GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (19-13-2, 40 Pts) @ Boston Bruins, (20-7-6, 40 Pts), 7 PM, MSGSN

[MasterofGrond]

Hate lindys love affair with smith

I don’t give a f*** how good he is in the room

 

[Devilsfan992]

I'll be happy with a point today. Two points and I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Saugus]

Hate lindys love affair with smith

I don’t give a f*** how good he is in the room

I wouldn’t even have a problem with Lindy playing him, if it was in the right role. And the right role is anywhere but defense.

Smith has clearly and repeatedly demonstrated that he is totally unreliable even on the third pairing, good for a dumb penalty and goal against at least once a game.

I was initially skeptical of playing Smith on the fourth line, but it actually worked reasonably well. If Lindy is so hellbent on playing him, that’s where it should be. Have him rotate in and out with guys like Lazar, Nosek, Tierney, and Bastian, depending on who’s healthy or hot.

 

[devilsblood]

I’d like to think Lindy isn’t THAT old school where he’s gonna ding the guy for missing middle of the season games for childbirth in 2023, but it is interesting that seems to have lost Miller his spot again since he’s played only one of the last few games, when Smith was also in at forward. I think it’s more him being pro Smith than anti Miller per se

There does seem to be something about Miller(edit, said Smith originally) that coaches don't love. At least in recent years(and I think it probably goes further back then that). Benched in the playoffs last year, minimal TOI with NJ and scratched last night. Very little in terms of d-zone starts in NJ.

I haven't noticed anything in his game that looks especially soft, his numbers are very good. Not sure what the issue is.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I think they strictly value Smith for the PK. It’s frustrating because that can be such a small fraction of the game, but it’s the one area where he excels over some of his counterparts.

At the end of the day, I’m not going to get too wrapped up in it because if a bottom pair defender is our biggest problem, we should be having more success than not. And I expect Miller will get his fair share of time eventually.

 

[devilsblood]

I'll be happy with a point today. Two points and I'll be ecstatic.

A sound, tight to the vest effort getting us to OT, win or lose, would be a good sign.

 

[devilsblood]

I think they strictly value Smith for the PK. It’s frustrating because that can be such a small fraction of the game, but it’s the one area where he excels over some of his counterparts.

At the end of the day, I’m not going to get too wrapped up in it because if a bottom pair defender is our biggest problem, we should be having more success than not. And I expect Miller will get his fair share of time eventually.

He's played about as many minutes as Sieg's this year(averages more per game), yet he's been on for 11 less goals. 13 GA Sieg's, just 2 GA for Smith.

Bahl has been on for 9, in less minutes.

His CA and SA rates are way better then everyone as well.

So yeah, it's a small number of minutes, but it is very impactful minutes.

 

[glenwo2]

Man... I hate games against the Bruins. Their defense make the Devils offense look very disjointed and ugly. Is this what other teams felt when playing the Devils in the 90s and early 2000s?

This is the type of game where ANY SHOT toward the Bruins net is a good shot.

Devils better not try to be cute with the fancy-shmancy moves and passes 'cause if they turn it over, the Bruins still got the firepower to make them pay.

 

[Better Call Sal]

He's played about as many minutes as Sieg's this year(averages more per game), yet he's been on for 11 less goals. 13 GA Sieg's, just 2 GA for Smith.

Bahl has been on for 9, in less minutes.

His CA and SA rates are way better then everyone as well.

So yeah, it's a small number of minutes, but it is very impactful minutes.

Right, I'm more referring to there always being the potential of there being few or even no penalties to kill in a game. Because at even strength, he's more of a liability as we've seen. He's prone to taking penalties of his own, as well.

Still, I think he's simply an easy target for some because he's the defacto "worst" player on the team.

 

[glenwo2]

Someone bury the rat please.

Just like it was unlikely that Smith scored that goal, I'm going to vote Jesper as the one who bury's the rat's face into the ice.

#63 on #63 crime.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

LETS GO DEVILS!!!!! Let's break the back to back shadow hanging over the team....Woooo!!!!

 

[Zippy316]

There does seem to be something about Miller(edit, said Smith originally) that coaches don't love. At least in recent years(and I think it probably goes further back then that). Benched in the playoffs last year, minimal TOI with NJ and scratched last night. Very little in terms of d-zone starts in NJ.

I haven't noticed anything in his game that looks especially soft, his numbers are very good. Not sure what the issue is.

I would think it has to do with the fact that he’s a third pairing defender who doesn’t really play on PP or PK.

When you can only ice six defenders, it causes you to overextend some guys if one doesn’t play in certain situations. It’s almost more valuable to have a third pairing guy who offers utility elsewhere (even if it’s a good locker room guy) than Miller.

