GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (19-13-2, 40 Pts) @ Boston Bruins, (20-7-6, 40 Pts), 7 PM, MSGSN

[Emperoreddy]

He left his 5 hole wide open in his last game for trying and failing a poke check.

 

[Devs3cups]

The game started well. They f***ing choked. Wanted this one so bad to end the year. f***ing hell.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think we all knew our defensive play was going to be a little worse this year with the loss of Severson and Graves, but overall Nemec and Luke have been more than serviceable out there.

I just find it hilarious that some fans of this franchise want to put more of the blame on the D than goalie when our so-called #1 has a S% of around .880. League-wide S% is .903, basically Jake Allen and tied for 26th in S%. Vitek has played in 23 games so far and all the guys below him in S% have played a lot less. There is no reason to be giving him the bulk of the starts, especially when Schmid had a S% 15 points higher.

League average goaltending and we are in 2nd in the Metro. If we had .910 or above (top 18 in the NHL) we would be competing for 1st.

We don't need elite goaltending, just slightly above average and someone that isn't a rebound machine and always out of position.

And for the love of al things hockey, can we fix the complicated play in our own zone?

With Vitek it's the positioning and the jumping out of position. The rebounds are bad but I think what is killing him (and our team) is the moves he makes to put his positioning in even worse shape, angle wise.

I don't know if that is him or goalie coach or just him being not confident and he normally wouldn't be so slidey. Or maybe all 3.

 

[Emperoreddy]

With Vitek it's the positioning and the jumping out of position. The rebounds are bad but I think what is killing him (and our team) is the moves he makes to put his positioning in even worse shape, angle wise.

I don't know if that is him or goalie coach or just him being not confident and he normally wouldn't be so slidey. Or maybe all 3.

I feel like he knows how slow he is moving and is trying to get ahead of it and just making it worse.

 

[Bleedred]

The problem is Vitek making his move way too early which is giving the shooter ample time. He is guessing out there. That’s not good folks

That shows a lack of confidence.

Even when he looks good and makes saves, he doesn't really look good.

Even the team plays the best game they could possibly play this year, he still allows 2 goals. He allowed 1 goal once this year and the 2023 part of the year is now over. That was actually the Bruins not too long ago.

He's irredeemable here after the playoffs last year.

I still think his best game of the year was the season opener.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

A goalie trade has to happen. I’ve narrowed it down to two. Gibson or Markstrom. Who would we prefer? I don’t think Jake Allen is an option. He has barely played for Montreal lately.

Gibson is having the better season, but he has an extra year on his contract.

Both Anaheim and Calgary will ask for Alex Holtz as part of the return with Vitek and I’m actually fine with that. I’ve come to realize that Holtz and Ruff is never going to work. He is being wasted on the 4th line. Let’s get an upgrade in goal and perhaps another player in the deal.

I’ll be happy with an Adam Henrique return. He can play both wing and center and can PK. He is good for 20 goals.

For Calgary, Noah Hanifin is appealing as a rental but I think he has more value and Calgary asks for more than just Holtz. Maybe if Bahl is part of the deal. Hanifin’s arrival is likely to push Bahl out of the lineup. We may need to add a draft pick too.

 

[JK3]

Gotta put this on Fitz eventually, he hasn’t been able to solve this issue. He’s been dumpster diving for while with goalies.

What did we give up for VV a 2nd or something? Good backup or platoon guy but expecting him to be 1A and play a bunch of games is a bit much.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I came upstairs to clean my face for 2 minutes and it 5-2!?? What the hell!?!

looks like espn was right after all

 

[Devs3cups]

The "It's on Fitz" thing is funny to me. There are literally no concrete solutions for the goaltending. There's 4-5 elite guys (that aren't moving) the rest is mid garbage. I'm sure people would be thrilled if Fitz threw away assets for another mid goalie.

The goaltending market is absolutely f***ed right now, many teams are desperate, so the prices are very high. I'm confident this issue will get fixed, I just don't know if it's going to happen this season.

 

[Incharge1976]

One of Ruff's problems that he CAN control is he's excessively hitched his wagon to Vitek. Vitek's November was absolutely abhorrent, while Schmid's was solid and yet Vitek played more games than not.

He throws Vitek in there for games that we thought maybe he wouldn't even play, like the Detroit game (the November one I mean) and then the Rangers game, where he was literally the difference in a close game.

Doesn't he know he doesn't have Hasek anymore?

I think that's my biggest issue with Ruff. At some point you need to stop giving the guy with one of the worst S% in the league 70% of the games.

 

[njdevils1982]

A goalie trade has to happen. I’ve narrowed it down to two. Gibson or Markstrom. Who would we prefer? I don’t think Jake Allen is an option. He has barely played for Montreal lately.

Gibson is having the better season, but he has an extra year on his contract.

Both Anaheim and Calgary will ask for Alex Holtz as part of the return with Vitek and I’m actually fine with that. I’ve come to realize that Holtz and Ruff is never going to work. He is being wasted on the 4th line. Let’s get an upgrade in goal and perhaps another player in the deal.

I’ll be happy with an Adam Henrique return. He can play both wing and center and can PK. He is good for 20 goals.

For Calgary, Noah Hanifin is appealing as a rental but I think he has more value and Calgary asks for more than just Holtz. Maybe if Bahl is part of the deal. Hanifin’s arrival is likely to push Bahl out of the lineup. We may need to add a draft pick too.

