GDT: New York Rangers @ Your New Jersey Devils, 3 PM, MSG+

[devilsblood]

He has some nice offensive instincts.

I still think he might actually be better than at least half of the rookie forwards we’ve iced this year. Maybe not.

I'm not sure either, I start to waver, but then he comes out with a pretty sweet pass, or a 5 sog game, and I think, maybe.

 

[devilsblood]

its supposed to back up your point, dude has a low sh%

Ha, can never be to sure around these parts.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

For all the issues the coaching staff has had, they have developed Jack nicely. His overall game has taken off. Did not expect him to have such a positive defensive impact this early if ever.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I actually find it hilarious how mad some people are over this week lol I couldn't give a sh*t less

Look at the roster now as opposed to like, a month ago. You have Palmieri, Zajac, Kulikov and Vatanen all gone and you also had 2 other top 6 forwards out this week in Bratt and Zacha. And people are surprised the team is bad....? Like what?

These games down the stretch are meaningless for W/L (and in fact better if we lose, but I won't go down that route). All I care about is the young players, specifically Jack Hughes. development and that is trending WAY up.

 

[devilsblood]

His assist totals should be way higher and that's all on his linemates not finishing.

He can't be the only guy on this team expected to actually finish.

The only guy? Shara has more goals. Frick Wood has more goals. McLeod has 2 less goals. Palms was pretty much roasted for his lack of goals and he had one less, in 10 less games.

 

[Woncka]

For all the issues the coaching staff has had, they have developed Jack nicely. His overall game has taken off. Did not expect him to have such a positive defensive impact this early if ever.

Its mainly his skating that allows it

 

[NJ07102]

I'm not sure either, I start to waver, but then he comes out with a pretty sweet pass, or a 5 sog game, and I think, maybe.

That is why guys like that can be had in trades. Nobody has figured out yet what he really is or can be or will or will not be. He can make great plays and he can also disappear for long stretches of time, that's probably the only thing that is certain.

 

[Hisch13r]

I actually find it hilarious how mad some people are over this week lol I couldn't give a sh*t less

Look at the roster now as opposed to like, a month ago. You have Palmieri, Zajac, Kulikov and Vatanen all gone and you also had 2 other top 6 forwards out today in Bratt and Zacha. And people are surprised the team is bad....? Like what?

These games down the stretch are meaningless for W/L (and in fact better if we lose, but I won't go down that route). All I care about is the young players, specifically Jack Hughes. development and that is trending WAY up.

The only really shitty thing about this season is Nico having missed so much of it

 

[Emperoreddy]

The only really shitty thing about this season is Nico having missed so much of it

I sure liked his game today.

 

[Hisch13r]

I sure liked his game today.

I didn't think he was all that bad yesterday either. It took him about the same time as it did in his first return to get back up to speed

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I actually find it hilarious how mad some people are over this week lol I couldn't give a sh*t less

Look at the roster now as opposed to like, a month ago. You have Palmieri, Zajac, Kulikov and Vatanen all gone and you also had 2 other top 6 forwards out today in Bratt and Zacha. And people are surprised the team is bad....? Like what?

These games down the stretch are meaningless for W/L (and in fact better if we lose, but I won't go down that route). All I care about is the young players, specifically Jack Hughes. development and that is trending WAY up.

Of the four straight losses to the Rangers I'm ok with how they lost the last two games, but the first two games were not acceptable, and by 2nd period intermission of the 3rd game I was ready to say we had to blow everything up (GM + Coaching staff). I think the first two games and two periods of game three were a bit of a perfect storm of injuries + vets traded away + Nico being rusty.

They finished strong in defeat, at least.

 

[NJ07102]

I sure liked his game today.

I thought he started poorly and got better by the minute.

 

[TheDuke93]

For all the poop thrown Merk's way, we all have to admit that was a very nice pass to Nico.

He has random moments of brilliance and all other times he isn't an NHL player, its beyond infuriating.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

It will be nice moving ahead with two great centers for the top 2 lines.

 

[ninetyeight]

Count me on the defense of the refs. Of course they are not perfect, but reffing from your couch with replays is alot easier then real time on the ice.

Definitely, but is it too much to ask they check out the replay at least. I'm not asking them to to thoroughly review every call, but you could just watch the replay, it takes like 10 seconds. Who decided that the initial call has to be set in stone, why can't you say "oh nevermind he fell on his own, no penalty, my bad".

