Fire Lindy and Green, Now

[JimEIV]

They can't finish the season like this and expect next year to just be OK like someone flipped a switch.

Changes need to start being made now

This is becoming a painful truth now but I'm not sure coaching alone is going to do much. We need to see heavy dose of roster change.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

This is becoming a painful truth now but I'm not sure coaching alone is going to do much. We need to see heavy dose of roster change.

Goaltending + bottom 6 + LD

 

[Homedresser]

They can't finish the season like this and expect next year to just be OK like someone flipped a switch.

Changes need to start being made now

unfortunately the changes needed aren't going to happen at the deadline. this roster needs major work. They need 2 two way forwards. 2 defensively repsonsible d men and 2 nhl level goalies. Every media outlet has talked about it enough. They don't defend well and they don't stop the puck. That's not a recipe for success in the NHL.

 

[billingtons ghost]

The ATOI don't add up to this claim.

But I like the fact that you clearly moved off "3rd pair" and moved on to 5th Dmen... Even though that is clearly not true, it's movement in the right direction.

Yeah, ok. What are the defense pairings when everyone is healthy last year? Answer that without being disingenuous.

1. Graves Marino
2. Siegs Hamilton
3. I'll let you fill in this blank here.

Any other answer is nonsense spin.
TOI is a red herring.

You could say that all of our pairs were solid and I would accept that.

You could invent some fun new ATOI bullshit and claim a 1a, 1b, and 1c defensive pairing scheme and point to the fact Nico is our first err third line center or whatevs,...

But that lineup card at the top is the way the team rolled. Period. Anything else is just creating some weird construct divorced from reality.

/Thread

 

[JimEIV]

Goaltending + bottom 6 + LD

That's a lot

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

That's a lot

The goaltending should be fairly easy with the amount on the market

Bottom 6 could be guys like Henrique + speedsters that helped them thrive in 22-23.

LD could be someone like Gustav Forsling or you use Siegs/Bahl in trade bait somehow

 

[Bleedred]

I wouldn't mind Duclair.

He would help with team speed.

*Anxiously awaiting comments about how he's a floater and can't stay on the same team and everybody hates him cause he's lazy and blah blah blah*.

 

[NJDevils#4]

Can we buy out Palat anytime soon? He sucks.

 

[Edmonton East]

The goaltending should be fairly easy with the amount on the market

Bottom 6 could be guys like Henrique + speedsters that helped them thrive in 22-23.

LD could be someone like Gustav Forsling or you use Siegs/Bahl in trade bait somehow

So add no playable gritty producers. Add speed. And be surprised when they don't contend next year either.

Definitely need a 3C capable of playing in top 6 in case of injuries. They need an O'Reilly type. Not Henrique.

Look into Bertuzzi and Stephenson. Obvious price concerns though, especially with the immediately bad Palat contract and potentially bad Meier contract already on the books.

Fitz needs to do his damn job. Find at least ONE player currently being under utilized by his club, that can elevate from a 3rd liner into a strong top 6 player given the opportunity with Jack / Nico. Every single GM of a serious contender is able to do this. Every recent expansion team has done it with multiple guys.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

So add no playable gritty producers. Add speed. And be surprised when they don't contend next year either.

Definitely need a 3C capable of playing in top 6 in case of injuries. They need an O'Reilly type. Not Henrique.

Look into Bertuzzi and Stephenson. Obvious price concerns though, especially with the immediately bad Palat contract and potentially bad Meier contract already on the books.

Fitz needs to do his damn job. Find at least ONE player currently being under utilized by his club, that can elevate from a 3rd liner into a strong top 6 player given the opportunity with Jack / Nico. Every single GM of a serious contender is able to do this. Every recent expansion team has done it with multiple guys.

That's fine too, I've been on the boat of getting physical players who can legit play as opposed the goons. I'll probably have a better idea who I want in UFA come May/June but I'm just overly annoyed with this f***ing team right now to think straight with them

 

[ZYXWVUT]

If the coach isn’t gone after this disastrous season, I honestly think I might get to the point where I won’t even be able to take the organization serious enough to care anymore.

 

[JimEIV]

So add no playable gritty producers. Add speed. And be surprised when they don't contend next year either.

