GDT: Devils @ Golden Knights - 3:30 PM - TNT, MAX

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

This guy nailed it, Fitz didn't set the team up right this year. Next year neither Daws nor Nemec/L.Hughes are rookies anymore next year and should be good with the NHL workload.

He should plan accordingly or he's just going to uncover a new set of problems.

This is goalpost moving, the plan also was for Nemec to not be full time in the NHL (with the understanding he'd get some games due to inevitable injury). Also it's funny he's being cited as a major reason the team isn't good this year when he's been the absolute brightest spot by far.

There is no way Fitz planned for or expected a year like this, where he'd desperately try to upgrade goaltending all year, only to be rebuffed and still have to fix it this offseason. Where he'd be forced to fire Lindy Ruff to save him from further humiliation. He put conditions on the pick cause he (presumably) understands risk management.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Good to know.

Getting the team a legit backup and not a guy who hasn’t proven to be successful in 46 games would have been much better for next year because you say it will.

If NJ gets a legit starter like Ullmark who can play 50 games, I don't see how Daws and Schmid can't handle 15 NHL games a piece as a worst case scenario.

 

[Bleedred]

If NJ gets a legit starter like Ullmark who can play 50 games, I don't see how Daws and Schmid can't handle 15 NHL games a piece as a worst case scenario.

What’s wrong with Allen playing them? Because you think Daws is good and ready? That’s why Allen shouldn’t be here?

We’ve been burned by numerous goalie injuries and guys retiring. If Ullmark misses any time we’re right back to a Daws/Schmid tandem for however long, if we did what you’re suggesting.

 

[Bleedred]

I guess jf Ullmark gets injured next year and we’re down to a Daws/Schmid tandem because we got rid of Allen because some Leafs fan told us Daws was ready as long as he was just the backup, Fitz won’t be criticized for not setting this team up right by at least one person?

Shark week dude would probably really be ripping a Fitz a new one if that happened.

 

[A1LeafNation]

What’s wrong with Allen playing them? Because you think Daws is good and ready? That’s why Allen shouldn’t be here?

We’ve been burned by numerous goalie injuries and guys retiring. If Ullmark misses any time we’re right back to a Daws/Schmid tandem for however long, if we did what you’re suggesting.

What about being burned another way you may not be thinking about.

When I said above "Fitz just going to uncover a new set of problems", I was specifically referring to the Columbus situation, that GM tried to do too much and have his cake (vets) and eat it too (expecting his rookies to accept being demoted).

Merzlikins wants out, Johnson and Jiricek either changed agents or publicly expressed their dissatisfaction looking around the league at their comparables. There are probably other players not happy with the way that team was handled that we don't know about. Essentially that disfunction got Jarmo fired and now that team took steps back again this year.

Daws is probably the future starter, Nemec and Hughes are the franchise D. I think the forwards are set up nicely. Fitz needs to evaluate where the backend is right now and where he projects them to be next year, and act accordingly.

 

[glenwo2]

At least there is a zero percent chance that Green is retained and promoted. Silver linings to every shit cloud Randy bo bandy.

Only saving grace is that at least we know Jake Allen will be a solid backup to whomever Fitz goes after this offseason (ie Saros, Ullmark, Markstrom).

 

[glenwo2]

What’s wrong with Allen playing them? Because you think Daws is good and ready? That’s why Allen shouldn’t be here?

We’ve been burned by numerous goalie injuries and guys retiring. If Ullmark misses any time we’re right back to a Daws/Schmid tandem for however long, if we did what you’re suggesting.

In the few games he's played, Allen has done MORE to give me confidence in the goaltending than Daws has done the entire times he's been up.

Akira and Daws need to go back to the AHL and stay there for the foreseeable future.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

So many issues to run through, but on the Jack playing hurt part, of course he should be shut down. It’s pathetic at this point.

And further to that, this team is absolutely f***ed if he can’t stay healthy. If this turns into a (more) recurring thing where he misses time, I don’t know what to say. The entire clock may as well start over. This kid still looks like he did coming into the league as a toothpick. I don’t know if it’s the org not pushing him into the weight room or his own internal motivation, but he needs to be shut down asap, get whatever treatment he needs to be at 100%, and get his ass into training to be able to withstand guys who will be targeting him. And if the response to this is “it has nothing to do with physique” then that’s even more worrying because this is now a pattern of shoulder injuries just from the course of regular play (regardless I don’t agree strength training won’t help at least mitigate some of that risk).

 

[A1LeafNation]

In the few games he's played, Allen has done MORE to give me confidence in the goaltending than Daws has done the entire times he's been up.

Akira and Daws need to go back to the AHL and stay there for the foreseeable future.

If you are looking at small samples sizes then be fair and do the same with Daws. As posted above Daws has played better than Allen (as a Devil) since Lindy was fired.