Anyway, there's no two ways about it, the Rangers embarrassed us in this 4 game series and are probably gloating the next few months or so. But there were lots of good things to be excited too. Jack Hughes is the best hockey player in the world who doesn't score. When I watch him, he looks like he should have 2.0ppg. And while I'd hope maybe a bit more professionalism towards bad calls (although that emotion surely fired up the team), he is demonstrating great leader qualities on the ice, on the bench and at interviews as a 19 year old. If this management fails to build a competitive team around him, which then leads to him asking for a trade or leaving at free agency I'll never forgive this franchise for it.

Let's not forget that we are missing Zacha and Bratt, just traded away Kulikov, Zajac and Palmieri, lost Vatanen to waivers. The game was very competitive 5v5, and really came down to few defensive mistakes by the Devils, good goaltending by the Rangers and once again penalties/special teams.

 

[MauDevils]

I wouldn't say Hughes is a problem, but I would say something along the lines of Hughes not finishing is big reason as to why we aren't winning more.

He has 7 points in his last 9 and is basically never a net negative player. He's not hurting us.

My only criticism for him is I think he needs to greatly improve on the power play. He tends to pass up the puck and float to the point rather than really drive the play. And I've been pretty tough on him all season.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It will be nice moving ahead with two great centers for the top 2 lines.

Why i really want a D in this draft. Building around two top centers and two stud blueliners (Smith being one) is a great way to build.

 

[TheDuke93]

I flip flopped on him. Early on I thought he might wind up being good, then he struggled a bit around the 10-20 game mark and looked like a liability at times and I thought maybe he wouldn’t be so good. But I’m pretty confident he’ll be a good middle-6 player for us. 2nd line ceiling and 3rd line floor.

And I do think out of all the rookies that have played with us on forward this year, he might be the best one. It will be between him and Kuokkanen.

Hopefully Foote will be even better, but I wasn’t counting him, as he’s only played 1 game.

I do think Thompson could potentially be pretty good for us too, but that time is absolutely not now.

The good thing is, Sharongivch and Kuokkanen imo have shown enough to be top 9 forwards who won't be totally out of place if they have to move up. I mean imagine if players of their caliber were replacing Bratt and Zacha instead of already being in the top 6. It would have such a massive trickle down effect offensively.

 

[TheDuke93]

It's pretty decent.

But if we agree he is looking like a dominant 5v5 possession player, and I am willing to say he has looked the part, then we should want better then decent point production.

As per his team mates, it is also a problem, but if he put a puck on Shara on the side of the net like Shara put on Hughes today, I think a lot of people would have said "need to finish that".

The dude is still a rookie and they don't get to practice. I don't think anyone is expecting him to be a long term top 6 forward but he is showing the potential of that.

 

[TheDuke93]

The only guy? Shara has more goals. Frick Wood has more goals. McLeod has 2 less goals. Palms was pretty much roasted for his lack of goals and he had one less, in 10 less games.

Palms didn't have close to the one ice impact that Jack has had this season. Hell only Bratt is in the same realm.

 

[TheDuke93]

I didn't think he was all that bad yesterday either. It took him about the same time as it did in his first return to get back up to speed

He also had two sick passes, one to jack and one to Merk that both could have been goals yesterday.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I wouldn't say Hughes is a problem, but I would say something along the lines of Hughes not finishing is big reason as to why we aren't winning more.

kind of absurd.

 

[Hisch13r]

He has 7 points in his last 9 and is basically never a net negative player. He's not hurting us.

My only criticism for him is I think he needs to greatly improve on the power play. He tends to pass up the puck and float to the point rather than really drive the play. And I've been pretty tough on him all season.

He should be much better on the PP than he is. I remember the Andy and Rono card had him in the 5th percentile on the PP. It's hard to know how much of it is him vs the PP in general just being dog shit. It's not something I'm worried about at all long term. It's near impossible to see him not being an effective player on the PP in the future

 

[TheDuke93]

Why i really want a D in this draft. Building around two top centers and two stud blueliners (Smith being one) is a great way to build.

Agreed. I still would be happy with any of the forwards taken at the top though.

 

[devilsblood]

He has 7 points in his last 9 and is basically never a net negative player. He's not hurting us.

My only criticism for him is I think he needs to greatly improve on the power play. He tends to pass up the puck and float to the point rather than really drive the play. And I've been pretty tough on him all season.

He's been a negative 5v5 in terms of goals since Shara and Kouk have been on his line.

But I'm not calling him a negative, or a problem. I'm saying he if scored as much as his possession suggests he should we'd be much better.