GDT: New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

[bmqdevils]

oh and Zid was garbage. night

zidlicky hasn't had a good game since he scored 2 goals and before that, who knows..
but deboer will never take him out of the lineup as long as all of his arms and legs are in place.

 

[Bleedred]

Just to get some conversation going here. I just wanna know what you think, and forget Larsson for a second when giving me your answer please. How much would you put thiso on Pete/coaching staff in general? In my opinion Pete is a good coach, but not on oustanding one. An oustanding coach might be able to get more out of this team, but the roster he was given wasn't very good.

What are your thoughts? This isn't about how he's handled Larsson. I wanna know what you think about how he's handled the team in general. Is he/coaching a big reason Clarkson, Henrique, and Elias all are slumping at once?

 

[NJDevs26]

Also if we're gonna cut costs then I'd love to know what Shaw makes. Whether it's the coach or not it's an area we need a coach in specifically. Let Barr run the PP and PK. It can't be any worse, and even if it is we save some dollars.

I'm really hesitant to blame another coach (and for the record it's not as if Oates got fired by us, he got promoted so the staff sure isn't scapegoating coaches) but boy they look like they have an ***-backwards 'system'. The last month or so they don't even look like they have ANY system. I think his PP in San Jose succeeded in spite of him because of the players he had there.

Oates was a better PP coach, but didn't have great personnel around here until later in the season when Zidlicky and Harrold got into the mix. He did do some cutsie things that annoyed me like having Clarkson constantly take draws. I don't think I'd have been on him half as much as I was last year if it wasn't for things like that But at least they weren't constantly overshifting and passing to each other's backhand half as much last year as they have been this year.

Funny thing is Clarkson's probably better at draws than most of the guys who are 'supposed' to be taking them this year

 

[R8Devs]

Why would you take Zidlicky off the ice? They don't have any better offensive d-man unless you want the PP to even look more anemic.

 

[Devils1029]

Other teams deal with it so it's no excuse but our season went into the crapper when we lost Marty, At that time we couldn;t keep the puck out of the net. The we finally get Marty back and a few games later lose Kovalchuk - now we are playing better D but can't score.

Mediocre players can NEVER replace a game breaker. Moose couldn't hold the fort for Marty and the rest of these scrubs on offense can't carry the load without Kovy. Period.

 

[RandoDoomer]

Well another thoroughly pleasant evening at the Rock. Best part was a pair of Leafs fans getting escorted out of my section (wasn't really their fault - some d-bag Devils fans were instigating them).

I'm becoming more and more meh about this team. The revolving door defense has actually been decent, but my god, the offense.... What gets me is the utter feeling of hopelessness and futility whenever they enter the offensive zone.

I'm getting slightly converned about Deboer's job. This mess isn't entirely his fault. He was dealt a terrible hand with the personnel at his disposal, plus the injuries. But haven't we seen Devils coaches fired for far less? But I hope they let him stick around.

It'll be interesting to see how our young and, lets face it, spoiled fanbase handles it if the team is bad for a few years. The team has been pretty good to excellent for 20 years. Fans younger than say 30 don't even remember any hard times (aside from the brief MacLean era). Time will tell I suppose....

 

[Devils1029]

Would it be wrong to amnesty buy-out your newly appointed team captain - cuz salvador has to go......

 

[NJDevs26]

Why would you take Zidlicky off the ice? They don't have any better offensive d-man unless you want the PP to even look more anemic.

Zidlicky was terrible tonight...but yeah he pretty much has immunity to screw up the rest of the season because you can't lose your only proven point guy the rest of the way.

I've had enough of Harrold though, they've turned him from the plucky overachiever to the 'journeyman playing above Larsson'. And he sure as shooting does NOT add enough offensively to where he should get immunity for the rest of the season. Our top draft pick and our highest-paid defenseman are both sitting in the box. What other team does that happen on?

 

[Bologna 1]

the zid hate around here is brutal. for every play people ***** about he makes a few really slick offensive ones to create opportunities. the positives by far outweight the negatives.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

as long as we buyout volch I don't give a lick

 

[Bleedred]

Well another thoroughly pleasant evening at the Rock. Best part was a pair of Leafs fans getting escorted out of my section (wasn't really their fault - some d-bag Devils fans were instigating them).

I'm becoming more and more meh about this team. The revolving door defense has actually been decent, but my god, the offense.... What gets me is the utter feeling of hopelessness and futility whenever they enter the offensive zone.

I'm getting slightly converned about Deboer's job. This mess isn't entirely his fault. He was dealt a terrible hand with the personnel at his disposal, plus the injuries. But haven't we seen Devils coaches fired for far less? But I hope they let him stick around.

It'll be interesting to see how our young and, lets face it, spoiled fanbase handles it if the team is bad for a few years. The team has been pretty good to excellent for 20 years. Fans younger than say 30 don't even remember any hard times (aside from the brief MacLean era). Time will tell I suppose....

I'm older than most people here and I barely remember it. I saw some of the 80s teams, but I wasn't emotionally attached yet to care too much. In 96 we were in it until the last day of the season. 10-11 even ended with the team going out in style rather than this crap.

