GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (50-21-8, 108 Points, 2nd in Metro) @ Boston Bruins (61-12-5, 127 Points, 1st in Atlantic), 8 PM, ABC/ESPN+

[HughesCorporation]

Ummm, what?

cmon bleed! the kid has a top butterfly technique he covers the entire net with it and it made like twenty saves last night
its the screens rebounds and mental lapses that does him in

 

[Bleedred]

cmon bleed! the kid has a top butterfly technique he covers the entire net with it and it made like twenty saves last night
its the screens rebounds and mental lapses that does him in

There's been a lot of criticism of him that he leaves a lot of the net uncovered. One memorable instance would be the first time he played the Bruins this year on one of those goals. There was also talk during the Ottawa game when he first came back two weeks ago.

I think what you're saying is mostly fair about his butterfly, but best in the league? I think that's stretch and quite generous.

I know you're just strictly talking his butterfly, but I still think it's a little too generous.

 

[HughesCorporation]

There's been a lot of criticism of him that he leaves a lot of the net uncovered. One memorable instance would be the first time he played the Bruins this year on one of those goals. There was also talk during the Ottawa game when he first came back two weeks ago.

I think what you're saying is mostly fair about his butterfly, but best in the league? I think that's stretch and quite generous.

I know you're just strictly talking his butterfly, but I still think it's a little too generous.

i call that over-comitting, but i could be making a distinction without a difference

 

[NJDfan86]

Mercer doesn't shoot nearly enough.

Mercer is one of 5 guys for this team to have played in every game and he only has 158 shots in 80 games for 7th on the team in total shots.

For comparison Wood has played 6 fewer games and has two more shots than Dawson. But he seems to pick his spots pretty good. I don't think Mercer will ever be a volume shooter but I like to see him up those those totals.

I said it before he went on that crazy hot streak but if Dawson attacked the net the same way he approaches the other aspects of the game he will be a full fledged superstar. He is 21 so I am hopeful he will learn.

I believe it was him on our last O-Zone possession who had a clear lane to the net and instead attempted an ill-advised, cross-ice pass instead of driving or shooting for a rebound - and he is hardly the only Devil that is guilty of making those decisions on a consistent basis.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

So is Mikey alive?

 

[glenwo2]

^^^ Don't know but :



Gee, what a f**king surprise.


George Parros GOON EXTRAORDINAIRE strikes again by doing.....NOTHING.

This is what happens when you put someone who did this sh*t for a living in charge.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Watched the game again because I felt afterwards there were some missed opportunities for the Devils. Indeed the case.

First things first, Boston is really f***ing good. That’s the most structured team we’ve seen by far this season. Nothing is easy.

With that being said, the Devils were able to break them down several times on the rush. Their speed took Boston by surprise in the first two periods especially. It was good to see that ability to create using skill against that structure.

There were numerous times, however, where the Devils passed up shots. Way too many times they would look for a pass into the middle or through a seam that just wasn’t there. Mercer was guilty of it a few times, including late with the goalie pulled when he tried a hero pass through the middle and Boston easily cleared. Jack also tried a cute pass to Mercer on a 2-on-1 in the 2nd that was covered well. He had a great scoring chance if he just shoots. It may have tied the game. We will never know.

Boston was the better team. They created more and were able to counteract our aggressive coverages by working in unison and finding the soft spots. Was really impressive to watch. And they took away everything on the rush in the 3rd aside from one incredible play by Bratt to burn Lindholm.

That leads me to this. DUMP THE PUCK IN. They passed up dozens of opportunities to do that in the 3rd. Boston stood up at the blue line and the Devils kept trying to gain entry on the rush and it just didn’t work. Against a team like Boston, especially when down, you have to outwork them. And, as mentioned earlier, just fire pucks at the net when there’s an opening.

 

[Guttersniped]

Because those guys all get into games every year. Blackwood also played most or all of last year while injured. I recognize that sometimes goalies get to a point where they are always injured, in one way or another - I'm not certain Blackwood is there. Nonetheless, he had an obvious injury that needed surgery to repair.

I don't really see much need to parse how good goalie #49 is versus goalie #58. That's overwhelmed by luck. So sure, Blackwood has one of the worst SV%s over the last 3 years, but he's also played for one of the worst teams. He'll have a job somewhere next year, hopefully not here, but he'll play somewhere. I won't exactly be rooting for him but I won't be rooting against him either.

I hope last night is Blackwood's last game here. But he played well, so I don't see why he would be a big topic of conversation after the second period.

I’m more than done with Blackwood, and can’t wait for him to not be on our team, but people’s inability to accept our backup playing games does drive me crazy too.

Vanecek has been a delight and what we needed, but he isn’t a true #1, much less Hellebuyck. I don’t know why people believed riding him like a horse in the regular season would have be remotely been a good idea.

I could come up with a bunch of understandable reasons why Blackwood got the game. Ruff’s statement about the rotation is actually reasonable.

I’m not thrilled when I see him either but what’s the point of being so irrationally weird about him?

And Schmid is the 3rd goalie this season, the kid’s likely done after the Utica season is over. People can pretend that Schmid would swoop in if Vanecek got injured/imploded, but that’s wishful thinking.