3 years of gibson 6.4....pass

and i think markstrom is injured...and has like you said....one less year (at 6)

i dont think either should be a go

 

[Bleedred]

We don't need to really get a goalie, not yet IMO.

We just need to stop playing Vitek so much.

I been saying it for close to 2 months now.

How about f***in try that first before anything? Huh?

My hope is Schmid kicks ass in Utica for a bit and we waive Vitek. Who cares if he gets picked up? He probably won't be.

But if he does who cares? The season may be lost even with him and we don't need or want him here next year anyway. They did us a favor if he's claimed. I don't think he will be though. He's got a year left at too much money.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Daws/Schmid will be the future. I feel it in my plums, as they say.

 

[Bleedred]

Daws/Schmid will be the future. I feel it in my plums, as they say.

I'd be elated if that future was like uhhh next month haha.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

One of Ruff's problems that he CAN control is he's excessively hitched his wagon to Vitek. Vitek's November was absolutely abhorrent, while Schmid's was solid and yet Vitek played more games than not.

He throws Vitek in there for games that we thought maybe he wouldn't even play, like the Detroit game (the November one I mean) and then the Rangers game, where he was literally the difference in a close game.

Doesn't he know he doesn't have Hasek anymore?

You really think Fitz/Marty do not have input on the goalies? What do you think Lindy and Fitz discuss? What they bought their wives for Christmas?

 

[Japam]

Timo can't play right away after the trade because of an undisclosed injury (rumors made it sound like an abdominal issue), comes to NJ, gets hit in the head in the playoffs, gets an injury this season that has him skating like shit and the team still plays him, gets hit up high last night, gets hit and holds his abdominal area today and doesn't return and no update on his status.

Great signing! Him and Nolan Patrick can be video consultants together.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Lou Malnatis or Giodarnos?

Haha I am guessing these are actual Chicago deep dish places? And sadly, the game is in Jersey for one, and two, never gotten to go to Chicago! I’m hoping to make it out there in the next year or two. Wife got to go last year for a bachelorette party and raved about it.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Timo can't play right away after the trade because of an undisclosed injury (rumors made it sound like an abdominal issue), comes to NJ, gets hit in the head in the playoffs, gets an injury this season that has him skating like shit and the team still plays him, gets hit up high last night, gets hit and holds his abdominal area today and doesn't return and no update on his status.

Great signing! Him and Nolan Patrick can be video consultants together.

Another odd Timo take

Wildn

 

[MB3]

We don't need to really get a goalie, not yet IMO.

We just need to stop playing Vitek so much.

I been saying it for close to 2 months now.

How about f***in try that first before anything? Huh?

My hope is Schmid kicks ass in Utica for a bit and we waive Vitek. Who cares if he gets picked up? He probably won't be.

But if he does who cares? The season may be lost even with him and we don't need or want him here next year anyway. They did us a favor if he's claimed. I don't think he will be though. He's got a year left at too much money.

So you would’ve thrown Daws out there tonight? Back to back road games in different cities for a guy who’s played 1 NHL game since a major surgery?

 

[njdevils1982]

I'd be elated if that future was like uhhh next month haha.

oh, we got a wise guy in here huh

 

[NjDevsRR]

the game is in Jersey

Oh yeah duh, im going to it lmao

 

[Incharge1976]

Gotta put this on Fitz eventually, he hasn’t been able to solve this issue. He’s been dumpster diving for while with goalies.

What did we give up for VV a 2nd or something? Good backup or platoon guy but expecting him to be 1A and play a bunch of games is a bit much.

I don't think so. I think Fitz like everyone else here was very surprised with last year. I think it sped up everyone's expectations but we aren't really Cup ready. Who knows what other teams want for goalies? Maybe it's going to gut our team or hurt our cap situation. I'm willing to give Fitz until the NEXT trade deadline to figure it out.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Timo can't play right away after the trade because of an undisclosed injury (rumors made it sound like an abdominal issue), comes to NJ, gets hit in the head in the playoffs, gets an injury this season that has him skating like shit and the team still plays him, gets hit up high last night, gets hit and holds his abdominal area today and doesn't return and no update on his status.

Great signing! Him and Nolan Patrick can be video consultants together.

 

[Bleedred]

You really think Fitz/Marty do not have input on the goalies? What do you think Lindy and Fitz discuss? What they bought their wives for Christmas?

They may

And I don't trust them either. Marty is the one who hired this despicable, worthless goalie coach. He fired a GOOD goalie coach to bring his own guy in. And his own guy STINKS. He's been a FAILURE to this point. He needs to go as bad as anybody.

But I will say this much.

It's funny how Minnesota was making Fleury happen and going out of their way to play him so much last year AND to start this year, despite Gustavsson being so much better. In fact, people SWORE all the Fleury stuff was coming from Guerin upstairs.

Then what happened when Evason got fired? Hynes came in and stopped playing Fleury, other than in back to backs and very sparingly otherwise. When Gustavsson had a bad game, it wasn't back to Fleury next game like it had been with Evason. Or even when Gustavsson didn't have bad games last year, Fleury would always find himself back in there.

Now it could be coming from Fitz to watch how much we play Schmid for waiver purposes. I'm sure that's something that Ruff and the staff were told to keep an eye on and something the management team was monitoring for them.

 

[NJDevs26]

Comparing Timo to Nolan Patrick is quite the take...the injuries (and the fact they constantly run him out there when he isn't healthy) ARE concerning but that's like comparing Marty after a couple of bad games to Vitek now.