GDT: Spidey Says Desperate Times: Devils @ Penguins, 7 PM, MSG+

[Better Call Sal]

It's been a while, hasn't it?

With the way this year has gone so far, it's time to bring out the big guns

In season's past, the only cure for us to break out of a funk is to see our old friends the Penguins

The season is slipping away fast, but it's still early enough that hopefully things can be salvaged.

And with Hall taking responsibility on his shoulders, here's hoping this engages our MVP once again

With the Penguins limping into this game roster wise, the recipe for a W is there. Let's f***ing get it done!

Your New Jersey Devils:

#9 Taylor Hall (A) - #13 Nico Hischer - #21 Kyle Palmieri
#44 Miles Wood - #37 Pavel Zacha - #63 Jesper Bratt
#90 Jesper Boqvist - #86 Jack Hughes - #17 Wayne Simmonds
#20 Blake Coleman - #19 Travis Zajac (A) - #97 Nikita Gusev

#6 Andy Greene (C) - #28 Damon Severson
#8 Will Butcher - #76 P.K. Subban
#25 Mirco Mueller - #45 Sami Vatanen

#29 Mackenzie Blackwood
#70 Louis Domingue

Scratches/Injuries:

#5 Connor Carrick (IR - Broken Finger)
#7 Matt Tennyson (Healthy)
#15 John Hayden (Healthy)
#16 Kevin Rooney (IR - Upper Body Injury)

19-20 NJ Devils Defense

Pittsburgh Penguins:

#59 Jake Guentzel - #71 Evgeni Malkin (A) - #17 Bryan Rust
#18 Alex Galchenyuk - #19 Jared McCann - #13 Brandon Tanev
#24 Dominik Kahun - #12 Dominik Simon - #72 Patric Hornqvist
#46 Zach Aston-Reese - #53 Teddy Blueger - #37 Sam Lafferty

#8 Brian Dumoulin - #6 John Marino
#3 Jack Johnson - #2 Chad Ruhwedel
#28 Marcus Pettersson - #5 Zach Trotman

#30 Matt Murray
#35 Tristan Jarry

Scratches/Injuries:

#4 Justin Schultz (Lower Body Injury)
#27 Nick Bjugstad (IR - Core Muscle Surgery)
#50 Juuso Riikola (Healthy)
#58 Kris Letang (A) (Week to Week - Lower Body Injury)
#87 Sidney Crosby (C) (IR - Core Muscle Surgery)

TIME TO TAKE OUT THE PITTSBURGH TRASH

LGD​

Click to read more...

 

[BenedictGomez]

#FireHynes

 

[JK3]

 

[FooteBahl]

 

[billingtons ghost]

Oh good, we shuffled the lines again. That's sure to help.

I DO so hope that our team went out and celebrated a fun dinner together before this, because, you know, it's just a job and no real reflection on yourself as a person or anything - by all means, have some FUN! It's just a game, ha ha!

I'm glad Taylor thinks he needs to 'step up' because what we need to get our team going is a few more wild 1-on-4 rushes that end in giveaways.

At least we've got all this great social media access and personalities.

Does anyone have an advanced stat that tracks 'erratic, chaotic play'? I'm sure we'd probably have a host of league leaders.

Maybe we can just roll two lines that have Zajac and Coleman on them, double shift Zacha and thrown in an odd Bratt, Nico and Hughes.

There is not one good defense pairing out there on the ice. Each one is horribly flawed in some facet.

I'm giddy for the rest of the season. (and I'm typically a solid optimist)

 

[Better Call Sal]

Oh good, we shuffled the lines again. That's sure to help.

I DO so hope that our team went out and celebrated a fun dinner together before this, because, you know, it's just a job and no real reflection on yourself as a person or anything - by all means, have some FUN! It's just a game, ha ha!

I'm glad Taylor thinks he needs to 'step up' because what we need to get our team going is a few more wild 1-on-4 rushes that end in giveaways.

At least we've got all this great social media access and personalities.

Does anyone have an advanced stat that tracks 'erratic, chaotic play'? I'm sure we'd probably have a host of league leaders.

Maybe we can just roll two lines that have Zajac and Coleman on them, double shift Zacha and thrown in an odd Bratt, Nico and Hughes.

There is not one good defense pairing out there on the ice. Each one is horribly flawed in some facet.

