GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (26-15-5, 57 Pts) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (27-16-2, 56 Pts), 7 PM, MSGSN2

[Devs3cups]

Dillon and Hamilton aren't cutting it right now, and haven't in a while.

I don't even know how that'd work, but I'd take Nemec for a few games over Dougie right now. I never feel confident when he's on the ice.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

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Trade them and Mercer for the love of god. Ton cap space to get rid of lol.

It's also shit to keep losing to the leafs and being swept by them in a season series. It's a joke frankly.

Also, this team is hot ass in OT.

They lost 2 games in a format that is literally rope a dope contest, one game where they completely waxed them and still lost.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Keefe's demeanor in the postgame was very positive. Disappointed in the final decisions in OT and in giving Matthews that shot on the game tying goal, even if it was from the outside and a short side shot, but overall had a lot of positives to take out of the game.

He's been pretty blunt about bad performances to the media, so I think him spinning this one positively tells you all you need to know.

 

[JimEIV]

Anyone inclined to the litany of excuses over the last few weeks, can always fine one.

It's only been 10 games since the break. They won 3, loss 3 in OT and straight out lost 4...

3-4-3 9 points in the last 10 games isn't "the sky is falling"... it's just a rough patch.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

They are a contender for the Stanley Cup. Not even a close call, really. The people paid to make these assessments have 3 teams with better odds of winning it all than us (+900). In the entire league. And one of them is our likely 1st round opponent (+850).

Every team has flaws. Most have more than us.

They were also -500 ish to miss the playoffs last year and look what happened. Vegas odds don't mean shit, lol

 

[guitarguyvic]

I'm sure you were calling them a cup contender after the Rags win before break. They're still banking points while playing like shit and down a step. Why do you think this is their final form but ignore what they've done as a resume for the whole year?

What are you talking about? I'm literally pointing out that they have been merely average 5v5 ALL SEASON. So yeah I think this team was getting over-rated before this stretch, and now we are making excuses for a why a poor stretch is lasting this long.

What other contending team has been merely ok 5v5 all season and then gone into a multiple weeks long funk? Florida is the only one I can think of, and yeah people consider them contenders just because they won last year but I'm not buying into them either just because of that...they lost key pieces from that Cup team, they very well may not be good enough to actually go far this year.

 

[Devs3cups]

I feel very bad for Keefe. They should've won this game in regulation.

 

[RNCDevil]

I want to scream after this game.

The third and fourth lines are bringing ZERO. They are not sabotaging the Devils, but the gap between the top 6 and the bottom 6 is gigantic. Bastian, Dowling, Tatar, injured-Haula, Lazar, McDermid, probably in that order are just not cutting it. I know most bottom 6's are not great, but it's been like 3 months since most of these dudes have done anything. Lazar's post-injury honeymoon is over. They stink.

The plodding defense (mentally and physically) from Dougie, Kovacevic (feels like he's hitting a wall), Dillon is not helping relieve pressure AT ALL.

I'm up for seeing some new pairings and seeing what Nemec could do. The games are not even attractive anymore. Without Bratt/Hughes hero hockey and Nico's crazy possession game, it feels like the team cannot do a thing.

As positive as I was after the Panthers, I'm as disappointed after this one because the defense looked bad to me.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m really low on this team right now.

And not because they lost this game, but because all the bullshit on the trip out of Christmas put them in not a great position for something like this to happen. Not one point in California, despite two of three shittiest teams in the entire league.

I’m so mad over it I don’t even wanna talk on the phone to my friend right now. I’m absolutely insufferable.

If they don’t string some wins together (not OT losses) over the next 3-4 games we really could be looking at the wild cards up our ass.

And that’s with a pretty healthy team this year. If they didn’t f*** up that road trip when everybody was healthy and not sick then we would have margin for error when everyone was sick.

I’m really dejected over this.

I quit my walk early. I’m so disgusted.

 

[NjDevsRR]

If the team was at full strength you’d hear a very candid Keefe in this presser as he always calls out bad play. He is not. He is pointing out the positives and glossing over the bad play.

Thats just another obvious clue as to what the current state of the locker room is. The boys are not at full strength. Credit to the group for grinding out these 7 out of 10 pts.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

They were also -500 ish to miss the playoffs last year and look what happened. Vegas odds don't mean shit, lol

It took a number of horrendous things happening to miss the playoffs. Those odds sound about right. Edmonton currently has best odds to win it all. If McDavid breaks his leg tomorrow, that doesn’t mean the odds were wrong or didn’t mean anything. Shit happens.

Regardless, clearly a contender. Look at the teams in the conference.

 

[Hisch13r]

Dillon and Hamilton isn't cutting it right now, and haven't in a while.

I don't even know how that'd work, but I'd take Nemec for a few games over Dougie right now. I never feel confident when he's on the ice.

That pair catches too much shit for their overall play and that's coming from someone who is incredibly annoyed by both of them. When they're bad they're BAD but since the break they have a 58% xG and are up 7-4 in goals. The Luke-Pesce pairing has been bad with Siegs-Kovy treading water.

13 mil for a 3rd pair is f***ing absurd but they are still a very net positive 3rd pair. Since Luke-Pesce came back and they've been slotted as the 3rd pair they're up 26-17 in goals with a 60.5% GF which leads the team and a 55.5% xG

I feel very bad for Keefe. They should've won this game in regulation.

They found a way to lose both of these Leafs games.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Dillon and Hamilton aren't cutting it right now, and haven't in a while.

