GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (7-5-1, 15 Pts, 4th in Metropolitan) vs. Winnipeg Jets (7-5-2, 16 Pts, 3rd in Central), 8 PM, MSGSN

[Emperoreddy]

I understand the comparison, but it's really not the same. At no point in that stretch did they look this inept outside the offensive zone. I recall that time vividly...there were some bad games mixed in with some decent and good ones where they just weren't getting breaks. That is not what is happening right now.

They weren't missing this many key bodies either. We were largely very healthy last year.

 

[Xirik]

Do I wish this team showed more with Nico and Jack out? Yes, Especially after giving out some big contract to some people not named nico or Jack.

However I do know this team will get a lot better once those two return.

 

[guitarguyvic]

They weren't missing this many key bodies either. We were largely very healthy last year.

Understood but they have not played well outside the offensive zone in a single game this year.

They have been a bottom 5 defensive team all season, it didn't start with the injuries a few games ago.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m gonna play Devils advocate to the Blackwood stuff.

Completely ignoring my belief that #MBWITWGITNHL (he’s close, when counting full timers, but now there’s more AHL vets than ever in full time roles and one had a shutout tonight), we shouldn’t be paying over $2 million a year for Blackwood.

I’d rather pay Schmid under a million a year to put up the same numbers Blackwood has the last three years than paying Blackwood over $2 million.

I constantly talked about this last year. Blackwood needed to go if not for cap reasons. He could be replaced by someone getting paid about league minimum.

The Sharks don’t mind paying him that much. They’re more bummed about having to pay Vlasic’s urn $8 million.

 

[JimEIV]

you also have not been watching then.

I've been watching...we got the party hats and noise makers out in my house when he scored his 20th career goal against Florida last month.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Do I wish this team showed more with Nico and Jack out? Yes, Especially after giving out some big contract to some people not named nico or Jack.

However I do know this team will get a lot better once those two return.

Some players are really really really good, but still can't drive the bus.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I dunno, I feel like last year was pretty good evidence.

Or maybe it was just a season where everything went right. Not to mention that it's not the exact same team roster wise. I mean everyone loves blaming the goaltending...if last year was the outlier career year for them, maybe they were masking a lot of these issues and now that they are back to being bleh we see that this team is not good enough defensively to mitigate it.

IDK but this doesn't resemble last year's team at all to me, not even when they were slumping. This resembles the 21-22 team, just with more offensive firepower.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Understood but they have not played well outside the offensive zone in a single game this year.

They have been a bottom 5 defensive team all season, it didn't start with the injuries a few games ago.

Those warts weren't as bad at full health if for no other reason we had the puck more thanks to Jack.

I agree it does need to be fixed but I think we do have time to smooth that shit out and still win games in the meantime.

 

[njdevils1982]

Damn, even Novo is getting in on the party lol

sure as f*** not a party i would attend

 

[Bleedred]

Is Kinkaid on loan to Chicago or something? Why is he being talked about here?

Seriously though, could we possibly give Poulter a run? Not that I think it would help much, but just to let Schmid clear his head.


I dunno, I feel like last year was pretty good evidence.

Chicago has no NHL affiliate. It used to be Carolina and apparently Carolina has been using them as a farm team again, but I don’t think they’re officially affiliated again.

But we can call up Kinkaid to play in the NHL if we had to. My guess is it would take an injury for that to happen.

He was signed by Chicago of the AHL first, but we signed him towards the end of the offseason. So when he’s not on our NHL roster he’ll go to Chicago and not Utica.

 

[MadDevil]

Do I wish this team showed more with Nico and Jack out? Yes, Especially after giving out some big contract to some people not named nico or Jack.

However I do know this team will get a lot better once those two return.

Jack dominates 5v5 and Nico was a Selke finalist. Those are two huge losses, for any team.

The team as a whole needs to be better though. The defense needs to figure some shit out and our goaltending needs to get back to last years form rather than the goaltending hell we had the year before.

 

[awegrzyn]

Step back this season was expected. I wrote this few times after the trades. All trades were bad except the Toffoli trade. There were many players that should have been gone, but were kept, instead good players were shipped out. More, good New Jersey players that were the core of this team for years got shipped out. Too much turn over. Now it's bunch of random guys.

Problems from the playoffs were not fixed. Last year our defense was the least offensive defense and that's why we could not score vs Caroline. That was not fixed, as a matter of a fact all bad Ds were kept.

This slump now is not just Hue and His missing in the line up. It's the team overall. Ds are too young, and no offense from them yet.

