GDT: Devils @ Hurricanes - 2025 Playoffs! RD1 GM5 - 7:30 PM - MSG, TBS, MAX

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I could maybe stomach Palat for another year if they sent Haula to the moon and Dougie to Western Canada or another outpost.

Palat actually played well in the playoffs which makes me think he's legit taking off shifts and games off in the regular season

 

[JK3]

We need a new strength, conditioning and diving coach for next year.

 

[guitarguyvic]

For $6 million a year for a bottom six?

I mean…maybe? It really depends on what other moves can be made. If you can somehow acquire a couple of cost controlled top 9 forwards then you can get away with putting him down on the fourth line.

It is not going to be an easy task remaking this team’s depth. Tough and complicated decisions. Unfortunately my faith that Fitz is the guy to pull it off successfully is not strong.

 

[Brick City]

I don't know how some of you are even listening to the postgame tbh...I have it on but don't really give a **** about anything except maybe Keefe's presser and you know he isn't gonna say bad shit about anyone today, even Markstrom.

Yeah, credit to anyone who didn't flip away the moment the goal horn went off.

 

[Whaddagoal]

We need a new strength, conditioning and diving coach for next year.

...and nutritionist.

 

[Bleedred]

I could maybe stomach Palat for another year if they sent Haula to the moon and Dougie to Western Canada or another outpost.

2 of the 3 need to go.

I don’t wanna hear “oh, it’s hard to move these guys! This one has a no move, that one has every team who wanted to take him from us on his no trade list!” You made the mess by giving Haula the extra year (who never lasted two full seasons with the same team for several years before he got here) and signing Palat in the first place. Now clean the shit up.

I still think Dougie was a good signing, but he got old and spent two of the three seasons out with significant injuries. He’s not terrible, but just way overpaid now.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

With this Markstrom I wouldn't even trust a healthy Devils team to beat these pricks

Allen probably deserved a look in Game 4 after the 2nd Svech goal just to shake things up and see how he handle the pressure probably but it is what it is. Markstrom also alternates between absurd years and bad years, I'd argue this was his bad year so next year

 

[Bramskii]

Next year’s team needs to be a lot better.

And I don’t mean better than the roster we just ended the season with. I mean better than what our roster was for most of this season.

It devastating to think about how much the roster has changed in just a couple of years. Went from being the fastest and most exciting in the league to a bottom 6 that can barely skate with the puck past center ice.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I still can’t believe they had a 3-0 lead and one guy f***ed it….in an elimination game!

How many different ways can a team find to lose? Just insane.

I swear if this team were in Toronto or Vancouver the narrative wouldn’t be all that different from what those teams carry.

 

[palek1019]

I guess some of you are referring to teams that were good/playoff teams when talking about unlikeable. 2013-2014 is the one for me. Marty's husk getting wins in net vs. Cory busting his ass and getting no goal support. Michael Ryder becoming a ghost in the second half. Ryane Clowe predictably getting hurt immediately. Damien Brunner. Losing every single shootout seemingly. I'm sure I could go on.

I had season tickets that year and this is the one. It was painful making the hour trek to the Rock and trying to watch that team. This team isn't that for me lol.

 

[JK3]

Only reason I'd hate getting rid of Casey is where are you getting the offense from the blueline once the ghost of Dougie's gone? There's Luke and maybe Nemec develops something of an offensive game? Then it's a bunch of solid pluggers beyond that.

Obviously he's not part of the near-term plan though.

We’ll have plenty whenever Quinn gets here.

 

[NJDevs26]

Palat actually played well in the playoffs which makes me think he's legit taking off shifts and games off in the regular season

Or it's just he's slow and the game slows down in the playoffs more to his speed

 

[devilsblood]

The Hughes’ injury issues are major concerns.

The biggest organizational concerns out there.

But the team doesn't have much choice. Those guys are going to be the top end core players and if they are going to miss playoff games every year that is going to leave a hole that is tough to fill.

 

[Signal]

Tired of getting humiliated by the same franchise over and over again. 2006 they ruined the 15 game win streak, 2009 is 2009, 2 years ago I understand because it was everyones first time, but for God sake, can we learn how to play against them because we'll be seeing a lot of them if we want to compete going forward.

