GDT: Devils @ Blue Jackets - Jingle All the Way - 7:00 PM - MSG

[Bleedred]

This game and the Leafs game are anomalies in my opinion. I don’t lump them in with let’s say the Sharks, Avs, Flames, Bolts shutout games. Those are two completely different sets of games in terms of team performances. I will take a game like tonight any day.

I still think that Calgary game was one of our worst this year. Not as bad as the Tampa home game, but we didn’t have much of a scoring chance at all that game, other than two Jack breakaways.

The Sharks game was good probably in the 3rd or maybe the second half of the game; but pretty meh in the first half

The Avs game was meh all the way through.

I didn’t really think we were that bad in the Tampa game though.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Mercer came into the season playing well but this is starting to look like who he is. A third line player who's a 50 pt player on a good team. If you can trick a GM into giving up something big with him as the main piece, sure, take it. I just don't think it works cap-wise right now. His deal is looking, at best, appropriate for who he is right now.

But if Barry was still infatuated and straight up would do Mercer for O'Reilly, I don't think I'd say no, even if ROR is on the downswing. At least you're getting someone with more of a pulse at that slot.

Haula, at least you can say he's in line with his career averages. This is who he is for the most part. Ditto for Cotter.

It would be nice for the 4th line to matter but I don't think it does. Mercer and Haula not generating enough is really the biggest issue.

I bet Fitz is kicking himself not moving off him for Helly in the 2023 offseason but all of us would've hated that. I truly don't know what gotten into Mercer in the end of 2023 that we haven't seen anything since. Also wonder what a Mercer to SJ trade would've looked like if he was apart of the Timo package but he was white hot that month as well to the point you couldn't trade him. A lot of what if's with him, hopefully he can bring back that form but it might be his equivalent to Blackwood's February 2020 before covid. 2 historical months for just average NHLers

 

[Emperoreddy]

Nico's line gets saddled with some of the hardest defensive minutes in every game.

Might be asking too much of Mercer to take those assignments and find his offensive game again at the same time.

 

[Oneiro]

Mercer's still young. I just don't know if he's a consequential player either way, but he's at the age where you need to some kind of uptick or progress.

It's fine to draft a third liner in the late 1st round. Happens all the time and getting an NHLer at all is itself a win. But it's a bummer in that if he was anything like a Parise-lite or Kunitz-lite, this team would be over the top. Probably the most disappointing thing is that he can't really create opportunities without the puck because he's not great at finding the soft ice. That combined with mediocre defensive play and mid physicality...He's a bit disappointing, there's just no question.

 

[britdevil]

Confident Jack is either dominant Jack or careless Jack. He was both tonight.

At least he ain't Simple Jack.

 

[Billdo]

Saw this L coming a mile away. Lesser opponent, mid week, playing well prior. It was always written this way.

 

[Guttersniped]

These ice times are really something.

3rd Period Shifts & Ice Times (Totals)
Jack 7 - 10:12* (21 - 25:05)
Bratt 7 - 10:09* (22 - 23:05)
Meier 7 - 9:57** (19 - 19:51)
Hischier 7 - 9:52** (22 - 23:59)
Noesen 10 - 6:40 (23 - 16:23)
Mercer 5 - 4:45 (18 - 17:03)
Palat 5 - 4:08 (19 - 14:29)
Haula 6 - 3:56 (22 - 13:15)
Cotter 6 - 3:14 (19 - 11:18)
Dowling 4 - 3:02 (14 - 8:29)
Tatar 4 - 3:00 (16 - 9:09)
Bastian 4 - 2:32 (14 - 8:09)

Luke 8 - 10:34** (26 - 26:26)
Hamilton 6 - 6:36 (21 - 17:56)
Pesce 6 - 4:52 (23 - 19:27)
Siegenthaler 5 - 4:15 (19 - 16:17)
Dillon 5 - 4:13 (19 - 15:43)
Kovacevic 5 - 3:27 (19 - 16:07)

*last shift to end game - 2:50
**last shift to end game - 3:16

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I had hope at the start of the year where he was playing well but he's reverted back to his play from last season. The problem with Mercer is that he's not a good skater, not physical enough to win board battles or be a net front threat and not skilled enough to create offense for Nico or Meier. Even on the PK he doesn't win board battles and doesn't cover enough ground to really be effective defensively. I'd definitely being looking to move him for a player that can effectively play with Nico and Timo and allow that line to thrive again.

Maybe we should have traded him for Kakko. I’m sure the Rangers would have been down on that trade.

 

[Billdo]

These ice times are really something.

3rd Period Shifts & Ice Times (Totals)
Jack 7 - 10:12* (21 - 25:05)
Bratt 7 - 10:09* (22 - 23:05)
Meier 7 - 9:57** (19 - 19:51)
Hischier 7 - 9:52** (22 - 23:59)
Noesen 10 - 6:40 (23 - 16:23)
Mercer 5 - 4:45 (18 - 17:03)
Palat 5 - 4:08 (19 - 14:29)
Haula 6 - 3:56 (22 - 13:15)
Cotter 6 - 3:14 (19 - 11:18)
Dowling 4 - 3:02 (14 - 8:29)
Tatar 4 - 3:00 (16 - 9:09)
Bastian 4 - 2:32 (14 - 8:09)

Luke 8 - 10:34** (26 - 26:26)
Hamilton 6 - 6:36 (21 - 17:56)
Pesce 6 - 4:52 (23 - 19:27)
Siegenthaler 5 - 4:15 (19 - 16:17)
Dillon 5 - 4:13 (19 - 15:43)
Kovacevic 5 - 3:27 (19 - 16:07)

*last shift to end game - 2:50
**last shift to end game - 3:16

Trying to claw their way back in. Literal nothingness coming from the bottom 6, I get it. The bottom 6 doing absolutely nothing for weeks now is a massive problem.

