GDT: Devils @ Canucks - 10:30 PM - MSG

[Oneiro]

He's gotta be injured, regardless of what gets put out there. He's an elite player otherwise.

It is very nice that Nico has made it a debate again. I'm so ridiculously pleased that the offense is coming without sacrificing any defense. Yeah, his shooting percentage is 20% or something like that, but if this is close to what we can expect and Jack and Bratt aren't even really cooking yet the way they normally can...I get good feelings from this group. 22-23 was really fun but I knew that squad wasn't winning it all. But these guys - especially if they upgrade on the Tatar/Palat hole in the middle six - there's a big opportunity this season.

 

[My3Sons]

Apparently he has scored ONE even stregth goal since last march. And his 5 on 5 production has generally been very pedestrian since late 2023. So its definitely more than just a bad phase.

Is it attitude? He's seemingly a competitive guy so I can't see him as one of those guys that gets a big contract and stops making a good effort. Is he just wearing down sooner due to injury and having a willowy frame? Whatever it is I hope he gets it worked out. The league needs more good players.

 

[Speyer]

Is it attitude? He's seemingly a competitive guy so I can't see him as one of those guys that gets a big contract and stops making a good effort. Is he just wearing down sooner due to injury and having a willowy frame? Whatever it is I hope he gets it worked out. The league needs more good players.

Don't know. Even die hard cannucks fans who follow that team a lot more closely than I do can't seem to find the root of the issue. Some are speculating he mailing it in since he signed the contract, others think its a confidence issue and some even assume he is playing with a chronic injury. I am sure the team/management will get active sooner than later. Its after all not in their interest if their most talented forward is underperforming this much. If its actually a mental/psychological problem I am sure a sports psychologist could most likely help him.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't know what the rest of your schedule looks like, but if you are in Rome, go to Trastevere and have a sandwich from Donkey Punch. It was one of my favorite places for lunch while we were in Rome. Man that was fun. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Was just there in Sept. And Trastevere is the most fun part of the city. Go there for some evening bar hopping would be my recommendation.. Also had some amazing table bread at one of the restaurants there though I forget the name of the place.

Was dissapointed in Italy's table bread otherwise.

 

[Shakir ONeal]

I think that was the first time in 5 years I saw us setting picks

 

[devilsblood]

They aren't putting themselves in defensive positions without the puck or thinking defense or taking the safe option when exiting the zone. No stat will tell you this but it is as obvious as day when watching.

Jack is also avoiding contact at all costs right now. Of course he never was or never will be a physical player, but he might be playing the softest hockey in the league so far this season. Which I get, staying healthy is way more important right now then him going into danger area's, whether with the puck or in puck retrieval situations.

I think Bratt does enough defensively so he is a different story, but Jack is, right now, a soft player and a bad defender. Does his skating and stick skills make up for that little bit? Sure, but just a little.

So back to original point. Palat, and his willingness to play physical, and go into dirty area's is very much a good complement to those 2.

 

[devilsblood]

Every club has at least a handful of guys exactly like Foote, he's nothing that moves the needle.

Pretty obvious given the record.

But, after looking at the Utica stat sheet real quick, I thought I'd note that they do have one ppg guy. Certainly not enough impact fwds though.

 

[My3Sons]

Was just there in Sept. And Trastevere is the most fun part of the city. Go there for some evening bar hopping would be my recommendation.. Also had some amazing table bread at one of the restaurants there though I forget the name of the place.

Was dissapointed in Italy's table bread otherwise.

I ate so much tiramisu when we were there that I had espresso leaking out of my pores. At my age I had no business eating like that. It seems like trastavere has a bevy of great places to eat and drink. My kids went out one night and they said the square by one of the churches was absolutely hopping and packed with other young people. We went to Rome, then Florence, then Venice, then Milan. I loved Rome but I enjoyed Florence even more. Venice was claustrophobic and Milan was sort of bland except for the luxury clothes and goods shopping. It was interesting to see how different the food was in each place. The art in Florence was dizzying. Probably more impressive than the Louvre. Our middle son took art history and so he wanted to go to Milan to see the Last Supper. I'm glad I saw it but I'm not sure it was worth two days I could have added to one of the other locations.

