Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part IV

[glenwo2]

Jake Allen is giving us unsustainable (for him), excellent, primo goaltending rn... Not at all average for the NHL this year...

And last night we played literally the only team in the league that might be softer than us, that had exactly no one who would hit you in the corners or take away the center of the ice.

It was almost like looking in a mirror seeing Mercer skate right down the middle with the puck for like the first time in months when normally he's be jumping and spinning out of the way of a hit and dumping the puck deep or just turning it over.

Fun win. Wish we could play that old slow soft team for 82. Poor Jarry, yikes.

I disagree with it being unsustainable.

I think the Habs team in front of him was more defensively inept than our team.

I mean they have a -51 in goal differential for god's sake.

Maybe all he required was a team that would ATTEMPT to play defense in front of him and that's all he needed.

 

[NjDevsRR]

For the millionth time, Timo did not struggle last postseason. He was our best forward and Igor playing like a God in that series was why Timo didn’t have ten points. Igor had something like 12 expected goals saved above avg in that first round. Obscene.

Idk what people are watching sometimes

 

[jkrdevil]

Yeah he wasn't great in the playoffs but you could say the same about some certain skaters on the team. Bratt and Meier struggled to put up points and then were given 8 year contracts (which we all knew they were top priority to sign long-term). Vitek atleast deserved another season here to see if he was a somewhat longterm fit. We were all under the impression him and Schmid would be able to split starts and give us average goaltending to work with. It was a risky move but at the time many of of us were okay with it given the situation. Vitek struggled big time this season and thankfully San Jose took him off our hands for dirt cheap

A goalie is different than a skater. VV lost his job in the playoffs not once, but twice. It also came after losing his job in the playoffs in Washington. That mentally can be something a goalie can’t come back from. It was always a risk bringing him back.

I disagree with it being unsustainable.

I think the Habs team in front of him is more defensively inept than our team.

I mean they have a -51 in goal differential for god's sake.

Maybe all he required was a team that would ATTEMPT to play defense in front of him and that's all he needed.

He has a .945 sv% with the Devils. That is unsustainable for every goalie. Especially someone that was putting up low-.900 sv percentage in St. Louis with a strong defensive team.

 

[theoptimist]

Two low-tiered teams played each other and one of them won. Next.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Not sure if it's been posted here but there's a rumor that Markstrom blocked a trade to LAK? If that's true, he's probably 100% the target/move this summer. That also means we shouldn't be giving up anything big for him either

 

[JimEIV]

For the millionth time, Timo did not struggle last postseason. He was our best forward and Igor playing like a God in that series was why Timo didn’t have ten points. Igor had something like 12 expected goals saved above avg in that first round. Obscene.

Idk what people are watching sometimes

It was the goalie that made Timo ineffective otherwise he was our best forward?

This is a weird argument for a series we actually won for a player with 0 points and a minus in the series.

You gotta really hate counting stats, the only ones that matter btw, to take this stances.

Nevermind Jack managed 3 goals and 5 points in those 7 games, Nico had 5 assists in 7 games. Mercer had 2 goals and 3 points in the same 7 games...only Timo got goalied?

Edit: and I forgot Haula's 4 goals and 6 points in 7 games...he didn't seem to have that goalie problem either. Only our best forward did?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It was the goalie that made Timo ineffective otherwise he was our best forward?

This is a weird argument for a series we actually won for a player with 0 points and a minus in the series.

You gotta really hate counting stats, the only ones that matter btw, to take this stances.

Nevermind Jack managed 3 goals and 5 points in those 7 games, Nico had 5 assists in 7 games. Mercer had 2 goals and 3 points in the same 7 games...only Timo got goalied?

among forwards with at least 50 minutes of 5 on 5 ice time in round 1 (154 qualifying forwards), here are Meier's ranks at 5 on 5:

CF% 2nd (64.43%)
xGF% 6th (66.52%)
HDCF% 7th (68.52%)
shots T-2nd (25)

Yes, Meier was tremendous in round 1. Sometimes over short sample sizes, you don't get the results.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Also, and you know I hate to do this, he looked f***ing great.

