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

[glenwo2]

I knew this would happen.


Wake me when these Devils get their heads out of their ass.


From now on, I'm DVR'ing and then looking at the final score BEFORE watching.

If the Devils win, then i'll watch.

If not, fuk them.

I'm not wasting my time anymore.

 

[Hisch13r]

So what was the problem in Toronto for Keefe? Thr Leafs couldn’t do anything beyond their stars. Sure NJ has a better defense but it’s starting to look the same in that only the top players are scoring. Maybe they need to change the makeup of the supporting cast but something tells me it will typically be an issue. Something about the system is stifling them on some level. Hopefully they can maximize the offense because they can play defense well and are much tougher than they used to be.

That was always a worry I had with Keefe but I do think both teams also just had shitty depth personnel. Like I look at their bottom 6 and it was a f***ing mess. I look at our bottom 6 and there's no one besides Haula that I'd really expect all that much more out of than what they've given you. Maybe Mercer but after last year this might just be more of what he is.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Very sustainable on ice shooting percentages since late November:

 

[Bleedred]

The bottom 6 isn't the only problem.

Backup goalie is definitely another.

 

[Hisch13r]

Backup goalie is definitely another.

No he's not.

 

[Bleedred]

No he's not.

Why? Because he wasn’t bad tonight?

He was an .860% in his last four games before tonight.

That probably went up a bit tonight, but he’s not been good enough since his hot start.

I have no idea why he’s so popular with some people.

 

[Hisch13r]

Why? Because he wasn’t bad tonight?

He was an .860% in his last four games before tonight.

That probably went up a bit tonight, but he’s not been good enough since his hot start.

Said backup goalie has allowed 36 goals on 37 xG this year. He's not a problem.

 

[Bleedred]

Said backup goalie has allowed 36 goals on 37 xG this year. He's not a problem.

How much of that is his hot start though? He was pretty hot to start and he’s been pretty bad since.

Such is the career of Jake Allen.

 

[britdevil]

You can pile on on the bottom 6, and yeah it's deserved, but the top 6 have not been good over the last three games.

Again, Kings are very good at home. Only 3 losses at home all season. Can't be too upset.

You can be upset about the absolute stinker in Anaheim.

 

[Ducks4Cup]

The knock on Keefe in Toronto was that he got out coached (in 7 game series). I’ve heard this on the nhl channel and some podcasts.
Whether that’s Xs and Os or line combos or whatever they didn’t say. It seems to be the case here. Teams lock down the top 6 and we’re in trouble

 

[britdevil]

The knock on Keefe in Toronto was that he got out coached (in 7 game series). I’ve heard this on the nhl channel and some podcasts.
Whether that’s Xs and Os or line combos or whatever they didn’t say. It seems to be the case here. Teams lock down the top 6 and we’re in trouble

"We"? Odd poster name for a Devils fan!

EDIT: That sounded unfriendly. Sorry!

 

[Hisch13r]

You can pile on on the bottom 6, and yeah it's deserved, but the top 6 have not been good over the last three games.

Again, Kings are very good at home. Only 3 losses at home all season. Can't be too upset.

You can be upset about the absolute stinker in Anaheim.

You're literally pointing out the issue though. 3 games in a row yeah isn't good enough from them but they aren't going to be there for you every single game. The top 6 can't ever have an off night or they lose.

 

[MadDevil]

Allen is kind of feast or famine, which is not unusual for a 34 year old backup. If he was able to string together good games consistently he wouldn't be a backup. He was not good in December, but he started all of 3 games. He was fine before that, and was fine tonight, so I don't think it's that much of a need. Sample sizes are funny. A skater has 3-4 bad games and people (usually) don't freak out. A goalie has 3-4 bad games and they're washed.

 

[Hisch13r]

The knock on Keefe in Toronto was that he got out coached (in 7 game series). I’ve heard this on the nhl channel and some podcasts.
Whether that’s Xs and Os or line combos or whatever they didn’t say. It seems to be the case here. Teams lock down the top 6 and we’re in trouble

Both teams had bad bottom 6 personnel. That's the main problem. Toronto's bottom 6 last playoffs consisted of Reaves, Kampf, Dewar, Jarnkrok, Holmberg, Robertson... Now maybe you give him some flak for Reaves but his other option was Noah f***ing Gregor who was worse than Reaves.

