Are the NJ Devils already collapsing?

[Artorius Horus T]

Not sure are they collapsing or rather returning to their actual level.
Question could also be; did they over perform beginning of the season?.

21-22 : same head coach, 99% same roster what this season 27-46-9 record | 63 points | 248-307 GD -59

No team progresses that much in one off season with practically no changes
nor finishes a rebuild that fast either

 

[These Are The Days]

Ulmark for Vezina.

Anyway I laugh at all the people thinking the Devils are collapsing. probably the same people who were dunking on the penguins when they sucked early in the season.

Where are they now?

oh yeah, 3rd in the east

Idk man. Last night seems like a good excuse to sacrifice Mike Sullivan to Eye of Sauron. Hell every time they lose is.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

They've still looked good the times I've watched them but either haven't been able to finish a chance or gotten bad goaltending (or both some games). Without looking at the stats and just going by what I saw, I think the ability to finish their chances was probably too high early in the season and too low now so I expect a bounce back in the positive direction.

 

[maroon 6]

From 2nd in the Conference to 4 points up on 9th, life comes at you fast.

Also 4 points away from being 3rd in the league.

 

[MadDevil]

They've still looked good the times I've watched them but either haven't been able to finish a chance or gotten bad goaltending (or both some games). Without looking at the stats and just going by what I saw, I think the ability to finish their chances was probably too high early in the season and too low now so I expect a bounce back in the positive direction.

Get that logic shit out of here! This isn't the place for it.

 

[ninetyeight]

They've still looked good the times I've watched them but either haven't been able to finish a chance or gotten bad goaltending (or both some games). Without looking at the stats and just going by what I saw, I think the ability to finish their chances was probably too high early in the season and too low now so I expect a bounce back in the positive direction.

They are still playing good, they are outshooting pretty much all their opponents, both Boston games, Carolina, Philly, Dallas, NYR, Nashville..

They just can't finish and are getting outgoalied every night. Goaltending is just so important in this sport.

I don't know if this will change anytime soon, especially if Fitzerald doesn't make a trade for a top scorer or elite goalie (how often does that happen?). Vanecek, Blackwood, Schmid, Daws are unlikely to start playing at an elite level anytime soon (if ever), and looking at the schedule it's mostly top of the league goalies against.

Getting Marino and Graves back will help in defence and getting Palat back will help scoring, but is that enough? It's tough times ahead for Devils fans again, after a small glimpse of hope coming from decade of suck.

 

[Identity404]

They are still playing good, they are outshooting pretty much all their opponents, both Boston games, Carolina, Philly, Dallas, NYR, Nashville..

They just can't finish and are getting outgoalied every night. Goaltending is just so important in this sport.

Sounds exactly like the Hurricanes under Bill Peters. Good enough to be a bubble dark horse.

 

[Ladyfan]

NJ is missing a couple of key players.

The Bs lucked out with Ullmark.

NJ is not a bad team and I expect them to make the playoffs

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Better question is how do you beat the Bruins? They just cant seem to lose

Simple Holtby

 

[2 others]

LOLOLOLOLLOLOLOL

(catches breath)

LOLOLOLOLOLOOLOL

 

[TBF1972]

NJ is missing a couple of key players.

The Bs lucked out with Ullmark.

NJ is not a bad team and I expect them to make the playoffs

i remember just one or two seasons ago bruins fans were looking to dump ullmark, because they had rask and a great rookie in swayman. now ullmark looks like the best goalie in the league. goalies are voodoo and i hope my fellow devils fans come to peace with blackwood. he could be our ullmark down the road.

 

[wingman75]

i remember just one or two seasons ago bruins fans were looking to dump ullmark, because they had rask and a great rookie in swayman. now ullmark looks like the best goalie in the league. goalies are voodoo and i hope my fellow devils fans come to peace with blackwood. he could be our ullmark down the road.

Ullmark's first season with the Bruins was just last season. He was something like 25-10 with a GAA under 2.5. Without him they aren't nearly as good. I doubt anyone was looking to dump him. Maybe you are thinking Sabres fans?

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Ullmark's first season with the Bruins was just last season. He was something like 25-10 with a GAA under 2.5. Without him they aren't nearly as good. I doubt anyone was looking to dump him. Maybe you are thinking Sabres fans?

I thing even the great Leafs would not be nearly as good w/o good goaltending or any other team for that matter, great insight

 

[Ladyfan]

i remember just one or two seasons ago bruins fans were looking to dump ullmark, because they had rask and a great rookie in swayman. now ullmark looks like the best goalie in the league. goalies are voodoo and i hope my fellow devils fans come to peace with blackwood. he could be our ullmark down the road.

My ST are right next to the Bs backup net minder. I NEVER wanted to dump Linus. He is great and a good guy too! I love out goalie situation in Boston!

 

[HugeInTheShire]

i remember just one or two seasons ago bruins fans were looking to dump ullmark, because they had rask and a great rookie in swayman. now ullmark looks like the best goalie in the league. goalies are voodoo and i hope my fellow devils fans come to peace with blackwood. he could be our ullmark down the road.

