GDT: Preseason Game #3 - Your New Jersey Devils vs. Washington Capitals, 7 PM, NJDTV

[MadDevil]

We've made the playoffs twice in the last 12 years. Tatar disappearing in the playoffs is the least of my worries right now. If he can play well with Nico again and produce during the regular season, it's an easy win for what he's being paid. If he doesn't, he's gone after the season.

Anyway, that's Palat and Tatar down. Whose next on the bitching carousel?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I probably still think he’s better at doing it than you do even if it’s not ideal for him. I think he’s still really good up there because he’s just really good but guys like Luke and Casey’s games are much more suited to running PPs up top than Dougie and Nemec are. The latter 2 really lack the dynamic ability of the former 2.

The only issue with keeping Dougie is we don’t really have another shooting threat. We did however see how good our PP1 can be without him at the start of last year. Obviously clicking at 40% all year isn’t a sustainable thing but it wasn’t solely luck. The puck and player movement was f***ing impeccable to start the year

I do think they have the players now to move Dougie off the point

 

[britdevil]

0-3 so far. Got 'em right where we want 'em.

Lmao right, a 'history'

One season together is history now

You know whats actually history? Tatar's record of underperforming in every playoff hes ever participated in

Or been allowed to participate in - twice his team went to the Finals and he was BENCHED FOR FOURTH LINERS

But okay, Nico and Tatar have major history together and should be permanently intertwined - you got it, Steve

Fortunately I know you arent that dumb - next time just admit you have no angle to work with and move on

 

[Hisch13r]

With Luke out to start the season and Pesce (when will we he be ready?), I don’t see any harm in giving Casey the first nine games. Like another poster said, if he makes our team better, he should be here. I do understand the dilemma when all of our D are healthy but I think he deserves a taste of the NHL while there’s an opening.

His contract can’t slide so the 9 games is also irrelevant.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Exactly, I mean there's literally no reason to rush Casey. An important thing to recognize is that Casey, Stillman, and Dowling were the only players on the ice tonight with serious career implications.

Casey's looked like a star through two preseason games, but if he were to make the team, he's gonna hit a wall somewhere around 40-50 games. The AHL is the right place for him to acclimate to a pro schedule and get all the minutes he could possibly ask for. If he crushes a whole season down there, he'll be a hell of a potential addition in the playoffs (if we make them ).

Casey will not only hit a wall but when he starts shaking and baking the opposition is going to go after and hit him and take away his space . . . And he’s going to adjust and either overcome it or not and he will develop from plateau to plateau - Because that’s what happens when talented young players come into the league. Other teams scheme to take away your game and when you are small they start by getting physical.

Three pre season games do not make a career. But what a promising camp he’s having omg. Big first impression. I’m very surprised by his skating.

 

[Devil X]

Lmao right, a 'history'

One season together is history now

You know whats actually history? Tatar's record of underperforming in every playoff hes ever participated in

Or been allowed to participate in - twice his team went to the Finals and he was BENCHED FOR FOURTH LINERS

But okay, Nico and Tatar have major history together and should be permanently intertwined - you got it, Steve

Fortunately I know you arent that dumb - next time just admit you have no angle to work with and move on

Do me a favor and find an argument that works. The playoffs dont start for a long long time. You can open your complaints when if the Devils make the playoffs and Tatar is still with Nico and Mercer. Until then YES they have an established history no matter how hard you try ti argue otherwise and until it shows it doesnt work it should be used.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah by the time of the playoffs it’ll be evident whether Tatar is cooking or burnt to a crisp anyway, the playoffs are a long time away and we still have to prove we’re a definite playoff team. Plus Tatar is making under $2 million, it ain’t that hard to replace him the next several months if he’s burnt to a crisp

re: Casey my worry isn’t about him wearing down since they clearly should have other options, my worry is the meltdown here if he doesn’t make the team or goes down after a handful of games lol…it wouldn’t be an issue at all for me if he was on the Nemec rookie plan (stay in the AHL till injury)

 

[Triumph]

Nemec was quite bad on the power play last season, having him on PP2 will probably be bad - he has a long way to go to be useful there.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Casey is capable of being an NHL defender right now, I think. But that doesn't mean he should be an NHL defender right now. I think it's probably better for his development to play a year in the A, get big minutes, and big PP minutes, and get used to the pro schedule.