Unnecessary step back if you ask me. You can't keep turning over a roster, or you will never build. Talent has no meaning, team is more important.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

There’s pining for Blackwood going on now? Goodness gracious.

He needed a fresh start elsewhere. The writing was on the wall here. God bless him for being the sacrificial lamb in San Jose.

Not pining at all
A post made in jest out of.the frustration of watching another loss.

While the media and the "experts" will pin another loss on "goaltending' it's hard to pin any of the five goals against him on Akira (and there were a few extraordinary saves).

Reminiscent of several of the losses two years ago when everything was blamed on goaltending.

Simply a lot more issues.

 

[Bleedred]

Damn, even Novo is getting in on the party lol

I have to admit, that was the most critically blunt I’ve seen a beat writer of ours in many years.

 

[JimEIV]

Or maybe it was just a season where everything went right. Not to mention that it's not the exact same team roster wise. I mean everyone loves blaming the goaltending...if last year was the outlier career year for them, maybe they were masking a lot of these issues and now that they are back to being bleh we see that this team is not good enough defensively to mitigate it.

IDK but this doesn't resemble last year's team at all to me, not even when they were slumping. This resembles the 21-22 team, just with more offensive firepower.

Our offense made life easier for everyone last year and our defense was significantly better. But when you are scoring it makes defense easier to play. Much easier.

We are 13th in Goals For. We were 4th last year. If this team is mediocre in scoring we will get buried. Exactly like 2022.

 

[JimEIV]

I have to admit, that was the most critically blunt I’ve seen a beat writer of ours in many years.

Bit immature for a professional in my opinion. Looks like a an upset fan post more than a beat writer. .kinda amateurish minor league thing to do.

 

[njdevils1982]

Bit immature for a professional in my opinion. Looks like a an upset fan post more than a beat writer. .kinda amateurish minor league thing to do.

i'm with you.


if there's doom and f*** gloom crap it should come from the fans.

stay pro and keep your fandom in check


chico and dano do it.

 

[devilsblood]

I've been watching...we got the party hats and noise makers out in my house when he scored his 20th career goal against Florida last month.

I guess this is a knock on his career overall? I guess that's a fair knock, but not indicative of how he is playing this year.

Same amount of goals and twice as many points as Mercer.

Not pining at all
A post made in jest out of.the frustration of watching another loss.

While the media and the "experts" will pin another loss on "goaltending' it's hard to pin any of the five goals against him on Akira (and there were a few extraordinary saves).

Reminiscent of several of the losses two years ago when everything was blamed on goaltending.

Simply a lot more issues.

I thought it was a joke, but someone was arguing Blackwood is, and was, better then Schmid and VV.

 

[JimEIV]

Same amount of goals and twice as many points as Mercer.

This about what you are saying here...

Mercer has been absolute shit...so what your saying is the absolute worst streak of Mercer's career is equivalent to McLeod 's highlights

 

[devilsblood]

This about what you are saying here...

Mercer has been absolute shit...so what your saying is the absolute worst streak of Mercer's career is equivalent to McLeod 's highlights

This all stems from you saying Mercer should be playing above McLeod so.......

For those keeping track.

Holtz finished with a 35% xGF.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Bit immature for a professional in my opinion. Looks like a an upset fan post more than a beat writer. .kinda amateurish minor league thing to do.

Fans on twitter are massively petulant and that's his primary audience. He is catering to them.

 

[guitarguyvic]

McLeod is a good 4th liner, and can pinch hit on the third line in the case of injury. IMO he's nothing more than that, even with his improved play this year.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Should have drafted Askarov #7 in 2020. We knew then we needed a goalie and haven’t made a credible goalie pick. All projects and reaches

Hindsight but that was the year to do it. We had 3 first round picks and we all knew Askarov wasn't going to be there at Pick 18. Missed opportunity.

 

[MadDevil]

I guess this is a knock on his career overall? I guess that's a fair knock, but not indicative of how he is playing this year.

Same amount of goals and twice as many points as Mercer.


I thought it was a joke, but someone was arguing Blackwood is, and was, better then Schmid and VV.

Sadly, this year he probably has been better than them so far. Him having a .900 save percentage with a 4.00 GAA is nuts.

 

[JimEIV]

McLeod is a good 4th liner, and can pinch hit on the third line in the case of injury. IMO he's nothing more than that, even with his improved play this year.

He is only a decent 4th liner because of his faceoff ability...most other aspects of his game really suck. At least from a skill perspective.