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

[PizzaAndPucks]

Thought this was a cool video to watch. I know it's our farm club but Gambardella seems like a real solid dude. He's the kind of guy you want your prospects to be around. This was their last loss before their current win streak of 5 games. Just good to see that he atleast was trying to bring some energy and positivity to the team like a real leader does.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I love having a good power play

Personally, as a fan, having an anemic PP is basically as demoralizing as it gets. They’re giving you a 25% skater advantage! Score some f***ing goals!

 

[NjDevsRR]

Big difference for having Markstrom is even in his bad games he is still coming up with some massive saves which is allowing the team to win or just compete. That was nonexistent last season.

I think he will bounce back and finish the season strong.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Big difference for having Markstrom is even in his bad games he is still coming up with some massive saves which is allowing the team to win or just compete. That was nonexistent last season.

I think he will bounce back and finish the season strong.

Devils fans also have unrealistic expectations about goaltending as a result of the atrocious goalies we've had over the last decade. Outside of the absolute elites like Shesterkin and Hellebuyck, every goalie has streaky ebbs and flows to each season. Even Sorokin was straight up mediocre last year and was getting benched down the stretch.

Jake Allen is saving about 0.5 goals above expected per game and Markstrom is just saving just below expected each game (-0.2 per 60).

I'm confident we'll see Markstrom hit a groove where he starts to steal games, but it's always going to be a little up and down because that's how goaltending works in the NHL.

All in all, they've been absolutely fine so far to allow our skaters to dictate the outcome of games.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

I gotta say, I'm not very thrilled with the last few games. Too many shades of last season for my blood, the major difference is league average goaltending instead of downright terrible. First-goal disadvantages and complete lack of discipline stick out to me. The longer this festers, the harder it gets to coach it away.

 

[devilsblood]

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

How can a Devils fan say this after some of the atrocious goaltending we’ve seen over the last however many years. Especially last year.

I think Markstrom has been somewhere between meh and slightly below meh.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Markstrom really has been fine. Not great, not good, and worse than you would hope, but fine. Gives the team a chance most nights he’s in, despite not playing as well as he can. And I think he’s due for a run of really good games.

Goalies require pretty big sample sizes for confidence, too. And besides, if he is this all year but locked in come April, are you going to be mad?

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Markstrom is... well, Markstrom. Flames fans will tell you that he's equally capable of incredible feats of goaltending prowess and utterly baffling decision making. He wasn't gonna be Hellebuyck.