I'm giddy for the rest of the season. (and I'm typically a solid optimist)

Oh, don't be that guy.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Oh, don't be that guy.

Why? I'm sure it's a fantastic workplace culture. (that just isn't conducive to any sort of winning hockey). The Paul O'Neills of the world might seem silly to some, but you kinda need them to win.

 

[Call Me Al]

i very much doubt them having dinner together on a sunday night has anything to do with the teams record

 

[billingtons ghost]

i very much doubt them having dinner together on a sunday night has anything to do with the teams record

I'm half-kidding -

I think the culture just isn't a winning culture. Whether it is the mix of egos, or (most likely) the way the coaching staff interfaces with them (try harder!) or just having a bunch of young kids mixed with players who are used to losing, we simply aren't the sum of our talents on paper....

And no one is REALLY taking it to heart. Hall sees $$ and just trying to spin it in the media, Subban is probably bummed out, Greene isn't going to knock anyone around or throw stuff in the lockerroom, nor is Trav.

Everyone else (excepting maybe Coleman) is a passenger/young guy waiting for someone else to do something. I'm sure Hughes is wondering "wtf! what is this losing thing?"

Where is real CHANGE going to come from in this mess?

 

[Darkauron]

Oh man Spidey GDTs to save the season!!

 

[Blackjack]

I'm half-kidding -

I think the culture just isn't a winning culture. Whether it is the mix of egos, or (most likely) the way the coaching staff interfaces with them (try harder!) or just having a bunch of young kids mixed with players who are used to losing, we simply aren't the sum of our talents on paper....

And no one is REALLY taking it to heart. Hall sees $$ and just trying to spin it in the media, Subban is probably bummed out, Greene isn't going to knock anyone around or throw stuff in the lockerroom, nor is Trav.

Everyone else (excepting maybe Coleman) is a passenger/young guy waiting for someone else to do something. I'm sure Hughes is wondering "wtf! what is this losing thing?"

Where is real CHANGE going to come from in this mess?

I think the culture is fine, it's one of the only things I'm okay with. There's been plenty of statements from the players about needing to play better, needing to work more, etc. like Coleman's comments after Boston. Yelling at people in the locker room isn't what's needed, there's a time for that and this isn't it.

The Yankees didn't win because Paul O'Neil busted up some water coolers, they won because they had Rivera, Pettite, Jeter, Williams, Martinez, and Posada.

 

[DVision44]

#FireHynes

Is this billboard up in Newark yet?

 

[Billdo]

Spidey GDTs are the best

 

[NjDevsRR]

Can someone take the Jimmy Haynes zone entry spidey gif and edit it for Butcher?

 

[billingtons ghost]

I think the culture is fine, it's one of the only things I'm okay with. There's been plenty of statements from the players about needing to play better, needing to work more, etc. like Coleman's comments after Boston. Yelling at people in the locker room isn't what's needed, there's a time for that and this isn't it.

The Yankees didn't win because Paul O'Neil busted up some water coolers, they won because they had Rivera, Pettite, Jeter, Williams, Martinez, and Posada.

Wouldn't have won without ONeill busting water coolers. It's tough to take anyone away from a winning team and say that they'd still win - but the underlying point is that you ultimately need A guy, or a couple of guys to instill confidence to get you over rough patches, and you need A guy or a couple of guys who care sooo much that it makes you sacrifice your own stats to go through a wall.

I disagree on the culture - I don't see anyone on this team inspiring anyone else to sacrifice themselves (or their stats) for the team except maybe Coleman or Trav. What is it that you actually 'like' about this culture?

You had a Jeter equivalent in Marty - someone with otherworldly supercool demeanor and talent to match that inspires confidence.
You had an ultracompetitor ONeill in Stevens.

I thought maybe Hall could be that Jeter guy, but he's obviously out the door after being stunted by losing. Any other candidates are just too young right now.

I don't think even supremely talented teams can get the job done without a couple of characters to push them over the edge. I think Boyle was the last guy we had like that.

Who goes into the corners on this team and comes out with the puck?

 

[RandoDoomer]

My expectations can't possibly get any lower, so any result will probably be fine.