 

[SansaStark]

Thanks! We are going to do a lot more of our Offsides episodes with are comedy/non hockey now with the Devils stinking and the offseason coming.

Man you weren’t kidding about the “dark” in that episode. Ricky sounds dejected as we all are.

Message for Ricky: more blame on the players, and not use the injury excuse.

 

[Mgd31]

Not sure if it's been posted here but there's a rumor that Markstrom blocked a trade to LAK? If that's true, he's probably 100% the target/move this summer. That also means we shouldn't be giving up anything big for him either

We should go for Markstrom if we can make the trade without giving a first or Holtz/Casey

 

[Guttersniped]

Only thing that throws water on that... during the broadcast last night they said Sullivan was given a vote of confidence from Dubas... Dubas said if he lets go of Sullivan, he'll be in line looking for another Sullivan.

He might not get fired but a GM “vote of confidence” is traditionally not seen as an actual sign of job security.

They traded Guentzel, which was obviously a huge loss, but they did get to add Bunting and they’re pretty healthy right now.

IR: Matthew Nieto, Jansen Harkins (depth forwards)
DTD: Jeff Carter (39 yo, 12 points in 61 GP, bane of Pens fans’ existence)

It depends on how brutal the rest of their season is and what the ramifications of that are. They’re still in the “proud franchise” stage so I think this might do it. Maybe they wait until next season to get the new coach bump.

Trotz was fired after two non-playoff seasons in Nashville and he was there for 15 years.

 

[Mgd31]

If Sullivan gets fired, I think Fitz will get him to coach us. If not, I have no idea what happens.

 

[My3Sons]

Not sure if it's been posted here but there's a rumor that Markstrom blocked a trade to LAK? If that's true, he's probably 100% the target/move this summer. That also means we shouldn't be giving up anything big for him either

Wasn't that the Bruins goalie who blocked the trade to LAK?

 

[glenwo2]

He has a .945 sv% with the Devils. That is unsustainable for every goalie. Especially someone that was putting up low-.900 sv percentage in St. Louis with a strong defensive team.

Maybe it's just a matter of the usual "change of scenery" effect?

I'm not saying to make him the long-term starting goaltender (that's what we're getting Saros/Ullmark and to a shorter extent, Markstrom, for) but I'm just saying that compared to the goaltending we've gotten and all the softies given up this season, the fact that he hasn't given up said softies but instead No-Chance goals is very encouraging.

Let me put it to you in TLDR terms :

When Jake is in net, I have more hope the Devils find a way to win the game than without him there.

 

[JrFischer54]

A goalie is different than a skater. VV lost his job in the playoffs not once, but twice. It also came after losing his job in the playoffs in Washington. That mentally can be something a goalie can’t come back from. It was always a risk bringing him back.


He has a .945 sv% with the Devils. That is unsustainable for every goalie. Especially someone that was putting up low-.900 sv percentage in St. Louis with a strong defensive team.

just think its normal new team hot streak which would be nice if the team in front of him followed new coach hot streak but sadly that isn't happening. should've gotten him here sooner thats on fitz

 

[MB3]

anyone who thinks timo meier was anything other than stellar in the rangers series last year is an objective moron.

he got robbed. it happens. he drove play, checked his face off, forechecked like an animal, put hard shots on net. he was amazing and he’s back to playing like that again.

the devils are very lucky to have him for the next 8 years.

 

[JimEIV]

Maybe it's just a matter of the usual "change of scenery" effect?

I'm not saying to make him the long-term starting goaltender (that's what we're getting Saros/Ullmark and to a shorter extent, Markstrom, for) but I'm just saying that compared to the goaltending we've gotten and all the softies given up, the fact that he hasn't given up said softies but instead No-Chance goals is very encouraging.

Let me put it to you in TLDR terms :

When Jake is in net, I have more hope the Devils find a way to win the game than without him there.