It's completely unacceptable to go from 1st in the conference after 15 games to 10th before 40 games into the season. An oustanding coach might be able to get more out of this lineup full of turds, but Pete is just a good coach. Not a knock or anything on him. He just doesn't have the experience really to get more out of these turds than well... turds.

 

[Emperoreddy]

marty goes again tomorrow. opinions? (not that it really matters at this point)

It actually still matters. So yes it is an important question.

 

[Bleedred]

Marty might be able to keep it under 3 but no faith in this lineup scoring more than a goal in Miller. I think their confidence might be close to shot.

Pretty soon I'm worried his confidence will go to **** like under Maclean. He was good for the first month of that season by keeping games close. Then he jumped off the cliff too.

 

[NJDevs26]

It actually still matters. So yes it is an important question.

Actually it doesn't matter. Since they're utterly incapable of scoring anyway, why would it matter if you or I were in net, much less Marty or Moose?

 

[Devils1029]

the zid hate around here is brutal. for every play people ***** about he makes a few really slick offensive ones to create opportunities. the positives by far outweight the negatives.

There is a lot of frustration and anger from the fan base right now and 6 guys are easier to isolate blame 12 forwards. Take you pick tonight. Guys up front that had a decent game - Elias, Gionta, Zubrus...that's about it in my eyes. The D was horrible and handling passes and keeping the puck in. The O has no creativity..pass back to the point, pass across, shoot - try to recover the blocked shot..that's out offensive gameplan....

We're young and deep at center assuming we do what should be a high priority this offseason sign Loktionov. Then, with Henrique, Josefson, gionta, Loktionov, and Elias in a pinch - Zajac becomes expendable, bit no one who tough him with that contract that is about to kick in - am afraid we're stuck with him. With that deal, and deals like giving Salvador three years, plus what Lou is going to give to DeBoers favorite pet Calrkson, I;m afraid this team is tying itself down for years to come.

 

[NJDevs26]

Gionta did have one of the better games, but this is another one of Pete's blind spots that annoys me. Why in holy **** is he on the ice in the last two minutes of a game down a goal?! That made no sense. He shouldn't be on the ice in that spot down a goal any more than up a goal.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Actually it doesn't matter. Since they're utterly incapable of scoring anyway, why would it matter if you or I were in net, much less Marty or Moose?

Because the season isn't over. You may think its over but it's not. If you want to throw moose in and tank then ya but we aren't the old penguins. Marty out there until either eliminated or in.

 

[Bleedred]

Like I said, I'm worried Marty starts to lose confidence soon. He doesn't know a lot about losing but got his first taste 2 years ago. He was good for the first month of Maclean, got a couple shutouts, and kept games close like the one tonight and last game despite not getting many wins. Then he fell off with everybody else.

 

[RandoDoomer]

Sad that the two teams we're fighting with are getting their **** together, while we're still running around in a total ****show.

 

[NJD21]

So if this was an 82 game season, we would would be on the pace for 194 goals.

A great goalie isn't going to sneak a bunch of chest snipers that have trouble scoring 2 goals a game

 

[Emperoreddy]

Like I said, I'm worried Marty starts to lose confidence soon. He doesn't know a lot about losing but got his first taste 2 years ago. He was good for the first month of Maclean, got a couple shutouts, and kept games close like the one tonight and last game despite not getting many wins. Then he fell off with everybody else.

We live or die with Marty in net. If there is any hope it has to be Marty rest of the way.

 

[njdevilsownnhl*]

Get Horton and Ryder here in the offseason. Horton has balls, unlike this entire team. Ryder actually has a shot.

 

[NJDevs26]

We live or die with Marty in net. If there is any hope it has to be Marty rest of the way.

Nobody's arguing with that, since they only have one back-to-back left after tomorrow anyway it's pretty much a fait accompli it's Marty or bust till the bust happens. And by the time that back-to-back rolls around they'll probably already be put out of their misery anyway.

 

[Devils1029]

1) of we lose tomorrow to a shell of a buffalo team, out season is done. We realistically ain't making the playoffs.

2) Larsson should be put back into the lineup and not taken out. Let him make his mistakes and learn from them. It;s not like the rest of the D doens't make mistakes - Hell Salvador is out of position more then in it.

3. We need to throw Barch in there to fight. The last fight, Greek got his clock cleaned, before that, I can;t remember its been so long.

4. Marty has been stuck on win number 666. We have to get him off that number as it's obviously a jinx.

5. Put Josefson in for one of D'Agistini or Ponikorovsky.

6. Bench Salvador for once - keep him and A tRain off the ice and see how the team responds.

7. Point shots only work if you get a good screen, deflect pucks, or pounce on rebounds...we don;t do any of these and miss the net while we're at it. Power plays should focus on work down low.

Personally, i'd say to start reading up on the top 10 cause we're going to have a good shot at one of them.

 

[RandoDoomer]

Yay, we're currently in 10th in the conference (granted we do have 2 games in hand on 9th, but still.) And only 3 teams in the league have fewer wins. Whoa nelly!