 

[My3Sons]

If you are looking at small samples sizes then be fair and do the same with Daws. As posted above Daws has played better than Allen (as a Devil) since Lindy was fired.

Are you suggesting that Daws body of work as a NJ goalie post Ruff is better than Allen's two games for NJ? Those are small sample sizes and you can't really be sure what to take from them, but I will say that Allen after the first few shots against has really looked sharp. Daws has looked good but maybe not quite as confident. As a Leafs fan you are really telling us you watch all the NJ games? I'm skeptical. NJ fans don't even want to watch the games at this point of the season.

 

[glenwo2]

Are you suggesting that Daws body of work as a NJ goalie post Ruff is better than Allen's two games for NJ? Those are small sample sizes and you can't really be sure what to take from them, but I will say that Allen after the first few shots against has really looked sharp. Daws has looked good but maybe not quite as confident. As a Leafs fan you are really telling us you watch all the NJ games? I'm skeptical. NJ fans don't even want to watch the games at this point of the season.

I'm questioning why a leafs fan is here in the first place preaching to us to watch NJ Devils games.

 

[Patrik26]

I'm questioning why a leafs fan is here in the first place preaching to us to watch NJ Devils games.

It's in their DNA. No use in commenting on the Lafs when their destiny is pre-determined every season.

 

[Bleedred]

If you are looking at small samples sizes then be fair and do the same with Daws. As posted above Daws has played better than Allen (as a Devil) since Lindy was fired.

This is dumb. So many of you just do this and cherry pick.

Daws has played 3 f***in games since Ruff got fired and one was in relief.

Why do people cherry pick like this? It all brings me back to the “well Schneider is a .920% the last 16 games” ignoring the first 9 games of .850%.

This is like saying “I took three shits this morning but I didn’t shit at all for 6 days before that. I haven’t shit in a week!”.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm questioning why a leafs fan is here in the first place preaching to us to watch NJ Devils games.

I don’t care that they’re in here, but they’re not making much sense at all. Criticizing the GM for the way he constructed the team this year in one post, then suggesting we need to not have Allen here next year because Daws is ready, as long as we have a 50 game goalie. And that Daws has been really good in the not even 160 minutes he’s played since Ruff got fired, so further proof that he’s ready. As if Daws never had 160 minutes of play like that at any point during the 43 games that he played here under Ruff.

I’m trying to figure out if this poster is one of those fans like Quest For Stanley was for Seney only with Daws or what.

 

[RNCDevil]

This to me is the opposite of what is true. Luke has been way better than I thought he would be at positioning, 1 on 1 defense, and winning puck battles. He has been worse than I expected at decision-making with the puck in the D zone.

I agree @Triumph. If he has to respond to a forward, I think he does better than I could hope. If he has to make a play, in limited space, it's not great. But that absolutely seems like a time thing.

Smith, by contrast does worse

 

[Guttersniped]

it’s shocking how much worse this team has actually been under green.

i thought mercer had a really good game. allen too, he looked like an nhl goalie.

those are my two takeaways from the game, everything else sucked

This is us under Green:

-4 Goal Differential

We’ve had a brutal schedule so it’s a bit tough to judge.

The Coyotes game was pathetic, not only because we lost but also because the team didn’t start the game with enough desperation.

The low smount of offfense we’re generating is basically gross, if we can’t score against the Pens we really do have issues.

Spoiler: Stats Are Since February 1st

3-5 L
Florida: 3rd Best Win % in NHL

+38 Goal Differential

4-1 W
St Louis: 20th Best Win % in the NHL

+1 Goal Differential

2-4 L
Carolina: 4th Best Win % in NHL

+29 Goal Differential

1-3 L
NY Rangers: 2nd Best Win % in NHL

+25 Goal Differential

6-2 W
Dallas: 9th Best Win % in the NHL

+9 Goal Differential

1-4 L
Arizona: 31st Best Win % in NHL

-19 Goal Differential

1-3 L
Vegas: 24th Best Win % in NHL

-9 Goal Differential

Spoiler: Upcoming Teams We Have Multiple Games Left

Pittsburgh: 25th Best Win % in NHL

-14 Goal Differential

Ottawa: 22nd Best Win % in the NHL

-10 Goal Differential

NY Islanders: 14th Best Win %

+3 Goal Differential

Toronto: 5th Best Win %

+17 Goal Differential

Spoiler: And Sadly, this is us

New Jersey: 27th Best Win %

-9 Goal Differential

I used a spoiler here less to save space and more so people didn’t have to keep looking at our downfall against their will.

 

[My3Sons]

This is us under Green:
View attachment 837798
-4 Goal Differential

We’ve had a brutal schedule so it’s a bit tough to judge.

