GDT: Devils @ Wild - 8:00 PM - MSGSN

[Bleedred]

Wood is absolutely the worst player on this team.

Probably even worse than Blackwood at this point. Blackwood being bad will hurt you A LOT more than Wood being bad will, but I'm pretty sure Wood is worse at his position than Blackwood is at his.

I'm pretty confident Wood is TOAST.

I was saying like 1 or 2 months ago that there's a favorable chance he might be out of the NHL at least full time by 30 years old, but that's looking very generous at the moment, as there's still 2 more full seasons left to be played before he turns 30 and what's left of this one.

I know he didn't look THIS bad to open the season, but I don't understand how anybody could have been okay with giving him a 4 year deal after this year. A 4 year deal at ANY price is just too much for this kind of a player and he's really cost himself millions with the year he's having, particularly the last 2 months or so.

Even posters on the main board were like ''OMG! I hope our team doesn't sign him!'' I think there were some people under the impression he would get something similar to what Mason Marchment just got or probably less, but still 3-4 years of term and multiple millions a year. He might seriously be having to take a PAY CUT after this year. Yeah, he's been in the league longer than Marchment, but Marchment got that deal based on what he did last season. Wood based on what he's doing this season is probably looking at what he got on his last contract, only fewer years. Wasn't it like $2.2 million or something? And he's worth even less than that, but he could get that much based on what he did prior to this year/prior to the injury year.

 

[MauDevils]

Holtz coming out for a guy with points in two of his last 25+ games? That will help.

Break up the top line and do:

Palat - Hischier - Sharangovich
Bratt - Mercer - Holtz

 

[MadDevil]

It's just bizarre how we have a kid who we drafted because he can score goals but we refuse to give him a consistent shot with our elite playdrivers. Its not like we're right on the playoff bubble and can't "risk" giving the kid a few games of top 6 minutes.

 

[Bleedred]

Boqvist being in is fine, but he should be in over Wood.

Neither of them can score for shit, but Wood is a massive liability, while Boqvist isn't.

 

[Devs3cups]

Vanecek back in gives me hope that the staff won’t force feed us Mac. Mac had a good game last game and they go right back to Vitek. That’s what I like to see.

Oh and yeah, #FreeHoltz

@JK3 LOVE the GDT! Great job, once again!

 

[MasterofGrond]

I don’t think Fitz is stupid enough to resign wood thank god

 

[Incharge1976]

Maybe SJ asked him to play a game so they could see his development.

It's just bizarre how we have a kid who we drafted because he can score goals but we refuse to give him a consistent shot with our elite playdrivers. Its not like we're right on the playoff bubble and can't "risk" giving the kid a few games of top 6 minutes.

My take is they are trading him as a main piece of a deal and don't want him hurt. He was probably just in the lineup to showcase where he is now.

 

[PWiz30]

I'm gonna miss a good chunk of this game. Me and the Mrs are going out for some hibachi though so hopefully that's good luck.

 

[Guttersniped]

I just thought live Holtz looked good and was really on top of the puck the whole time. He played a very diligent game with a lot of jump.

If that’s not enough, as @Devils731 points out, because (plot twist!) he’s supposed to have been more of an offense threat right away as well… I mean… that’s magical thinking. He’s not pulling that off.

I wonder if Ruff feels less pressure to get Holtz in because we’re getting PP goals. I don’t know.

I got Ruff’s reasoning on keeping in Wood too.

It helped having a real reporter who actually asked why (in a nice way, Wood had just scored) had stuck with a player struggling this much.

He has been effective in the past, as had that line. I get it. Not sure why he gets thrown out there so much as spare forward on other lines.

Thinking about our lines is so headachey at this point honestly.

 

[My3Sons]

How hard would it be to give him a run of 5-10 games and just send him back if he isn’t cutting it? Give him an honest chance. It’s great to work with the coaches, but young players have to play. They just do.

Watching Holtz closely last game it looked to me like his pace problem wasn’t a skating issue so much as a decision making issue. He needs experience more than anything.

 

[Devs3cups]

Watching Holtz closely last game it looked to me like his pace problem wasn’t a skating issue so much as a decision making issue. He needs experience more than anything.

Yup. His speed looks fine. But playing the game at NHL speed takes time.

 

[Devils731]

Watching Holtz closely last game it looked to me like his pace problem wasn’t a skating issue so much as a decision making issue. He needs experience more than anything.

Agreed. He appears to be thinking rather than playing; game time will be the best way to get him playing.

 

[My3Sons]

Wood is absolutely the worst player on this team.

