GDT: Lightning @ Devils - 6:45 PM - MSG

[Devs3cups]

It’s all any of us want, of course. But I don’t think that reaching this point in October is justified. I have to throw last season out the window with a new head coach and plenty of roster turnover. I think the biggest problems have been losing our composure defensively. By and large, I think a lot of the forwards have played somewhere between fine and excellent. Kovacevic and Siegenthaler have been excellent. The other spots that have been worrisome are the likes of Palat, the Dougie-Dillon pairing and the 3rd defensive pairing. I fully expect Pesce and Luke’s insertion into the lineup to help improve some of the flaws on the backend. And I don’t expect us to struggle long term.

I just can’t find it in me to have a vote of no confidence on the team 9 games in. It’s too early to come to that conclusion.

Hopefully, you’re right and everything goes well. I’ve been one of the most positive posters on here since I’ve joined, so last night was really out of character. Rationally, I think you’re right though. Things take time to gel. I just hate the feeling I get when I watch these guys play right now.

I’ll be fine and back to my old optimist self in a few days I swear lol.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nemec playing the worst hockey he’ll ever play, just hasn’t gotten it going. He’ll be in the minors once our top free agent is back. Dougie still hasn’t gotten in a groove post surgery. Still haven’t gotten a game from the fastest skater in the league and one of the top young D around. Jack just starting to break out. Bratt hasn’t gotten hot yet. I fear there may have been self harm by some of you if we had an actual poor record.

It is pretty funny to frame this season as some kind of “last dance” given the age of these guys. Trading Jesper Bratt or Nico Hischier will surely turn this thing around. Very easy to find a player like Bratt on a contract like that.

This is also very valid. Got very frustrated last night and I still am, but yeah, as you said, there’s context to all of this.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Hopefully, you’re right and everything goes well. I’ve been one of the most positive posters on here since I’ve joined, so last night was really out of character. Rationally, I think you’re right though. Things take time to gel. I just hate the feeling I get when I watch these guys play right now.

I’ll be fine and back to my old optimist self in a few days I swear lol.

Believe me, I get it. No one wants to see their team get speedbagged defensively at home back-to-back games.

 

[Camille the Eel]

That's an actual question. I can't ever say that this team has seemed to be dominatingly athletic. I thought it was Lindy's country club but I really wonder how focused training camp is if they occasionally look gassed after a long shift. This isn't Lou's 30+ vet group out there, and I don't get why we aren't skating circles around teams in the third period.

Other than the a couple of shifts - they didn't really look to be breaking a sweat out there.

Yep “I don’t get” it, is last nights take away.
We got dominated so completely (“they stressed our defense” said Keefe post game) that you can’t even say what was wrong. We maybe even get possession of a puck briefly. Then Wham: Hedman or Kucherov have it again, our D is backing in, they have wide open options at the wing or a trailer coming in wide open cross ice . . . Tic tack toe, and nobody on our D is near the puck, it’s the wide open spaces for their player, wheeling and dealing . . . Our guys are just watching it happen and stunned . . .

Not sure what it takes to turn that around. Next couple games will tell us whether this is cancer or a 24 hour virus.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Wow, I just got to see this play finally. This is an absolutely dogshit penalty call.

 

[Devils731]

Wow, I just got to see this play finally. This is an absolutely dogshit penalty call.

I was listening to this in the radio so first I’m seeing it.

What an awful call. Chico was beside himself and now I see why.

Mercer even tried to cut left and away from the goalie to avoid contact and Hedman drives him right and into the goalie. That’s just textbook incidental contact. Mercer did everything he could to avoid contact and the defending player created the contact.

The ref then giving his stupid blue pain explanation that isn’t relevant due to the defender contact would be extra infuriating.

Its so obvious Mercer is trying to cut away from the goalie here and Hedman drives him right into the goalie.

 

[devilsblood]

Wow, I just got to see this play finally. This is an absolutely dogshit penalty call.

Ya, I've only seen it this morning as well, and terrible call in a big spot.

Still, we then allowed a goal less then 1 second into the PP.

Allowed 8 goals overall. The 2nd period the epitome of a shit show.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Ya, I've only seen it this morning as well, and terrible call in a big spot.

Still, we then allowed a goal less then 1 second into the PP.

Allowed 8 goals overall. The 2nd period the epitome of a shit show.

