GDT: Devils @ Kings - 6:00 PM - MSG

[My3Sons]

They are still having to work out thr bugs and it’s unfortunate that while they are doing fine defensively they have such a long way to go on offense

 

[Whaddagoal]

Agree with both of these.

I'm not convinced he's a core player or a long term guy here, but can you really be mad at him for not producing when he's playing with a guy that's currently I think on a 16 game pointless drought and another guy that just came off a 14 or 15 game pointless drought and like a close to 20 goalless drought?

He's on pace for close to 40 points. Those other guys are on pace for.....I'd have to look at Cotter, but Haula is on pace for 22 points I think.

My major qualm with Mercer is his lack of scoring touch overall. He starts slow and didn't really pick up any momentum so far. People like his motor, I do too, but he is weak on the puck, and not confident when he gets in a good spot. Maybe some of it is bad luck this year but it was the same for a lot of last season too.

As I said in my post to Jim, he is facing weak opposition on the 3rd line, he should be standing out more if he is such a core piece.

Of course, id move Haula or someone else before him, but my main point is if we can find a clear upgrade I would do it

 

[Dylan9z9]

Mercer is the only decent piece on the bottom 6.

Decent? The invisible man? Like having Claude Rains on the team

 

[vtdevils2k]

I have no issue with the top 6 and the defense personally.

Not saying defense....if possible, would like Palat moved down. He's a good stop gap right now, but would like him pushed down a line. We shall see.

Very concerned with Cotter and Haula though

 

[Bleedred]

Thankfully we have some prospects and picks to dangle for bottom 6 help.

I'm not sure we'll get much help this year, but hopefully something at the deadline.

But listen, I really think the bottom 6 is overhauled next year the same way the defense was.

Haula will be John Marino'd to some other (probably shit) team, maybe it still happens with Palat, but we're probably looking at another year of him.

Lazar and Bastian probably walk for raises elsewhere that we should not be giving here. Cotter is hopefully a 4th line regular. Tatar is probably not in the NHL anymore.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

2 days off and then 3 bad teams in a row to get it fixed.

I am still not that worried overall, but the depth scoring problem has to be corrected.

 

[guitarguyvic]

This is a made up rule. You can actually be shitty for large stretches, barely make it into the playoffs, and win it all.

Oh I’m sorry you’re technically correct. Let me fix it for you. It’s possible, but pretty unlikely, that a team who struggles this badly to score for huge stretches is going to go far in the playoffs.

Is that better for you?

 

[Devs3cups]

I don’t think Florida is as strong this year, so I’m not sure this is comforting in the slightest.

It’s not just the shutouts. There have been numerous games where they’ve been goalied by JAGs. Huge stretches where they can’t score for a couple of periods at a time. Bottom six generating at the rate of a lottery team. Top six players who even when they are in the cooler choose to pass up slot opportunities regularly.

This isn’t going to cut it…Washington or Carolina will dispatch this team easily. It’s obvious what opponents are doing…they are sitting back allowing the devils to have as much possession as they want, putting heavy pressure down low on the forwards knowing we have no real offensive threats on D other than Luke. Our bottom six can’t even generate shots, the top six does by virtue of their individual skill but half the time they choose to pass up perfectly good slot chances. Dougie has disappeared and may be on the decline, and Luke still hasn’t figured out how to get quality shots on net even though he’s there breaking ankles.

This is exactly what will transpire in the playoffs if something doesn’t change between now and then.

For now they're 2nd in the conference. I don't think we have a bad team at all, and I see no reason to panic. The GM knows what he needs to add. I have no issue with the defense and the top 6. Bottom 6 needs major help.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You cannot be a contender and lead the league in being shutout. This team is starting to reveal itself as very average offensively. You can teach D but you can’t teach offensive instincts. f***ing bullshit that they continuously pass up shots in prime scoring areas and the bottom six can’t even generate anything of quality.

they scored a goal tonight

 

[guitarguyvic]

For now they're 2nd in the conference. I don't think we have a bad team at all, and I see no reason to panic. The GM knows what he needs to add. I have no issue with the defense and the top 6. Bottom 6 needs major help.

