GDT: Mobile GDT: Devils @ Sharks, 4 PM ET, MSGSN (if you somehow manage to still have it)

[Hisch13r]

That team was going nowhere with Vitek/Schmid in net, lol. And that's coming from the guy who shits/trolls on Markstrom on every softie he gives up like today. Plus 22/23 was too reliant on the rush for my liking which is why Carolina proceeded to body them as bad as they did. Carolina could very well body this team again in April but it'll be for a different reason this time

22-23 team was obviously better off the rush but they were also able to create off the cycle. The 22-23 team's biggest fatal flaw with the skaters was the D struggling to handle the forecheck. You say that team was going nowhere with that goaltending (this goaltending isn't much better) but this team isn't going anywhere with this 5v5 offense and bottom 6.

Even if this team's offense might be more balanced (would like to actually see the numbers on that) they're still scoring nowhere as much at 5v5 as that team was. 18th in 5v5 GF/60 vs 5th. This team lives off of the PP success. Now they are still pretty elite when it comes to xGF/60 so hopefully that GF rises to match it but I haven't bought that it'd come close and so far it hasn't even started to close the gap.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

22-23 team was obviously better off the rush but they were also able to create off the cycle. The 22-23 team's biggest fatal flaw with the skaters was the D struggling to handle the forecheck. You say that team was going nowhere with that goaltending (this goaltending isn't much better) but this team isn't going anywhere with this 5v5 scoring and bottom 6.

We're f***ed regardless if that's the truth come the spring but even as cynical as I am in Markstrom, he can't be that f***ing bad as Vitek in the 2023 postseason or Schmid in the CAR series. (Challenge accepted moment probably from Markstrom, lol) And that's true, I still think Keefe is a great coach and way better than Lindy at understanding issues so I don't think we'll have an issue systematically come April but more so roster construction which is again up to Fitz to fix to tweak.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

tbh I didn't realize that Cody Ceci was still in the league lmao

 

[dgibb10]

Our forwards need to bury their f***ing chances 5v5

 

[Bleedred]

ugh. i forgot keefe actually sucks at coaching overtime

lol nevermjnd

I don't think we have a large enough sample size of only 4 games to know if that's true or not!

Maybe we'll play a few more this year to know for sure!

tbh I didn't realize that Cody Ceci was still in the league lmao

Him and several other guys over there.

Vlasic, Rutta.

We probably only realize Goodrow is still in the league because of the controversy surrounding how he got to the Sharks last year from the Rangers.

And honestly? I feel like if we didn't have Toffoli here last year we might be thinking the same about him, even though he's not bad like any of those other guys.

 

[Hisch13r]

We're f***ed regardless if that's the truth come the spring but even as cynical as I am in Markstrom, he can't be that f***ing bad as Vitek in the 2023 postseason or Schmid in the CAR series. (Challenge accepted moment probably from Markstrom, lol) And that's true, I still think Keefe is a great coach and way better than Lindy at understanding issues so I don't think we'll have an issue systematically come April but more so roster construction which is again up to Fitz to fix to weak.

I do agree the issues are more roster construction but I don't think the problems are fully fixable in season. Maybe they can do enough to end up better than that team was but I think the bottom 6 needs a HUGE overhaul. Hopefully this summer they're able to cut the fat and overhaul the bottom 6. They should be able to build a great one and I only even really think they need like an average one

 

[guitarguyvic]

You're just naturally inclined to think that the past is better. You're just not correct about this - the numbers tell a different story.

What's clear is that this team has been getting somewhat unlucky in close games, whereas that team got extremely lucky in close games for a month. So that's part of why you are remembering differently.

Right I’m remembering differently. I’m imagining that I was actually one of the few posters during the lull that season who still believed they were good enough to make some noise in the playoffs.

I thought they were a good team at the time. I think as of now they were a better than this one now. Perhaps they were a bit luckier in close games then, but I’m not basing my opinion on strictly their record so who cares.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

to me, its pretty simple.

