GDT: Ginger Muppets @ Devils - 12:30 PM - MSG, NHLN

[jkrdevil]

Since the Xmas break we’ve had two four game losing streaks, only stopped by a single win that came from OT against Tampa. Which could’ve been a loss given how they only had a single shot in the third period of that game.

This easily could be a 9 game losing streak. That’s unacceptable.

You are missing the Seattle win. It was a great performance, but it was a win and kind of changes you whole argument.

 

[guitarguyvic]

And if the fatigue/sickness is a legitimate excuse for these results then put some good money down on the Senators tomorrow, folks.

 

[jkrdevil]

I mean that is fargin horrendous. And people want to compare to some poor stretches from other quality teams? Give me a f***ing break. That's like Buffalo Sabres shit.

Except it’s not true. They aren’t one bounce away from a 9 games losing streak.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I've had it with "this team will make the playoffs"

This isn't about JUST making the playoffs. Now we need to contend. We didn't trade a 1st for an aging goaltender to just play a round.

This is not a simple dip in their game, they look absolutely awful.

There’s actually nothing that they could do right now that would help them “contend”. They could win the next 5 games by a combined score of 25-0 and it wouldn’t mean anything. The best regular season team ever was bounced in round 1.

Obviously they need to play better and probably make an add or 2, but it’s just the regular season. You want your process to be good, you want a goalie that you can lean on, you want good special teams, health…a lot of that can go to shit when it starts mattering, so no real need to be neurotic on January 18th.

 

[Killing Joke]

You are missing the Seattle win. It was a great performance, but it was a win and kind of changes you whole argument.

Oops forgot about it, that’s how bad they’ve been lol.

It doesn’t, they’ve just been awful. It’s one less loss in this losing month.

 

[JimEIV]

Problem with the bottom 6 is that Cotter seems like the only player capable of creating scoring chances for a while now. Mercer has been invisible, Tatar and Haula are showing their age, Bastian and Lazar have been mediocre 4th liners. They can cobble together a decent 4th line with what they currently have but they need to make some additions and rework the 3rd line.

Since Christmas break not counting today, 10 games, Cotter has 3 goals and zero assist. Mercer has 2 goals and 1 assist.

Nobody that has been predominantly in the bottom 6 has been good. Not a single person. The lack of any real bottom 6 center is a real problem but beyond that, the talent level is lacking. Mercer and Cotter are decent but they aren't going to drive a line, there needs to be much more there for us to be effective.

I also think it's past time for some line shuffling top to bottom.

 

[Patrik26]

How long do we excuse Jack turning back into Kovalsuck 2.0 for the second year in a row after Christmas. Last year the excuse was the shoulder, this year the excuse is a virus he may or may not have, what’s it going to be next year?

He's been mediocre long before any virus hit. The kid doesn't get it and I'm afraid he never will. Adversity is something he doesn't seem to respond well to.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

He's been mediocre long before any virus hit. The kid doesn't get it and I'm afraid he never will. Adversity is something he doesn't seem to respond well to.

Dump him for a winner like JT Miller

 

[HoliksGhost]

Luke needs some time off the ice, bring up Nemec to get tutored by Pesce.

 

[Mgd31]

Our highest paid forward is on pace for 24 goals.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m sorry I’m neurotic today. I’m stuck here with a bunch of family I don’t like. They don’t like me. Hardly anyone is talking to me. I feel out of place.

I had a pissy fit over not being able to find a stream. Once I found one we looked worse.

So I’m not in the best mental state. But I am very low on this team.

Maybe lower than I should be, but I think we are at a point we should be able to be be reasonably low.

Exactly and since we can't win 3 in a row I'm assuming we'll go W-W-L-W-W.

We can win 3 in a row. Just not 4 in a row.

Somehow teams like Columbus and Detroit can do it though and win 6-8 in a row.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Since Christmas break not counting today, 10 games, Cotter has 3 goals and zero assist. Mercer has 2 goals and 1 assist.

Nobody that has been predominantly in the bottom has been good. Not a single person. The lack of any real bottom 6 center is a real problem but beyond that, the talent level is lacking. Mercer and Cotter are decent but they aren't going to drive a line, there needs to be much more there for us to be effective.

I also think it's past time for some line shuffling top to bottom.

The problem with line shuffling is who are you going to move around? Mercer has been terrible, he's not deserving of a top 6 role over Palat or Nosen. Cotter's game is very much a checking line bottom 6 forward and the rest of the forwards are barely NHL caliber at this point. This team just needs forward talent, the lines as currently constructed is about as best as they can do with the current talent.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Just to be clear Keefe wasn't shitting on those guys, he actually praised them but said they're there to set the table for the other lines, bring energy etc. He called out the top two lines and the D as well for terrible puck management and mentioned we don't look like a skilled team anymore.

If someone here wrote that, he’d have four people breathing down his neck about how they’re sick, this is just a cold streak, and stop being so negative.

They haven’t played well for nearly a month, bottom line. All the other stuff is noise. And the players need to take responsibility for that more than anyone.

 

[Devs3cups]

Alright, I vented, got it out of the system and I'm not overly worried.

They're facing a lot right now, but there's no reason this group can't figure it out. They're in a good position still and they showed what they can do.

