GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (1-0-1, 3 Pts) vs. Florida Panthers (0-2-0, 0 Pts), 7 PM, MSGSN

[Emperoreddy]

checking if anyone else noticed this, but we kept passing/shooting directly into panthers players/sticks. what was up with that? like basic hockey skills level of get out from behind your defender. am i insane

Chemistry is off and they are trying to force long passes.

 

[Devs3cups]

Thought Luke had a pretty good game on both ends tonight.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

If anyone was sitting in Section 105 we had the privilege of hearing "Frank The Tank" whine all f***ing game. There was also a few older couples there in their 50's/60's who would just complain every time the Devils made a mistake (which they made plenty of). I know every fanbase has some bad ones but they made this game extra annoying when we weren't playing good.

Atleast they made it a close game in the 3rd but man I'm getting tired of certain players. Brendan Smith gifted them the 2nd goal. Meier was invisible minus his 2 penalties...I feel like he just doesn't really fit in with this team and he is overrated. The Meier contract and Ruff getting an extension are two things that just give me anxiety with this team.

We can't be a young team but come out so badly out the gate in the 1st period. Florida was missing Ekblad, Montour, & Bennet. This gamd on paper should of been a win. It looked at times this game that our forwards were not hustling in on the forcheck and playing aggressive enough. We didn't really give up many oddman rushes this game either so that is probably due to us maybe easing up on the forecheck but we the team's speed needs to be utilized. We are better than this but there are some issues that need to be addressed. It can't be the 8th game of the season and we are using an excuse like "the team is still adjusting" or "they are working some kinks out". The good thing is they are atleast off a few days and don't have to travel very far for Friday (NYI). Just stick with some consistent lines/pairings and be better on both ends of the ice.


Side note , these snapback hats in the new team store by the high-school hockey jersey wall are awesome...had to pick one up lol

 

[britdevil]

10 game increments. Meier hasn't turned into a bum overnight.

Ruff and Travis Green though, boy oh boy. I think this is a mistake.

 

[Devs3cups]

but they made this game extra annoying when we weren't playing good.

Meier was invisible minus his 2 penalties...I feel like he just doesn't really fit in with this team and he is overrated. The Meier contract and Ruff getting an extension are two things that just give me anxiety with this team.

 

[Ducks4Cup]

Holtzy

Is there a guide posted somewhere how to read this chart? What’s good what’s bad?

 

[bossram]

10 game increments. Meier hasn't turned into a bum overnight.

Ruff and Travis Green though, boy oh boy. I think this is a mistake.

Even after the Devils' strong season, I never bought into Ruff. His lineup choices and systems play were consistently poor, and those things were embarrassingly apparent with Ruff's complete lack of preparation in both playoff series. I suspect Brunette was keeping the worst things in check all along.

With Green as the primary assistant....uh oh.

Also Meier isn't a bum. But he's overrated and plays a Meier-first style.

Get Miller in there instead of Smith too.

 

[glenwo2]

Is there a guide posted somewhere how to read this chart? What’s good what’s bad?

I think anything below the 0 at the bottom of the chart (right-to-left) is bad.

That's how *I* view it anyway.

 

[ninetyeight]

Tough game, the SC finalists coming extra hungry from 0-2 start and we still weren't ready at the start. Loved the resurgence in the third, this was like the third best outcome (after win and ot point), dominate the end and even get slightly robbed (the uncalled obvious trip on Mercer).

Unfortunately my biggest question marks are showing up a bit. 1. The coaching, I thought it was a big mistake letting Bruno go. It can't be a coincidence that every team is shit until Brunette shows up and then they are a top team in the league. I'm sure they know better, whose responsible of what, but I personally would of made Bruno the head coach. 2. Goaltending, both goalies have been "ok", I thought Vanecek was great in the first game, but here he was average. Both goalies save close to what they are supposed to and not a single bit more. A contending team needs a goalie that outplays xGA. Switch goalies and we win that game. 3. Defence, say what you want but the defence kinda misses Graves and Severson (and also Tatar in the offense). I think Bahl has looked good and Hughes is holding on his own (though with his style I think he needs to contribute more offensively), but there's definitely an adjustment period and the former mentioned guys probably had the system better figured out. I think ultimately it was the right call to let them go, but it's gonna show a bit in the first couple of months (maybe year).

Also doesn't help that Nico is still without a point (?) and Meier is lost. As long as some players are definitely out of their usual level it's hard to gauge where we are. Timo really needs to get his shit together. I think Holtz earned a top6 spot with this game, probably his best game defensively and also had a couple of good shots and passes. Put him at least with Nico. I would even put him in the first with Hughes and Bratt.

Bratt Hughes Holtz
Meier/Toffoli Hischier Mercer
Palat Haula Meier/Toffoli

I think both Meier and Toffoli have played both wings, so could be worth a try (especially for Timo)

 

[MasterofGrond]

we did not score 8

 

[Better Call Sal]

Sometimes an ass kicking is required. Here’s hoping this was one of those times.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

i seriously dislike Ruff being signed longterm!

awful lineup decisions tonight and right down to the wire too; Meier not playing down four goals when your top-2 lines had played a ton is simple mismanagement

boo! terrible game!!