Yes, they have not been playing all that well lately overall. I thought the 2nd half of tonight's game was a bit better, but still not good enough.

In the grand scheme of things, while this is frustrating, it really is not the end of the world (if we are to assume that reinforcements are coming). There is still a LOT of season left to go. They need to upgrade on Haula (no points for 6 weeks is actually hilarious for a guy in the top 9) and they need to have their top players stay healthy. If they do this, they can still beat anyone.

 

[CalamityX23]

Why are we losing????

 

[Nocashstyle]

22-23 team was obviously better off the rush but they were also able to create off the cycle. The 22-23 team's biggest fatal flaw with the skaters was the D struggling to handle the forecheck. You say that team was going nowhere with that goaltending (this goaltending isn't much better) but this team isn't going anywhere with this 5v5 scoring and bottom 6.

The bottom 6 is shooting at like 2% or whatever it is the past 20 games. That’s unsustainably bad. There’s a middle ground somewhere where the reality is the bottom 6 clearly needs to be upgraded but they’re also not the death kiss for this team either.

 

[Bleedred]

I think the next two are must-wins.

I have not looked at our schedule beyond the next 4 games, but we have Tampa and Florida at home right after the humpty Kraken and Rangers to end the road trip.

Though we usually seem to be better against the good teams, but Tampa is not one of the teams we can say that about. We haven't beaten them at home since the night Ray Shero was fired. And I'm pretty sure Louis Domingue was in goal for us. And we haven't beaten them at all since a Bratt hat trick in Tampa in March of 2023, and even that was our only win against them that year.

I don't even wanna know who we play after that. I'm going away for the weekend after next and I know there's back to back home matinee games, with one of them against the Ottawa Travis Green's.

I do know that the schedule will not feature any of the Sharks, Ducks or Hawks. We're done with the first two for the year. Whether that's a good thing or not.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I really do think they're even an average bottom 6 away from being the best team in the league. I also just don't think they're in a position to be able to accomplish that this season and thus likely get bounced by Carolina and if not Carolina then Washington.

That's a little delusional. Palat/Noesen/Tatar in the top 6 means we aren't in the discussion for 'best team in the league'.

Timo Meier on paper looks nice, but showing up once every three games isn't going to do it either.

We are a top 6 scoring winner, a 3c, a 7th D and perhaps another bottom 6 player away from legit competing for a cup.

Esp if this is what we're getting from Mercer, Haula, Bastian, Lazar, Tatar.

Not to mention size, grit and leadership.

 

[Dylan9z9]

ugh. i forgot keefe actually sucks at coaching overtime

lol nevermjnd

The first 3 guys out for overtime under Keefe Tatar, Haula and Dillon

 

[Bleedred]

The first 3 guys out for overtime under Keefe Tatar, Haula and Dillon

Probably any two of Jack, Bratt, and Nico, with Siegs as the third guy lol.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

That's a little delusional. Palat/Noesen/Tatar in the top 6 means we aren't in the discussion for 'best team in the league'.

Timo Meier on paper looks nice, but showing up once every three games isn't going to do it either.

We are a top 6 scoring winner, a 3c, a 7th D and perhaps another bottom 6 player away from legit competing for a cup.

Esp if this is what we're getting from Mercer, Haula, Bastian, Lazar, Tatar.

Not to mention size, grit and leadership.

every team in the league has at least one 'lesser' player in their top 6. No team in the league has 6 true "top 6" forwards. And again, almost every team operates under a top 9 and a 4th line nowadays anyways.

lol "Size grit and leadership". Okay.

 

[theoptimist]

Haula sucks

 

[guitarguyvic]

Having one guy like Noesen in the top six ok. The fact that we also have Palat there, that doesn’t exactly scream “best team in the league”.

When you can’t string together a long winning streak even during a softer part of the schedule, that doesn’t scream “best team in the league”.