I’m not saying we have a bad team. I’m saying what I’m seeing right now makes me doubtful this team can go far.

 

[Devs3cups]

I’m not saying we have a bad team. I’m saying what I’m seeing right now makes me doubtful this team can go far.

With that bottom 6, they 100% aren't going far. The rest of the group has contender aspirations imo.

 

[Bleedred]

I still don't understand the disallowed goal.

Credit to the Kings video staff for knowing of that loophole. That was quite innovative.

That's gotta happen around the league several times a week. The goalie must get his stick caught in between a player's leg all the time like that?

 

[guitarguyvic]

they scored a goal tonight

Who cares? The frequency with which this team struggles to score is a big red flag.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They need scoring depth for the bottom 6, but a lot of this is just usual slump stuff.

PP running cold and a lot of guys in shooting slumps. Most of that is going to work itself out.

 

[Devs3cups]

It's been a while.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I do agree it is a not a great sign we go through long stretches going scoreless. I'm happy the defense is a lot better, but we are seeing the poor finishing selection.

Allen has played a few decent games when we we had no goals for most of the game, and then the wheels fell off (on a bad goal let in by him), but he had had a few of these decent games with no goal support.

It isn't all Allen pulling a Vitek.

 

[Bleedred]

With that bottom 6, they 100% aren't going far. The rest of the group has contender aspirations imo.

I'm really confident we'll see a (mostly) new bottom 6 next year.

I can't see Haula here next year, especially if he don't get to 30+ points.

He's not been a 3rd line anything this year and he's probably not gonna be good at all next year.

 

[guitarguyvic]

With that bottom 6, they 100% aren't going far. The rest of the group has contender aspirations imo.

That’s fine…but I’m talking about this season…

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Who cares? The frequency with which this team struggles to score is a big red flag.

your entire point was being shutout

FYI the Panthers were shut out 8 times last year IIRC. How'd they do in the playoffs?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Who cares? The frequency with which this team struggles to score is a big red flag.

Considering it's far more frequent they don't struggle to score, it's not a big red flag and more an annoyance they need to work through

 

[guitarguyvic]

your entire point was being shutout

FYI the Panthers were shut out 8 times last year IIRC. How'd they do in the playoffs?

No that wasn’t the “entire point”, maybe try reading all the words.

 

[Mgd31]

Nobody in the bottom 6 other than Mercer has any puck skills. Haula and Tatar can no longer make any plays with the puck like they did 2 years ago. They can’t even keep the pucks on their sticks anymore.

 

[Devs3cups]

That’s fine…but I’m talking about this season…

I was also talking about this season, sorry for not being clear. What I wanted to say is that other than the bottom 6, I think this group is contender level. If they get a few solid additions to the bottom 6, they might get there.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You cannot be a contender and lead the league in being shutout. This team is starting to reveal itself as very average offensively. You can teach D but you can’t teach offensive instincts. f***ing bullshit that they continuously pass up shots in prime scoring areas and the bottom six can’t even generate anything of quality.

No that wasn’t the “entire point”, maybe try reading all the words.

oh?

hmm.

 

[Camille the Eel]

We played much better tonight than last night. The defensive commitment and structure were there until the point when our power play couldn’t score and Byfield gets that sudden chance down low.

Trust the system and the approach and keep working it. It’s rewarded us and will keep doing so.

The Kings are a good close checking team and so are we. They gave us next to nothing. The game came down to who finished a chance or two and who didn’t. Tonight it was them. We beat them in our house and this was that same game in reverse.

I am a little worried by how gassed or without legs Nico looked tonight. The 2 on 1 with Meier at the end of the second evaporated like I haven’t seen from him lately. Also we are getting zero from Hamilton right now.

But remember Bratt sets up Palat with net to shoot at and Foegel gets a lucky stick on it. Jack gets the puck under Kuemper’s arm but it nicks him and then caroms off his stick. We have a goal called back. Those are the things that made the difference in this game.

Keep to it. It’s a long season. Don’t get too low about this just go out and keep playing our game.