Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - playoff edition

[Emperoreddy]

Dowling played above expectations though. I thought for a guy who was maybe our 16th fwd entering the year he played well. Pretty sure he was on for zero goals against in these playoffs.

Haula and Lazar were well below expectations. As you say they were our 3rd and 4th line centers at the start of the year. Haula was a winger by the end and I'm not sure where Lazar is.

Dowling did do his best, I dont mean to discredit him. But I do think you want a bit more out of the position then what he was able to provide.

Nothing wrong with him being your 5th center on the depth chart.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Im fully confident Timo will have a better counting stats season next year and will continue to be a positive for us with his underlying numbers which have been good all year.

He was good these playoffs and absolutely not the problem

 

[devsfan8]

What freaking 88 point player only has 12 5v5 goals? You're looking at fools gold fellas.

Someone scored goals on those 67 assists you know. Bratt hits, he is an elite playmaker and he makes everyone he plays with better. GMs would line up for him.

 

[MadDevil]

Let's trade a 20 goal scorer for two 20 goal scores because people think those assist are meaningful in some way.

Shit, you might even be able to triple the goal production from some sucker GM that gets googly eyes for those assist numbers.

Cool, so when we trade Bratt for a goal scorer and Jack misses his usual 15-20 games we'll have a goal scorer with nobody to drive play and set them up. Or Nico will become more of a playmaker, his goals will go down, and you'll bitch that he doesn't score enough.

Here's an idea...how about we get a finisher to add to the play driving of Bratt so we can actually be a better team and not just move laterally?

 

[JimEIV]

This is an incredibly bizarre narrative to try and argue that assists dont matter and dont contribute to team scoring

I'm sure he could help a lot of teams with adequate goal scorers. We are not one of those and he is not one of those

 

[Emperoreddy]

Mercer is the forward you need to cash out on

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

What freaking 88 point player only has 12 5v5 goals? You're looking at fools gold fellas.

Mikko Rantanen
Dylan Larkin
Robert Thomas
Martin Necas
Mark Stone
JT Miller
Steven Stamkos
BRADY TKACHUK (LOL)

All had 12 goals or fewer at 5 on 5. (that's just this year alone, by the way)

 

[guitarguyvic]

I would do it for Brady....but generally speaking, you don't necessarily need a "better" player coming back. If you can get multiple depth pieces in return.

Just like San Jose and Timo. I think we clearly lost that trade in hindsight.

What? If you trade Bratt for “depth pieces” you’re entering a rebuild. We literally would have no top end forwards except Jack and Nico.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Both Toronto #9 and Carolina #10 were top 10 in scoring this season. We were 20th. If you think we're making that difference up from the bottom 6 I think you're crazy. Maybe a little of both is a reasonable...but even if it is both that means the existing guys in the top 6 have fallen short.

You’re contradicting yourself. If you can’t make up that difference through the bottom six, how the hell are you making the team better by trading one of the team’s only high end point producers for depth?

 

[Davegarri]

In no universe will we be trading Bratt. No need to even discuss it.

Dougie however, should be gone.

 

[Ekiru]

Markstrom was absolutely a main reason they lost game 4 and a big reason they lost game 5.

I don't care about all the OT saves. If he didn't shit himself in the 2nd period, we would be talking about game 6 on Friday night right now.

Blaming Markstrom for anything related to this series feels disingenuous. He posted some of the best stats the first five games on a team that won once, while the best goaltending stats were Anderson's in the four games before injury

If the Devils need a goaltender to post better than 2nd best in the playoffs, then Im not sure the roster is properly set

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Blaming Markstrom for anything related to this series feels disingenuous. He posted some of the best stats the first five games on a team that won once, while the best goaltending stats were Anderson's in the four games before injury

If the Devils need a goaltender to post better than 2nd best in the playoffs, then Im not sure the roster is properly set

???

in two of the four losses, he was a major reason why

Markstrom was good in the first few games. He was not in the last few.

 

[devilsblood]

Bratt was 15th in points this year. 76th in terms of cap hit. That latter number will likely be in the 100's in a couple years.

I can't really imagine the return it would require for me to consider trading him.

 

[devilsblood]

Mercer is the forward you need to cash out on

If you can get something back in return. Even if he's merely a throw in on a bigger deal.

But otherwise, might be worth it to see if he can get back on an upward trajectory.

