Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - season begins!

[Bleedred]

I'd be curious to know what our GSAx was at the same point last year.

I wish they tracked these things to archive, like they do with goalie/player game logs on hockey reference, which allows you to see what those numbers were on any date of any season.

The only thing I can say is that to end November of 2023 Vitek had a save percentage of .879% over 15 games played.

Schmid had a .904% on the season to end November. That was over 9 games played on the year. That started to get worse and the Sharks game that sunk him a ton came the next week.

Those were the only two goalies to see a second of ice time for us by that point in the year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Don't have the numbers but I imagine the goaltending numbers are in the good enough area in our wins (which is the majority of our games played) and things are skewed a bit because when we lose we usually cough up a lot of goals

 

[NJDfan86]

Don't have the numbers but I imagine the goaltending numbers are in the good enough area in our wins (which is the majority of our games played) and things are skewed a bit because when we lose we usually cough up a lot of goals

In all fairness, this description would be accurate for most teams on any given night.

Goaltending is the great equalizer.

 

[Forge]

We didn't give up a 1st round pick last year. This is a disaster.

It really isn't. It's a mid to late first in a meh draft. People give up firsts for rental Ben Chiarots

 

[Forge]

The 1st round pick is a bit of an opportunity cost, but it looks like it is going to be in the mid-to-late 20s range. It isn’t that big of a deal.

100% this.

On it's own, not a big deal. Would be more upset about being able to use that first in another manner.

That said, if it's not markstrom, I'm not sure what the fix would have been. Maybe you get Markstrom cheaper at the deadline if he had stayed in calgary. Ullmark deal isn't looking any better and they extended him.

I was a fan of Gustavsson and I know Louisgod was a fan of spencer knight acquisitions, but neither was likely going to happen. It was always going to be a Markstrom / Ullmark type, so I'm not sure if we changed anything. We would likely have John Gibson or Elvis or something.

 

[Emperoreddy]

In all fairness, this description would be accurate for most teams on any given night.

Goaltending is the great equalizer.

Which would imply it really hasn't been much of an issue this year because winning games hasn't been an issue either.

I have a hard time believing we over a 100 point pace in spite of the goalies

 

[Oneiro]

They paid a first to not have to deal with the bottom end of the spectrum.

My guess is eliminating uncertainty about the goalies' rock bottom is also why they didn't go after Thompson. Mediocre Markstrom (sounds like propaganda) is a fairly knowable thing and they saw it right before they paid the price for him.

 

[Blackjack]

It really isn't. It's a mid to late first in a meh draft. People give up firsts for rental Ben Chiarots

Minnesota just traded their 1st for David Jiricek. People acting like these picks don’t have value is so tiresome.

 

[jkrdevil]

Which would imply it really hasn't been much of an issue this year because winning games hasn't been an issue either.

I have a hard time believing we over a 100 point pace in spite of the goalies

Allen has been good, but I don’t think that would be continue under a heavier workload. Markstrom has been mildly disappointing. I think goaltending is probably the difference between winning the division and being a cup contender and being Metro 3 or wild card.

Minnesota just traded their 1st for David Jiricek. People acting like these picks don’t have value is so tiresome.

A team like Columbus moving on from a prospect probably is an indication that the prospect isn’t going to amount to much of anything.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Minnesota just traded their 1st for David Jiricek. People acting like these picks don’t have value is so tiresome.

David Jiricek still couldnt sniff the NHL on a bad Columbus roster. Just because he was a high pick doesnt mean he is or will be a good player.

 

[Devils731]

They paid a first to not have to deal with the bottom end of the spectrum.

I think it also helped to get someone “respected”.

On some level, a respected guy vs an unknown guy performing at this same exact level may be having a different affect on the locker room. An unknown guy having a bad game may have the players going, “Man, our we stuck with another lemon?” while Markstrom would get, “Marky knows what’s up, he will figure it out”.

Obviously we aren’t there, but I do think it’s possible having someone with a good rep, even if it’s not deserved any more, may have held some value for locker room psyche.

 

[NJDevs26]

Even with our troubles in net we're still 12th in save percentage lol...we might be headed for another league-wide uptick in scoring

 

[Emperoreddy]

Even with our troubles in net we're still 12th in save percentage lol...we might be headed for another league-wide uptick in scoring

Simply isnt as bad as it feels.

Just happens when it's had it's really bad.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Blackjack]

Simply isnt as bad as it feels.

Just happens when it's had it's really bad.

Allen is good, Markstom is every bit as bad as it feels.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Alot of home games coming up with no back to backs. A win in the Gardren would be nice. They don't have to travel far either , need to take advantage of these next 5ish games.

 

[dgibb10]

Even with our troubles in net we're still 12th in save percentage lol...we might be headed for another league-wide uptick in scoring

We are very very good defensively

 

[NJDevs26]

We are very very good defensively

It's not even really just that...only six teams even have a save percentage above .910 and the league average save percentage itself is .900. Just five years ago the average save percentage was .910

2024-25 NHL Team Goaltending Stat Leaders - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NHL stats! Find a list of the Goaltending team stat leaders for the 2024-25 NHL Regular Season.

www.espn.com

NHL League Averages | Hockey-Reference.com

Check out the latest NHL League Averages including shots, saves, goal averages and more on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

 

[None Shall Pass]

It's not even really just that...only six teams even have a save percentage above .910 and the league average save percentage itself is .900.

And our team has a .902 save percentage (.902 for Marky, .907 for Allen), which makes us just so slightly above average.