I think you're misremembering something here, Bruin fans loved Ullmark but felt the overpaid him when they had a better option in Swayman.
As for Blackwood, he's been living off a few good months mixed in with horrible years and a never-ending amount of injuries. He's beyond done as an NHL goalie, won't surprise me at all when NJ waives him and he clears.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

They had a hot streak to start the season but like a lot of young teams they still lack consistency. I think most people thought that they would come back down to earth. Still a playoff team with lots of future potential but the GM will need to make some shrewd moves to get them to the top contender status.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

They've still looked good the times I've watched them but either haven't been able to finish a chance or gotten bad goaltending (or both some games). Without looking at the stats and just going by what I saw, I think the ability to finish their chances was probably too high early in the season and too low now so I expect a bounce back in the positive direction.

They outplayed Boston in both games in the past week, game one Blackwood shit the bed and last night it was finishin/Ullmark. Do they turn it around? I don’t know, but the quality of play hasn’t been as bad as the record. How it goes.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I posted this on the Devils board but might as well put it here too.

Comparing overall stats from the 1-7-1 streak vs. the 21-4-1 start before that, 5v5 xGF% is 54.55 (7th in the league) vs. 60.64% (1st) previously. High danger chances for % is 54.97% (8th) vs. 62.58% (1st) previously. Save % is .886 (30th) vs. .932 (5th). PDO is .941 (32nd) vs. 1.026 (2nd) previously. Shooting % is 5.49% (26th) vs. 9.35% (5th) previously.

Basically, they went from playing like the best team in the league to playing like a top 10 team in the league and simultaneously the shooting % and the goaltending tanked. This also coincided with playing better teams. It's not remotely unreasonable to expect goaltending and shooting to improve again and for them to maintain a high level of play throughout the season because literally nothing other than the results indicates that they won't.

 

[danpantz]

You make them play a game in Ontario

7 losses, 3 in Ontario lmao

I posted this on the Devils board but might as well put it here too.

Comparing overall stats from the 1-7-1 streak vs. the 21-4-1 start before that, 5v5 xGF% is 54.55 (7th in the league) vs. 60.64% (1st) previously. High danger chances for % is 54.97% (8th) vs. 62.58% (1st) previously. Save % is .886 (30th) vs. .932 (5th). PDO is .941 (32nd) vs. 1.026 (2nd) previously. Shooting % is 5.49% (26th) vs. 9.35% (5th) previously.

Basically, they went from playing like the best team in the league to playing like a top 10 team in the league and simultaneously the shooting % and the goaltending tanked. This also coincided with playing better teams. It's not remotely unreasonable to expect goaltending and shooting to improve again and for them to maintain a high level of play throughout the season because literally nothing other than the results indicates that they won't.

I’d expect the save percentage to go back up when you get your two good defensive defenseman back as well. Easier shots to save.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I am actually a Devils fan somewhat as I grew up a fan of Brodeur (Largest part of my merch is Brodeur) and Elias was my favorite player after Sakic retired.

The complete arrogance of Devils fans to start the year when their team hadn't proved anything is why so many are relishing in their struggles now. Now they join the Buffalo and Habs fan clubs who learned the hard way that a good first month of a season doesn't mean anything because real hockey doesn't start until December at the earliest.

I wouldn't be upset to see them make the playoff though.

 

[dirtydanglez]

talk about hot and cold

2-7-1 in their last 10. the only teams that were worse were columbus (2-8-0) and chicago (1-9-0)

thank god the are still near the top of the league. the last think the league needs is another high pick for the devils.

 

[McGarnagle]

I think you're misremembering something here, Bruin fans loved Ullmark but felt the overpaid him when they had a better option in Swayman.
As for Blackwood, he's been living off a few good months mixed in with horrible years and a never-ending amount of injuries. He's beyond done as an NHL goalie, won't surprise me at all when NJ waives him and he clears.

Yeah, no one had anything against Ullmark as a goalie, people liked him and thought he had potential, just that giving him $4.5 million when they had Swayman and Vladar in the system and expected Rask back mid-season last year seemed poor roster management at the time.

But then Sweeney flipped Vladar to the Flames and Rask lasted about 3 games before his hip gave out for good, and all of a sudden it turned out to be a great acquisition.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

I am actually a Devils fan somewhat as I grew up a fan of Brodeur (Largest part of my merch is Brodeur) and Elias was my favorite player after Sakic retired.

The complete arrogance of Devils fans to start the year when their team hadn't proved anything is why so many are relishing in their struggles now. Now they join the Buffalo and Habs fan clubs who learned the hard way that a good first month of a season doesn't mean anything because real hockey doesn't start until December at the earliest.

I wouldn't be upset to see them make the playoff though.

To be fair, the vast majority of those guys don't post on our board.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I am actually a Devils fan somewhat as I grew up a fan of Brodeur (Largest part of my merch is Brodeur) and Elias was my favorite player after Sakic retired.

The complete arrogance of Devils fans to start the year when their team hadn't proved anything is why so many are relishing in their struggles now. Now they join the Buffalo and Habs fan clubs who learned the hard way that a good first month of a season doesn't mean anything because real hockey doesn't start until December at the earliest.

I wouldn't be upset to see them make the playoff though.

Let’s not pretend every fanbase including your own doesn’t do the same thing.
And real hockey starts in the playoffs for most.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Let’s not pretend every fanbase including your own doesn’t do the same thing.
And real hockey starts in the playoffs for most.

I never said they didn't. But my fanbase doesn't escape people relishing in our defeat either so not sure what your point is.