 

[devilsblood]

???

in two of the four losses, he was a major reason why

Markstrom was good in the first few games. He was not in the last few.

And last night was a game in which the Devils took advantage of playing against a teams back up. And then our #1 gave it all back. I never thought he was going to be a top end goalie, but I did hope his "high compete" would shine through in big spots. And I guess it did for a few games, but last night was a spot he had to hold his ground and he didn't.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Let's trade a 20 goal scorer for two 20 goal scores because people think those assist are meaningful in some way.

Shit, you might even be able to triple the goal production from some sucker GM that gets googly eyes for those assist numbers.

Jim I’m gagging on the bait and my face is turning blue, but you are aware that Bratts assists led to goals right? Why don’t we keep one of the best distributors of the puck and skaters in the league and, I don’t know, find a separate goal scorer?

I think Brady is a wonderful, albeit overrated, player. Bratt had more assists than he had points this year. Who’s passing him the puck if we jettison our best playmaker?

 

[devilsblood]

Jesus H Christ, we're back to the Brady for Bratt bullshit again?

Buckle up, the offseason has just started.

 

[Ekiru]

???

in two of the four losses, he was a major reason why

Markstrom was good in the first few games. He was not in the last few.

This sounds more opinionated than factual.

So the onus is on the goaltender with top-5 stats (counting and advanced) outside Goals Against...

but not the team that had:
- 0% Powerplay
- lowest Goals For
- most Shots Against
- six goals against on the PK

Id take a shot in the dark and say the injuries to the team in front of Markstrom, as well as their play, was far more indicative of how the series went

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

This discussion is embarrassing, Bratt is only as good as his 5on5 goal numbers?…I’ll see myself out for another year.

 

[billingtons ghost]

To me, Bratt has been the one player who has consistently grown.

Not good defensively? He learned stick position and back checking and became a plus penalty killer. Not big enough? Bulks up and plays physical. I'm super impressed.

Nico has been great from the start. I don't think he'll live up to his superstar idol Datsyuk, but he's going to be that consistent 2nd line C and a key player in any playoff series. Maybe like Kreiji on a Bruins cup winner.

No way Timo ever lives up to that contract, which is too bad. He's going to always be that polarizing guy who streakily does great things and then everyone hates bc he doesn't bring enough of anything that we got him for. I was expecting the best player on the Sharks to maybe be the best player on our team, but he's going to be the fourth best.

The whole thing rests literally on Jack's shoulders. It's going to be a sad story if he can't either get to that man strength stage or adapt his game to be effective without getting killed.

Maybe this playoffs lights the fire under Mercer.
Guys like Haula, Palat, Cotter Glass and Noesen are what they are. Really fourth liners on a championship team.

Need to find second line talent to fill out the lineup

 

[Davegarri]

Blaming Markstrom for anything related to this series feels disingenuous. He posted some of the best stats the first five games on a team that won once, while the best goaltending stats were Anderson's in the four games before injury

If the Devils need a goaltender to post better than 2nd best in the playoffs, then Im not sure the roster is properly set

A lot of blame is on him for games 4 and 5. He let up softy after softy and completely sucked the life out of the team.

 

[Emperoreddy]

None of this is complicated. Team had 6 injured Dmen and was missing their best player while already being shallow depth wise. Lead to them being a one line team with no special teams.

 

[Ekiru]

A lot of blame is on him for games 4 and 5. He let up softy after softy and completely sucked the life out of the team.

I would agree if it wasnt for the countless saves he made that kept us from being blown out, in almost each game

Giving up lame duck goals isnt possible if the game isnt close; they wouldnt have been close if not for Markstrom

I get its easy to blame things like Markstrom's bad goals against and Mercer's double minor in 2OT.. but that lacks context and an understanding of how intertwined everything in the game is (or a willingness to acknowledge this fact)

 

[devilsblood]

Im fully confident Timo will have a better counting stats season next year and will continue to be a positive for us with his underlying numbers which have been good all year.

He was good these playoffs and absolutely not the problem

Can't we just say "more points"?

 

[guitarguyvic]

None of this is complicated. Team had 6 injured Dmen and was missing their best player while already being shallow depth wise. Lead to them being a one line team with no special teams.

Eh I don’t like this “easy simple” analysis. Of course that had a huge impact on the series. But we have an entire season of observations that tells us this team has major holes and question marks going forward.