 

[Hisch13r]

Casey is capable of being an NHL defender right now, I think. But that doesn't mean he should be an NHL defender right now. I think it's probably better for his development to play a year in the A, get big minutes, and big PP minutes, and get used to the pro schedule.

I wouldn't really make that determination yet with how good he looks. He might end up getting pushed out with the healthy lineup as he's the easiest to shuffle away but he looks like more than "just a guy" so far and deserves to start the year on the team. If his contract was able to be slid I'd be much quicker to say give him some games but keep him under the limit. He can't slide though so I'd give him some more games if he deserves it

 

[JK3]

Yeah his contract can’t slide. I’d imagine he’ll get some games and plays until Luke and Pesce are back.

 

[longislanddevil]

His contract can’t slide so the 9 games is also irrelevant.

Thank you for the clarification!!

 

[Emperoreddy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839133931582427483

 

[dgibb10]

With Luke and Pesce hurt, playing Casey makes sense. Then, once they're back, Casey will be munching 1st pairing minutes in the AHL.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839133931582427483

Matches what I saw. In all three games.

 

[Patrik26]

We've made the playoffs twice in the last 12 years. Tatar disappearing in the playoffs is the least of my worries right now. If he can play well with Nico again and produce during the regular season, it's an easy win for what he's being paid. If he doesn't, he's gone after the season.

Anyway, that's Palat and Tatar down. Whose next on the bitching carousel?

There IS a Siegenthaler contingent, is there not?

 

[Hisch13r]

There IS a Siegenthaler contingent, is there not?

There’s definitely one guy lol

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

If he makes our team better, he should be on the team.

I agree with that in a sense, but if he only makes our team better for the first 40 games of the year and then he has to get sent down or scratched a bunch, is that really the best way to maximize his development? It's not like Casey's the only D capable of bringing offense.

 

[Bleedred]

We've made the playoffs twice in the last 12 years. Tatar disappearing in the playoffs is the least of my worries right now. If he can play well with Nico again and produce during the regular season, it's an easy win for what he's being paid. If he doesn't, he's gone after the season.

Anyway, that's Palat and Tatar down. Whose next on the bitching carousel?

I'm more concerned with Tatar disappearing in the regular season than I am with him falling off in the playoffs.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I agree with that in a sense, but if he only makes our team better for the first 40 games of the year and then he has to get sent down or scratched a bunch, is that really the best way to maximize his development? It's not like Casey's the only D capable of bringing offense.

All we know is that he can help us now. We have no way of knowing if he'll fall off or not, but players with his IQ tend to get better throughout seasons, not worse.

If he needs to get sent down, I don't see how being a contributing player in the NHL hurts his development.

 

[Billdo]

Casey and Nemec will make Hamilton a casualty before his contract is up.

 

[glenwo2]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839133931582427483

I wonder if that had more to do with the lack of talent on the ice than it had to do with effort.

 

[Hisch13r]

I wonder if that had more to do with the lack of talent on the ice than it had to do with effort.

We iced our top 2 lines as well as Noesen and Palat. Also Dougie, Dillon, Casey on the backend. This certainly wasn’t a preseason lineup with a lack of talent.

 

[Billdo]

I wonder if that had more to do with the lack of talent on the ice than it had to do with effort.

Two lines and two top four defenseman should've been plenty. The lack of talent isn't an excuse for that one.

 

[Dylan9z9]

We've made the playoffs twice in the last 12 years. Tatar disappearing in the playoffs is the least of my worries right now. If he can play well with Nico again and produce during the regular season, it's an easy win for what he's being paid. If he doesn't, he's gone after the season.

Anyway, that's Palat and Tatar down. Whose next on the bitching carousel?

I don't think Palat is horrible I just think he is way over paid for what he brings. Maybe 2 - 2.5 is more like it.