Probably even worse than Blackwood at this point.

Look we get it. Blackwood is great and you love his game. Since returning file injury he’s better than Vitek and he’s really a .920 or better goalie. Blah blah blah. Honestly that is no reason to just crap on Wood.

 

[MasterofGrond]

It sucks having to hate on Wood, because he’s likable.

But man is he dogshit at hockey

 

[My3Sons]

Yup. His speed looks fine. But playing the game at NHL speed takes time.

There was a play where he skated back to cover defensively and he kept up through the neutral zone but once it got into the NJ end and the Seattle players stared to fan out he started coasting because he was trying to figure out where to go. I’m sure on tv he looked slow but it was not a skating moment it was a thinking moment. Eventually he should be thr player NJ was hoping for but it will take some time.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Thought I had the correct lines, nope, I like Boq getting back in but holy shit this Holtz stuff is maddening.

I just talked to my brother who's not as crazy following everything about the team and said what's up with Wood, he looks like shit lol.

Was hoping to see Boq in for wood..... Not holtz.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

Wild? More like not so wild or tame or something.

I got nothing. This team is irrelevant.

LGD.

 

[JimEIV]

Wood can stink it up with impunity every single game but Holtz goes right back to the bench after playing once in forever. I really don’t understand this shit. When has player ever been developed like this?

I don't understand the connection? One is LW the other a RW...one has been a fixture on 4th line and the other should be a top 6 player.

Zetterlund is taking his spot...Wood really has nothing to do with it? You want Holtz to play 4th line LW and Wood come out?

 

[Devs3cups]

I don't understand the connection? One is LW the other a RW...one has been a fixture on 4th line and the other should be a top 6 player.

Zetterlund is taking his spot...Wood really has nothing to do with it? You want Holtz to play 4th line LW and Wood come out?

Palat - Nico - Bratt
Rango - Haula/Mercer - Holtz
Tatar - Haula/Mercer - Zetterlund
Boqvist - McLeod - Bastian

Boqvist can play LW. Mercer and Haula go C on the 2nd/3rd line, wherever you want to slot them.

—————————————————-

I’d maybe even put Holtz with Palat/Nico and Bratt on the 2nd line, to balance it out a little bit more:

Palat - Nico - Holtz
Rango - Haula/Mercer - Bratt

 

[JimEIV]

Palat - Nico - Bratt
Rango - Haula/Mercer - Holtz
Tatar - Haula/Mercer - Zetterlund
Boqvist - McLeod - Bastian

Boqvist can play LW. Mercer and Haula go C on the 2nd/3rd line, regardless where you want to slot them.

That really makes no sense.

 

[Devs3cups]

That really makes no sense.

How so? Looks like a pretty balanced lineup to me, but please share.

 

[JimEIV]

How so? Looks like a pretty balanced lineup to me, but please share.

They obviously want Mercer on the wing and your line up is retrofitting pieces for the sake of getting Holtz in...that doesn't make sense.

Holtz is in competition right now with Bratt, Mercer and Zetterlund. That's it

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Palat - Nico - Bratt
Rango - Haula/Mercer - Holtz
Tatar - Haula/Mercer - Zetterlund
Boqvist - McLeod - Bastian

Boqvist can play LW. Mercer and Haula go C on the 2nd/3rd line, wherever you want to slot them.

—————————————————-

I’d maybe even put Holtz with Palat/Nico and Bratt on the 2nd line, to balance it out a little bit more:

Palat - Nico - Holtz
Rango - Haula/Mercer - Bratt

Sharangovich-Mercer-Holtz would be disastrous, none of them can carry play. That's 2 snipers and a Parise lite who's a pretty streaky player himself. Holtz should be with Nico and Palat and then you put Bratt on his own line to carry.

 

[Devs3cups]

Sharangovich-Mercer-Holtz would be disastrous, none of them can carry play. That's 2 snipers and a Parise lite who's a pretty streaky player himself. Holtz should be with Nico and Palat and then you put Bratt on his own line to carry.

Yeah, I added that option in my post and I think I prefer it in the end. Bratt on the 2nd line and Holtz with Palat/Nico.

 

[Devs3cups]

They obviously want Mercer on the wing and your line up is retrofitting pieces for the sake of getting Holtz in...that doesn't make sense.

Holtz is in competition right now with Bratt, Mercer and Zetterlund. That's it

It’s not as obvious to me, they had Mercer slotted at C with Rango and Tatar just last game. Holtz needs top-6 time. He’s rotting away in the press box right now. At some point he needs a real look with players who complement his skillset.