Meier not playing and Devils scoring three goals when he'd played the previous 55 minutes and they hadn't scored any.

It was Haula who helped turn the game around so they inserted him in his spot.

Unless he is injured, there is no reason for Timo not doing the hard things necessary to score and win; unless he is just not willing to do them.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

As for trip on Mercer, this is the NHL. They were not going to give a team back to back 6-on-4 power plays there. Though even the homer Panthers Broadcast conceded it was a trip.

Kind of like in the NFL; not calling pass interference in the end zone on the final two plays of the game.

Hypothetically speaking of course.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Cl

Even after the Devils' strong season, I never bought into Ruff. His lineup choices and systems play were consistently poor, and those things were embarrassingly apparent with Ruff's complete lack of preparation in both playoff series. I suspect Brunette was keeping the worst things in check all along.

With Green as the primary assistant....uh oh.

Also Meier isn't a bum. But he's overrated and plays a Meier-first style.

Get Miller in there instead of Smith too.

Clearly Andrew (hiccup) Brunette was the reason for the team's success last year and not the coach who is amongst the winningest coaches in league history.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Is there a guide posted somewhere how to read this chart? What’s good what’s bad?

Look for the zero on the x-axis (the bottom). Any bar sticking out to the left of the zero is negative (bad), any bar sticking out to the right is positive (good). Each bar is a different color to reflect what is being measured, there is a legend at the bottom.

Start at the bottom with Brendan Smith - no positive bars at all, and two negative bars. His defensive performance is a small negative bar, his offense performance was a huge negative bar. Compare with Haula at the top, who had positive bars for everything.

Those are both consistent with the eye test - Smith had a lot of turnovers and poor decisions with the puck that you would expect a competent player to not make, while Haula was flying around the ice making plays at both ends of the rink. Also look at the two players that were benched in the 3rd, Meier and Marino, both had strong negative scores.

The data shown on the chart are consistent with what we as fans saw on the ice.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Meier not playing and Devils scoring three goals when he'd played the previous 55 minutes and they hadn't scored any.

It was Haula who helped turn the game around so they inserted him in his spot.

Unless he is injured, there is no reason for Timo not doing the hard things necessary to score and win; unless he is just not willing to do them.

Didn't look like he was willing to do them tonight and in the previous 2 games

 

[MartyOwns]

is everybody freaking out in here? i hope so!

 

[Satans Hockey]

If anyone was sitting in Section 105 we had the privilege of hearing "Frank The Tank" whine all f***ing game. There was also a few older couples there in their 50's/60's who would just complain every time the Devils made a mistake (which they made plenty of). I know every fanbase has some bad ones but they made this game extra annoying when we weren't playing good.

Was that goof cursing all night? If so next time send a text to the prudential center security, hell do it anyway. Maybe they'll toss his dumb ass out if enough people complained.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Was that goof cursing all night? If so next time send a text to the prudential center security, hell do it anyway. Maybe they'll toss his dumb ass out if enough people complained.

He is painful to sit near. I know he’s not all there, but the fact his behavior is encouraged is disheartening.

 

[Satans Hockey]

He is painful to sit near. I know he’s not all there, but the fact his behavior is encouraged is disheartening.

That's what security is for, if he's cursing and completely out of line and ruining the game for others around him than it doesn't matter what the situation with him. He's well enough to know what he's doing because he's filming it and putting it on his social media accounts for barstool.

 

[glenwo2]

*grumble* *grumble*

 

[Clam Jensen]

*grumble* *grumble*

He’s elevated his game even more!

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

As for trip on Mercer, this is the NHL. They were not going to give a team back to back 6-on-4 power plays there. Though even the homer Panthers Broadcast conceded it was a trip.

They maybe don't even score on the PP. Or Maybe Florida gets an empty net.

But man oh man... it's been awhile since I seen a more obvious - in the middle of everywhere so everyone can see it - penatly get overlooked. That's my only problem with it.

 

[Devils731]

They maybe don't even score on the PP. Or Maybe Florida gets an empty net.

But man oh man... it's been awhile since I seen a more obvious - in the middle of everywhere so everyone can see it - penatly get overlooked. That's my only problem with it.

And the foul was on the team down a goal, so normally extra sure to be called.

Obviously it wasn’t called because the Devils just scored a PP goal.

The game management is extra frustrating because it is also applied inconsistently. Normally the trailing team gets away with murder and the team up a goal is called closely…but sometimes not.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

And the foul was on the team down a goal, so normally extra sure to be called.

Obviously it wasn’t called because the Devils just scored a PP goal.

The game management is extra frustrating because it is also applied inconsistently. Normally the trailing team gets away with murder and the team up a goal is called closely…but sometimes not.

Maybe its better this way. I like said - maybe devils don't score or Florida gets an empty net.

Still - would have liked to steal a point we didn't earn.