GDT: The Joy of Painting with Dano: Flyers @ Devils 7pm MSGSN

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I’m very glad he isn’t our coach. Nemec had an awful turnover in the 1st, sat for a couple shifts, and put together a terrific game after that. Nemec and Luke need risk in their game to be the stars they can be.

Did we want Jack Hughes benched for the 3 on 3? Where he’s as good as any player in the National Hockey League?

I mean he got the first one back after his bad turnover on the powerplay, it's just that the turnover he had in OT basically iced the game. At the worst, you talk to him at intermission or on the bench and tell him to cut that shit out. People are just realizing that Jack has a tendency to do this when it's always been in his game. It reminds me a bit of Ovechkin pre Trotz and that's actually what Jack needs be drilled into his head.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

If we didn't lose immediately after his OT turnover I definitely would have benched him the rest of the way.

There wasn’t that much time left. I’d still rather him out there than Timo “Eric Boulton” Meier who somehow got a shift in OT.

 

[NJDevs26]

I was frankly wondering what Timo was doing out there on the three on three when he obviously can’t skate right now

 

[devilsblood]

I mean he got the first one back after his bad turnover on the powerplay, it's just that the turnover he had in OT basically iced the game. At the worst, you talk to him at intermission or on the bench and tell him to cut that shit out. People are just realizing that Jack has a tendency to do this when it's always been in his game. It reminds me a bit of Ovechkin pre Trotz and that's actually what Jack needs be drilled into his head.

Just looking at his turnover numbers, it does look like he cleaned this up fairly significantly last year, and one would hope we would see continue progress, but instead it has reverted back.

Getting a lot of shots blocked this year as well(though not sure what happened last year as far as stat keeping as NST has him at zero).

Also not taking a lot of hits this year. Again, maybe some stat keeping issues going on?

There wasn’t that much time left. I’d still rather him out there than Timo “Eric Boulton” Meier who someone got a shift in OT.

Short sighted. There are times when your best player needs to be benched, even though he is your best player.

Also McLeod had a pretty fantastic shift in OT, so he's another guy we can throw into the OT mix.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

He was also playing Smith regular shifts late in the 3rd in a tie game. I was thinking the same thing with Timo in 3 on 3.

I'm about as done with Ruff as anyone, but it can't be for Green/Dineen.

Unless you're acknowledging the season is over.

May as well let Ruff sink or swim the rest of the season and a playoff loss of any kind has him sitting at home for the remainder of his contract we just gave him. However many years it is.

That’s the problem with firing Ruff mid-season that’s there’s no one worthwhile to hire. Personally I would love for Cooper to be available and to some extent Sullivan but I honestly don’t think is either remotely close to having a warm seat. Maybe Sullivan if Dubas wants to hire his own guy.

My dream scenario would be that Cooper pulls a “Maurice”, leaves the TB, takes some time and is ready to take on a new challenge with a young team to start next season. That’s just a hash pipe dream.

 

[MartyOwns]

i wanted torts here before we got ruff- despite being a dickhead, he’s the perfect coach for a bunch of talented kids that need discipline and structure. oh well.

i really think ruff needs to go, and i'm not just basing that on last night. his lineup decisions are questionable (and timo shouldn’t be in the lineup, obviously). we need a better defensive system to compensate for our underperforming goalies.

teams have adjusted to us since we surprised everyone last year, and they’re stifling our best asset, speed. there’s still more than enough time to turn this around, but fitz needs to act fast. priority number one should be using dougie’s ltir money on an upgrade at d or in goal. i’d be on the phone with florida to see if we can swing a goalie from them. we simply can’t compete in this division without elite goaltending, and while a florida goalie may not be a short term solution, we’ll be much better in the long run.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

I have a feeling Jack might be frustrated with the whole situation right now and his head is not on right. I don’t think it’s physical.

I think it’s new voice time.