 

[devilsblood]

I ate so much tiramisu when we were there that I had espresso leaking out of my pores. At my age I had no business eating like that. It seems like trastavere has a bevy of great places to eat and drink. My kids went out one night and they said the square by one of the churches was absolutely hopping and packed with other young people. We went to Rome, then Florence, then Venice, then Milan. I loved Rome but I enjoyed Florence even more. Venice was claustrophobic and Milan was sort of bland except for the luxury clothes and goods shopping. It was interesting to see how different the food was in each place. The art in Florence was dizzying. Probably more impressive than the Louvre. Our middle son took art history and so he wanted to go to Milan to see the Last Supper. I'm glad I saw it but I'm not sure it was worth two days I could have added to one of the other locations.

We went Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome.

I liked Rome the best. Trastevere being a big part of the why. (but also the Vatican, the Roman ruins, and the Victor Emanuel Monument)

 

[billingtons ghost]

Was just there in Sept. And Trastevere is the most fun part of the city. Go there for some evening bar hopping would be my recommendation.. Also had some amazing table bread at one of the restaurants there though I forget the name of the place.

Was dissapointed in Italy's table bread otherwise.

I'll give a third recommendation to the Trastavere. Was there last summer.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I don’t care if Jack plays a lick of defense or not in the regular season, I really don’t, so long as he’s cooking offensively. Because he can and will absolutely outscore any issues going the other way when he’s on.

 

[My3Sons]

We went Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome.

I liked Rome the best. Trastevere being a big part of the why. (but also the Vatican, the Roman ruins, and the Victor Emanuel Monument)

The Vatican museums were fantastic . They have some really amazing antiquities and some great art. The Sistine Chapel gets all the press of course but right outside is the School of Athens mural. That was my oldest son’s favorite painting on the entire trip. My youngest loved thr Pieta. I found the basement level the best where they have Satan and my wife’s sister chained in a pit of dry ice to protect humanity from them while Abe Vigoda wearing a Cossack chants “the power of Christ compels you” at my sister in law since she is much more dangerous than Satan.

 

[dgibb10]

I don’t care if Jack plays a lick of defense or not in the regular season, I really don’t, so long as he’s cooking offensively. Because he can and will absolutely outscore any issues going the other way when he’s on.

Jack Hughes has the best even strength xGoals share on the team at 60% lmao, he's doing well defensively

 

[devilsblood]

I don’t care if Jack plays a lick of defense or not in the regular season, I really don’t, so long as he’s cooking offensively. Because he can and will absolutely outscore any issues going the other way when he’s on.

I only agree with this because him staying healthy is a key to our success. Also helps when we have guys, like Nico and Haula on other lines, and now Palat on Jacks, who can cover for him

But a guy who doesn't play a lick of defense is just not a big time player.

 

[devilsblood]

Jack Hughes has the best even strength xGoals share on the team at 60% lmao, he's doing well defensively

I was going to say he literally has d-zone starts this season. But I see he is all the way up to 3.

Keefe also keeps him away from opposing top lines as much as possible.

We all know he has superstar offensive talent, but let's not confuse his results with being good defensively.

 

[dgibb10]

I was going to say he literally has d-zone starts this season. But I see he is all the way up to 3.

Keefe also keeps him away from opposing top lines as much as possible.

We all know he has superstar offensive talent, but let's not confuse his results with being good defensively.

I don't care where he starts his shifts 2.17 xGoals against/60 is the best on the team.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't care where he starts his shifts 2.17 xGoals against/60 is the best on the team.

Keefe does.

Protected minutes certainly plays into that xGa rate.

Otherwise Jack would not have a better xGA then Nico, who is clearly a superior defensive center, and is used as such.

 

[dgibb10]

Keefe does.

Protected minutes certainly plays into that xGa rate.

Otherwise Jack would not have a better xGA then Nico, who is clearly a superior defensive center, and is used as such.

"Jack Hughes is used in less defensive roles than our selke finalist center"

Huge if true

Jack doesn't get dzone starts because of faceoffs. He's been good defensively