GDT: Your New Jersey Devils vs. New York Islanders, 7 PM, MSGSN/MSGSN2

[Richer's Ghost]

I'll never miss Wood with how Lazar shows up. Also Smith reads the bench and gets physical at exactly the right time. He should stay up on the 4th line imo.

Schmid shuts the door also.

 

[Killing Joke]

Stop playing vitek. Hopefully dougie just tweaked something and it isn’t long term. If so, call up Nemec.

Tom find another goalie to play with schmid. Vitek ain’t it, he’s broken.

 

[Guadana]

I’m down for almost anybody at this point, provided their contract isn’t bad or too long.

And not because I think anybody is necessarily better than him, but because I think everybody is gonna be better than him here.

He’s broke and can’t be fixed until he gets a new owner.

League is bad in goaltending, but I like what Lankinen did in his last three seasons. Vejmelka isnt playing well now, but I dont trust arizona and their goalies always better after leaving them.

Vitek is really broken. People can blame defense, but our defense isnt worser than SJ defense and we saw Blackwood on our net. I believe he ended to play under pressure and its easier to him, so good luck to him. So I dont wanna see anybody, I wanna see goalie with reasonable deal and potential. Gibson is a bad goalie to trade for. Because of his health, his deal and years of bad plays. And mtl goalies Montembeault is on a hot streak, I dont believe in his career now.
But Lankinen is a good option I think. And I dont think that Trotz will not agree on a reasonable deal. And Lankinen career is prettydecent.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Schmid's done more than enough lately to get some run but let's not gloss over the fact his first few starts the numbers were as crappy as Vitek's. When multiple goalies' play hits a valley compared to last year maybe it's not all on the goalies either.

Both guys went from top 25-30 in GSA to like bottom 15 over the course of the year in the same system, sure the losses of Sevo/Graves hurt but we can't play like we did versus the Sabres every night. It's an absurd tank, you'll tire your guys out like the Canes do every year going balls to the wall for a full 82. Not sure why saying your goalies need to show up is such a hot take on this board.

 

[Camille the Eel]

There were certainly good stretches, but these breakdowns just can't happen. There were also sustained stretches of pressure by the Islanders.

Also they were total garbage coming out in the 3rd.

Too many confused plays in our own end with us flubbing pucks and not clearing the zone, with turnovers and passes not being cleanly made and sometimes guys nearly running into each other.

 

[The Wumpus]

The best thing about the Lazar trade was that he came with two more years. Had it been a usual UFA deadline acquisition, we'd be trading again to get someone like him.

 

[HBK27]

Didn't come out for the 3rd, not sure what the injury was yet though. His head may have fallen completely off, but that's just speculation.

We got no Timo, we got no Haula…DOUGIE’S HEAD IS FALLING OFF!!!

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

I’m down for almost anybody at this point, provided their contract isn’t bad or too long.

And not because I think anybody is necessarily better than him, but because I think everybody is gonna be better than him here.

He’s broke and can’t be fixed until he gets a new owner.

Hughes brought up in his on-ice interview that the team let Vitek down. That was unprompted so it makes me think that Vitek hasn't lost the room, i.e. he's not a lost cause mentally in NJ. People being done with him on here doesn't matter as long as he avoids the internet.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We can be back in a playoff spot by the end of Thursday night with a win and a little help

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[devilsblood]

I don’t think it’s lunacy, unless you believe it’s too risky because someone may take him.

I don’t think anyone is claiming him because of the extra year and high-er salary.

If he was on an expiring deal I definitely think he’s a threat to be claimed.

But maybe it does nothing to wake him up?

I just wish they would stop playing him at a pace that’s greater than the amount of games he even played last year. He certainly hasn’t done anything to warrant that.

And now we’re at a point where we can’t really afford to experiment with giving Schmid more starts. We’re at the point where we probably need to just outright give him the starts.

I don’t know that he’s definitely better, but he’s an unknown. Vitek is a known at this point and his last 42 games make Blackwood and Campbell feel better about their games. Although both of those goalies have been bad in a stretch that’s almost over twice that many games.

I'll ask again. Who is the backup after waiving Vitek?

I mean, I assume we are sending him to Utica after waiving him.

 

[Whaddagoal]

The defense and goaltending have been bad but Vitek's got to make a save somewhere. He's just not making enough saves on A-grade chances. Tonight he got some tough breaks, the first one is the only one I can really fault him on, but he also just never seems to stop breakaways.