 

[devilsblood]

I have a feeling Jack might be frustrated with the whole situation right now and his head is not on right. I don’t think it’s physical.

I think it’s new voice time.

Agree on Jack.

I'm not on the fire Ruff train, but firing coaches midseason is a time proven method in hockey.

 

[My3Sons]

Agree on Jack.

I'm not on the fire Ruff train, but firing coaches midseason is a time proven method in hockey.

I don’t want Travis Green coaching the team

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

Agree on Jack.

I'm not on the fire Ruff train, but firing coaches midseason is a time proven method in hockey.

I just don’t think it hubris or overconfidence as some claim with Jack. It reminds me of second season Jack where you can see he was visibly annoyed with the team.

I don’t want Travis Green coaching the team

But if he’s the ”Nasreddine” (sp) to the next guy for next year, I might take that.

 

[Devils731]

I have a feeling Jack might be frustrated with the whole situation right now and his head is not on right. I don’t think it’s physical.

I think it’s new voice time.

Beyond Jack’s turnover in OT because I think OT is such a different game I think there is frustration/anxiousness to the team’s play.

I think when you see players forcing plays often, it means they don’t believe there is a simple and effective play available to them; so they gamble on a complicated play they believe will be effective.

A lot of the Devils offense is predicated on the talented guys making plays happen. When you ask them to makes plays happen then there will be times they try to make them and fail.

I think if the players believed there were simpler options that were also effective they would freestyle less often as they wouldn’t feel constant pressure to make things happen.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Beyond Jack’s turnover in OT because I think OT is such a different game I think there is frustration/anxiousness to the team’s play.

I think when you see players forcing plays often, it means they don’t believe there is a simple and effective play available to them; so they gamble on a complicated play they believe will be effective.

A lot of the Devils offense is predicated on the talented guys making plays happen. When you ask them to makes plays happen then there will be times they try to make them and fail.

I think if the players believed there were simpler options that were also effective they would freestyle less often as they wouldn’t feel constant pressure to make things happen.

I think you nailed it. And also why the best line the last two games has probably been the 4th line of Lazar-McLeod-Bastian. 3 guys who are going to Keep It Simple Stupid, because that is their game. And wouldn't you know it, it's generated them two goals in the last two games.

 

[devilsblood]

I just don’t think it hubris or overconfidence as some claim with Jack. It reminds me of second season Jack where you can see he was visibly annoyed with the team.


But if he’s the ”Nasreddine” (sp) to the next guy for next year, I might take that.

I tend to think Jack is more annoyed with himself.

But he is leaning more and more to individual play which perhaps suggests broader frustration.

 

[NJ07102]

Just looking at his turnover numbers, it does look like he cleaned this up fairly significantly last year, and one would hope we would see continue progress, but instead it has reverted back.

That is exactly how it is.

 

[Devs3cups]

I think everyone on the team is frustrated tbh. It sucks.

 

[BahlDeep]

We have a better team than we had last year (or similar at least).

This drop is purely on the coaching staff.

 

[Devs3cups]

We have a better team than we had last year (or similar at least).

This drop is purely on the coaching staff.

I think the coaching/system has a lot of blame, but some guys are underperforming right now. Mercer, Timo (yes he’s injured, Siegs, Bahl, our goalies have all underperformed to some extent.

 

[My3Sons]

We have a better team than we had last year (or similar at least).

This drop is purely on the coaching staff.

They are younger overall. Talented or not I think that matters to some extent. Look at Bahl’s defensive usage. It’s really hard and he’s a second year player. Luke and Nemec are playing a lot and as rookies they make mistakes and put a bit more responsibility on the vets who all have to do more with Hamilton out. And up front you have Meier’s injury and Holtz being worked in. Lots of adjustments.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

What would Torts say to Jack after this game, if Torts was our coach?

Wouldn't talk to Jack. Would go right to Fitz telling him to trade Jack. I'm not sure I'm even exaggerating. The amount of careless plays our players have gotten away with would not sit well with some coaches.

