Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2022-23 season thread part III

[devilsblood]

What team ever said “look at our record” and shrugs at a losing streak?

They couldn’t get the puck to go in the net for two games in a row. Both games were 1-2, the difference was Dallas got two EN goals. Scoring is like that.

This is frustrating and disappointing and not fun but making it out to be worse than it is just creates more anxiety than you need as a fan of a team still in 1st IMO.

However if you crave anxiety about an imaginary future epic collapse then I guess you can see that in every losing streak if you want.

Did you miss the part where I said obviously they aren't saying that?

Not sure why you think I crave anxiety. Projecting maybe.

 

[devilsblood]

McLeod jumps into second on the team in 5v5 assists per 60.

Only 4th in primaries though. Good for 4th overall in total primaries as well.

His assists/60 playing with Huala is over 11 per.

Haula's goals per 60 playing with McLeod. 5.85

Haula's goals per 60 playing with Hughes. 0.00.

Granted he's played way more with Hughes, so that skews the stats.

 

[StevensRocks]

Holtz made a couple of strong offensive plays tonight. He will get points playing that way.

He flashes elite passing, and seems to have a good attitude.

 

[NJDevs26]

Holtz made a couple of strong offensive plays tonight. He will get points playing that way.

If the fossil behind the bench actually plays him. It literally took everyone outside of McLeod stinking up the joint up front before his line finally got some late shifts.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I am happy for McLeod. It does feel like he is turning a corner a bit. Plays with heart too

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

my teams didnt lose for like a month and now they cant buy a win lol sad!

 

[NjDevsRR]

I am happy for McLeod. It does feel like he is turning a corner a bit. Plays with heart too

Dude goes nonstop all game now. Also using 100% of his speed. Seems like he can stick handle at That speed now which is a game changer for him. Still a duck of a shooter though. But man, he’s starting to drive play forward and set up some good looks.

 

[guitarguyvic]

They legitimately might not win another game this month. Playing like absolute shit with much better teams coming up.

10 game losing streak might actually happen

If you think they've been playing "like absolute shit" I shudder at how you'll react when they inevitably play a truly bad game.

 

[R8Devs]

They legitimately might not win another game this month. Playing like absolute shit with much better teams coming up.

10 game losing streak might actually happen

they played like shit in the Islanders game, not the other ones (not to say they have played great either but not 5 game losing streak bad). They've been on the wrong side of 1 goal games for a couple games straight now (excluding empty nets) when earlier in the season they barely lost in those situations. I think there's been a dip in some of the d-pairs but they have played well enough to get more than 1 point in these past 5 games. They have 4 goals on their past 117 shots, unless you think all the shooters all lost the way that will change.

 

[Eggtimer]

Really? I kinda thought that he's been actually playing a perfect role. He may not be putting up points but I really like those guys as a bottom pairing. It's almost like we don't really have to worry which pair is on the ice most of the times - and I kinda thought he's really enjoying the winning.

If that's not the case, I certainly get being a little bummed that it is coming in his contract year - but the reality of it is: be better than Hamilton and Marino and then you don't have to be third pair, right?



What about ROR or Tarasenko from the Blues or Bertuzzi from the Red Wings?

I like Athanasiou as a lower cost pickup. Love that guy's speed and north south game.

Monahan from the Habs?

I cannot see Fitz movig assets for rentals or players he doesn’t see as in our long term plans. Maybe I’m wrong and he adds a lesser piece for a little depth , but it’s doubtful .

 

[glenwo2]

Another morning, another one after a Devils loss.

sigh....

 

[JimEIV]

Bratt zero points last 4 games

Nico zero points last 3 games

Mercer zero points last 3 games

Tatar zero points last 4 games

Sharangovich 1 assist last 5 games

Wood 1 point last 5 games

Haula 2 point last night - zero points pervious 4 games.

 

[bigd]

Plays with heart too

You can't say that here! It can't be backed up with statistics.

 

[glenwo2]

Bratt zero points last 4 games

Nico zero points last 3 games

Mercer zero points last 3 games

Tatar zero points last 4 games

Sharangovich 1 assist last 5 games

Wood 1 point last 5 games

Haula 2 point last night - zero points pervious 4 games.

Now *THIS* is a true DISGRACE.