The Coyotes game was pathetic, not only because we lost but also because the team didn’t start the game with enough desperation.

The low smount of offfense we’re generating is basically gross, if we can’t score against the Pens we really do have issues.

Spoiler: Stats Are Since February 1st

3-5 L
Florida: 3rd Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837801
+38 Goal Differential

4-1 W
St Louis: 20th Best Win % in the NHL
View attachment 837811
+1 Goal Differential

2-4 L
Carolina: 4th Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837802
+29 Goal Differential

1-3 L
NY Rangers: 2nd Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837804
+25 Goal Differential

6-2 W
Dallas: 9th Best Win % in the NHL
View attachment 837813
+9 Goal Differential

1-4 L
Arizona: 31st Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837807
-19 Goal Differential

1-3 L
Vegas: 24th Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837810
-9 Goal Differential

Spoiler: Upcoming Teams We Have Multiple Games Left

Pittsburgh: 25th Best Win % in NHL
View attachment 837815
-14 Goal Differential

Ottawa: 22nd Best Win % in the NHL
View attachment 837818
-10 Goal Differential

NY Islanders: 14th Best Win %
View attachment 837820
+3 Goal Differential

Toronto: 5th Best Win %
View attachment 837821
+17 Goal Differential

Spoiler: And Sadly, this is us

New Jersey: 27th Best Win %
View attachment 837825
-9 Goal Differential

I used a spoiler here less to save space and more so people didn’t have to keep looking at our downfall against their will.

That Coyotes game was really depressing. They looked slow and unskilled to me.

 

[tailfins]

The main thing to criticize Fitz on this year, IMO, was not getting DeSmith.

The Habs got Pearson and a third for DeSmith. Possible the Devils couldn't beat that since they didn't have a buy-low potential reclamation project on their roster (other than Yegor who was already dealt). But maybe a 3rd plus Clarke would have gotten him?

I personally thought the Devils were ok going into the season with Vitek, Schmid, Kinkaid, and Kallgren. (Obvs I was wrong.)

But if Fitz really wanted Schmid in the minors for the entire year (as he's now on record as saying), then he needed to get DeSmith and/or Allen from Montreal.

 

[Guttersniped]

That Coyotes game was really depressing. They looked slow and unskilled to me.

We should have played with utter desperation, those 2 points were an absolute must, we have trouble beating anyone right now and our incapable of winning two games in row.

It looked like we came out more like “lol it’s the Coyotes”, and after we got behind yet again our now anemic offense did us in.

Some of our bad starts are just flukes but that one was infuriating. This team doesn’t deserve the playoffs.

 

[glenwo2]

I don’t care that they’re in here, but they’re not making much sense at all. Criticizing the GM for the way he constructed the team this year in one post, then suggesting we need to not have Allen here next year because Daws is ready, as long as we have a 50 game goalie. And that Daws has been really good in the not even 160 minutes he’s played since Ruff got fired, so further proof that he’s ready. As if Daws never had 160 minutes of play like that at any point during the 43 games that he played here under Ruff.

I’m trying to figure out if this poster is one of those fans like Quest For Stanley was for Seney only with Daws or what.

Daws would NOT have made the saves Jake did against Dallas.

Small sample size or not, that trumps everything Daws has done here.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Are you suggesting that Daws body of work as a NJ goalie post Ruff is better than Allen's two games for NJ? Those are small sample sizes and you can't really be sure what to take from them, but I will say that Allen after the first few shots against has really looked sharp. Daws has looked good but maybe not quite as confident. As a Leafs fan you are really telling us you watch all the NJ games? I'm skeptical. NJ fans don't even want to watch the games at this point of the season.

As a Leaf fan I actually watch more games of other teams than Leaf games during the regular season.

I pointed to two cases where Daws was over worked. 2 games after the stadium series and the two games that got Lindy fired (widely commented that Daws was being overworked at that point).

As you are a NJ fan, just for fun look at his stats and exclude those 4 games (2 games after stadium series and 2 games prior to Lindy firing). He numbers and the eye test tells me NJ fans are criminally underrated him.

Just look it up and draw your own conclusions. This kid is an NHL goalie right now, he just needs the right game management.

Spoiler (minus those 4 games): .918SV% this season.

This is dumb. So many of you just do this and cherry pick.

Daws has played 3 f***in games since Ruff got fired and one was in relief.

Why do people cherry pick like this? It all brings me back to the “well Schneider is a .920% the last 16 games” ignoring the first 9 games of .850%.

This is like saying “I took three shits this morning but I didn’t shit at all for 6 days before that. I haven’t shit in a week!”.

I would say you can cherry pick stats from other points in the season and draw conclusions...

But this isn't cherry picking, it's saying to be fair and measure both goalies on the same timelines.

