New Jersey
(pacmanghost x) sad again
Secretly hoping we win like 4-2 with both TB goals being Lovejoy blunders, just because total hilarity would ensue around here.
Said this in the GDT(our GDT) on the main board and I'll say it here :
It's a real head-scratcher that Bratt isn't in while Stafford is. I don't get it.
I mean....I understand that Hynes wants to win and everything but with the Devils being in the situation they are in, isn't it a better idea to put your OTHER *young* player(that has shown success during the regular season) out there in games that he can gain invaluable experience(at only 19 years of age!) going forward?
Lovejoy still being in is evidence that this staff is ****ing clueless.
My guess is that to Hynes playing Bratt signifies the team is throwing in the towel and just playing to give young guys experience. At least he can argue that STAFFORD is a been there done that guy similar to Lovejoy even if neither player is really going to have a bigger impact than the unproven younger player might have.
My guess is that to Hynes playing Bratt signifies the team is throwing in the towel and just playing to give young guys experience. At least he can argue that STAFFORD is a been there done that guy similar to Lovejoy even if neither player is really going to have a bigger impact than the unproven younger player might have.
It boggles my mind that several posters aren't aware that any HC in pro sports will go with a veteran over a rookie when games are on the line.
It boggles my mind that several posters aren't aware that any HC in pro sports will go with a veteran over a rookie when games are on the line.
Even after playing so well during the season....if that's what he believes, then why play Bratt at all then?
Makes no sense whatsoever. Bratt is NOT HAYES!!!
Bratt can HELP. But he can't do anything if he's chained to the Healthy-Scratch bench!!
I will be so pissed with Hynes if Bratt doesn't get even one minute of Ice time this postseason.
It boggles MY mind that any HC would put in someone that was next-to-useless(despite being a "veteran") all season long over a player who actually CONTRIBUTED to the team's success(Bratt) and not just hung on and rode its coattails(Stafford)!!
If Hynes reasoning is what you said, then he's a friggin' moron of the highest order and I hope he gets canned for this.
It’s the optics to the other vets in the room.
I don’t think it’s that so much as realizing this is a bit of an anomaly. NJ did better than expected and has these postseason games where even if they get past TB who really sees them going any further? Accordingly, these games offer a rare development opportunity. That coupled with at least the possibility of the younger more skilled player actually using that skill is enough to tantalize fans. If it was me, my lineup has MarJo and Bratt on the 4th line with Coleman. Bench Boyle and play Gibbons or Grabner at 3LW. On defense I’d play Mueller with Sevs and Santini over Lovejoy at 3RD. If Santini actually hits a TB player and knocks him down without penalty at home the crowd would get more into it and maybe just maybe the TB players on that side of the ice have to at least think a bit about venturing close to the crease there.
Yeah, cause Jacques Lemaire never prioritized a veteran over a rookie, or Burns, or Robinson, or....
How long have you been watching hockey? If you think it's a "Hynes thing", then I don't know what to tell you.
Who gives a rat's ass about "optics"??
I thought Hynes was the Head Coach here?
Plus, you play the ones who give your team the best chance to win.
And from what I saw all season long in comparison....
Bratt gives the team the best option to win than Stafford who does NOTHING.
I think Hynes playing Stafford over Bratt is absolutely stupid.
Optics play a role in almost any public decision. People in responsible positions in any publicly scrutinized organizations pay attention to them. For better or worse, it's part of our current media culture where negative reporting and waiting for "gotcha" moments is the order of the day.
Don't get snarky with me, TH.
Just 'cause you don't like my opinion, doesn't give you or anyone else the right to lambast me for something that is a very valid point. Stafford HAS been useless while Bratt HAS been useFUL.
I think Hynes playing Stafford over Bratt is absolutely stupid.
Sir, yes Sir!
Whatever you think is irrelevant and you write in CAPS all day long, it won't change a thing. Again, you don't ice rookies on top of rookies just because... especially not in the postseason.
It's something you see from every single head coach in the league so I guess they're all out to lunch?
Pretty obvious why they did it. With Mojo back, they don’t feel their is another top 6 spot open right now and they stick Stafford is a better bottom 6 option then Bratt. They aren’t wrong as Bratt’s game is not suited for a fourth line role at all.
I would have put Gibbons back in for Stafford though.
That would be a complete train wreck and Hynes's job isn't to groom 19 year olds... it's to win as many games as possible.
You don't ice a roster with 5 or 6 rookies in the postseason versus the #1 seed. We looked like a deer in headlights for the first 5 periods cause none of our players played on such a stage and adding more inexperience would've been even worst.
If they put on the ice SOMEONE who is useless while keeping someone, who could help the team, on the Bench?
YES. Then they're "out to lunch", so to speak.