 

[devilsblood]

Dude goes nonstop all game now. Also using 100% of his speed. Seems like he can stick handle at That speed now which is a game changer for him. Still a duck of a shooter though. But man, he’s starting to drive play forward and set up some good looks.

Needs to shoot more, and the shot needs to improve.

But I wonder if that rip off the pipe vs Philly is a hint that it's improving.

 

[Better Call Sal]

This skid has sucked, no two ways about it. The cushion that was built has obviously lessened but you hope this is the worst of things over the course of a long season.

It’s a tall ask but if you can beat Carolina and take one of the two games against Boston at least, that’s a successful week against a slew of good teams.

You just gotta hope they can take one at a time and get off this slide.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

This skid has sucked, no two ways about it. The cushion that was built has obviously lessened but you hope this is the worst of things over the course of a long season.

It’s a tall ask but if you can beat Carolina and take one of the two games against Boston at least, that’s a successful week against a slew of good teams.

You just gotta hope they can take one at a time and get off this slide.

The streak has hilariously coincided with Carolina winning 4 in a row, the Rangers winning 6 in a row, and Pittsburgh winning 7 in a row. Washington has ticked up lately too. That’s made things seem much more dire than what would otherwise be a barely notable 5 game blip. It has definitely juiced the doomers though.

 

[devilsblood]

The streak has hilariously coincided with Carolina winning 4 in a row, the Rangers winning 6 in a row, and Pittsburgh winning 7 in a row. Washington has ticked up lately too. That’s made things seem much more dire than what would otherwise be a barely notable 5 game blip. It has definitely juiced the doomers though.

A barely notable 5 game losing streak?

 

[FooteBahl]

When do the “we’re not sorry, Lindy!” chants come out of storage?

 

[Clam Jensen]

Ebbs and flows, ebbs and flows…right?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

A barely notable 5 game losing streak?

Yeah. They happen sometimes. Every single team in the NHL has had worse stretches of 5 games than we just had. Some bad fortune to get 1 point out of those games.

Or maybe it’s somehow related to some narrative that stretches back 7 years ago with a different coach, GM, roster, etc. Losing culture!

 

[devilsblood]

Last 10 games.

5v5 shot rate leaders.

Wood 14.1 per 60.
Nico 10.3
Hughes 9.5
McLeod 9.25
Shara 7.8
Mercer 7.3
Zetterlund 6.8
Bratt 6.8
Tatar 6.3
Holtz 5.8
Haula 5.6
Boq 4.6

What really stands out here is, aside from Wood, our wingers are just not shooting enough. Bratt, Z, Tatar, Haula. Major cool downs there. Boq is begging to be benched with that shot rate. Holtz? Slight impovement over early in the year, but still very low.

Good to see Nico and Hughes keep their rates up, and good to see McLeod shooting at that rate as well. If Mcleod can keep even a solid shot rate up(9 per seems a high bar at this point) and keep the assist rate up, and he's a legit player.

 

[Better Call Sal]

The fact remains that we still have an 8 point lead on the field for a playoff spot and the first team out, Washington, we also have two games in hand on. Second team out is Florida who is 10 points back of us and we have one game in hand on them.

Of course there’s reason to be concerned but banking the points we did was significant. If we keep up our general trend of play, the finishing should come back.

 

[devilsblood]

Yeah. They happen sometimes. Every single team in the NHL has had worse stretches of 5 games than we just had. Some bad fortune to get 1 point out of those games.

Or maybe it’s somehow related to some narrative that stretches back 7 years ago with a different coach, GM, roster, etc. Losing culture!

It's not about 7 years ago. It's about this group, these core players and this coach, having never proven itself to be a consistent winner. I think they will, but they never have.

Consistent winners break streaks before they spiral out of control. We now have a streak that needs breaking asap. That's the task at hand.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It's not about 7 years ago. It's about this group, these core players and this coach, having never proven itself to be a consistent winner. I think they will, but they never have.

Consistent winners break streaks before they spiral out of control. We now have a streak that needs breaking asap. That's the task at hand.

Yeah. And it was remarkable that they managed a zero point L to Philly. There shouldn’t even be a streak to break with that horrific loss to the Rangers, but it happened.

If they were moping and getting crapped on by teams I’d be way more concerned. They lost some evenly played tight games against Dallas and Florida. These things happen, not everything happens for a reason or is attached to a narrative.