It’s also an 82 game season. I think last nights line up was partially about keeping guys healthy and rested. Someone like Tierney being in to play some PK minutes keeps minutes down for some other guys.

 

[My3Sons]

Hey, anything can happen tonight, doesn’t have to be same as ever was…
View attachment 792552
LGD.

You may find yourself in the middle of a playoff race
And you may find yourself in another rink in the league
And you may ask yourself how did Smith score that

Letting the games go by….

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

You may find yourself in the middle of a playoff race
And you may find yourself in another rink in the league
And you may ask yourself how did Smith score that

Letting the games go by….

 

[Bleedred]

I’ll feel a little solace if we lose this game because of Vitek. Because he (probably) won’t be in there next game if he’s bad. I don’t think the leash will be super short on Daws just yet. But once he has a stinker then it’s no telling. It’ll be the same shit as the Schmid treatment probably

At least we probably won’t be giving him a chance to turf his second (arguably his 2.5th after he gave up the soft game winner in relief after we tied it in the first meeting) game this year against the Washington Washups on Wednesday.

Boston’s offense isn’t anything scary this year, but they play much tighter than Ottawa and we won’t have Korpisalo back there to help us stay in the game if we mess up.

 

[Bleedred]

I don’t care that we play Smith so much. It’s just annoying that Miller is scratched because they don’t wanna play Smith on forward and we have to play Tierney at forward. Just……no.

And I know Tierney has hardly played. Thank god of it, guy is so bad anymore. He got his second shot on goal of the season last night. Ottawa deserves to be mocked just for that alone.

I’d rather see Miller in than Smith, but I’m okay with forward Smith, who can pivot to D if needed at any point in the game and can play PK, while still putting in Miller, who is the better player at this point.

Lazar may be back in though, which means Smith is gonna be in at D and Miller will be scratched again.

 

[devilsblood]

Right, I'm more referring to there always being the potential of there being few or even no penalties to kill in a game. Because at even strength, he's more of a liability as we've seen. He's prone to taking penalties of his own, as well.

Still, I think he's simply an easy target for some because he's the defacto "worst" player on the team.

If Smith wasn't so much better then everyone else then it would be much less important that he plays.

11 less goals over 34 games is significant.

Marino's #'s with Smith on the PK are very good. From shot attempts against, to goals, especially good on the latter.

His #'s with Sieg's are not good. Especially bad on goals against.

His #'s with Bahl are somewhere in the middle (Bahl probably see's less time vs top units).

 

[HughesCorporation]

were we actually forechecking last night??? lets try it again against these masters of breakouts massholes

 

[Bcap88]

A win tonight can propel them like the overtime severson goal last year on New Year’s Day against the rags

 

[NJDevs26]

He's played about as many minutes as Sieg's this year(averages more per game), yet he's been on for 11 less goals. 13 GA Sieg's, just 2 GA for Smith.

Bahl has been on for 9, in less minutes.

His CA and SA rates are way better then everyone as well.

So yeah, it's a small number of minutes, but it is very impactful minutes.

How much of that difference is BECAUSE Smith is in the box for a lot of the penalties that get scored on lol

 

[Clam Jensen]

A win tonight can propel them like the overtime severson goal last year on New Year’s Day against the rags

Gods, that was incredible.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Score the first goal please

The 1st goal is so overrated. It's like home ice in the playoffs. Speaking of playoffs if they wanna get there win this f***ing game tonight! LFGD!

 

[devilsblood]

How much of that difference is BECAUSE Smith is in the box for a lot of the penalties that get scored on lol

He's taken 15 which leads the team.

But drawn 11. which is tied for the team lead.

So -4.

Bahl is a -6.

Dougie was a -10.

The 1st goal is so overrated. It's like home ice in the playoffs. Speaking of playoffs if they wanna get there win this f***ing game tonight! LFGD!

Except our record when scoring the first goal is excellent. Not so much when we don't.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Gods, that was incredible.

I was at that game and left after the 2nd period. Watched the rest of the game across the street at Redd's with some buddies that didn't have a ticket to go inside the Rock.

He's taken 15 which leads the team.

But drawn 11. which is tied for the team lead.

So -4.

Bahl is a -6.

Dougie was a -10.


Except our record when scoring the first goal is excellent. Not so much when we don't.

Against a team like Boston that can lock it down and goalie you. Yeah the importance level is a bit higher. Trailed 1-0 in our last meeting.

 

[BostonDevil]

OK - Since I probably can't watch tonight due to the stupidity of the NHL, let's review....

My most hated sports entities on this planet:
1) Bruins


2) NY Rangers





3) NY Giants
4) Dodgers
5) Red Sox

I would enjoy a win tonight very much.