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

[BostonDevil]

Because they look this good against teams with a complete anchor weighing down their 1C, what's gonna happen once Fitz upgrades that spot. And I never said it was a throwaway year, they have to make the playoffs now with that W13 streak but this board collectively shitting their pants over a loss where they played incredible in is annoying.

How many of these losses where they played incredible are we allowed before pants shitting is OK?

To tell you the truth, playing incredible and losing is the actual cause for my pants shitting.

I half mock the xGF and Deserve to Win because it's almost impossible to do what this team does.

I would love to see what their "Deserved to Win" record should be for the season.

 

[Devs3cups]

This game is 10000x worse than the Philly game

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If we play like we did tonight we are done.... tons of missed assignments, bad passes and missed clearing oppertunities another words typical Devils play

if we played the exact same game as we did tonight every game, we'd be a 120 point team.

now, the goaltending on the other hand....

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

Because they look this good against teams with a complete anchor weighing down their 1C, what's gonna happen once Fitz upgrades that spot. And I never said it was a throwaway year, they have to make the playoffs now with that W13 streak but this board collectively shitting their pants over a loss where they played incredible in is annoying.

I dont think its the isolated one loss that people are freaking about today.

 

[Bleedred]

Haula's overall points aren't bad, if you didn't know any better and thought he was a 3rd liner.

But with the time with Hughes, power play, extra attacker, it's nothing special.

And I do think he'll score more goals between now and the end of the year than he's scored to this point, but I have trouble seeing him reach more than 10 and even 10 is really questionable right now.

I say between 7-9, assuming he plays every game or almost every game.

 

[Killing Joke]

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

He’s a moron. you just know his senile ass absolutely looked at the 13 game win streak and went yes faceoffs are key. And has refused to stop with that obsession over them, even during a horrible month of hockey

 

[Hisch13r]

I feel bad hating on Haula because he should be a 3rd line center and nothing more. But wow it is criminal that Jack Hughes had to play with Haula and Tatar…. And it’s a joke that Haula gets PP time and is out there for late game one goal deficits. The guy has 2 goals. If he HAS to take the face off (why can’t Nico?) he should take it and skate the F to the bench.

Stop lumping Tatar with Haula. Tatar has not been an issue. Tatar has 21 5v5 pts. Bratt has 22. Nico has 23. Tatar’s really f***ing good

 

[Guadana]

good game bad result. Palat will gain his form, Bastian will return. Akira wasn`t fault, but didn`t save us in any situation. Why Blackwood was used against Carolina I don`t know. We could win all three games.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I don't think you can seriously consider firing Ruff considering where the team is in the standings...as of now.

However, if he insists on continuing to bury our skilled young players in the bottom six while stapling a guy who can only score once every 40 games next to our biggest superstar...that's a major problem. We shouldn't be having to beg the coach to do the most obvious f***ing thing.

 

[NjDevsRR]

This game really grinds my gears. Dominated, should’ve been an easy 2pts. Lost in net and due to our top pairing with a few brainfarts

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Honestly I think the thing that infuriates me so much is the usage of Sharangovich and Mercer.

I know Mercer flubbed a breakaway but I feel both of these players have been neutered this year to some degree. And they’ve still been somewhat productive despite that.

With you there but goes a lot deeper. Would add Zetterlund, Boqvist, and a whole other bunch of forwards not named Hughes, Bratt and even Hischier to the list.

When the Devils were going well the team rolled lines and all of the forwards contributed. Since the skid that has dried up and suddenly ice time is distributed unevenly; with some players consistently thrown on the ice regardless of whether they contribute while others are shackled to the bench for long stretches or out of the lineup completely.

Mind numbing at times.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Maybe you're right, but I'm feeling he won't let this go on all season long.

He's giving him his chance to turn it around right now.

He really was showing some weird signs in the Pittsburgh game, like the challenge on the obvious goal.

If he starts playing Vanecek every game in the next week, hooo boy, watch out.

I think you’re reading to much into stuff and forgetting that there’s been times where a lot of fans and people in here wanted him gone and Fitz showed no hesitance in his confidence in Ruff and kept him around. Even when getting rid of the assistants.
We’re not even at a point here where you have many people suggesting Ruff should be fired. I don’t think we’re anywhere near it and I personally can’t see it happening as long as we’re in the playoff race.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

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.

Dougie didn't play well but Bahl had two bonehead plays on the same goal. With Dougie, he provides more good than bad. Bahl is all bad.

 

[Devs3cups]

If we play like we did tonight we are done.... tons of missed assignments, bad passes and missed clearing oppertunities another words typical Devils play

My man, if we play like we did tonight every night we're a 50 W team.

Goalies gotta stop pucks though. DAMN I wish VV was in tonight.

 

[Mgd31]

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.

I thought they were pretty good last year. Don’t recall them getting much of a run this year.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

1-Hamilton's untimely penalties
2-Mercer's shorthanded breakaway
3-Haula takes over where Zach left off
4-Bratt's shots are becoming more predictable and not getting them off fast enough
5-Coach Ruff might be overstaying his tenure again

 

[Billdo]

We're not making playoffs, are we?

 

[Killing Joke]

I don't think you can seriously consider firing Ruff considering where the team is in the standings...as of now.

However, if he insists on continuing to bury our skilled young players in the bottom six while stapling a guy who can only score once every 40 games next to our biggest superstar...that's a major problem. We shouldn't be having to beg the coach to do the most obvious f***ing thing.

Second place and dropping because they keep dropping games because of his coaching?

 

[Dylan9z9]

if we played the exact same game as we did tonight every game, we'd be a 120 point team.

now, the goaltending on the other hand....

The goaltending wasn't good but the Defense was also brutal to win playing like we did tonight we would have to score 5 or 6 goals every night

 

[Saugus]

Stop lumping Tatar with Haula. Tatar has not been an issue. Tatar has 21 5v5 pts. Bratt has 22. Nico has 23. Tatar’s really f***ing good

Tatar has been a good complementary player for the top 6, and he has decent chemistry with both Hischier and Hughes. He's fine in that role.

What I object to is having him in the bumper role on the PP. He's not the guy for that.

 

[Bleedred]

Goaltending is still a huge problem with this team and it could kill them even more going forward.

We have only one goalie that's not only NHL caliber, but anywhere near NHL caliber.

Schmid has been really bad since he was returned from his first stint. A couple of blowouts in the AHL and this game which was by far his weakest in the NHL.

I'm not sure he'll be much help this year, even though I still don't think he's worse than the other option.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Second place and dropping because they keep dropping games because of his coaching?

That’s completely subjective and Fitz has continuously shown a lot of belief in Ruff.

 

[Okposofan21]

Just got home from the game. We played great! The refs screwed us over as usual!

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The goaltending wasn't good but the Defense was also brutal to win playing like we did tonight we would have to score 5 or 6 goals every night

bro we allowed 19 shots on goal and 4 high danger chances TOTAL

blaming the defense tonight overall is NOT IT.

 

[Devs3cups]

The goaltending wasn't good but the Defense was also brutal to win playing like we did tonight we would have to score 5 or 6 goals every night

4 high danger chances against tonight. 2.4 expected goals against.