GDT: Senators @ Devils - 1:00 P.M. - MSGSN, NHLN

[njdevils1982]

what, me worry?

 

[IDEKWTM]

Again, the moves made during the offseason was to be serious contenders.

Now, we are slowly turning into a fringe playoff team.

 

[Triumph]

I find it just shocking how selective we are with demanding context. At no point in that 1-7-1 stretch that year did they look like what this team is right now. Not even close. Setting aside that that was 10% of the season and what we're witnessing now accounts for a quarter of the season so far, it's not the record that matters it's how they are playing. But surely you know that because there's no doubt you'd be pointing that out if they were playing well right now and just not getting the results.

They're playing fine and not getting results. They've been in almost all of the games that they have lost, and they're not even close to playing at their top level. Again, you pretend to have never seen an NHL season.

The Devils in 2022-23 had a 10 game rolling average of xG below 50% for approximately 10 games, and had a rolling 25 game xG below 50% for about 5. And this is a team you call consistent and great and all of that. They just managed to get through it better. And how did they do that? By winning in the fake portion of the game! They won 5 times in OT or SO in a 3 week stretch, while losing twice in that game state.

You admit they don't appear to have the talent to get through this sort of stretch with a decent record - amazing that you can acknowledge this while dismissing any notion that this team simply isn't as good as expected. What argument do you think I'm making?

It's very hard to tell over all the pissing and moaning what kind of argument you are making. I think this team needs a 3rd line forward addition and hopefully to get a healthy Haula back. I think they have the ability to win a Stanley Cup, as constituted, with that change. They'd need some breaks to do it - every team does - but they can be in that conversation by April, they've got all the pieces.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If the results are similar, who cares?

they are on pace for 100 points. That is similar to last year?

Again, the moves made during the offseason was to be serious contenders.

Now, we are slowly turning into a fringe playoff team.

we are 2nd in the division.

lets wait until we fall to a wildcard spot (it isnt going to happen) for this kinda crap

 

[Camille the Eel]

They are losing one-goal games. It's not meaningless gobbly-gook language, they lost on 3rd period goals scored in tied games. Even if a team plays poorly, there's no reason for that to keep repeating itself.

Yeah what concerns me today is how we were not the aggressor in the 3d period. Both yesterday and today we came out with more jump in the 1st period than before (and today was our best 1st period since Anaheim). And when Tatar ties it, you think okay, now let’s go win the game.

But from puck drop in the 3d you could see that Ottawa was the team on the offensive and we were scrambling to hold on. I don’t know if it’s conditioning, nerves, whatever, but that’s got to change. You can’t be trying “not to lose” in these 3d periods. You’ve got to be the aggressor and playing in the other teams end.

One big thing to fix in how we manage these games.

 

[devilsblood]

it’s not as bad as they’ve been over this stretch but they’ve been shutout a ridiculous amount this season. there are definitely issues with scoring that shouldn’t be dismissed as just bad luck

Shutout a ton, and now only managing a single goal.

Have to consider that the the more conservative defensive stylings are maybe too conservative.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

It's very hard to tell over all the pissing and moaning what kind of argument you are making. I think this team needs a 3rd line forward addition and hopefully to get a healthy Haula back. I think they have the ability to win a Stanley Cup, as constituted, with that change. They'd need some breaks to do it - every team does - but they can be in that conversation by April, they've got all the pieces.

Gotta be Markstrom playing at a high level imo for it to happen this year or Fitz has a tremendous deadline + Haula comes back to late 22-23 levels. Like you said can it happen? Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I think next year is the year but I'm scared Fitz has lost the plot on the offensive side, mainly the bottom 6

 

[IDEKWTM]

they are on pace for 100 points. That is similar to last year?



we are 2nd in the division.

lets wait until we fall to a wildcard spot (it isnt going to happen) for this kinda crap

Oh ok, gotcha.

Death, taxes and Devils not falling into a wildcard spot are the only guarantees in life.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't understand why the arguments?

They sucked. They have sucked since December 27th.

Why they suck and how they went about sucking is really of no consequence.

