GDT: Devils @ Avalanche - 10 P.M. - TNT/SN1/SNE/SNO/SNP

[Hisch13r]

Mercer has been complete dogshit this year, we might have dodged a bullet not signing him to a big number after last year because he'll be absurdly cheaper after this year.

We definitely didn’t dodge a bullet. Him sucking is not helpful. Either he continues to be a bum (doubtful) or since he sucks he likely takes a bridge which sure nice for the short term but will really f***ing when we have to sign him long term to a more expensive deal than we would’ve if he just didn’t suck this year

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

We definitely didn’t dodge a bullet. Him sucking is not helpful. Either he continues to be a bum (doubtful) or since he sucks he likely takes a bridge which sure nice for the short term but will really f***ing when we have to sign him long term to a more expensive deal than we would’ve if he just didn’t suck this year

I mean that's fair but at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if Fitz goes long term to Mercer at a smaller hit even after a bad year to show him some sort of good will. Mercer/his agent probably won't do that.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

Vitek stopped MANY of them

You only get the goals in the highlights and can only speak of those. 5 GAA isnt exactly a stellar performance for the defense/goalie.

 

[DrBSmooth]

I think everyone is missing the big X factor from last year

Rangersdoggo

Do we need a member to defect to another fanbase to jump start this team

Isn't there a devils fan who posts from Florida....are they willing to become a Lightning or Panthers fan for a season? lol

 

[njdevils1982]

Well ain't that some shit.

 

[Incharge1976]

Well it's a terrible point. No one expected (or should have expected) them to go from a top defense to a bottom of the barrel one because of changes to the #4 and #5 d-men.

Severson and Graves were not #4 and #5.

 

[Hisch13r]

I mean that's fair but at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if Fitz goes long term to Mercer at a smaller hit even after a bad year to show him some sort of good will. Mercer/his agent probably won't do that.

It’s going to be hard to see Mercer signing for cheaper long term when he already knows he can be a lot better than this

 

[Emperoreddy]

We have been without Nico for a bunch of games now and his defensive play is really missed.

Team needs it's top guys, especially it's centers, to keep things moving while the rest of the team settles and gels.

It's going to be difficult to fully fix the defensive play without our top defensive center man.

 

[Bleedred]

I think everyone is missing the big X factor from last year

Rangersdoggo

Do we need a member to defect to another fanbase to jump start this team

Isn't there a devils fan who posts from Florida....are they willing to become a Lightning or Panthers fan for a season? lol

Yes on living in Florida, but no to becoming a fan of those teams.

BRB tho

I know someone who could help

*runs into phone booth to change*

 

[guitarguyvic]

Newer guys in new roles were always expected to have growing pains. Did I think they'd be this bad off the bat? No, but not expecting them to slip a bit was a bit crazy after last year.

But they haven't slipped a bit. The GA has completely cratered to lottery team level bad. This is not what anyone should have expected. We've got a nice built-in excuse for the over-complicated defensive structure failing...but to me this is not a real excuse, it's an indictment. A downgrade to your #4 and #5 defensemen would not make this big of a difference in a more reliable, sound structure. I don't trust that this team can take the next step utilizing this scheme, and now with injuries I'm starting to wonder if they can even maintain a playoff position with it.

 

[Incharge1976]

But they haven't slipped a bit. The GA has completely cratered to lottery team level bad. This is not what anyone should have expected. We've got a nice built-in excuse for the over-complicated defensive structure failing...but to me this is not a real excuse, it's an indictment. A downgrade to your #4 and #5 defensemen would not make this big of a difference in a more reliable, sound structure. I don't trust that this team can take the next step utilizing this scheme, and now with injuries I'm starting to wonder if they can even maintain a playoff position with it.

This is a 100 point team, even if Jack is out a couple more weeks. The question is not if they can make the playoffs but rather can they not do what they did tonight once the playoffs start.

 

[crashline]

Oh well. In better news, Philly lost to the *checks notes* ... Sharks.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Severson and Graves were not #4 and #5.

Marino, Siegenthaler, and Hamilton were all ahead of the two of them. What are you talking about?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

But they haven't slipped a bit. The GA has completely cratered to lottery team level bad. This is not what anyone should have expected. We've got a nice built-in excuse for the over-complicated defensive structure failing...but to me this is not a real excuse, it's an indictment. A downgrade to your #4 and #5 defensemen would not make this big of a difference in a more reliable, sound structure. I don't trust that this team can take the next step utilizing this scheme, and now with injuries I'm starting to wonder if they can even maintain a playoff position with it.

Ryan Graves and Damon Severson being your 2LD and 3RD especially the latter was an absurd luxury. Graves and Marino meshed well, Bahl is way slower than Graves was and he doesn't have the shot + offensive ability to carry the puck like the former did. Our fans really underrated our defensive core if they really thought that a cliff+big drop wasn't realistic. We're not even getting playoff Kevin Bahl which most fans assumed would be the one replacing Graves, we're getting a Bahl that looks completely out of his element with the mins he's getting. And I really don't have to explain the difference between Damon Severson as an 3RD v Brendan Smith there.