It's been 3 weeks since Hall's last goal (the "hand-to-the-ear" one), so maybe he's due. I'm waiting for a has-hall-scored-yet.com website to pop up.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Going to see City and Colour and Jacob Banks, and Ben Rogers but I don't know his music too well, tonight. I imagine it'll be much more fun than this game.

 

[devilsblood]

Why? I'm sure it's a fantastic workplace culture. (that just isn't conducive to any sort of winning hockey). The Paul O'Neills of the world might seem silly to some, but you kinda need them to win.

Ya cause Paul O'Neil never ate dinner, nor breakfast, nor lunch.

 

[RandoDoomer]

Wood's promotion to 2nd line duties seems totally legit. 2 goals in 20 games and tied for team worst +/-. Gotta get him up there.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Wood's promotion to 2nd line duties seems totally legit. 2 goals in 20 games and tied for team worst +/-. Gotta get him up there.

I'm still not sure why people get wrapped up in the way lines are listed vs. the actual usage.

Wood has averaged around 12:30 minutes a game this year, and played exactly that last game. It was the 2nd lowest among all skaters, only over John Hayden.

All season among regular skaters, his 12:37 ATOI is only ahead of Gusev, who has played 3 less games and has finally started to show he belongs in the last couple of games (which are his highest TOI since the 3rd game of the season in 15 and 16 minutes).

I know for many it's easy to shit on Wood because he's fairly reckless and hasn't brought a ton to the table, but he doesn't get overused the way some people think he does.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Ya cause Paul O'Neil never ate dinner, nor breakfast, nor lunch.

doubt he was all smiles after a string of particularly humiliating losses...

 

[billingtons ghost]

I'm still not sure why people get wrapped up in the way lines are listed vs. the actual usage.

Wood has averaged around 12:30 minutes a game this year, and played exactly that last game. It was the 2nd lowest among all skaters, only over John Hayden.

All season among regular skaters, his 12:37 ATOI is only ahead of Gusev, who has played 3 less games and has finally started to show he belongs in the last couple of games (which are his highest TOI since the 3rd game of the season in 15 and 16 minutes).

I know for many it's easy to **** on Wood because he's fairly reckless and hasn't brought a ton to the table, but he doesn't get overused the way some people think he does.

Completely agree, but it's the 2nd line positioning next to two guys that everyone wants to see get MORE minutes that hurts the eyes. The reality is that line will probably get 3rd or 4th line minutes. It's all because Gusev has needed two babysitters - but now I'm confused as to what the hell Hughes is supposed to do with Boqvist on his wing.

Let's make sure that absolutely nobody can find their game nor any consistency.

 

[Triumph]

Completely agree, but it's the 2nd line positioning next to two guys that everyone wants to see get MORE minutes that hurts the eyes. The reality is that line will probably get 3rd or 4th line minutes. It's all because Gusev has needed two babysitters - but now I'm confused as to what the hell Hughes is supposed to do with Boqvist on his wing.

Let's make sure that absolutely nobody can find their game nor any consistency.

How do you write these sentences together? How does your mind not stop and think - 'Well - let's make sure no one can find their game, except Gusev, who clearly has found his game?' Gusev has probably been the Devils' best forward the last few games - this after being the worst for several games at the beginning of the season. I don't think he's being babysat - that would imply that that line has been even. They've been better than even.

Wood and Zacha were excellent together 2 years ago, the magic didn't really happen last season.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Meh.

 

[OmNomNom]

I'm half-kidding -

I think the culture just isn't a winning culture. Whether it is the mix of egos, or (most likely) the way the coaching staff interfaces with them (try harder!) or just having a bunch of young kids mixed with players who are used to losing, we simply aren't the sum of our talents on paper....

And no one is REALLY taking it to heart. Hall sees $$ and just trying to spin it in the media, Subban is probably bummed out, Greene isn't going to knock anyone around or throw stuff in the lockerroom, nor is Trav.

Everyone else (excepting maybe Coleman) is a passenger/young guy waiting for someone else to do something. I'm sure Hughes is wondering "wtf! what is this losing thing?"

Where is real CHANGE going to come from in this mess?

but i don't necessarily think brooding over a loss means that a team is any better. i mean, take your workplace. regardless of how well you and the company does, would you rather be surrounded by people you like, or no? i'm sure the players have their days that they absolutely HATE their play and brood. but they're not gonna go on instagram and post themselves staring outside of a window, looking pensive