GDT: We're Here: Your New Jersey Devils @ Philadelphia Flyers, 7 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[Bleedred]

Wonder how much longer people going to blame the goaltending.

Maybe until it gets significantly better than barely above .890% for 56 games? Blackwood says hello.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

How can you like Fitz giving Palat that giant ass contract? When we will be ready to compete he will be washed up and an anchor of a contract.

You have no clue whatsoever how good Palat will be in 2-4 years. I’m much more worried about the 9m we are paying Hamilton over the next 6 years than that. There would also be a lot more risk to us paying Gaudreau close to 10m a year for the next 7 years. Both of those could/would be a significantly bigger anchor for longer.

There’s definitely some risk with the Palat deal in the later years but he fills a need, makes the team better now and we could certainly do worse contract wise than paying him 6m for 5 years. Let’s hope he succeeds and ages well. Caps gonna go up lots as well.

 

[Devs3cups]

Man 85 pages for a GDT is crazy. Through all the pain I love this place.

 

[Devils090]

Man 85 pages for a GDT is crazy. Through all the pain I love this place.

It’ll down to its usual 20-25 by December

 

[guitarguyvic]

This organization has been a tire fire for a decade minus one season where Hall went god mode, and every season seems to be worse than the one before it which is almost impossible to imagine. The owners don’t seem like they mettle and they put money into the club, but their underlings in the organization are all morons. Hugh Weber was an idiot and this Reynolds clown seems even worse. Fitz had a lot of respect around the league and was thought to be a good replacement for Shero but his hiring of Ruff was such a disgrace and the fact he got brought back for a 3rd year is beyond comprehension. And yeah his first season we got ravaged by Covid, last year it was the goalies but guess what, all the breakdowns, lack of awareness in our zone, etc etc never has changed. There has been no growth in our team game, and tonight was just more of the same garbage hockey we’ve sat through under this clown.

I think GROWTH is a really key thing here. Individually the only somewhat decent examples we have are maybe Bratt and Jack, and so far that's been mostly just from a production standpoint. Nico has basically been the same player for several years now. Nothing else notable I can think of from an individual standpoint. That's not enough for a team that's been drafting as high as we have. From a team standpoint there's literally been none. ZERO. If anything the team looks more disjointed every year, and it's certainly reflected in the standings.

The roster has evolved in terms of who's on it...but from a culture standpoint it's just been status quo... it all just comes across as very laissez-faire. The same can't be said for the marketing department and how invested they seem in superficial hype. That's not the kind of combination that's going to instill positive feelings about the leadership and commitment to winning.

 

[nugg]

So you be eating dry ass bread and ham for a quick lunch?

Mind blown.

Mayonnaise works for me.

 

[guitarguyvic]

How can you like Fitz giving Palat that giant ass contract? When we will be ready to compete he will be washed up and an anchor of a contract.

I don't think it's all that relevant...mostly because it assumes we will be ready to compete within that timeframe.

I'd be happy to have that problem because it means we don't suck anymore.

 

[megajake]

I really wish we got Matty. We need a player like him so bad

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[Camille the Eel]

I think GROWTH is a really key thing here. Individually the only somewhat decent examples we have are maybe Bratt and Jack, and so far that's been mostly just from a production standpoint. Nico has basically been the same player for several years now. Nothing else notable I can think of from an individual standpoint. That's not enough for a team that's been drafting as high as we have. From a team standpoint there's literally been none. ZERO. If anything the team looks more disjointed every year, and it's certainly reflected in the standings.

The roster has evolved in terms of who's on it...but from a culture standpoint it's just been status quo... it all just comes across as very laissez-faire. The same can't be said for the marketing department and how invested they seem in superficial hype. That's not the kind of combination that's going to instill positive feelings about the leadership and commitment to winning.

I fear from a ptsd standpoint that you may be hitting the nail on the head. But really we need to get more games into the season to see how this is settling out. I am hoping this year is going to be different.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Sure goaltending isn't perfect, but we are getting bullied every single year on the ice. Guys just skate over and mow us to the ground. The team is way too soft.