 

[Bleedred]

Allen is kind of feast or famine, which is not unusual for a 34 year old backup. If he was able to string together good games consistently he wouldn't be a backup. He was not good in December, but he started all of 3 games. He was fine before that, and was fine tonight, so I don't think it's that much of a need. Sample sizes are funny. A skater has 3-4 bad games and people (usually) don't freak out. A goalie has 3-4 bad games and they're washed.

I don’t even think Allen is washed.

He’s kind of playing like Jake Allen. He was like this at 25.

He had many false starts as the Blues starter and “goalie of the future” and would eventually either lose it to someone like Binnington or never even really be able to get it from a guy like Brian Elliott.

And Brian Elliott’s NHL career was really weak outside of St. Louis.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The knock on Keefe in Toronto was that he got out coached (in 7 game series). I’ve heard this on the nhl channel and some podcasts.
Whether that’s Xs and Os or line combos or whatever they didn’t say. It seems to be the case here. Teams lock down the top 6 and we’re in trouble

So far he has been out coached in NJ to the tune of one of the best records in the NHL. Don’t really care what angry podcasters have to say about some tough coin flip game 7 losses. Plenty of coaches are losers who can’t get it done until they’re not.

 

[Lou Bloom]

So what was the problem in Toronto for Keefe? Thr Leafs couldn’t do anything beyond their stars. Sure NJ has a better defense but it’s starting to look the same in that only the top players are scoring. Maybe they need to change the makeup of the supporting cast but something tells me it will typically be an issue. Something about the system is stifling them on some level. Hopefully they can maximize the offense because they can play defense well and are much tougher than they used to be.

Toronto had poor depth because they were terrible at drafting outside of their 1st round picks. Pair that with Dubas not being able to find under the radar adds in FA or trade and it's basically impossible to build out solid depth.

The problem with the bottom 6 for the Devils is that Haula's play has fallen off a cliff since his solid 22-23 campaign, Mercer has been mediocre, Tatar isn't good and the rest of the lineup are suited for a 4th line checking role and not much more.

I don't see how either situation falls on Keefe.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I get it’s easy to point out if he gives up a stinker, but Allen has been largely fine. I’m not going to go at him much unless he absolutely costs us a game. Certainly can’t bag on him tonight in a shutout loss.

 

[Bleedred]

I thought we were the better team for a lot of this game, but once again fell apart late. I think we fell apart a little earlier last night.

The 3rd period was bad and the power play kept killing momentum and we getting power plays at the worst times. We were really looking good at 5 on 5 right before we got a couple of those power play opportunities. And the power play looked pretty bad, as did whatever the hell that 6 on 5 was the last two nights.

The empty net goal came so quick tonight I’m not even sure the extra attacker was out yet lol.

 

[My3Sons]

Toronto had poor depth because they were terrible at drafting outside of their 1st round picks. Pair that with Dubas not being able to find under the radar adds in FA or trade and it's basically impossible to build out solid depth.

The problem with the bottom 6 for the Devils is that Haula's play has fallen off a cliff since his solid 22-23 campaign, Mercer has been mediocre, Tatar isn't good and the rest of the lineup are suited for a 4th line checking role and not much more.

I don't see how either situation falls on Keefe.

His system is very demanding and highly structured and biased towards defense. It could make it harder to score. As it becomes harder to score it requires more individual talent to do so. Just a thought.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Just to put a video clip to the Noesen quote. I love how pissed off he is about it.

 

[Bleedred]

I get it’s easy to point out if he gives up a stinker, but Allen has been largely fine. I’m not going to go at him much unless he absolutely costs us a game. Certainly can’t bag on him tonight in a shutout loss.

He needed to stop that last one

But we were probably getting shutout anyway. And would have lost 2-0 with an empty net or maybe even still 3-0 with two empty net goals against.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They really didn't play a very good third period. First two were mostly fine, but they weren't really generating all that much but they should have started the 3rd tied so it is what it is

 

[Better Call Sal]

He needed to stop that last one

But we were probably getting shutout anyway. And would have lost 2-0 with an empty net or maybe even still 3-0 with two empty net goals against.

I agree, but I can’t get on him that badly for it when we didn’t pot one ourselves and he made enough strong saves to keep us in the game.

I’m angriest about the goal taken off the board. Between that and the Carolina game with the major called on Timo, it’s been a frustrating stretch where you feel like things are going against you.

 

[Lou Bloom]

His system is very demanding and highly structured and biased towards defense. It could make it harder to score. As it becomes harder to score it requires more individual talent to do so. Just a thought.

There's plenty of teams that run more defensive heavy systems that still have solid depth scoring. The problem isn't the system it's clearly the personnel.