Derlique

I think the depressing thing that I'm starting to realize is that this team is just so far away. If Hall isn't playing out of his mind like he's been all season, or if Cory isn't stealing games left and right like in October/November, this team is just plain...bad. Aside from some occasional bursts from Nico, who is having a very good season for a teenager, or a goal every 3-4 games from Palmieri, nobody can do anything. We knew Boyle, Gibbons and Bratt wouldn't keep up their paces, but Boyle hasn't done anything since the new year. Can't win a faceoff, can't keep up, just looks ineffective. No idea if he's worn out due to meds or if he's just done, but he has to stop being out there for key situations. I will say, I don't think Maroon is a great fit for this team, but I've been much more impressed with him than Grabner. Grabner was pretty good his first two games, but has been utterly invisible the last three. The one thing I will say in defense to this team, and I know you probably don't want to hear it. They have been insanely unlucky the last games. Carolina and Florida scored two goals (each!) that banked off our d and in. You see Knights dmen crashing into Fleury and somehow the puck dribbles wide or ends up under him. Hopefully the puck will bounce our way down the stretch. Time to win the next two before the road trip from hell. No excuses, not even against Winnipeg.

It's a message board. No need to get personal

Why post this? It's incredibly insulting

Wow TBrobbed the Rags

Now, onto the game: 1) Gotta give Kinkaid credit. I think NJ played a very solid defensive game, but he made some big stops when he had to. Nice to see a Devils goalie outplay the opposing one. 2) Palmieri made two spectacular plays to score. Goal one was just a slick move to the middle on a 1 on 3 and then a sick shot. Goal 2 was all effort and hand-eye coordination. Nice to see KP stepping up in an up and down season. 3) I thought Hall was pretty quiet all game but somehow managed a multi-point game. I guess that's what elite players do. 4) Speaking of Hall, I touched on it before, but the fans were absolutely into it. On both goal announcements, "MVP" chants erupted when Hall was given assists. He has to absolutely be feeling the love in NJ. Also loved how relentless the crowd was towards the refs. In a game where NYI got away with at least 4 or 5 blatant infractions, they somehow ended up with more powerplays. Someone please explain how that happened? 5) I think Grabner and his line looked out of sync, which is to be expected. Let's hope he and Zacha find it sooner than later. 6) I think Bratt has to sit for a game or two. It's clear he's just out of gas. Hopefully they give him some extra rest for the stretch run

First, I gotta thank @sundstrom for hooking me up with a ticket. It was cool to sit and meet with @Daniel. Having attended the Brodeur retirement and now this one, last night had a different vibe. You could tell how much more this meant to Elias and his family. My man lost it like three times. It was just a more intimate ceremony when compared to MB30. Gotta give credit to the Devils for putting on such a great event. Btw, I love the fact that it was repeated 100x Elias was a Devils lifer. I think @thecoffeecake summed it up well. Devils fans obviously love Brodeur but there's just something about his last two-three years that left a sour taste. Between begging to be traded to the Stadium Series entitlement, it seemed like he only cared about himself. I get hes arguably the best of all-time, but just compare the way he talks about himself and his teammates to a guy like Elias or Schneider. I'll post game thoughts a bit later, but the crowd was ******* electric. That third period was the loudest I've heard the Rock since at least 2012- maybe ever. Can only imagine what a playoff series would sound like after such a long wait.

Shero is probably the most entertaining gm in the league in terms of making trades

Gross just reported that Fitzgerald was under the impression that Rykov wasn't coming over anytime soon

Yeah this will help a ton but not crazy about giving up a mid 2nd and probably our best d prospect for 20 games

I think we all can see with our eyes how good Nico has been this year. But he has legitimately been one of the best ES players in the league- as the youngest player in the league: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2018/2/21/17032944/nico-hischiers-underrated-season

This guy was as vanilla in his analysis as they come. Oh well

I don't understand why tonight is the breaking point with Kinkaid for hynes. He's had much worse games

Not gonna score 3+ every game. Kinkaid was fine but really needs to stop that 2nd one. Shoutout to @Bonginator11for hooking me up with his tix!

FWIW, he has 20 pts in 39 games. That is 40+ point pace.

I might even wait another year after that. I bet teams will get more compliance buyouts next negotiations. Ryan would also be a useful piece here for the next 2-3 years. He is horribly overpaid and oft-injured, but NJ could use another top-9 right winger

Melnyk would be forced to sell the team if the main piece coming back in a Karlsson trade is Santini or Zacha. I don't care if you're offloading Ryan, it'd be one of the most egregious trades ever

I think you're giving up one of Severson, Bratt or maybe even Zacha if they value him highly, plus a McLeod/Quenneville and a first. I just don't trust Shero with dmen yet and Severson has been in the Hynes doghouse a few times in the last few years. You'd have to move Severson or Vatanen (they just got him so that's not happening) even if they do get Karlsson. Not enough minutes, especially if Karlsson is playing 25 mins a night.

My point is that I don't think you can get Karlsson without Severson

I think you let Ryan play until those three need new deals (2020) and then either hope he's LTIR or buy him out then and save a couple of those buyout years. I have a few problems with making a move for Karlsson: A. We need LD much more than RD B. Don't like all those foot/ankle injuries C. Severson would likely be part part of the package going back and he fits our core's timeline much better.

Are you out of your mind? Wood took like fifty strides and jumped into a guy whose numbers were showing the whole time. I wouldn't have complained if he got 5 games

Foligno is out, which pretty much nullifies our loss of Wood

Don't be surprised if Philly gets Mrazek with Neuvirth and Elliott injured

I'm not one who makes a big deal over the 'C' but it's clear this guy needs to be given it by the start of next season. Along with being by far the best player on the team, players are certainly feeding off his energy and passion.

His dad died, has had a couple of injuries, has like 6 points and his team has folded under immense expectations. Not good, I'd say

What a difference a week makes, eh? Four big wins against three good teams, with three being on the road. Gotta hand it to Lack and Kinkaid. We probably didn't deserve any points in either of these games based on how we played. I guess this team was owed a few godly goaltending performances based on the past month. Nice to see Nico and Zacha stepping up. I don't think Zacha is playing as well as he was a few games ago, but getting goals in consecutive games will certainly boost his confidence.