OOT scoreboard 2025 playoff edition

[Goptor]

The Metro division is soft every year and get continually stomped by the atlantic teams. We say it each year without actually realizing it, when we talk about the Metro games being boring defensive snoozefests. Devils haven't been physical, Canes aren't physical, Rangers aren't physical, Caps have been an enigma.

Atlantic, Bolts, Panthers, and Bruins all play a physical game with the uncalled penalties. Team that makes it out of Metro is not prepared at all for the style of play once they get to conference finals.

 

[Bcap88]

Florida has that killer instinct similar to the hawks run in the early 2010’s

Like they just keep going and going and going

 

[NjDevsRR]

Devils haven't been physical

I reckon they were top 10 in hits this season and in the top half in fighting majors.

Don’t think being physical was a problem for NJ this season.

and get continually stomped by the atlantic teams.

Good news is, Devils just went 2-0-1 vs Panthers this season, the one loss in a shootout. +7 goal differential

The Toronto games were weird. The home opener was still Keefe adjusting things but they were actually the better team from what I saw live, and then the next two were OT games where the Devils 100% dominated one of them and hung on in the second when they were decimated from sickness and injuries.

Same with Tampa, they won in OT and the loss in Tampa was actually a well played game despite the score, they deserved better. (That 8-5 october gm is whatever as Keefe was still adjusting, both teams were shitshows that night).

Devils owned the Habs and all three vs Sens were very close games.

Devils were 7-5-3 vs the Atlantic

Maybe, just maybe. The Devils just need a normal injury season and a couple better depth forwards. It’s that simple IMO and hopefully then we can finally test an Atlantic team in the playoffs next season. Fingers crossed for a nice run.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I reckon they were top 10 in hits this season and in the top half in fighting majors.

Don’t think being physical was a problem for NJ this season.


Devils went 2-0-1 vs Panthers this season, the one loss in a shootout. +7 goal differential


Maybe, just maybe. The Devils just need a normal injury season and a couple better depth forwards.

The first game of those back to back games against the Panthers on the road, I believe Markstrom flat out stole them a win by standing on his head the first 2 periods. I just remember being happy they won that game but, they came out strong the 2nd game 2 nights later and were the better team.

Can't really cherry pick the record vs the Panthers in the regular season to justify how good the Devils are. Going 0-2-0 against the Sharks easily counters that. The Devils issues were glaring in tbe 2nd half. They struggled to score outside the top 2 lines but, managed to keep their special teams playing well while getting good goaltending most nights. Shouldn't be too hard to adress in the offseason.

 

[Goptor]

I reckon they were top 10 in hits this season and in the top half in fighting majors.

Don’t think being physical was a problem for NJ this season.


Good news is, Devils just went 2-0-1 vs Panthers this season, the one loss in a shootout. +7 goal differential

The Toronto games were weird. The home opener was still Keefe adjusting things but they were actually the better team from what I saw live, and then the next two were OT games where the Devils 100% dominated one of them and hung on in the second when they were decimated from sickness and injuries.

Same with Tampa, they won in OT and the loss in Tampa was actually a well played game despite the score, they deserved better. (That 8-5 october gm is whatever as Keefe was still adjusting, both teams were shitshows that night).

Devils owned the Habs and all three vs Sens were very close games.

Devils were 7-5-3 vs the Atlantic

Maybe, just maybe. The Devils just need a normal injury season and a couple better depth forwards. It’s that simple IMO and hopefully then we can finally test an Atlantic team in the playoffs next season. Fingers crossed for a nice run.

Said haven't because prior to this year, they were soft. They played kinda soft in playoffs this year but everyone was hurt so it didn't matter too much.

 

[Guadana]

The Metro division is soft every year and get continually stomped by the atlantic teams. We say it each year without actually realizing it, when we talk about the Metro games being boring defensive snoozefests. Devils haven't been physical, Canes aren't physical, Rangers aren't physical, Caps have been an enigma.

Atlantic, Bolts, Panthers, and Bruins all play a physical game with the uncalled penalties. Team that makes it out of Metro is not prepared at all for the style of play once they get to conference finals.

Devils are playing physical game.

 

[fire Fitzgerald]

How bad the Devils were if they lost to this Carolina team. Stupid Fitzgerald.

 

[Clam Jensen]

How bad the Devils were if they lost to this Carolina team. Stupid Fitzgerald.

How *injured

 

[Guadana]

How bad the Devils were if they lost to this Carolina team. Stupid Fitzgerald.

