GDT: THE OPPOSITE: Devils @ Arizona 5PM MSGSN

[guitarguyvic]

The only more unlikable Devil team would be the 2019-20 team. 2021-22 also more unlikeable as that season basically ended in December.

I was numb to those teams thanks to low expectations. And while the coaching sucked then too, there's something much more rotten about how management has responded to this absolute failure of a season than there was then.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Wow, what in fks same happened ?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

“Most unlikable group of the last 20 years” is a you problem.

You’re projecting your disappointment on them and pretending that it reflects their personalities.

Yeah I mean I'm disappointed in the way this season has gone, but realistically if someone told me two seasons ago that the Devils would still be in the playoff mix halfway through March with the top 3 defensemen injured and Jack/Nico/Timo all missing time, that would sound like a win to me.

For me, that's nothing like the way 10-11 started or completely falling off a cliff after a cinderella run to the finals in 12-13 (which also kicked off a decade of ineptitude). I'd much rather be here than back there.

 

[njdevils1982]

Isles lose…
Pens lose…
Sabres lose…
Flyers lose…
Caps losing…

*sad Dano noises*

the piano has been drinking, not me

 

[NjDevsRR]

the piano has been drinking, not me

View attachment 837292View attachment 837292

The opposite is officially over

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah I mean I'm disappointed in the way this season has gone, but realistically if someone told me two seasons ago that the Devils would still be in the playoff mix halfway through March with the top 3 defensemen injured and Jack/Nico/Timo all missing time, that would sound like a win to me.

For me, that's nothing like the way 10-11 started or completely falling off a cliff after a cinderella run to the finals in 12-13 (which also kicked off a decade of ineptitude). I'd much rather be here than back there.

Ehh the context matters. We are only in the mix because the rest of the bubble is really bad and it's possible a sub-90 point team gets in.

We aren't really in the mix either. Nevermind we have been playing gutless hockey the entire season, only a handful of players seem to give a shit, and we are in line to pick 9th overall, there isn't any win or sugar coating here. This is a massive failure of a season

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Travis Green is to blame for this loss.

I understand he is hampered by injuries but I really don’t understand the lineup decisions with the forwards.

Palat-Hischier-Meier has been dominant. Why the hell did he breakup that line.
Jack Hughes is clearly not right. When Bratt is taking faceoffs instead of Jack after Hischier gets kick out by refs, it suggests he shouldn’t be playing at all. Quite clearly there is some thing wrong with his shoulder if he doesn’t want to shoot and he can’t stick handle at the moment.
I don’t blame Kahkonen for any of the goals. He was left down today by poor play and turnovers in front of him.

The power play lineup decisions is infuriating. Even if you want to keep the same “teams”, they should at least give PP2 team an extended look at running the PP. Yet they get on average they get last 30 seconds to do something because PP1 team stinks. Hischier is a poor power play player. He is only good for faceoffs and that is it. He can’t play the bumper or net front.

Luke Hughes is terrible as a point man. Why have a shooter on the ice like Timo Meier in PP if you don’t actually draw up plays to feed his one-timer. The whole PP system is pass to Jack and everyone else watches him skate in circles and hold on to the puck far too long.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Too many of these guys are mentally soft. They get frustrated too easy. They sulk too easy. They aren't prepared and they lack discipline.

It's potentially fixable with the right coach hire and if the permanent players dedicate themselves, but we can't pretend it isn't a problem that needs addressing

Fitz probably needs to find some vet leadership to plug into the bottom 6 and bottom pairing that can also contribute on ice. We need mentally tough dudes to lead by example but they can't be more Brandon Smiths

 

[njdevils1982]

The opposite is officially over

it's all right, we'll get by man

 

[Bcap88]

Last year was probably one of my favorite iterations of a devils team and this year is prob the worst

 

[Guttersniped]

Travis Green is to blame for this loss.

I understand he is hampered by injuries but I really don’t understand the lineup decisions with the forwards.

Palat-Hischier-Meier has been dominant. Why the hell did he breakup that line.
Jack Hughes is clearly not right. When Bratt is taking faceoffs instead of Jack after Hischier gets kick out by refs, it suggests he shouldn’t be playing at all. Quite clearly there is some thing wrong with his shoulder if he doesn’t want to shoot and he can’t stick handle at the moment.
I don’t blame Kahkonen for any of the goals. He was left down today by poor play and turnovers in front of him.

The power play lineup decisions is infuriating. Even if you want to keep the same “teams”, they should at least give PP2 team an extended look at running the PP. Yet they get on average they get last 30 seconds to do something because PP1 team stinks. Hischier is a poor power play player. He is only good for faceoffs and that is it. He can’t play the bumper or net front.

Luke Hughes is terrible as a point man. Why have a shooter on the ice like Timo Meier in PP if you don’t actually draw up plays to feed his one-timer. The whole PP system is pass to Jack and everyone else watches him skate in circles and hold on to the puck far too long.

“Jack Hughes is clearly not right. When Bratt is taking faceoffs instead of Jack after Hischier gets kick out by refs, it suggests he shouldn’t be playing at all.”

Come on, I’m sure there’s nothing to the fact that there’s only been two Devils forwards who’ve not taken a single face-off since Jack returned on Feb 28th.

Just two very similar forwards with very similar TOI & ATOI over those 19 GP.