There's a big difference between making a mistake as a younger player and simply just a careless play. Jack played a careless game.

 

[Devs3cups]

Wouldn't talk to Jack. Would go right to Fitz telling him to trade Jack. I'm not sure I'm even exaggerating. The amount of careless plays our players have gotten away with would not sit well with some coaches.

There's a big difference between making a mistake as a younger player and simply just a careless play. Jack played a careless game.

Holy crap, I read this post before reading what you quoted and I got soooo confused lmao.

 

[Better Call Sal]

They are younger overall. Talented or not I think that matters to some extent. Look at Bahl’s defensive usage. It’s really hard and he’s a second year player. Luke and Nemec are playing a lot and as rookies they make mistakes and put a bit more responsibility on the vets who all have to do more with Hamilton out. And up front you have Meier’s injury and Holtz being worked in. Lots of adjustments.

You nailed it on both sides. It's why I don't like that people also take offense over the veterans taking a step back this year. Just because they are veterans to some degree doesn't mean that they aren't being impacted in a similar manner by having a younger partner with increased responsibility. They have to play off each other, and it is not as simple as some make it out to be.

This was always something I think a lot of us had in the back of our mind, the defense taking a step back due to the changes. And while it did for much of the beginning of the year, I do think they've improved as the year has gone on.

 

[My3Sons]

I just don’t think it hubris or overconfidence as some claim with Jack. It reminds me of second season Jack where you can see he was visibly annoyed with the team.


But if he’s the ”Nasreddine” (sp) to the next guy for next year, I might take that.

If they switched coaches I’d just want a fresh start with a simpler system. Maybe Green could do that but I’m thinking he’d be tempted to do things Ruff already has them doing for continuity. I don’t want a strict disciplinarian but someone a bit more attentive to how to play properly in thr neutral and defensive zone. No flying the zone so early on breakouts for example. Simple basic stuff. Start there and see what happens .

 

[NJDevs26]

Beyond Jack’s turnover in OT because I think OT is such a different game I think there is frustration/anxiousness to the team’s play.

I think when you see players forcing plays often, it means they don’t believe there is a simple and effective play available to them; so they gamble on a complicated play they believe will be effective.

A lot of the Devils offense is predicated on the talented guys making plays happen. When you ask them to makes plays happen then there will be times they try to make them and fail.

I think if the players believed there were simpler options that were also effective they would freestyle less often as they wouldn’t feel constant pressure to make things happen.

‘Trying to make something happen’ is fine for turnovers in the offensive zone but what’s the excuse for lazy, brainless ones in your own zone?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

If they switched coaches I’d just want a fresh start with a simpler system. Maybe Green could do that but I’m thinking he’d be tempted to do things Ruff already has them doing for continuity. I don’t want a strict disciplinarian but someone a bit more attentive to how to play properly in thr neutral and defensive zone. No flying the zone so early on breakouts for example. Simple basic stuff. Start there and see what happens .

Was Trotz very strict? This team needs someone like that. The Capitals were similarly a talented skilled team who just did not know how to play a winning game.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

One more thing, I don't think it is fair to blame it all on Ruff although he isn't helping.

We made a lot of roster changes last year. They looked good on paper but sometimes the chemistry does not click. perhaps it still might however time is ticking away.

Severson, Graves, Wood, Tatar, Zetterland, and Sharangovoch. That's a lot. Everyone is unhappy with the Timo Meier trade but what about Palat? Is Palat really what we were entirely hoping he would become, meaning a leader that scores timely goals? Both Palat and Meier are costing this organization a lot of cap money.

Sharangovich and Zetteland are two hard workers I would have liked to have back.

Exactly this. Last years team had amazing injury luck as well. It is quite a luxury for a team to have enough talent that it can healthy scratch players like Z and Rango. Compare that to who the Devils healthy scratch now.