Oh yeah, I'm not absolving anything the team did before this. But this call certainly was a difference maker in momentum after we scored two quick goals in the 3rd. Only made worse by the fact that it's a terrible call to boot.

 

[CalamityX23]

Why did we give up so many goals?

I didn't see the game, please 'splain it to me

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Why did we give up so many goals?

I didn't see the game, please 'splain it to me

We didn't hockey well mostly. Someone mentioned it a few posts above. D was very tentative. Backing way up, bad gaps, no passing lanes covered. They kinda looked shell shocked.

Given that Ottawa just shut out Utah, I'm struggling to find much good from this start, despite the record. Washington is by far the best team we beat and they already got their revenge. We have looked completely outclassed against every good team we have played :/

 

[Nocashstyle]

Wow, I just got to see this play finally. This is an absolutely dogshit penalty call.

Wow. I had turned off the game before then. That’s such a bad call though, just awful.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

@njdevils1982

Do you know the answer to my trivia question earlier? Busted Swedish tower of pads blimp goalie that the Lightning had, who ended his NHL career on a PTO with us in training camp in 2016?

Anyone else know? I doubt anyone cares at this point lol.

I said Lack, but you ignored me. I’m sorry I’m not Canadian hipster enough for you.

 

[Hisch13r]

This is also very valid. Got very frustrated last night and I still am, but yeah, as you said, there’s context to all of this.

On the other hand of that though you’re not going to get Noesen staying at PPG. Kovacevic isn’t going to keep pacing for 5 pts in 9 games, Nate won’t for 4 in 9, Haula 6 in 9. Cotter won’t keep shooting over 30+. Their depth scoring isn’t going to stay like this. The rise of the bigger guns finding their games will be offset by the depth scoring.

Until the team starts controlling play it’s going to be a real mess.

 

[Better Call Sal]

We didn't hockey well mostly. Someone mentioned it a few posts above. D was very tentative. Backing way up, bad gaps, no passing lanes covered. They kinda looked shell shocked.

Given that Ottawa just shut out Utah, I'm struggling to find much good from this start, despite the record. Washington is by far the best team we beat and they already got their revenge. We have looked completely outclassed against every good team we have played :/

Ottawa is 4-2, we beat them in regulation. Utah is 4-2-1, we beat them in regulation. Washington is 4-1, we're the only team to beat them and managed to come back to take them to OT in a game we probably didn't deserve.

I'm not happy with the defensive play from the past two games, but I can't get behind the mentality of discrediting the wins we've had. If anything, this demonstrates the parity in the league right now and that it's far too early to cement any impressions on a team in the first couple of weeks of the season.

 

[Lou is God]

How did Misyul look last night?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

On the other hand of that though you’re not going to get Noesen staying at PPG. Kovacevic isn’t going to keep pacing for 5 pts in 9 games, Nate won’t for 4 in 9, Haula 6 in 9. Cotter won’t keep shooting over 30+. Their depth scoring isn’t going to stay like this. The rise of the bigger guns finding their games will be offset by the depth scoring.

Until the team starts controlling play it’s going to be a real mess.

Nah. Jack, Bratt, and Hamilton all doing more plus Luke coming in is so much more than a little burst of offense from Noesen or whoever the ****. Be real.

 

[Hisch13r]

Ottawa is 4-2, we beat them in regulation. Utah is 4-2-1, we beat them in regulation. Washington is 4-1, we're the only team to beat them and managed to come back to take them to OT in a game we probably didn't deserve.

I'm not happy with the defensive play from the past two games, but I can't get behind the mentality of discrediting the wins we've had. If anything, this demonstrates the parity in the league right now and that it's far too early to cement any impressions on a team in the first couple of weeks of the season.

Ottawa has a worse xG than we do. Utah’s middle of the road. Caps have been really strong and top 5. It’s not discrediting wins as much as contextualizing the record. The established good teams toyed with us. We didn’t look all that good against an Ottawa team that’s in basically the same spot as us. We played a solid but not great game against a middling Utah team. Washington’s a top possession team and they looked clearly better than us across the 2 games.

How did Misyul look last night?

He was fine

 

[Devs3cups]

How did Misyul look last night?

He was pretty good I thought. Made a pretty big hit as well at one point.

 

[Hisch13r]

We had a better record last year through the first 9 with better numbers. There are reasons to believe they right the ship. There are also reasons for the skepticism and believing this group won’t be able to turn it around.

