He can be the best player in the league at the end of the year in all those bogus categories, finish with 20 pts in 82 games and you’re still going to tell us he had a great year because of his analytics.

 

[jkrdevil]

Nico (nor anyone on the top line) is the the problem. This is the classic blame the good player on a bad team because the rest of the team is bad BS that goes on with fans.

Nearly half the forward group are borderline legitimate NHL players. Gauthier, Kuokkanen, Sharangovich, McLeod and Vesey (who I’ve liked but is on his 5th team in 4 years) are all guys who at best are probably extra forwards on good teams. Then you have two promising, but ripe
Kids in Mercer and Holtz who are going to be up and down. That is pretty much more than half your forward lineup.

Part of this is mismanagement by the front office banking on guys they probably shouldn’t be banking on at this point (Kuok and Sharangovich). The last few years it seems like it has been two veteran players out at the deadline and only one guy coming in as a signing in the offseason to replace. That has killed the depth of the team as they have not had internal replacements truest ready. Mercer has been a revelation this year, but he should be replacing a further depth guy not Zajac essentially. It also doesn’t help that the guy they did sign, Tatar, has been bad.

The result is one key injury and the team up front is sunk.

 

[Buck Dancer]

I hate to tell ya mate, but we ain't going to win that many games until Jack comes back regardless of how Nico plays

Unfortunately, I agree with you but the sad part is that Nico should be making some type of difference and he isn’t. Dawson Mercer, who’s still wet behind the ears, has shown way more and that’s flat out troubling.

It’s like his entire offensive game has turned soir on him for whatever reason.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

>"Nico has sucked...I've seen literally no offense from him!"
> player is literally top 15 in the entire NHL among forwards in almost every major offensive analytical category

Maybe you...have no idea what you're watching....?

 

[Triumph]

Nico (nor anyone on the top line) is the the problem. This is the classic blame the good player on a bad team because the rest of the team is bad BS that goes on with fans.

Nearly half the forward group are borderline legitimate NHL players. Gauthier, Kuokkanen, Sharangovich, McLeod and Vesey (who I’ve liked but is on his 5th team in 4 years) are all guys who at best are probably extra forwards on good teams. Then you have two promising, but ripe
Kids in Mercer and Holtz who are going to be up and down. That is pretty much more than half your forward lineup.

Part of this is mismanagement by the front office banking on guys they probably shouldn’t be banking on at this point (Kuok and Sharangovich). The last few years it seems like it has been two veteran players out at the deadline and only one guy coming in as a signing in the offseason to replace. That has killed the depth of the team as they have not had internal replacements truest ready. Mercer has been a revelation this year, but he should be replacing a further depth guy not Zajac essentially. It also doesn’t help that the guy they did sign, Tatar, has been bad.

The result is one key injury and the team up front is sunk.

Kuokkanen and Sharangovich have been lost so far but you have to bet on them. Sharangovich especially looked excellent last year and I think he will regain his form. Kuokkanen I was never totally sold on but I do think he's the kind of player who is never going to hurt you - he's still making smart plays, he's just had way less opportunity.

McLeod looks awful, he was a contributor to last season's team and just is not so far this year. His line's gotten unlucky for sure, but there's also just not enough chances being generated.

 

[glenwo2]

Pardon me but going through this GDT, I found this and I had to respond :

Shit play by Smith but also Bratt? I think was already skating up the ice instead of sitting in the circle to give Smith an easy pass

More like Shit play by Smith, PERIOD.

Watched the play again and he was doing some dipsy-do behind-the-back BS instead of chipping it along the boards.

And Bratt was not skating up the ice....what he WAS doing was believing that Ty would be smart enough NOT to take any chances...while BEHIND HIS OWN GOALTENDER DURING 3-ON-3 IN FRIGGIN' OVERTIME!!!

(so no....Nothing shitty about Bratt there as he was just as stunned as we were at Ty's ill-advised decision).

 

[Derps]

>"I've seen literally no offense from him"
> player is literally top 15 in almost every major offensive analytical category

Maybe you don't know what you're watching....?

You are showing rates comparing what his line produces vs what his line gives up, not necessarily an "offensive analytical category." His line is far better at preventing scoring chances than they are at creating scoring scoring chances.

Not terrible at the latter, though.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You are showing rates comparing what his line produces vs what his line gives up, not necessarily an "offensive analytical category." His line is far better at preventing scoring chances than they are at creating scoring scoring chances.

Not terrible at the latter, though.

lol ya'll will do whatever you can to discredit facts...I love it

Okay- said another way....Nico has been one of the best play drivers (percentage wise) in the entire NHL based on numerous analytical measures...better?

His line is producing offense at a much higher rate than they are giving up chances

 

[Derps]

lol ya'll will do whatever you can to discredit facts...I love it

Okay- said another way....Nico has been one of the best play drivers (percentage wise) in the entire NHL based on numerous analytical measures...better?

His line is producing offense at a much higher rate than they are giving up chances

I'm not discrediting anything. You made a statement that he's in the top 15 of all these offensive categories with the implication that he must be doing really well at producing offense and that's not what those numbers mean. They are rates comparing offense to defense. His defense is better than his offense. His defense has been elite this year. The offense his line produces isn't bad, but I wouldn't necessarily call it good.

 

[glenwo2]

Positives to take: Graves, Siegenthaler and Subban all played simple tough hockey, great D. Mercer and Nico showed up and did good things. Bratt with a nice goal (though still sloppy overall), Blackie the calm wall in net we love to see.

tough to win games scoring one or two, we had that last season too often.

I take it you're holding the Penalty he committed heavily against him.

(he got tripped earlier....no call)

But aside from that, I don't see where he was "sloppy" unless you're also going to hold him for Ty's brainfart in OT, too.

 

[Devils090]

>"Nico has sucked...I've seen literally no offense from him!"
> player is literally top 15 in the entire NHL among forwards in almost every major offensive analytical category

Maybe you...have no idea what you're watching....?

This will help us win that analytic Stanley cup

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'm not discrediting anything. You made a statement that he's in the top 15 of all these offensive categories with the implication that he must be doing really well at producing offense and that's not what those numbers mean. They are rates comparing offense to defense. His defense is better than his offense. His defense has been elite this year. The offense his line produces isn't bad, but I wouldn't necessarily call it good.

Nico is 15th among forwards in the entire NHL in high danger Corsi for, with 35

more than Ovechkin, Kopitar, Svechnikov, Hertl, M. Tkachuk among others

 

[Derps]

Nico is 15th among forwards in the entire NHL in high danger Corsi for, with 35

Certainly a better number than what you cited before, which has nothing to do with his offense per se.