I'd say that is where the interesting arguments are.

 

[guitarguyvic]

They're playing fine and not getting results. They've been in almost all of the games that they have lost, and they're not even close to playing at their top level. Again, you pretend to have never seen an NHL season.

The Devils in 2022-23 had a 10 game rolling average of xG below 50% for approximately 10 games, and had a rolling 25 game xG below 50% for about 5. And this is a team you call consistent and great and all of that. They just managed to get through it better. And how did they do that? By winning in the fake portion of the game! They won 5 times in OT or SO in a 3 week stretch, while losing twice in that game state.



It's very hard to tell over all the pissing and moaning what kind of argument you are making. I think this team needs a 3rd line forward addition and hopefully to get a healthy Haula back. I think they have the ability to win a Stanley Cup, as constituted, with that change. They'd need some breaks to do it - every team does - but they can be in that conversation by April, they've got all the pieces.

You can throw out whatever spreadsheet numbers you want, you cannot convince me that what I'm watching now is on par with the 2022 bad stretch. Sure they won in the gimmick more - again this is not just about the end result. And you know how I feel about xG. Please spare me the side argument about that.

What argument am I making? That this core has failed to live up to expectations so far, and there's a very real possibility that they aren't really quite as good as hyped up to be.

they are on pace for 100 points. That is similar to last year?



we are 2nd in the division.

lets wait until we fall to a wildcard spot (it isnt going to happen) for this kinda crap

They are not on pace for 100 points anymore. 97 - which is a bubble team in most years. I'm sure you know this.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Again, the moves made during the offseason was to be serious contenders.

Now, we are slowly turning into a fringe playoff team.

The moves in the offseason were to make the team better, and hopefully get us into the playoffs and do some damage when we’re there. So far Markstom has been one of the best goalies in the league, Noesen has been the best net front PP man in the league, Pesce has been a mostly good fit with Luke, and Dillon stinks. Not bad.

There wasn’t a move that would prevent ups and downs of a long season. Just something that happens. It’s not as though the rut has been Rangers level bad. Plenty of time to get it right.

 

[njdevil26]

Would like to know how much longer Haula is going to be out.

Also I don't think calling up Nemec is that simple... is he waivers exempt? They would only be able to call him up as an emergency callup without having to put him on waivers to send him back down.

 

[devilsblood]

Gotta be Markstrom playing at a high level imo for it to happen this year or Fitz has a tremendous deadline + Haula comes back to late 22-23 levels. Like you said can it happen? Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I think next year is the year but I'm scared Fitz has lost the plot on the offensive side, mainly the bottom 6

I'm not buying that the bottom 6 is the issue.

The Bottom 6(4th line actually) have been on the ice for our only goals scored the last 2 games. And obviously those guys do not play on the PP.

 

[Triumph]

Gotta be Markstrom playing at a high level imo for it to happen this year or Fitz has a tremendous deadline + Haula comes back to late 22-23 levels. Like you said can it happen? Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I think next year is the year but I'm scared Fitz has lost the plot on the offensive side, mainly the bottom 6

I don't think Fitzgerald is huge on deadline acquisitions in general. Not sure the right player is out there. I always think back to 2012 Alexei Ponikarovsky, just the perfect addition. I used to think the Devils needed an LW to push Cotter down, but now I'm beginning to think the answer is on the right wing to play a guy who can help out Cotter. Don't know what that means for Mercer, who has to find his game. I guess Cotter and Haula don't mix so it still just has to be an LW and Cotter has to move to the 4th line.

Tatar-Lazar-Bastian may not be able to score enough but they're basically even in xG and they've mostly played over this lousy stretch from the team. Cotter-Lazar-Bastian has less time but similar xG results.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You can throw out whatever spreadsheet numbers you want, you cannot convince me that what I'm watching now is on par with the 2022 bad stretch. Sure they won in the gimmick more - again this is not just about the end result. And you know how I feel about xG. Please spare me the side argument about that.

What argument am I making? That this core has failed to live up to expectations so far, and there's a very real possibility that they aren't really quite as good as hyped up to be.