Yes, this is getting worse than our losing streak to the Rags. It’s getting embarrassing.

 

[JrFischer54]

Bratt was invisible tonight

Truth! Brother

 

[NJDevs26]

Did any of these f***ers at the presser even ask Keefe about the injured players? Guess we have to wait till cleanout day to get the actual updates

 

[Mgd31]

I think you still need to get rid of Palat. He had a good series but he’s basically unplayable (like worst forward on the team) when he is not on a line with Hughes or Hischier

 

[Devs3cups]

Overall the core guys had a strong series. I'm happy with that and it's a good sign.

 

[BostonDevil]

2 of the 3 need to go.

I don’t wanna hear “oh, it’s hard to move these guys! This one has a no move, that one has every team who wanted to take him from us on his no trade list!” You made the mess by giving Haula the extra year (who never lasted two full seasons with the same team for several years before he got here) and signing Palat in the first place. Now clean the shit up.

I still think Dougie was a good signing, but he got old and spent two of the three seasons out with significant injuries. He’s not terrible, but just way overpaid now.

Yep! Everyone else finds a way to move big contracts. PLD, Seth Jones, Trouba, Miller, etc.

No excuses

 

[Bleedred]

They'll make the playoffs walking in if health doesn't get to them, everyone is mediocre to bad besides the Canes. No one knows if this Capitals team is sustainable either.

Right now if the predictions are right, goaltending automatically gets worse because Daws is a clear downgrade from this year’s Allen and 34-35 year old Markstrom becomes 35-36 year old Markstrom. So if that’s the tandem for next year it’s not outlandish to think we see a repeat of 23-24. And who the hell is behind Daws? We could be seeing Jon Gillies back with the team if Markstrom is injured for long. Not the actual Jon Gillies, but someone like that.

The guys up front are another year older and probably another year more useless. And we all know what guys up front I’m talking about.

Steve Austin and his “I’ll never have a single 40 point season with the Devils!” And Mr “I had a 28 game point drought this year, by the way, did you see my Canes Suck bracelet?”.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Keefe mentioned in his postgame presser what we all could have surmised, which was they knew after Game 1 that Luke and Dillon were done for the series.

 

[Bramskii]

Overall the core guys had a strong series. I'm happy with that and it's a good sign.

That is a silver lining. Another hard fought playoff series of experience for the core guys

 

[Emperoreddy]

The biggest organizational concerns out there.

But the team doesn't have much choice. Those guys are going to be the top end core players and if they are going to miss playoff games every year that is going to leave a hole that is tough to fill.

Its the real X-factor. Scoring depth is very fixable, and I expect it to be fixed.

But it won't mean anything if the Hughes brothers cant make it to the postseason healthy.

There is no amount of depth that can fix those holes

 

[Signal]

The biggest organizational concerns out there.

But the team doesn't have much choice. Those guys are going to be the top end core players and if they are going to miss playoff games every year that is going to leave a hole that is tough to fill.

Well once we get Quinn our odds will be a lot better that at least one of them will be with us for the playoffs.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

“The Devils ruined the last months for me”… folks, you need to manage your expectations. This team is far from being a Cup contender. Far!

Expect some fun games, highlights from stars like Jack, Bratt and Nico - but don’t expect this team to go deep.

There is way too much dead weight and lack of talent in the roster. The whole bottom six is a big problem - we’re talking 3-4 forwards that need to change. Improving bottom six won’t happen unless some bold decisions and risks are taken on D (Like Dougie needs to go, bet on a streaky Nemec). Our 2 goalies have 1-2 years more in them max, it will become a problem very soon. Fitz has more to do than one might think.

Just have low expectations. This will be a fight to make the playoffs. With luck we’ll make it past round one. Hope for a healthy team and we should see some fun games and hopefully have an upper hand on the Rangers.

The playoff performance was very good in my view - lots of grit in the team. Keefe did well too overall, although special teams let us down. I don’t think the team played very differently after Christmas, I think other teams switched up a gear coming closer to playoffs and the Devils just didn’t have an extra gear particularly with the roster being impacted by key injuries.

I give this season an A- for the roster we had.
I give Fitz a C for the roster we have.