GDT: The Blue Note @ Your NJ Devils, 1/5/2023

[Emperoreddy]

Lmao Carolina is about to lose to Nashville while having 60+ shots, this place would be a cesspool if the Devils did that

Carolina isn't losing 8 in a row at home and only 3 wins in their last 10

 

[HersheyBob27]

Tatar is definitely worthy of it. Haula is not. I really don’t know how the 2 get lumped together. Tatar is 24th in 5v5 P/60 which is tied with Bratt.

What have you done for me lately. Not much

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

Goaltending was the story. It’s not only how many more we should have scored but us giving up 4 on limited shots and some of them (the 5 hole goal for sure) on weak shots.

And there’s no way Ruff’s job should be in jeopardy. I am amazed it’s even being suggested. I get it that people are frustrated, especially with losing at home, but we are playing well lately and the only thing that beat us tonight was the goalie not giving us the stops. Give up 4 goals and you are going to lose most nights in this league.

The only choice Ruff made was playing Schmid and not Vanacek tonight and with the back to back and the Rangers coming up on Saturday, I still think he made the right choice resting Vitek.

Yes, that is what is so incredibly frustrating here. We have played well, we havent been BAD in the past month. I mean nowhere near to have a similar record as Columbus, Chicago and other truly bad teams playing bad hockey.

I am just at a loss what to do here. How to make the defenders play well again? How to get a timely save out of a goalie when we need it? How to make Nico, Bratt, Tatar you name anyone in the top 6 not named Hughes do the clutch play instead of missing the net?

The system clearly works but the guys we ice falter when they are expexted to make the clutch play. And then someone like Dougie just all of a sudden becomes a net negative on the ice. What to do? Tell everone to wake up before every game?

 

[Killing Joke]

Hey what do you know the third line that should really be used like a bad 4th line (mostly wood and McLeod) was dog shit tonight and our worst players.

 

[BostonDevil]

So…? I don’t disagree with that necessarily.
But Fitz clearly believes in Ruff and as long as we’re in the playoff picture/fight I think he’ll be secure and have a chance to turn things around. So unless we go on a big losing streak to the point where we’re completely out of the race in the next 20 games or so I can’t see Ruff not finishing the season here.

That's too late. You're gonna give him enough rope to cough up a significant lead in a playoff race until they are essentially looking at another lottery pick?

That's a bad sign to the point that I would want Fitz out if he just stood there with his head up his ass as the team spiraled out of the playoffs.

This team isn't November good, but they also aren't December bad. If December bad leads to January and nothing is done, I want a house clearing.

 

[britdevil]

I can live with Tatar in the top 6 as he's a good EV producer. Keep him away from the PP though.

Hog tying Haula to Hughes however is embarrassing.

 

[Bleedred]

I don’t think he’s likely feeling the heat. We’re in a playoff spot and Fitz has shown in the past that he believes in Ruff and a lot of the players seem to like him.
They simply aren’t gonna fire him when the devils are still in the playoff battle.

I think they will fire him while we're still in a playoff battle. More so than if we were puttering along on the bubble all year long. The stakes went up after that start. Although I think it was obvious a really bad start would have buried him by the start of November.

But it all depends on if Fitz thinks it will save the season or not by making the change.

I'm now 100% sure he's not the head coach next year, no matter what happens.

Maybe another 10 game winning streak gets him back next year. Short of that I don't see it.

 

[Mgd31]

Why can’t they play Sharangovich with Hughes?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Hey what do you know the third line that should really be used like a bad 4th line (mostly wood and McLeod) was dog shit tonight and our worst players.

Ruff plays McLeod's line too much and with bad match ups

 

[Devs3cups]

Lmao Carolina is about to lose to Nashville while having 60+ shots, this place would be a cesspool if the Devils did that

THEY GOT 67 SHOTS AND WE HAVE BETTER METRICS THAN THEM LOLOLOL WE LIVE IN A SICK WORLD

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Bahl has to come out of the lineup, if you don't trust Okhotiuk (not sure why) then call up Nemec. Bahl is a borderline 7th dmen at thr NHL level.

So Dougie plays over 25 minutes and is -3 but it's Kevin Bahl who is the problem? Got it.

Seems like now that the games matter the team is being run extremely tightly and its not working. Playing two lines into the ground and barely playing others is fine if the team doesn't have any depth. For a two month stretch that wasn't the case.

For all of the posters burying Billington earlier today there is something to be said for Stanley Cup pedigree.

And for th anti-Blackwood crowd let's here how this one is his fault.

Bad job all around.

 

[Hisch13r]

I hate how right I was on Haula. I was saying I hate him super early on in the year while everyone was still having their honeymoon with him.