We're in garbage time. I wouldn't draw any conclusions from the remaining games. We play a bunch of teams jockeying for bottom positions coming up. We're probably dumb enough to win them but our games are completely meaningless right now.

 

[Better Call Sal]

among forwards with at least 50 minutes of 5 on 5 ice time in round 1 (154 qualifying forwards), here are Meier's ranks at 5 on 5:

CF% 2nd (64.43%)
xGF% 6th (66.52%)
HDCF% 7th (68.52%)
shots T-2nd (25)

Yes, Meier was tremendous in round 1. Sometimes over short sample sizes, you don't get the results.

And Shesterkin's numbers were insane for that series as well. I think I saw it was one of the best series performances by a goalie in terms of these numbers for the last decade?

I wish I could find that tweet, I'll have to dig for it.

 

[Ripshot 43]

If Sullivan gets fired, I think Fitz will get him to coach us. If not, I have no idea what happens.

If Sullivan gets fired I have 100% confidence that either he or someone else will be our coach next year.

 

[Guttersniped]

If Sullivan gets fired I have 100% confidence that either he or someone else will be our coach next year.

Big if true.

 

[My3Sons]

We're in garbage time. I wouldn't draw any conclusions from the remaining games. We play a bunch of teams jockeying for bottom positions coming up. We're probably dumb enough to win them but our games are completely meaningless right now.

we as fans view it that way, but we don't know about the individual players. Some may see it as still meaningful until they are mathematically eliminated and try accordingly. Some are probably just trying to play out the remaining games and not look bad and stay healthy. I'm skeptical Jack sees it as meaningless since he's playing with one arm it seems. Let's see how tomorrow goes against Winnipeg. That's typically a game they lose and look bad doing so. If they make a game of it, that means something if not a lot. You know Winnipeg will go 100% since they have everything to play for.

 

[Guttersniped]

among forwards with at least 50 minutes of 5 on 5 ice time in round 1 (154 qualifying forwards), here are Meier's ranks at 5 on 5:

CF% 2nd (64.43%)
xGF% 6th (66.52%)
HDCF% 7th (68.52%)
shots T-2nd (25)

Yes, Meier was tremendous in round 1. Sometimes over short sample sizes, you don't get the results.

Meier also was a physical force on a team that didn’t have much of that in the line-up, particularly among the skilled players.

If you read the Rags board most posters commented how they didn’t even particularly dislike any of our players, except Meier, who they absolutely hated.

People whining about how he was a mistake, or how we needed to dump him, were ignoring the reason we got him. He’s a productive power forward with speed and we need guys who can go to the net.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

An important note in the Timo discourse:



The turn in play is almost entirely health-related. We don’t need to kill Lindy.

 

[JimEIV]

Meier also was a physical force on a team that didn’t have much of that in the line-up, particularly among the skilled players.

If you read the Rags board most posters commented how they didn’t even particularly dislike any of our players, except Meier, who they absolutely hated.

People whining about how he was a mistake, or how we needed to dump him, were ignoring the reason we got him. He’s a productive power forward with speed and we need guys who can go to the net.

You read the Rangers boards?

 

[AfroThunder396]

If the Canes are stupid enough to low-ball Brind'Amour and he walks, he is 100% the best coach that will be available. Sullivan would be my #2 option, and if RBA is back in Carolina then Sullivan is #1.

Obviously there will be a few coaching changes after the season is over (there were six coaching hires in May/June of lsat year, and then the Hitchcok fiasco in September). The obvious firing candidates (other than Sullivan) are Granato and Lalonde, maybe Hakstol, and all of those two should be avoided.

I don't really have any interest in Berube. After listening to him on the panel in that TNT game, he came off like a doddering old dinosaur. Came off like a guy that thinks screaming and yelling is the same as coaching.

So unless there's a surprise firing (Cooper? I doubt it, but maybe) I don't really see any better options than Sullivan. I would really prefer not to roll the dice with a 1st time NHL coach.