 

[Bleedred]

I think everyone is missing the big X factor from last year

Rangersdoggo

Do we need a member to defect to another fanbase to jump start this team

Isn't there a devils fan who posts from Florida....are they willing to become a Lightning or Panthers fan for a season? lol

Both are fantastic teams. The Bolts are missing Vasi and are still cranking out wins with AHL netminders. The NJD are unfortunately nowhere near that.

What could I say about the Panthers? Just a very well-built team that was constructed the right way. All starting with Dale Tallon and his many contributions. That’s another club who knows how to win. Made it all the way to the SCF last year and were unlucky not to win it all. Look at their road to get there. The Broons, Laffs and Rawly. If that doesn’t say heart of a champion I don’t know what. The only thing more impressive is if they were able to knock off the Rags last playoffs.

What a time to be a fan of either team in FLA. Not so much in NJ, unless you’re a fan of the Rags and NYb. Unfortunately there’s too many of them in this state for my liking.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Marino, Siegenthaler, and Hamilton were all ahead of the two of them. What are you talking about?

Severson being behind Marino and Hamilton on the right side after years playing 1RD on bad Devils teams should tell you how good last years D core was.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The team needed more then 10 games to settle into their new roles, and didn't really get that because really really key people got hurt.

I'm expecting/hoping to be much closer to full strength by Decemebr and things should be a lot better then.

It's unfortunate Miller had such a bad preseason then got hurt in practice because the next issue once we get our centers back is getting Smith out of the lineup.

He has been a massive territorial negative on this defense.

 

[Incharge1976]

Marino, Siegenthaler, and Hamilton were all ahead of the two of them. What are you talking about?

 

[Devs3cups]

Well ain't that some shit.

Kind of eerie, isn’t it?

 

[denverdevil]

D.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

A loss like this would be a little more easy to take if we didn't lose games to a Panther's team missing their top 2 dmen and a team like the Capitals after making their 3 goal lead look like nothing all to blow the game in the 3rd. Could of been 2 more wins in the win loss column. Would help in the standings and we would practically be tied with the Rags.

This game no matter what excuses we come up with would be tough for alot of teams of missing their top 2 centers. I imagine a team like Tampa Bay , Toronto , Buffalo , Los Angeles , Edmonton would struggle too. We aren't built like Boston , Carolina or Vegas. I wonder how we would look with one of those 3 teams coached behind our bench.

 

[Devs3cups]

We definitely didn’t dodge a bullet. Him sucking is not helpful. Either he continues to be a bum (doubtful) or since he sucks he likely takes a bridge which sure nice for the short term but will really f***ing when we have to sign him long term to a more expensive deal than we would’ve if he just didn’t suck this year

I would’ve much rather preferred Mercer to sign a long-term deal at a fair cap hit than a bridge. It’s looking like we’re headed the bridge route.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Ryan Graves and Damon Severson being your 2LD and 3RD especially the latter was an absurd luxury. Graves and Marino meshed well, Bahl is way slower than Graves was and he doesn't have the shot + offensive ability to carry the puck like the former did. Our fans really underrated our defensive core if they really thought that a cliff+big drop wasn't realistic. We're not even getting playoff Kevin Bahl which most fans assumed would be the one replacing Graves, we're getting a Bahl that looks completely out of his element with the mins he's getting. And I really don't have to explain the difference between Damon Severson as an 3RD v Brendan Smith there.

If the system is so complicated that downgrading the 2LD and 3RD takes you from being top 5 D to being lottery team level bad, then that system f***ing sucks.

You're also being disingenuous about the personnel changes. Did you forget Luke Hughes is in the lineup? He hasn't been that huge of a downgrade from what Severson brought, even with his rookie warts. Not to mention that the coach could opt to bring Nemec in, who would likely be an upgrade over Smith even as a rookie. So....still a coaching issue.

 

[Emperoreddy]

D.

It didn't feel like Marino had a game this bad, but Bahl makes sense.

Avs won this one by calming down and taking advantage of our AHL bottom 6.

That's going to be a constant issue until at least one of Nico and Jack returns to push some guys down the lineup

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

If the system is so complicated that downgrading the 2LD and 3RD takes you from being top 5 D to being lottery team level bad, then that system f***ing sucks.

You're also being disingenuous about the personnel changes. Did you forget Luke Hughes is in the lineup? He hasn't been that huge of a downgrade from what Severson brought, even with his rookie warts. Not to mention that the coach could opt to bring Nemec in, who would likely be an upgrade over Smith even as a rookie. So....still a coaching issue.

It doesn't matter if the coach is a dumbass and doesn't play him the right spot. You can easily flip Bahl/Luke most likely and be in a better spot but a Bahl/Smith would cause this fanbase to be on high blood pressure medication for the rest of their lives.

Logically the D pairs would be

Siegs Hamliton
Luke Marino
Bahl Miller/Nemec

Could even flip Siegs and Luke.