If you think they lost tonight because they were too soft, hockey might not be for you homie

 

[guitarguyvic]

I fear from a ptsd standpoint that you may be hitting the nail on the head. But really we need to get more games into the season to see how this is settling out. I am hoping this year is going to be different.

It's just ugly.

I want to fall in love with this team and franchise again. I really do. I want them to make me look like an absolute bozo for saying these things and feeling this way. I will gladly accept being ridiculed on this board if the reward is a winning team and players I can feel confident about rooting for. But they make it painfully difficult, and I don't know how to pretend otherwise.

 

[MadDevil]

Too early?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

View attachment 593868


Too early?

Nah, that was the equivalent of that loss in Buffalo to start off 2019. It literally had the same vibes.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I don't want ot see blackwood until vanecek blows one or we have a back to back

 

[Bleedred]

A goal that never should have gotten into the back of the net, scored against a worthless trash pale goalie that never should have gotten into the net.

#BlameRuff

 

[Bleedred]

I don't want ot see blackwood until vanecek blows one or we have a back to back

I don’t want to see him in until Vanecek blows a bunch or we have a back to back.

Blackwood has literally had 5 regular season games in a row like this. And by games like this I mean games where he’s allowed at least 4 or more goals.

And it gets even worse when you go further down the game logs from last year. This is the fifth game out of his last 6 regular season games where he’s allowed 4 or more goals. And 9 of his last 12 games in the regular season he’s allowed 4 or more goals. And only 1 of those 12 games did he allow fewer than 3 goals.

Oh, and he’s only stopped more than 90% of the shots in one of those 12 games and he’s only stopped exactly 90% or better in just 2 of those 12 games.

Enough is enough is enough.

 

[The Joker]

Blackwood was bad, yes. The whole team played like dogshit though. This system is just so bad, it absolutely boggles my mind why we still employ it.

Playing Bratt 16 minutes while Tatar played 20 minutes is a fireable offense. There were a lot of coaching options this offseason and we held on to Ruff for whatever reason. Leash should be short for Fitz as well.

 

[TBF1972]

 

[bossram]

Blackwood was bad, yes. The whole team played like dogshit though. This system is just so bad, it absolutely boggles my mind why we still employ it.

Playing Bratt 16 minutes while Tatar played 20 minutes is a fireable offense. There were a lot of coaching options this offseason and we held on to Ruff for whatever reason. Leash should be short for Fitz as well.

Maybe if they start something like 0-4-1 it's enough to just get Ruff fired off the bat. And would be for the best to get it out of the way early with enough runway to still make the playoffs.

 

[markog]

So they lost to the AHL Flyers and this place is nuts - I told you so. What will happen with these place If they lose tomorrow to a Detroit team who will be on a back end of back to back to start the season..

 

[NjDevsRR]

Holy shit people, its game #1

 

[Guadana]

Same goes for sacking Ruff. Get rid, guy is an absolute dinosaur.

We hired Brunette, let him take over. The amount of leeway that Lindy Fluff has had over the last few years is insane to me.

He was hired as a "steadying presence who can develop youth". Great, they're developed. Now we need a modern coach with recent history of success. He's right there on the bench Fitz.

They told Ruff is a good development coach. Easily can believe
But as I understand team us trying to make new step. Palat, Marino, Vanecek and Haula don't need more development.

So I agree. For changing direction you need to change your directioner. Everybody understood that Brunette hiring wasn't only for changing PP. I don't think its time to blow minds, but I don't want to wait two months. Hope Fitz will make right decision if team will lose most of the next 10 games.

 

[Japam]

I have to keep reminding myself the rules say "no tank talk".

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I have to keep reminding myself the rules say "no tank talk".

Pretty sad to have those thoughts after one game, but also completely understandable. That was so eerily similar to the last several seasons. Looks like absolutely nothing has changed.