GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (17-13-2, 36 Pts) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (11-18-6, 28 Pts), 7 PM, MSGSN2

[Devils731]

That said, to me it's not always even effort. A lot of times it looks like they are working super hard, but just wasting all the effort with bad plays or trying to make up for poor positioning or something.

That’s the frustrating part of how the Devils play. In some ways, the harder they try the most the system hurts them.

At times, they’ll run around for an entire shift just constantly behind the puck and opposing players. One of the Columbus goals tonight was like that.

Last game Mercer had an insane sequence where he skated from the boards in one corner, hustled to the boards of the opposite point, and then hustled to the boards of the opposite half way. He did all that skating and never affected the play defensively on any way; he literally could have just stayed in the original corner and done almost as much.

Players have to feel that so how do you stay motivated to hustle like that when it doesn’t reward you?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I'm been saying Luke needs to do that more, especially on the PP. I get they want to drop it back off to Jack but they should try to catch teams with their guard down.

They have done it a bit this year tbf, I can remember a few scoring chances coming from Luke. He's also done it 5v5 a bit this year too.

 

[vtdevils2k]

View attachment 791302

Look at Jack being a miserable team cancer here. He just doesn’t care.

#nepotism right there...only reason we took him!

 

[PWiz30]

There are character wins and then there are character issues wins. That was the latter.

 

[Blackjack]

Yes but, just making a "grilled" cheese in the microwave.

Vitek cooking

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[mdj12784]

Timo scoring on a BREAKAWAY was on noone's bingo card lol

 

[devilsblood]

I don’t bitch much about coaching but I was actually fuming when BJs tilted the ice against the Hughes line, and we were running around, and then Ruff put out the garbage 4th line next (Smith-Haula-Bastian).

Smith isn’t a forward, Haula isn’t a defensive center and Bastian isn’t playing well. The line was awful and I knew they were going to get scored on during that shift.

And “he was rolling all 4th lines” isn’t an excuse because that line never happened again after that.

Just skip them and put out something better to turn the tide.

Meh, most here have been fine with Smith as a fwd, Haula is a pretty good defensive center, and Bastian was playing quite well a week ago when it was Lazar McLeod Bastian together.

And then it never happened again, so Ruff did learn a lesson.

 

[Omar Little]

They missed at least 3 point blank tap ins. They should have had more goals. Some stick squeezing and bad luck there. It was impossibly frustrating live, getting that 2nd goal was like getting blood from a stone.

The 4th line and Siegenthaler cost us. Vanecek was skating gingerly during the Detroit game so this the second time he’s looked gimpy.

In general the PP needs to get going again. Also there’s times when we have possession in the offensive zone for a good chunk of time and don’t generate enough out of it. We just skate around and play keep away.

Also the potential problem of a Meier-McLeod-Mercer line is it puts both greasy goal/go to the crease guys on one line and we have very few of those types of players.

Haula-Hughes-Mercer
Bratt-Hischier-Toffoli
Palat-McLeod-Meier
Lazar-Nosek-Holtz

 

[Better Call Sal]

I'm so glad we disregarded that character recon that was done.

 

[Devils731]

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Vitek cooking

Chef Macgiver!

 

[Better Call Sal]

I'm not gonna lie, I miss Sevy a lot.

 

[My3Sons]

Niedermayer was always who Luke reminded me of, although Luke is way less polished defensively right now. The minute I started watching tape on Luke before his draft year, Nieds was the obvious comp based on skating and fluidity alone.

It's very rare for any player to have that level of ability. The skating is also a cheat code defensively because it allows Luke to easily recover when he makes mistakes and gets caught behind the play.

And to think that there was a significant contingent pushing for Brandt Clarke instead. Really nice player in his own right and not a slight on him whatsoever, but come on..

Luke is wonderful and oozes talent. But Niedermayer was on the highest level. He skated like few others and could play in an era when guys could stab you knee you punch you and kick you with impunity. And he was great defensively. Luke has a ways to go to match him as promising as he is already

 

[devilsblood]

I'm been saying Luke needs to do that more, especially on the PP. I get they want to drop it back off to Jack but they should try to catch teams with their guard down.

I know this seems counter to playing good hockey, but on the PP in general, when it get's in these rut's, I'd let Jack and Luke skate more with the puck, be less station to station, by the book with the passing. Skate and create.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I know this seems counter to playing good hockey, but on the PP in general, when it get's in these rut's, I'd let Jack and Luke skate more with the puck, be less station to station, by the book with the passing. Skate and create.

This. They were too static on the PP tonight

 

[devilsblood]

Luke is wonderful and oozes talent. But Niedermayer was on the highest level. He skated like few others and could play in an era when guys could stab you knew you punch you and kick you with impunity. And he was great defensively. Luke has a ways to go to match him as promising as he is already

Offensively though, I think he is pretty similar at a similar age. Skating, he's not far off either.

I also think we may over rate his defense early on. He was playing with great partners on a team that focused on D. It does make life easier for a young d-man.

That said, I won't argue Luke is on par with young Nied's defensively.

 

[Blackjack]

Luke is wonderful and oozes talent. But Niedermayer was on the highest level. He skated like few others and could play in an era when guys could stab you knee you punch you and kick you with impunity. And he was great defensively. Luke has a ways to go to match him as promising as he is already

Scott was way better for Anaheim than he was for us. I think Luke will easily pass NJ Niedermayer.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nemec with another veery solid game tonight. Just so poised and calm. I just love his game.

 

[Billdo]

I'm not gonna lie, I miss Sevy a lot.

Amen. I'm a huge fan. Even met him, Zajac, and Cammalleri at a signing in Point Pleasant a few years back. He was a funny guy there.

 

[devilsblood]

Scott was way better for Anaheim than he was for us. I think Luke will easily pass NJ Niedermayer.

Nied's felt stymied offensively in NJ.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Timo must be close to 100 percent they said the injury effected his skating but he went from dot to dot in overtime without getting caught

He looked like a man on the mission. Half the folks were standing in the arena as he was breaking down the center.

He looks about like 90% now. Faster. More aggressive with the puck and playing the body.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

This. They were too static on the PP tonight

They miss Dougie's shot there, everyone funnels to Jack and makes him pass first and no one has the confidence to shoot who's playing PP1 right now. Might have to pull Luke from there and put Nemec to give it a different look.

 

[NjDevsRR]

They miss Dougie's shot there, everyone funnels to Jack and makes him pass first and no one has the confidence to shoot who's playing PP1 right now. Might have to pull Luke from there and put Nemec to give it a different look.

Dougie wasn’t on PP1 though. So they were generating without him there but teams caught on. But I do agree, they need a bigger shot on PP1

 

[Better Call Sal]

I can't get gifs to work, so ignore this lol.