 

[Guttersniped]

The main thing to criticize Fitz on this year, IMO, was not getting DeSmith.

The Habs got Pearson and a third for DeSmith. Possible the Devils couldn't beat that since they didn't have a buy-low potential reclamation project on their roster (other than Yegor who was already dealt). But maybe a 3rd plus Clarke would have gotten him?

I personally thought the Devils were ok going into the season with Vitek, Schmid, Kinkaid, and Kallgren. (Obvs I was wrong.)

But if Fitz really wanted Schmid in the minors for the entire year (as he's now on record as saying), then he needed to get DeSmith and/or Allen from Montreal.

Allen had us on his No Trade List until recently, he thought Vanacek and Schmid would put him in the same 3rd spot he was in with the Habs.

If Detroit makes the playoffs it’s because they signed Alex Lyon to a 3 year/900k deal.

Lyon’s 18-15-2, and while he’s struggling now, he saved their season. They would be in cellar without him.

 

[Guttersniped]

As a Leaf fan I actually watch more games of other teams than Leaf games during the regular season.

I pointed to two cases where Daws was over worked. 2 games after the stadium series and the two games that got Lindy fired (widely commented that Daws was being overworked at that point).

As you are a NJ fan, just for fun look at his stats and exclude those 4 games (2 games after stadium series and 2 games prior to Lindy firing). He numbers and the eye test tells me NJ fans are criminally underrated him.

Just look it up and draw your own conclusions. This kid is an NHL goalie right now, he just needs the right game management.


I would say you can cherry pick stats from other points in the season and draw conclusions...

But this isn't cherry picking, it's saying to be fair and measure both goalies on the same timelines.

I’m a Daws truther and, yes, Ruff drove him into the ground twice by ridiculously overplaying him.

Daws played 3 AHL games after getting of the LTIR and has no experience practicing with this team. He couldn’t suddenly become a work horse NHL starter.

The same thing happened twice, Daws played well and Ruff grabbed on to him, like he was Rose floating on the door, and they both sank.

After the Ducks game Ruff said he was resting Daws by not having practice with the team, it was lunacy.

The team did that to Blackwood in 2021-22, his “pain management” involved not practicing with the team while playing every game despite being injured.

This team is not kind to goalies.

 

[A1LeafNation]

I’m a Daws truther and, yes, Ruff drove him into the ground twice by ridiculously overplaying him.

Daws played 3 AHL games after getting of the LTIR and has no experience practicing with this team. He couldn’t suddenly become a work horse NHL starter.

The same thing happened twice, Daws played well and Ruff grabbed on to him, like he was Rose floating on the door, and they both sank.

After the Ducks game Ruff said he was resting Daws by not having practice with the team, it was lunacy.

The team did that to Blackwood in 2021-22, his “pain management” involved not practicing with the team while playing every game despite being injured.

This team is not kind to goalies.

This.

All Jersey has to do is play Daws similar to Hofer and they will have an NHL starter sooner than later.

You play the cards you are dealt; what Fitz seems like he is doing is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

 

[NJDfan86]

Luke, just like Jack was in his early seasons, is way too cocky when he has the puck on his stick. He thinks he can dangle his way out of anything but has a poor read on timing/spacing gaps in the NHL.

Generally his positioning hasn't been the main problem. The issue to me is that simply standing in the right spot doesn't mean anything - you have to use your body and stick the right way in order to defend correctly at the NHL level. Luke is weak physically and gets shoved/bullied off the puck pretty easily, and he is way too reactive with his stick. He's very bad at winning control of the puck, and even if he gets the puck first he's usually doesn't know what to do with it.

This is in stark contrast to Dougie, who for as much as he gets heat for being horrendous in transitional defense (rightfully so) is actually quite decent in his own zone. He's big enough and physical enough to win board battles, and when he does get the puck he's excellent and making a crisp and decisive pass out of the zone. Despite having really poor footspeed, Hamilton is actually really effective at using his positioning well. Dougie gets exposed with lateral movement down low because his feet can't keep up, but along the walls he's actually very effective at defending IMO.

Luke *should* be able to figure this out with experience and the right teacher. I think in the long run, getting humbled in his first season should do him some good just like it did for Jack in his first season. Luke has dominated lower levels of competition and he needs to learn that shit doesn't fly in the NHL. I get the "letting him play through it" argument, but IMO Ruff and Green have really done him a disservice with the way they've handled him this season.

I'm not really sure the data bears out that Luke has issues like you are describing above with respect to retrievals- Luke has been excellent at winning the puck in the DZ and starting transition, his problem has been failed exits once he retrieves the pucks. We have seen quite a few of these flubs this year, and they have ended up in the back of the net quite frequently which is distracting from the fact that Luke is well ahead of development schedule in the DZ.