 

[Bcap88]

Ehh the context matters. We are only in the mix because the rest of the bubble is really bad and it's possible a sub-90 point team gets in.

We aren't really in the mix either. Nevermind we have been playing gutless hockey the entire season, only a handful of players seem to give a shit, and we are in line to pick 9th overall, there isn't any win or sugar coating here. This is a massive failure of a season

Too many of these guys are mentally soft. They get frustrated too easy. They sulk too easy. They aren't prepared and they lack discipline.

It's potentially fixable with the right coach hire and if the permanent players dedicate themselves, but we can't pretend it isn't a problem that needs addressing

Fitz probably needs to find some vet leadership to plug into the bottom 6 and bottom pairing that can also contribute on ice. We need mentally tough dudes to lead by example but they can't be more Brandon Smiths

No moxy on this team

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Yeah I can't get on board with the most unlikable Devils team thing, the players are mostly good. The coaching staff is the main issue. There was a time where this team legit rostered Martin Havlat, Damien Brunner and guys like Michael Ryder. Those teams were way more unlikable, I don't care what anyone says.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah I can't get on board with the most unlikable Devils team thing, the players are mostly good. The coaching staff is the main issue. There was a time where this team legit rostered Martin Havlat, Damien Brunner and guys like Michael Ryder. Those teams were way more unlikable, I don't care what anyone says.

They weren't 'unlikeable', just old and boring. They weren't massively underachieving compared to what they should have done, they were just desperation patch jobs like that frankentoy in Toy Story 4

Last year was probably one of my favorite iterations of a devils team and this year is prob the worst

That's what makes this even more annoying. They're spoiling the memory of that season a bit, or at least it does until and if they actually get their asses back in gear next season. It's like how the '09 regular season was one of the most fun ever, then they spoiled it with the looloo of all playoff disasters.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

They weren't 'unlikeable', just old and boring. They weren't massively underachieving compared to what they should have done, they were just desperation patch jobs like that frankentoy in Toy Story 4

View attachment 837340

I mean, the difference makers for that season were legit the guys I mentioned. The reason why this team is so unlikable argument doesn't work for me is I don't think the players aren't likable as opposed to the situation surrounding them being shitty. If this team or think it's unlikable then, the issue is just the core in general lol

 

[NJ07102]

One other thing: With McLeod in the lineup, they were 24-18-3. After he "left", they went 8-13-1. I don't think this is a coincidence. The guy was extremely important as a steady 3C, best face-off man, defensively sound. They are totally missing a guy like that.

They had a .566 P% when he left. With that, they'd be on a wild card spot right now.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

One other thing: With McLeod in the lineup, they were 24-18-3. After he "left", they went 8-13-1. I don't think this is a coincidence. The guy was extremely important as a steady 3C, best face-off man, defensively sound. They are totally missing a guy like that.

They had a .566 P% when he left. With that, they'd be on a wild card spot right now.

They still manage to do fine in the faceoff dot most nights. McLeod developed big time the last 2 seasons and he will be missed for sure.

This team just needs a real kick in the ass. If these veterans can't get it together by next season than a major retool will be needed. Literally anyone would be on my chopping block minus Nemec , Daws , Luke and a few others who havent been plagued by this losing culture...This has become an evaluation season at this point. I get that Jack is hurt and we haven't had Dougie most of the year but they need to find a way to atleast be a wildcard team if we actually have a future of being a cup contender.

It's like Jim said though , the super young defense , questionable goaltending and such were basically a recipe for this. Fitzgerald's moves are starting to backfire and he looked to gave jumped the gun last season. It seems like no matter who runs this team or coaches it the revolving door seem's to be our core players just being subpar to what other top teams are icing.

 

[Killing Joke]

One other thing: With McLeod in the lineup, they were 24-18-3. After he "left", they went 8-13-1. I don't think this is a coincidence. The guy was extremely important as a steady 3C, best face-off man, defensively sound. They are totally missing a guy like that.

They had a .566 P% when he left. With that, they'd be on a wild card spot right now.

Another fitz failure. Signed him instead of looking for good replacements he goes with f***ing nosek and tierny.

 

[NjDevsRR]

One other thing: With McLeod in the lineup, they were 24-18-3. After he "left", they went 8-13-1. I don't think this is a coincidence. The guy was extremely important as a steady 3C, best face-off man, defensively sound. They are totally missing a guy like that.

They had a .566 P% when he left. With that, they'd be on a wild card spot right now.

Fitz to do list:

Coach
Starting goalie
3C (@My3Sons intensifies)
Top 6 LW
LHD upgrade
Better bottom 6 wingers


Lots to do

 

[HoliksGhost]

One other thing: With McLeod in the lineup, they were 24-18-3. After he "left", they went 8-13-1. I don't think this is a coincidence. The guy was extremely important as a steady 3C, best face-off man, defensively sound. They are totally missing a guy like that.

They had a .566 P% when he left. With that, they'd be on a wild card spot right now.

Speed

 

[Jersey Fresh]

There’s definitely a lot hinging on the coaching search this offseason. The only word on the board needs to be “accountability”. Get a guy will I still discipline with *every* player on the ice and start from there. Maybe this squad isn’t as “talented” as thought coming into the season, but that doesn’t make this team‘s main issue talent.

If Fitz f***s up the coach pick we basically have to start over again in ‘25-26. New GM and likely big-time roster turnover.