Definitely need a 3C capable of playing in top 6 in case of injuries. They need an O'Reilly type. Not Henrique.

Look into Bertuzzi and Stephenson. Obvious price concerns though, especially with the immediately bad Palat contract and potentially bad Meier contract already on the books.

Fitz needs to do his damn job. Find at least ONE player currently being under utilized by his club, that can elevate from a 3rd liner into a strong top 6 player given the opportunity with Jack / Nico. Every single GM of a serious contender is able to do this. Every recent expansion team has done it with multiple guys.

I'm al fairness to Fitz a lot of what you are looking for was supposed to be provided by Timo....it wasn't...is that Fitz's fault?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I'm al fairness to Fitz a lot of what you are looking for was supposed to be provided by Timo....it wasn't...is that Fitz's fault?

Timo will be a lot better next year under a new HC, he's already showing it now which should even get Ruff fired even quicker. I do agree with the other poster's point about that, Jack's winger might come from the most unlikeliest place or we might wait a while like Sid did in Pittsburgh with Jake Guentzel.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'm al fairness to Fitz a lot of what you are looking for was supposed to be provided by Timo....it wasn't...is that Fitz's fault?

what does Timo have to do with 3rd line centers

 

[Edmonton East]

I'm al fairness to Fitz a lot of what you are looking for was supposed to be provided by Timo....it wasn't...is that Fitz's fault?

...yes? It's one thing to make the trade, which on paper, made sense. I think most would agree he didn't look great last year and had concerns about his production. Fitz doubled down by handing out a large contract.

It was a somewhat fair contract considering the circumstance, although probably should have been less years at $8 or below $8 at max term. That's a pretty big unforced error right now. Maybe a new coach changes that......

Palat contract was an abomination from day 1. I argued with 90% of this place about it. That one is 100% on Fitz and contrary to what folks told me at the time, that contract is a problem. Palat is redundant on this team and serves no purpose at that insane salary.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

what has Palat's contract hampered them from doing, exactly?

 

[devilsblood]

Meh. Like I even said at the time, would folks feel differently if Schmid doesn't play out of his ass and the Devs get murdered by the Rags in 4 or 5?

I still think so. Team looked like an AHL squad in HALF of their playoff games. Warning signs were there.

That said, I understand being stuck and afraid to make a gutsy decision after that season. Which is why I said before the season start, they better have the balls to kick Lindy to the curb early if things don't look great. Yet here we are....

I feel that series was a tale of 2 goalies though. Akira was very good. Vitek was bad.

The PK was bad early but I thought we outplayed them that series.

 

[devilsblood]

what has Palat's contract hampered them from doing, exactly?

I like Palat and do like, at least in theory, what he brings in terms of mindset.

But it is an early move by Fitz which is now a trend in that it sacrificed fwd speed for other considerations.

And now im not sure how impactful that mindset is given the team looks lost right now.

Its another big heavy contract as well.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

like I've said before, I don't love the Palat contract, but he created the biggest goal for this franchise in 10 years, against our biggest rivals. So to me, the contract is worth it for that play alone.

I just don't see what that contract is hampering them from doing? If Palat was making $4 million instead of $6 what move would we be making?

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Edmonton East]

I feel that series was a tale of 2 goalies though. Akira was very good. Vitek was bad.

The PK was bad early but I thought we outplayed them that series.

Agree to disagree. Not sure how you can say Devs outplayed them that series when they weren't competitive in any of their losses by the 3rd period. PK is also part of the game.

Schmid gave up 1 goal or less in all of the games they won.......I stand by my view.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Agree to disagree. Not sure how you can say Devs outplayed them that series when they weren't competitive in any of their losses by the 3rd period. PK is also part of the game.

Schmid gave up 1 goal or less in all of the games they won.......I stand by my view.

5 on 5 xGF in the Rangers series:

Devils 16.99
Rangers 12.62

 

[forceten]

The D should improve with being a year older and wiser, and HOPEFULLY some offseason workouts and such

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Palat brings plenty of the elements we actually need as a team. Really don’t get complaining about his contract now. Talk to me in a year or two when that actually matters. He’s been one of the best defensive wings in the league. He makes a bit more than he should — oh well. He’s going his job well.

 

[Call Me Al]

palat is the LEAST of this teams issues