I don't even know how that'd work, but I'd take Nemec for a few games over Dougie right now. I never feel confident when he's on the ice.

They have those WTF moments that pisses us all off lol. But they actually been OK in my books lately

Edit: @Hisch13r already covered it

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

What are you talking about? I'm literally pointing out that they have been merely average 5v5 ALL SEASON. So yeah I think this team was getting over-rated before this stretch, and now we are making excuses for a why a poor stretch is lasting this long.

What other contending team has been merely ok 5v5 all season and then gone into a multiple weeks long funk? Florida is the only one I can think of, and yeah people consider them contenders just because they won last year but I'm not buying into them either just because of that...they lost key pieces from that Cup team, they very well may not be good enough to actually go far this year.

Calling them average 5v5 when they sit in decent stats in xGF/CF, just honestly say you're not used to a full 82 game season and it'll be understandable where your takes come from. They suck ass at finishing which will be addressed at the deadline. But calling them mid at 5v5 because of a 2 week stretch is beyond f***ing laughable

 

[Zippy316]

This lineup so far is giving shades of 2011-12 when the production of Parise-Henrique -Kovalchuk and Sykora-Elias-Zubrus with the frequent third line goal from Clarkson was carrying this team.

We desperately need some production from the bottom six. Right now these guys are playing hard and not actively hurting the team, but an occasional goal here or there is much needed.

 

[Devs3cups]

What are you talking about? I'm literally pointing out that they have been merely average 5v5 ALL SEASON. So yeah I think this team was getting over-rated before this stretch, and now we are making excuses for a why a poor stretch is lasting this long.

What other contending team has been merely ok 5v5 all season and then gone into a multiple weeks long funk? Florida is the only one I can think of, and yeah people consider them contenders just because they won last year but I'm not buying into them either just because of that...they lost key pieces from that Cup team, they very well may not be good enough to actually go far this year.

Was curious so I went and looked, but since the break they have more 5v5 goals than the Avalanche, the Lightning, the Panthers and the Kings who are all pretty solid teams.

On the season they're 12th in 5v5 GF (16th in 5v5 GF/60), they have more than MIN, FLA, LA and COL.

Btw, I also think they're not playing their best 5v5 (or at least finishing, their xGF% is awesome, which suggests good play), so I'm not totally disagreeing with you at all, quite the contrary. I was just curious lol. I'll say though I think they have another gear 5v5 and I think the finishing goes up a bit soon.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

They are a contender for the Stanley Cup. Not even a close call, really. The people paid to make these assessments have 3 teams with better odds of winning it all than us (+900). In the entire league. And one of them is our likely 1st round opponent (+850).

Every team has flaws. Most have more than us.

Nothing beats experience in the playoffs. I don't see them winning until they see it a few times

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

It took a number of horrendous things happening to miss the playoffs. Those odds sound about right. Edmonton currently has best odds to win it all. If McDavid breaks his leg tomorrow, that doesn’t mean the odds were wrong or didn’t mean anything. Shit happens.

Regardless, clearly a contender. Look at the teams in the conference.

Again, the Vegas odds isn't the argument people are gonna be moved by if they aren't already was my point. Better argument tonight would be the Avs pasting the Oilers 3-0, they're not a bad team but shit happens nightly in this league lol.

 

[NjDevsRR]

This lineup so far is giving shades of 2011-12 when the production of Parise-Henrique -Kovalchuk and Sykora-Elias-Zubrus with the frequent third line goal from Clarkson was carrying this team.

We desperately need some production from the bottom six. Right now these guys are playing hard and not actively hurting the team, but an occasional goal here or there is much needed.

Who will be our Poni and CBGB acquisitions

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Was curious so I went and looked, but since the break they have more 5v5 goals than the Avalanche, the Lightning, the Panthers and the Kings who are all pretty solid teams.

On the season they're 12th in 5v5 GF (16th in 5v5 GF/60), they have more than MIN, FLA, LA and COL.

Btw, I also think they're not playing their best 5v5 (or at least finishing, their xGF% is awesome, which suggests good play), so I'm not totally disagreeing with you at all, quite the contrary. I was just curious lol. I'll say though I think they have another gear 5v5 and I think the finishing goes up a bit soon.

NST has them in higher in those specific categories too

 

[Devs3cups]

This lineup so far is giving shades of 2011-12 when the production of Parise-Henrique -Kovalchuk and Sykora-Elias-Zubrus with the frequent third line goal from Clarkson was carrying this team.

We desperately need some production from the bottom six. Right now these guys are playing hard and not actively hurting the team, but an occasional goal here or there is much needed.

100%. That Bastian breakaway right after our 2nd goal pissed me off, that would've made it 3-1 and probably would've been game.

 

[NjDevsRR]

And to be frank. Besides Caps, the divisional playoff teams in the east are going through similar shit. Thats why you are seeing these hot streaks from DET CBJ and MTL.

I think things stabilize shortly. I always say the most random and hectic months of a season are October and after the holidays in January. Every season we see some weird stuff going on league wide

 

[Devs3cups]

NST has them in higher in those specific categories too

I was looking at NST for those stats.

 

[Hisch13r]

Who will be our Poni and CBGB acquisitions

In terms of style Noesen's already the Poni but yeah they need 3rd line help bad. They really need 2 guys but will likely only be able to get one. It better not be Evans. You get the CBGB through 3rd line acquisitions that bump down Cotter and hope the 4th line gives you a miracle run like CBGB did