I'm really starting to think that the evolution of scoring goals is progressing faster than the evolution of making saves, Dudes across the league are sniping from all over the place - we got players that do it too. They train on accuracy, have space age materials that make up their sticks, and have all sorts of pre-shot passing and tricks they can pull.

 

[AfroThunder396]

And our team has a .902 save percentage (.902 for Marky, .907 for Allen), which makes us just so slightly above average.

I'm really starting to think that the evolution of scoring goals is progressing faster than the evolution of making saves, Dudes across the league are sniping from all over the place - we got players that do it too. They train on accuracy, have space age materials that make up their sticks, and have all sorts of pre-shot passing and tricks they can pull.

Goaltending hasn't really evolved much at all. Just pick a big athletic guy with good reflexes and teach him how to position for the butterfly. And even then, big athletic guys are choosing to be skaters instead.

Talent has been declining at that position for a long time and there aren't really any new innovations at the position to make up for it..

 

[Forge]

Minnesota just traded their 1st for David Jiricek. People acting like these picks don’t have value is so tiresome.

Of course they have value.

Not nearly as much value as people are so distraught over.

Also, that trade included a few more pieces.

 

[Triumph]

The thing that always confuses people about 1st round picks is the different value they have - even getting out of the top of the draft, a 10th overall is probably worth 2 20ths, and a 20th is worth 2 30ths. Having them all being called a 1st round pick isn't that helpful. It's been a while since I looked at this but about 25% of 25th overall picks or later in the first round (so 25-30 pre Vegas, 25-32 now) used on skaters become top six forwards-top 4 D. Some other percentage obviously get sold off for other picks or other valuable things.

I think Markstrom has been both kinda bad and somewhat unlucky with tips and bounces. We'll see if that evens out over the season.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Goaltending hasn't really evolved much at all. Just pick a big athletic guy with good reflexes and teach him how to position for the butterfly. And even then, big athletic guys are choosing to be skaters instead.

Talent has been declining at that position for a long time and there aren't really any new innovations at the position to make up for it..

Yeah that's basically the position now, I still think in better circumstances that Blackwood would've became our franchise goalie but between the pandemic, him getting hurt so much + incompetence of our medical staff and then him being a head case himself ruined all that. Blackwood is basically the frame work of a goalie who you look for nowadays and try to mold into a starter. Athletic freak with no fundamentals. If you get a guy with fundamentals then you're already in dream land, like a Shesty or Vasy, since 99% goalies are athletic now

The thing that always confuses people about 1st round picks is the different value they have - even getting out of the top of the draft, a 10th overall is probably worth 2 20ths, and a 20th is worth 2 30ths. Having them all being called a 1st round pick isn't that helpful. It's been a while since I looked at this but about 25% of 25th overall picks or later in the first round (so 25-30 pre Vegas, 25-32 now) used on skaters become top six forwards-top 4 D. Some other percentage obviously get sold off for other picks or other valuable things.

I think Markstrom has been both kinda bad and somewhat unlucky with tips and bounces. We'll see if that evens out over the season.

FWIW, he's been bad but he's also had games where he's made A+ saves and allowed the team to slightly get back into games like Detroit last Friday, for example. It's just tiring since it seems like we still have to score 5+ a night to win with whoever's in net since we used a first this year for Markstrom. I think all in all, if Markstrom can provide clutch saves then it's fine but the use of the first rounder will always make people wanting more.

 

[Guadana]

great trade for sure, im taken back at how many people think the wild overpaid. what major piece did they give up, a mid-20s pick in a so-so draft year? and i love the fit for the player as well. great RD depth to shelter him now, great potential LD pairings in the future, and a development staff that has already shown they can improve skating deficiencies

don waddell inherited a tough situation and while i dont like the deal for the jackets, i cant fault them for wanting to move on if the relationship was beyond repair. everything about jiricek's tenure under jarmo kekalainen was a disaster, the guy should be in jail for what he did. nhl games immediately coming out of the draft? never actually working his defensive game in the AHL in favor of just letting him run up the score on the man advantage? lying about him securing a main roster spot? allowing JD/his coach to publicly badmouth him? constantly jockeying him between the NHL/AHL like hes some plug tweener? i still remember jiricek having to fly out to western canada just to take warmups for a game and immediately being sent back to cleveland by the end of the night

in fairness to CBJ, i dont think the player helped himself as much as he could have either. it never really felt like he took his skating progression seriously enough in the offseason, and while theres always a he said/she said element to these things, i do kinda buy the notion that he thinks hes better than he currently is. too much smoke over him bucking the ahl demotion for me not to think there was some sort of legitimacy to it

in any case, i really hope he finds his footing with the wild now, so much potential there

Would be great if Devils can find ways to make this kind of a trade for young center. May be for some Buffalo player, may be for someone else. Im not very happy with trading 1-2 round picks for 1-2 years perspective of experienced player but I can understand it, but still it wouldn't hurt to trade this kind of a pick for more ready for nhl young player for longer term perspective.

 

[Guadana]

Saros, Swayman and Helly were never truly on the market, all their teams wanted to keep and extend them. Askarov wanted to get traded for playing time and couldn’t even beat out Vitekwood for a spot on a rebuilding team. Ullmark you had to sign for a lot more than two years and he’s been awful. People keep saying Fitz needed to do something, there was nothing besides this. The player has to play better.

Askarov is young goalie, SJ wants to cash on need in backup and stay with nhl goalies because they don't want to ruin Askarov with playing him only with one VV like we did with Scmid. They have time to develop Askarov more.
But he 8s fine. Still we would not overtrade SJ offer anyway.