 

[My3Sons]

^^^ Don't know but :



Gee, what a f**king surprise.


George Parros GOON EXTRAORDINAIRE strikes again by doing.....NOTHING.

This is what happens when you put someone who did this sh*t for a living in charge.

And yet Marchand will never be taken to task. No team ever just makes a point of getting to him. If the league won’t do anything and the teams don’t either why should he ever stop cheating? He ultimately gets beaten up by a 12 year old girl in thr parking lot in front of a high end outdoor store but that won’t be until after he retires.

 

[glenwo2]

And yet Marchand will never be taken to task. No team ever just makes a point of getting to him. If the league won’t do anything and the teams don’t either why should he ever stop cheating? He ultimately gets beaten up by a 12 year old girl in thr parking lot in front of a high end outdoor store but that won’t be until after he retires.

I've got a solution.




To get to Marchand, you need a Psychopath :

 

[NjDevsRR]

Not sure why you hate him so much. Try and keep an open mind

I literally stated a fact, that fact being him giving up an embarrassing goal. I never said he lost the game. But here you are, triggered and taking it all out of context and putting words in my mouth. Classic Bob.

Try and keep an open min, Bob…

 

[Guttersniped]

You're right, he has not enough of a sample size.

But lets say he isn't any good next year in the NHL and he posts Blackwood numbers.

Would you rather have those performances at under a million dollars a year? Or would you rather have those performances at over $3 million a year? And then wonder where we have to cut costs elsewhere because we have a pedestrian goalie at $3 million dollars? That's something to think about. We're seeing that with Miles Wood this year and the fact we signed him. And it's not quite as bad though, as Wood was still a good player the last we really saw of him, Blackwood hasn't been close to a good player in 3 years now.

Do you want mediocre/bad goaltending for a million a year? Or do you want mediocre/bad goaltending for $3 million a year? And that's just running with the assumption that Schmid plays poorly next year at the NHL level.

I’m reasonably confident Blackwood is gone. He seems pretty unhappy, the rumors are suggest the relationship is fractured and NHL teams just don’t like unreliability of repeatedly injured non-star players.

I would be supremely confident, bet real money on it confident, about him being gone next season if the goalie market wasn’t god awful this off-season. It’s might be worse than last off-season and it was terrible last year.

But his Qualifying Offer of 3.36m probably prevents them from gutting it out one more year out of desperation anyway.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

That leads me to this. DUMP THE PUCK IN. They passed up dozens of opportunities to do that in the 3rd. Boston stood up at the blue line and the Devils kept trying to gain entry on the rush and it just didn’t work. Against a team like Boston, especially when down, you have to outwork them. And, as mentioned earlier, just fire pucks at the net when there’s an opening.

I get the idea with Hynes and Ruff since the Devils were very young, so a developmental coach was more important. But I think they're past that now and need someone who really knows their x and os.

 

[Bleedred]

I get the idea with Hynes and Ruff since the Devils were very young, so a developmental coach was more important. But I think they're past that now and need someone who really knows their x and os.

Hynes was definitely considered a developmental coach, but I’m not quite sure Ruff was ever considered a developmental coach here.

But I’m also not sure he was expected to be a highly long termer either, if not just due to his age.

 

[glenwo2]

Hynes was definitely considered a developmental coach, but I’m not quite sure Ruff was ever considered a developmental coach here.

But I’m also not sure he was expected to be a highly long termer either, if not just due to his age.

That's why Mr. Golf Cart Man is there.

To take the reins once Ruff is "done" coaching.

 

[Bleedred]

That's why Mr. Golf Cart Man is there.

To take the reins once Ruff is "done" coaching.

Don’t get your hopes up too much. We all know Ruff isn’t going anywhere after this year, unless he wants to.

Fortunately, the one team that was particularly interested in hiring him as head coach just brought in Rick Tocchet a few months ago.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

That's why Mr. Golf Cart Man is there.

To take the reins once Ruff is "done" coaching.

who are you referring to?

 

[OmNomNom]

who are you referring to?

our assistant coach brunette

Devils coach Andrew Brunette arrested on DUI charge while driving golf cart

Devils associate coach Andrew Brunette was arrested in Broward County, Florida on Wednesday after driving under the influence with his golf cart.

www.foxnews.com

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

our assistant coach brunette

Devils coach Andrew Brunette arrested on DUI charge while driving golf cart

Devils associate coach Andrew Brunette was arrested in Broward County, Florida on Wednesday after driving under the influence with his golf cart.

www.foxnews.com

Wow, I had no idea about that situation. Is he really a good pick though? I never watched any Florida games.

 

[OmNomNom]

Wow, I had no idea about that situation. Is he really a good pick though? I never watched any Florida games.

haha you must've been off the boards for the few days we talked about it LOL

he's supposed to be pretty good... but idk, wish our PP was a bit better

 

[BurntToast]

I'm not a Blackwood fan but anyone blaming Blackwood for that loss should give their head a shake. He was the only reason they were still in the game until the end.

And still the reason they lost..

I guess it averages out..

 

[NJDevs26]

haha you must've been off the boards for the few days we talked about it LOL

In fairness it WAS All-Star week

 

[glenwo2]

And still the reason they lost..

I guess it averages out..