 

[My3Sons]

This team is filled with a whole bunch of losers who don't know how to play physically or score. Ruff has no idea how to work his line combos right now and is basically trying to win every game 3-1 or not at all with how much McLeod is playing. The fact that Hughes STILL has to play with Haula and now Tatar as well is frankly embarrassing. I don't care if he's been inconsistent or he's a rookie or whatever, if I don't f***ing see Alex Holtz out there next game next to Hughes I am going to be livid. Kid has been misused every single game this year and I guarantee he sits on Saturday for Z for some horseshit reason even though he's been playing awesome lately. Again, I also don't understand why we don't put Palat next to Hughes as well but what do I know.

This is still a team in process despite the early winning streak. They have three top six forwards. They have some solid depth pieces but they have been so focused on developing their core that their depth is redundant. Finesse pass first skill forwards. They have to revamp some of those guys. It doesn’t help that Bastian is out and Palat is only back tonight. It also despot help that Mercer and Holtz are barely buying beer. They need a top six wing who can score and a legit 3C with some bite. That’s at least one more offseason away most likely.

 

[JK3]

Not sure why Vanecek couldn’t play tonight, throw him out there on the back to back. I was so spoiled seeing Marty play a bazillion games.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I think they will fire him while we're still in a playoff battle. More so than if we were puttering along on the bubble all year long. The stakes went up after that start. Although I think it was obvious a really bad start would have buried him by the start of November.

But it all depends on if Fitz thinks it will save the season or not by making the change.

I'm now 100% sure he's not the head coach next year, no matter what happens.

Maybe another 10 game winning streak gets him back next year. Short of that I don't see it.

I think there’s close to zero chance they do that.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

That's all fine and dandy, but if this rot seeps in to their away game they'll be outside looking in real fast.

I get expectations changed with that W13 but bigger picture they're still fine. Chances are the Rangers and Canes will finish ahead of them and even if they fall to the bubble, it's still a year where they can grow from. There's still holes on this roster. I'd be angrier if this team was fumbling and bumbling in their absolute prime like a Rangers/Caps (sorta)/Canes core rn. Also not to mention, the Metro has been absolute insanity, we've been losing while the entire division besides Flyers/CBJ have been winning at a .650-700 clip.

 

[Bleedred]

And for th anti-Blackwood crowd let's here how this one is his fault.

Take your victory lap and pound your chest all you want. He still sucks.

And guess what? Schmid sucked tonight too.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Why can’t they play Sharangovich with Hughes?

He hadnt played well either in awhile. Only 1 chance i remember today.

Him, Mercer been a void.

I mean Haula hasnt been scoring and basically never will but be is setting up good plays on the flipside.

 

[DerekDevils30]

I hate how right I was on Haula. I was saying I hate him super early on in the year while everyone was still having their honeymoon with him.

Want a pat on the back?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

So Dougie plays over 25 minutes and is -3 but it's Kevin Bank who is the problem? Got it.

Seems like now that the games matter the team is being run extremely tightly and its not working. Playing two lines into the ground and barely playing others is fine if the team doesn't have any depth. For a two month stretch that wasn't the case.

For all of the posters burying Billington earlier today there is something to be said for Stanley Cup pedigree.

And for th anti-Blackwood crowd let's here how this one is his fault.

Bad job all around.

the fact that he won a Stanley Cup 4 years ago literally has NO BEARING on tonight.

And Schmid sucked tonight. Who said differently?

you pick such weird arguments

 

[Forge]

Holtz isn’t the answer to play with Jack, he just isn’t good enough all around yet. The time with the extra attacker is a good example, he isn’t fast enough to get on pucks and he isn’t strong enough on the boards. The answer to one of Jack’s wing isn’t in the organization. They need a trade.

It doesn't hurt to try until that trade is made. The current set up is basically Kliff Kingbury's offensive gameplan for the cardinals except instead of, "hey Kyler, go do some shit" it's, "hey Jack, don't worry about the other guys, go do some shit"

 

[Saugus]

Why can’t they play Sharangovich with Hughes?

I think the chemistry just isn't there for them. But it might be time to try it out again, because clearly nothing else is working.

 

[FinnishDevil]

Lmao Carolina is about to lose to Nashville while having 60+ shots, this place would be a cesspool if the Devils did that

Thats like if we lost that one Columbus game earlier in the season. Woof.

 

[Bleedred]

I think there’s close to zero chance they do that.

I think we're either gonna turn this around and he stays or we fall out and he goes.

There's no reason to keep his tenure alive on machines, other than ''Respecting a veteran head coach and not embarrassing him by firing him in his twilight''.

I really think he's about done.

But we could turn it around (I'm no longer as optimistic) and he stays until the year ends.

 

[longislanddevil]

What did Rango do to get in Ruff’s doghouse? It’s egregious how a guy who has one of the best shots on the team is not on a PP unit but Haula has?! Ridiculous.