They are not on pace for 100 points anymore. 97 - which is a bubble team in most years. I'm sure you know this.

well excuse me, I didnt not run the calc after today's game! I apologize!

97 points has never been a bubble team lmao I dont think a team with that many points has ever missed the playoffs.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

You can throw out whatever spreadsheet numbers you want, you cannot convince me that what I'm watching now is on par with the 2022 bad stretch. Sure they won in the gimmick more - again this is not just about the end result. And you know how I feel about xG. Please spare me the side argument about that.

What argument am I making? That this core has failed to live up to expectations so far, and there's a very real possibility that they aren't really quite as good as hyped up to be.

I don't agree with this, the core has been fine for the most part win their tenure here. The surrounding pieces around them have been garbage for the most part. They had 2 awful coaches to start off their tenure, didn't have a serious goalie till this year and the little to no depth offensively this year. I'm not making excuses for them but this team has shot itself in the foot countless times over the years.

 

[devilsblood]

Would like to know how much longer Haula is going to be out.

Also I don't think calling up Nemec is that simple... is he waivers exempt? They would only be able to call him up as an emergency callup without having to put him on waivers to send him back down.

Call Nemec up? In place of who?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Would like to know how much longer Haula is going to be out.

Also I don't think calling up Nemec is that simple... is he waivers exempt? They would only be able to call him up as an emergency callup without having to put him on waivers to send him back down.

it has nothing to do with waivers. He is exempt.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

well excuse me, I didnt not run the calc after today's game! I apologize!

97 points has never been a bubble team lmao I dont think a team with that many points has ever missed the playoffs.

17-18 Panthers might be the highest at 96

 

[Triumph]

well excuse me, I didnt not run the calc after today's game! I apologize!

97 points has never been a bubble team lmao I dont think a team with that many points has ever missed the playoffs.

It has been a bubble team in 2018, or at least close - Florida missed with 96. Either way, there's no way the cutline will be anywhere close to that this year with how the league is shaking out The point that I think is most salient is that the Devils are 2-6 in the fake portion of the game - they'd have a what, 103 point pace if they were 4-4? So it's just weird concern trolling.

 

[njdevil26]

it has nothing to do with waivers. He is exempt.

Good to know. Thought he played enough games where he wasn't exempt anymore.

 

[devilsblood]

well excuse me, I didnt not run the calc after today's game! I apologize!

97 points has never been a bubble team lmao I dont think a team with that many points has ever missed the playoffs.

But we were at 100 pt pace yesterday, and 108 not too long ago, and probably higher before that.

Point being is unless we start playing better that pace will continue to go lower.

 

[Marv4Life]

It's not even worth tossing a fit. I'm getting too old for it. This organization has deep structural issues that will continue to exist until someone with an IQ above room temperature does whatever it takes to fix them.

The snowball has turned into an avalanche.

 

[Triumph]

You can throw out whatever spreadsheet numbers you want, you cannot convince me that what I'm watching now is on par with the 2022 bad stretch. Sure they won in the gimmick more - again this is not just about the end result. And you know how I feel about xG. Please spare me the side argument about that.

You've stepped in it now because the '2022 bad stretch' doesn't coincide with the stretch I am talking about at all. That's the whole point - teams play good and bad and they win and lose and while playing well has a correlation with winning, it doesn't always and especially not over 10 game stretches.

What argument am I making? That this core has failed to live up to expectations so far, and there's a very real possibility that they aren't really quite as good as hyped up to be.

I don't care about 'so far'. Do not care at all. You've been consistently wrong about this core and will continue to be up until the point that they win a Stanley Cup. You've just goalpost shifted about them and will continue to do so until then. And maybe they won't win that Cup. But the goalpost shifts are already there.

 

[Patrik26]

I'm confused. I've read that past seasons have no bearing on this season and yet there have been references and comparisons to the 23-24 22-23 playoff team and this team doing the same. You can't make this shit up.

EDIT: Corrected to 22-23 playoff team. Hopefully SPWKWTM.