The idea of this team is a lot better than their on ice product. Between games I keep reverting back to the “logical” thinking of looking at this team on paper and seeing what you believe should be a powerhouse. Then they hit the ice and make me think all that logical thought might not be all that logical and might just not be all that great

 

[Better Call Sal]

Ottawa has a worse xG than we do. Utah’s middle of the road. Caps have been really strong and top 5. It’s not discrediting wins as much as contextualizing the record.

There are plenty of people on here who have been discrediting the wins in Czechia because they came against Buffalo. Now every other win is coming up (Utah, Washington, Ottawa) because of preconceived notions of what these teams were supposed to be even though they have had their fair share of wins.

I think there are far too many people that have their minds made up about opponents going into games. No one should be happy about the last two games in particular, but there should be an expectation of growing pains in this first month, regardless of who is on the other side of the ice. People will claim it's excuse making on my part, but besides all the other context, this schedule has not been kind to a team trying to implement a new structure.

Again, I'm just not of the mind to be looking for the ledge in October. And I think a lot of people were looking for it last night. It was a bad loss, second straight terrible outing at home defensively. I don't expect it to stay that way given Keefe's track record. And I have to give him the proper leash to put what he wants in place.

 

[OlfactoryHughes]

Just want to remind everyone that our top 2 defenseman havn’t even played yet. So judging this team thus far is pointless.

Have we looked like ass, yes. But playing NHL .500 hockey while adopting a new coach’s system and waiting for players to get back into the lineup and return to form (Jack, dougie, Nemec all coming off injuries themselves) was a likely outcome to start the season.

First 10 game measuring stick isn’t even up yet. And there is reasons to believe the next 10 will be better (peace, Luke)

 

[Hisch13r]

Just want to remind everyone that our top 2 defenseman havn’t even played yet. So judging this team thus far is pointless.

Have we looked like ass, yes. But playing NHL .500 hockey while adopting a new coach’s system and waiting for players to get back into the lineup and return to form (Jack, dougie, Nemec all coming off injuries themselves) was a likely outcome to start the season.

First 10 game measuring stick isn’t even up yet. And there is reasons to believe the next 10 will be better (peace, Luke)

Let's cool it on calling them the top 2 D.

 

[Better Call Sal]

We had a better record last year through the first 9 with better numbers. There are reasons to believe they right the ship. There are also reasons for the skepticism and believing this group won’t be able to turn it around.

The idea of this team is a lot better than their on ice product. Between games I keep reverting back to the “logical” thinking of looking at this team on paper and seeing what you believe should be a powerhouse. Then they hit the ice and make me think all that logical thought might not be all that logical and might just not be all that great

We were 6-2-1 last year. We're 5-3-1 now. It's a difference of one loss.

Last year, we also gave up a 6 spot to the Capitals in those first 9 games. Last year, there wasn't a new coach trying to implement a new structure of play. Also at this time last year, we had played 4 games as opposed to 9 this year.

The wheels fell off after going 6-2-1 last year, and we went 2-7 in our next 9. If we have another stretch like that this year? Yes, I'll be rightly worried. But for now, I have to let things play out a bit longer. Especially for Jack and Bratt to get to the next level that we know they're capable of. Have to imagine them being on such heaters to start the year last year helped play a role in the record and the better numbers, but I haven't dove into them that deeply.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Let's cool it on calling them the top 2 D.

Yeah the real thing to note is spreading the wealth amongst the D pairings when they return

 

[dgibb10]

Ottawa has a worse xG than we do. Utah’s middle of the road. Caps have been really strong and top 5. It’s not discrediting wins as much as contextualizing the record. The established good teams toyed with us. We didn’t look all that good against an Ottawa team that’s in basically the same spot as us. We played a solid but not great game against a middling Utah team. Washington’s a top possession team and they looked clearly better than us across the 2 games.



He was fine

I'd genuinely want to know what NJD would have to do for you to consider it a great game if you don't consider the Utah game a great game. That was belt to ass in every aspect.

If we beat bad teams it doesn't count in your eyes
If we beat decent teams it still doesn't count in your eyes
If we win without utterly dominating it doesn't count
If we score while down 1 goal to take it to overtime it apparently still doesn't count to you.


NJD has a 5-3-1 record. NJD has a 55% xGoals share, good for 6th in the league.