Inconsistency at home…large stretches of being unable to beat goaltenders…an injury in your top six away from that becoming a consistent problem…all things that don’t scream “best team in the league”.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

People gushing about the top 6 being an issue while the Capitals have PLD and "Taylor Raddysh" there, maybe it's ok to get contributions elsewhere in the lineup. Making the moves in the bottom 6 were able to alleviating the pressure from our superstars. They've done all they can this year and gone on stretches where they've been white hot. Timo is the only one who isn't getting rewarded via points but he's literally the engine of this team in that regard.

 

[dgibb10]

I do agree the issues are more roster construction but I don't think the problems are fully fixable in season. Maybe they can do enough to end up better than that team was but I think the bottom 6 needs a huge overhaul. Hopefully this summer they're able to cut the fat and overhaul the bottom 6. They should be able to build a great one and I only even really think they need like an average one

Assuming palat out, 94 mill cap, 8.6 mill to luke, gritysuk into the top 6, and daws at backup, NJD should have 11 million in cap space to fill out the bottom 6.

that's 3 spots needed to fill (Tatar, Lazar, Bastian) with said 11 mill.

It drops to around 7.5-8 likely if you bring back Kovy.


If for some reason you also ship out hamilton it becomes a ridiculously excessive 16 mill to fill 3 roster spots in the bottom 6. Or 10 to fill 2 if for some reason you want to keep palat


Baseline is this with a 94 mill cap. 5 mill for 2 guys in the bottom 6

If you want to bring back kovy you lose approx 3 mill space, so 1 mill each approx for 2 guys to replace bastian and lazar

If you want to move palat you gain 6 mill and need 1 more guy

If you want to move hamilton you gain 8 mill.

If you want a backup goalie probably lose 1-2 mill.

 

[guitarguyvic]

People gushing about the top 6 being an issue while the Capitals have PLD and "Taylor Raddysh" there, maybe it's ok to get contributions elsewhere in the lineup. Making the moves in the bottom 6 were able to alleviating the pressure from our superstars. They've done all they can this year and gone on stretches where they've been white hot. Timo is the only one who isn't getting rewarded via points but he's literally the engine of this team in that regard.

Washington is not a real cup contender so maybe this doesn’t prove your point the way you thought.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Washington is not a real cup contender so maybe this doesn’t prove your point the way you thought.

That’s a good job moving the goalposts.

Who are the real cup contender in the East? I’m sure the original point still stands even if you can name someone

 

[Normal Devil]

Why are we losing????

Sloppy D gaffes, can't bury scoring chances, can't come up with key saves.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Washington is not a real cup contender so maybe this doesn’t prove your point the way you thought.

Name a team, I can probably name a flaw on their roster currently in January. The rosters that are going to ice for the 8 teams in April in the East aren't the currently constructed ones. You're crying about spilled milk at the moment.

That’s a good job moving the goalposts.

Who’s are the real cup contender in the East? I’m sure the original point still stands even if you can name someone

Right, people gush about the Canes but they have Ty Smith on their PP1 and Jordan Staal as their 2C with the awful goaltending they have. Come the f*** on, lol.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Right, people gush about the Canes but they have Ty Smith on their PP1 and Jordan Staal as their 2C with the awful goaltending they have. Come the f*** on, lol.

Yep, was just waiting for them to respond “the Hurricanes” so I could point to Jack Roslovic and Jordan “the definition of a 3rd line center and hasn’t even cracked 40 points in seven years” Staal.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Name a team, I can probably name a flaw on their roster currently in January. The rosters that are going to ice for the 8 teams in April in the East aren't the currently constructed ones. You're crying about spilled milk at the moment.



Right, people gush about the Canes but they have Ty Smith on their PP1 and Jordan Staal as their 2C with the awful goaltending they have. Come the f*** on, lol.

Florida currently has Mackie Samoskevich on the 2nd line. Jack Roslovic is on Carolina’s top line. Conor Geekie is on Tampa’s 2nd line. Max Pacioretty is on Toronto’s 2nd line. Boston’s 2nd line is Zacha-Coyle-Geekie.

Lots of mid everywhere