Start tomorrow with a W before a 2 day break.

 

[NJDevilsFan21]

I can't stand to watch #91 anymore. He's the definition of pretender. Last off the ice during warmups? Big ****ing deal.

Doesn't win a puck battle ever. Can't throw or take a hit. Misses grade A chances. Fails to clear pucks on the PK.

He needs to figure something out because he's not good enough for the top 6, but also doesn't play a good bottom 6 role either. Do something. Stop playing like you are trying to minimize mistakes by just avoiding the game. We could have kept Alex Holtz at 925k for this.

Become a garbage goal Zach Parise Lite. Anything other than this.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I still would argue that the break completely bundled them. That being said, they have to wake up, the signs for some guys were there for a while. Timo, as good as he's been, he's not being paid 8.8M for being simply a line driver. He needs to actual score goals/get points. Nico, outside of his shooting bender this year, has looked pedestrian. The bottom 6 is an indictment on some of Fitz's decisions and now he probably has pay with assets to fix it legitimately. It sucks because it looks Markstrom is starting to look like the goalie we traded for but the skaters decided they aren't going to do anything for the most part. Also the Jack criticism is so stupid, if you want him to stop doing dumb shit then he's not going to be nearly the game breaker he is offensively. The Islanders neutered Barzal for two way hockey and they destroyed themselves long term because of it.

 

[JimEIV]

The problem with line shuffling is who are you going to move around? Mercer has been terrible, he's not deserving of a top 6 role over Palat or Nosen. Cotter's game is very much a checking line bottom 6 forward and the rest of the forwards are barely NHL caliber at this point. This team just needs forward talent, the lines as currently constructed is about as best as they can do with the current talent.

I would've broken up Bratt and Jack more than a month ago. Two little water bugs are fun to watch but make for zero balance as a line.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Which ones? Nobody wants them traded but they lost us the game today with typical cowboy stupidity ffs

Pretty tough game to play when healthy I think a little leeway when the team is obviously battling health issues or going through a tough stretch ....Let's bench our best players so we can have 4 more guys up from that dynamic team we have down in Utica....It's laughable....

 

[NJDevilsFan21]

And Timo, please stop throwing pucks into the middle randomly. Those are super low percentage plays that will rarely lead to anything. You have a 220lb frame, you need to the board battle cycle capable guy on your line using your body to hold possession like Palat has been trying to do on Jack's line.

Jack, please stop skating circles nonstop in the offensive zone and then finishing the play with a low quality lobby into a bunch of bodies. Even your teammates are confused by then. You're holding onto it way too long and it's also leading to those bad passes - again because your own teammates at that point probably can't follow what is going on.

/rant

 

[Killing Joke]

I can't stand to watch #91 anymore. He's the definition of pretender. Last off the ice during warmups? Big ****ing deal.

Doesn't win a puck battle ever. Can't throw or take a hit. Misses grade A chances. Fails to clear pucks on the PK.

He needs to figure something out because he's not good enough for the top 6, but also doesn't play a good bottom 6 role either. Do something. Stop playing like you are trying to minimize mistakes by just avoiding the game. We could have kept Alex Holtz at 925k for this.

Become a garbage goal Zach Parise Lite. Anything other than this.

Mercer is just a cardio player. Goes out there skates around does nothing. Gives the other lines a break.

 

[Lou Bloom]

I would've broken up Bratt and Jack more than a month ago. Two little water bugs are fun to watch but make for zero balance as a line.

They're line has dominated play for majority of the season, Makes no sense to split them up when they don't have any quality players that are worth playing up in the lineup.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I can't stand to watch #91 anymore. He's the definition of pretender. Last off the ice during warmups? Big ****ing deal.

Doesn't win a puck battle ever. Can't throw or take a hit. Misses grade A chances. Fails to clear pucks on the PK.

He needs to figure something out because he's not good enough for the top 6, but also doesn't play a good bottom 6 role either. Do something. Stop playing like you are trying to minimize mistakes by just avoiding the game. We could have kept Alex Holtz at 925k for this.

Become a garbage goal Zach Parise Lite. Anything other than this.

If there’s one guy on the roster who would be my pick to move for an upgrade, it would be him. I’d think he’d have some appeal to a rebuilding team at his age. Not sure who would be the target. McCann?

 

[Lou Bloom]

Mercer is just a cardio player. Goes out there skates around does nothing. Gives the other lines a break.

And the worst part is that he isn't fast and doesn't cover much ground, so he even though he's constantly moving he rarely is able to make a play because of it. He's the first player I'd be looking to make a deal around prior to the trade deadline to improve this forward group, some team will look at his prior stats and age and be willing to part with a quality forward for him.

 

[Bleedred]

Alright, I vented, got it out of the system and I'm not overly worried.

They're facing a lot right now, but there's no reason this group can't figure it out. They're in a good position still and they showed what they can do.

Start tomorrow with a W before a 2 day break.

I’ve went from 55% sure they’ll make the playoffs to 65% sure they’ll make it. I’m tossing up the 55% to my neurotic, dark mindset today.

But it will be 55% if we lose tomorrow in regulation. It was gonna be 45%.

 

[NJDevils17]

Was at the wildlife refuge today shooting (photos) of the swans. Seems like missing this one was a good choice.