GDT: New Jersey Devils @ Washington Capitals: 1,000 Games of Travis Edition

[Auto Pilot]

The pk is a joke and we would be a top 4 team if we were anywhere near 80% but it’s not even close.

However, if you think we played well 5 on 5 tonight after the first you’re buggin

I didn’t say we played well today 5 on 5.

but for most of the season we have been one of the top 5 on 5 teams.

 

[Lou is God]

Zajac is slowing down. I like McLeod but I haven't seen anything from him yet to believe he can be a top PKer.

Bratt hasn't been used much on the PK in past years so he is another I am not sure is reliable in the role.

Have they even put Nico back on the PK yet?

The only time we're not relentless on the puck is the PK. It seems we're content on letting their opponent setup and work from there.

 

[Auto Pilot]

BTW, who coaches the PP/PK? Is it Nas or Recci?

PK is Nas Recchi is PP

 

[glenwo2]

PK is Nas Recchi is PP

Thanks.

Now I know where to direct my ire at.

Recchi sucks.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

17 of the 37 goals we have allowed have come on the PK lol.

Hold on. So you are saying in 13 games we gave up 17 goals in PK (or >1.3 on average per game)!!??

holy macaroni

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The play of Hughes and Smith is enough to keep me from getting down after a bad loss. They look special.

I hope Nico can take the next step once the rust is shaken off. Might take a few weeks for him to get his legs back.

 

[MauDevils]

Over the last five years, the worst PK in the league has come from Ottawa at 77%.

After today, we’re 59% on the year.

Why stop there? The worst PK of all time was the 1979 Kings @ 68.2%

We're at 59.5%.........

 

[MadDevil]

Our PK has actually been pretty decent in recent years hasn't it?

 

[MauDevils]

Our PK has actually been pretty decent in recent years hasn't it?

Usually near the top.

2020 - 7th
2019 - 4th
2018 - 8th

 

[billingtons ghost]

Our PK has actually been pretty decent in recent years hasn't it?

His name was Blake Coleman.

 

[MadDevil]

Usually near the top.

2020 - 7th
2019 - 4th
2018 - 8th

So this year is more of an anomaly than the norm. They likely will get better, so I'm not going to panic. I'd rather be good 5-on-5 and struggling on special teams than the other way around.

 

[AfroThunder396]

It wasn't just Coleman, Greene was a huge piece of the PK as well.

 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Thanks.

Now I know where to direct my ire at.

Recchi sucks.

I think you read that backwards. Nas is coaching the much worse unit (PK).

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

This is how it goes sometimes. Let's hope they pick it up next game and start winning. We have 2 against Buffalo. I have noticed Zajac gave up our our puck possession on 4 or 5 occasions today. He is also having trouble beating the opponent to loose pucks. Anyone else noticing this?

 

[glenwo2]

I think you read that backwards. Nas is coaching the much worse unit (PK).

Goddammit!

I meant Nas.

I never wanted him back, and wanted Lindy to hire some new blood.

 

[MachoDiablo]

So this year is more of an anomaly than the norm. They likely will get better, so I'm not going to panic. I'd rather be good 5-on-5 and struggling on special teams than the other way around.

Agreed that it's too bad to sustain at this level, but not having Coleman and Greene around anymore is definitely making things worse (anyone have numbers on how the PK looked after both guys got traded last year?).

The issue with "fire Nas" or whatever is that it's not likely to improve things; the personnel to have a strong PK just isn't there right now, and they're not going to get any practice time to fix the problems or try something new outside of a game. That said, given how awful it's been there does have to be some kind of in-game shakeup, literally anything at this point, because it basically can't get any worse.

As for other issues, it's still a team of guys playing 3 games in 4 days, with other key players just getting back into the lineup over the weekend after weeks of having to sit, and again it's all with no practice time. We're going to have to face facts: it's a shortened season, it's an already condensed season that's not condensed even worse for the Devils, and overcoming that is going to be tough. They'll have to cycle people in and out while allowing everyone to also get their legs back under them after so much time off, so it'll be ugly sometimes. Sucks, but COVID season gonna COVID season, and it's still a team in development.

 

[Derps]

You aren't this bad on the PK unless it's a healthy combination of all the factors. Definitely not just Nas and definitely not just the players. The set up and philosophy is dumb and we really don't have very many good penalty killers, especially on defense. I am not a large man and I would feel comfortable parking my skinny ass in front of the Devils net on the PP because I know Im not going to get touched. I can just sit there and deflect pucks all day.

I can excuse some of the younger players getting a little cute for the time being, but it's absolutely infuriating watching good players like Severson get absolutely abused on the PK nightly.

 

[Bcap88]

You guys need to realize we are the second youngest team in the league with an average age of 25.67. There are going to be growing pains

 

[Emperoreddy]

Just because you tell a player to be aggressive and not lose their man, doesn't mean they will do it.

They have to be comfortable doing it and actually execute.

They are also most likely lacking confidence on the PK and holding their sticks too tight which leads to tentative play and mistakes.

Idk who else they can try on it though. I feel like everyone has been rolled out there this season outside of maybe Jack, and I imagine they don't want him killing penalties in an attempt to not overload his minutes.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Azathoth]

I guess one positive is we may finally have an acceptable backup goalie.

 

[regulahbread]

Really like our 5 v 5 game, and I think that's what makes our terrible special teams so frustrating. We're great in one aspect of the game, horrible in another.

Liked what I saw from Dell, obviously it's an incredibly small sample size, but he seems like a solid enough backup to rely on when Mac needs a day off.

Nico is still a bit rusty but seems like he's getting there.

I love Jack Hughes.

 

[Eggtimer]

I love the job Ruff has done this year. I was pissed at first when he got hired. I was completely wrong on to be pissed.
He is exactly what this team needs. He shows his confidence in the youngsters by using them in key situations . Let’s them learn and develop without crucifying a player if they make a mistake .
The NBC announcer have it right . They said that the devils are playing hard , fast , and having fun while they play. That’s a complete turn around from the past few years and is why I love Ruff .

I always just wanted to say that I think Kulikov has been looking amazing for us so far,
There were a ton of players he made today where he was under a ton of forecheck pressure and he made a impressive move or two to retain possession and make a nice outlet pass.
He looked very very solid today and I think he deserves more credit for how well he played

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Smith was a damn stud today. He controlled play every time he was out there.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Jack Hughes is a star. That's the single most important thing about this season so far.