 

[Call Me Al]

not mad about last nights game because if they play like that they’ll win 80-90% of the time.

yeah, allen could have played the first one better, mercer should have dumped the puck deep and dougie could have made a better pass out but those things happen. their overall game was lights out and the hughes brothers are showing what they can really do.

20 shots against again is unreal, the commitment to d is as encouraging as anything else about this team, also love the fight to the end even down 3. last years team would fold.

now we just need some secondary scoring, but that’s what the extra 2nd round picks are for

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Thanks to the two goals, that game turned from one that would have somewhat pissed me off into one that I'm just slightly annoyed about. Elvis still has our number and we're completely incapable of a winning streak past three games, but the team is still fundamentally sound.

Bottom six help is key. Lazar really did help tie that all together for one game.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Luke is insane

 

[britdevil]

Luke is insane

He's becoming incredible.

When brothers say that their youngest is the "best of us", I usually roll my eyes, but it's entirely possible that Luke could be the best of them.

 

[HughesCorporation]

Jake the drain snake deserves to be SHREDDED to shit for that first goal against. That was a pathetic CHOKE of a goal.

He was completely obliterated by the goalie at the other end.

The second goal was weak ass positioning. If he's closer to the post it hits him. Even with the screen. And he was barely screened.

where did he think he was? not even in front of the goal

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

He's becoming incredible.

When brothers say that their youngest is the "best of us", I usually roll my eyes, but it's entirely possible that Luke could be the best of them.

His defense is already better than I ever thought it would be. He’s looking like one of those guys that will play like 27 minutes a night in a few years.

 

[Devs3cups]

His defense is already better than I ever thought it would be. He’s looking like one of those guys that will play like 27 minutes a night in a few years.

Getting him at 4th overall and having him in the organization for years to come is such a blessing. It’s only the beginning for him.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Luke is insane

Yea but have you considered that Owen Power is 6’6”?

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Watched most of the game last night. Elvis was the problem. Devils got goalied. Thought NJ was easily the better team.

Was it Hischier who rang it off the post late in the 3rd. An inch more to the inside of the post and that would have been a different outcome I think.

 

[NJDfan86]

Mercer's still young. I just don't know if he's a consequential player either way, but he's at the age where you need to some kind of uptick or progress.

It's fine to draft a third liner in the late 1st round. Happens all the time and getting an NHLer at all is itself a win. But it's a bummer in that if he was anything like a Parise-lite or Kunitz-lite, this team would be over the top. Probably the most disappointing thing is that he can't really create opportunities without the puck because he's not great at finding the soft ice. That combined with mediocre defensive play and mid physicality...He's a bit disappointing, there's just no question.

I actually think he does fine getting to the areas he needs to - last year he was excellent at generating shots from high danger areas but I haven’t seen the tracking data yet for this year.

 

[Devs3cups]

Love that the boys looked pissed last night. Showed a lot of emotion. People are having a field day with Luke’s frustration at the end of the game, but I loved it. Shows they care. They played a heck of a game and I expect them to come out hungry against the Pens.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Love that the boys looked pissed last night. Showed a lot of emotion. People are having a field day with Luke’s frustration at the end of the game, but I love it. Shows they care. They played a heck of a game and I expect them to come out hungry against the Pens.

The hopeful silver lining is that, if we are going to drop only one of these last three games before Xmas, then last night is the one you want to lose. Get it out of our system and I suppose that’s why it was Allen in net last night too. Markstrom will play tomorrow and Monday.

But therefore let’s now go out and beat Pittsburgh and the Rangers.

 

[britdevil]

His defense is already better than I ever thought it would be. He’s looking like one of those guys that will play like 27 minutes a night in a few years.

Gonna hit like crack when Quinn joins.

 

[Andre Palot]

Gonna hit like crack when Quinn joins.

My conspiracy theory is that the Devils social media team already has the 'collecting Hughes brothers like infinity stones' memes ready and stockpiled for that day.

 

[Saugus]

My conspiracy theory is that the Devils social media team already has the 'collecting Hughes brothers like infinity stones' memes ready and stockpiled for that day.

Unless Quinn forces his way here sooner via demanding a trade, it could be a stale reference by the time he hits UFA in the summer of 2027.

But I'm sure the social media team will have some dank ones ready to go.

 

[Hisch13r]

He's becoming incredible.

When brothers say that their youngest is the "best of us", I usually roll my eyes, but it's entirely possible that Luke could be the best of them.

I don’t remember where it was but Quinn’s definitely said Jack’s the best. Idk where the whole “Luke’s the best” thing comes from