Better than wsh, not as good as healthy Stanley Cup Champions/two times finalists/ex president winners/most likely future 3 times finalists Florida team.
I guess smarter Fitz would save Jack Hughes from injuries. And a half of defense.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Two crushing home defeats to start the series for Carolina was not on my bingo card but I am here for it. I am happy to eat crow here and admit I was wrong to think they were better than Florida. Still a ways to go in the series though. Can't let off the gas.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Carolina getting crushed twice at home. What happened to your line matching Rod?

 

[thebeernerd]

I’m not as much of a Canes hater as most here, but now they need to be swept, because 16 straight Conference Finals losses is funny.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Jarvis potentially being out is so much more detrimental than Reinhart due to Carolina’s dearth of talent up front. Reinhart is such a tremendous all around player, but they just have so much depth.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Yeah I don't buy the not being physical part. For some reason certain teams just have different standards of what leads to a penalty and they get away with murder. How many times did we get penalized for dropping a guy in front of Marky or Allen when refs would swallow their whistle if it was Florida or Tampa?

 

[Mgd31]

The Canes rolled out a center crew of Aho, Roslovic, Staal and Jankowski last night. That aint going to cut it against a top team.

They desperately need to acquire a 2C this summer. The UFA crop sucks and I don't see them signing a Nelson or Bennett to a crappy deal. If I were them I would dangle their first round picks and get a guy Rakell or McCann (if they can play center)

 

[Clam Jensen]

The Canes rolled out a center crew of Aho, Roslovic, Staal and Jankowski last night. That aint going to cut it against a top team.

They desperately need to acquire a 2C this summer. The UFA crop sucks and I don't see them signing a Nelson or Bennett to a crappy deal. If I were them I would dangle their first round picks and get a guy Rakell or McCann (if they can play center)

Chandler Stephenson anyone…???

 

[thebeernerd]

I was chatting with a Canes friend and he said that starting Morrow over Nikishin twice explains everything wrong with Rod as a coach. He also said Connor McDavid would be a healthy scratch under him. Possibly an exaggeration there, but it's no secret that he wants players that play a certain way and if you can't swim, he's going to let you sink. It's clearly a high-floor strategy but the ceiling isn't "Cup winning team."

Personally, he wants Rod fired and things torn down, but Dundon wants that playoff revenue.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Freebird, it was cool for when the US under 18 team used it and the US men's team used it for 4Nations but now it's just overplayed in regards to hockey lol

Freebird has been helping radio disk jockies talk a shit break for over 50 years!

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Florida has that killer instinct similar to the hawks run in the early 2010’s

Like they just keep going and going and going

Florida is a blue collar team that means business!

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Florida is a blue collar team that means business!

Florida routinely gets away with absolute murder, particularly in the playoffs. It's maddening because it's a completely different standard for what they get away with compared to many other teams in the league. If we played like they do we would average 30 penalties a night.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Florida routinely gets away with absolute murder, particularly in the playoffs. It's maddening because it's a completely different standard for what they get away with compared to many other teams in the league. If we played like they do we would average 30 penalties a night.

Yeah their are "garbage league" as Mario Lemieux once put it.

 

[Devs3cups]

Fitz’s gameplan has to be “how to beat the Panthers”. Watching the Panthers, there is absolutely no way the Devils as constructed right now could beat them in a 7 game series. Just an unreal team.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Fitz’s gameplan has to be “how to beat the Panthers”. Watching the Panthers, there is absolutely no way the Devils as constructed right now could beat them in a 7 game series. Just an unreal team.

The stamina they collectively have to play that system is unreal. Relentlessly smothering D, non stop forecheck, getting away with penalties, and Bob just going from a toad to the GOAT whenever he feels like it.

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Florida has that killer instinct similar to the hawks run in the early 2010’s

Like they just keep going and going and going

Yeah I'm starting to understand why people are willing to trade core pieces for Brady Tkachuk. But I think the new NJ management is trying to foster a community culture and I don't see them making a radical move. Also Ottawa is winning now and he might want to stay (but he might also want to go back to America like his brother did).

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Fitz’s gameplan has to be “how to beat the Panthers”. Watching the Panthers, there is absolutely no way the Devils as constructed right now could beat them in a 7 game series. Just an unreal team.

Baby steps. Let's beat the Canes first. I'm sick of seeing people like Chatfield, Martinook, and Kotkaniemi score against us.