Yup. Just got back from arena. Vitek needs to come up with a save on one of those 3 goals. Perhaps the one where it was clutterbuck?

Breakaway can he at least stop it once and awhile? The 4th isles goal I say less on him. Marino or someone just get a dude camp out waiting for the puck on his own. Less mad at Vitek on that one vs. the actual defense or system.

Anyhow I agree Vitek has to somehow save one of those... Just to make the big save.

 

[Blackjack]

I agree. Looking at the replay, that puck was bouncing. Could've been a tough play tbh.

Pavel Zacha would have absolutely launched that thing over the crossbar.

I hope the Isles fans got a nice picture on center ice after the game.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

I just want .900 SV%. He can suck on the PK and on breakaways but make a side to side save once out of 3 times.

 

[NJDevs26]

Sorokin was not very good, no. Laid up that rebound for Nico on the power play. Got beat by McLeod, the first goalie to be beaten by a McLeod shot since 2021-22.

This board would have been hilarious if either of our goalies had allowed the McLeod goal. Hell they have at different points of the season anyway.

Hughes brought up in his on-ice interview that the team let Vitek down. That was unprompted so it makes me think that Vitek hasn't lost the room, i.e. he's not a lost cause mentally in NJ. People being done with him on here doesn't matter as long as he avoids the internet.

I mean if you're a teammate how can you not like the guy? And to be fair, the goals against him tonight weren't AS bad as most of the other games he's played this year. Maybe we'd be looking at a shortside one-timer on the first goal or slow-moving junk on the third goal a little differently if he'd earned more rope during the season but it's been twenty games of this after his late-season swoon last year - management needs to make a hard decision here.

 

[Incharge1976]

Smith obliterating Lee 3 times ^^

Edit: LOL age restriction

Did they really age restrict a little fight?

 

[NJDevs26]

The funny thing about people complaining Vitek can't stop a breakaway (from Barzal of all people) is that Schmid looked Yann Danis-like bad in his shootout against Arizona earlier this year.

 

[Bleedred]

I'll ask again. Who is the backup after waiving Vitek?

I mean, I assume we are sending him to Utica after waiving him.

Why does it matter if the backup doesn’t even play a game? In my hypothetical scenario, he’s only gone for a week or two.

Kallgren or Kinkaid can sit on the bench for a week and work the door to the bench.

But then you’d have to waive one of them when he comes back, since it wasn’t an emergency recall.

Hughes brought up in his on-ice interview that the team let Vitek down. That was unprompted so it makes me think that Vitek hasn't lost the room, i.e. he's not a lost cause mentally in NJ. People being done with him on here doesn't matter as long as he avoids the internet.

I’m pretty sure he is a lost cause here.

Schmid has been better than him, but has only played roughly a third of the games.

Gross incompetence on Ruff or whoever pulls the strings with the Vitek bonerfest.

 

[Triumph]

Why does it matter if the backup doesn’t even play a game? In my hypothetical scenario, he’s only gone for a week or two.

Kallgren or Kinkaid can sit on the bench for a week and work the door to the bench.

But then you’d have to waive one of them when he comes back, since it wasn’t an emergency recall.

They wouldn't be subject to waivers unless they dress for 10 games or are up here for a month.

 

[Bleedred]

The funny thing about people complaining Vitek can't stop a breakaway (from Barzal of all people) is that Schmid looked Yann Danis-like bad in his shootout against Arizona earlier this year.

Both are bad on breakaways. Schmid allowed a breakaway goal against Columbus.

It’s like a 50% chance you’re gonna allow a goal on one of them with either goalie this year.

Vitek even got saved by the post on a breakaway in the 1st period.

 

[RNCDevil]

Brendan Smith. I have appreciated your multi-dimensional contributions over the past few games. Glad you are a DEVIL!

 

[Blackjack]

This board would have been hilarious if either of our goalies had allowed the McLeod goal. Hell they have at different points of the season anyway.

For a team that still struggles to finish, our success against Sorokin and Shesterkin is pretty mind boggling. We knocked four points off of Sorokin's save percentage tonight.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Vitek is super likeable. The players are never going to throw him under the bus.

But that's a problem too because they can be looking to correct problems that isn't their fault and only end up playing worse with less confidence.

Fitz has to try and get someone more reliable in net.

 

[RNCDevil]

Lazar's interviews are awesome. Holtz is awesome. McLeod is awesome. Jack is awesome. You guys are awesome...Grab some sticks boys!

 

[glenwo2]