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Race To The Bottom II - 2018-19 Edition


Triumph

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Huge weekend for the tank.

25:  CHI, VAN -3

27:  ANA -7

28:  NJD -8

29:  LAK -9

30:  DET -10

31:  OTT -15

I keep repeating myself but I think Chicago and Vancouver are out of reach here - there's almost no way either of these teams can be 5 points worse than the Devils in the final 16 games.

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The only problem I see is that our remaining SOS (if you trust the analysis done by the website I'm linking below) is pretty weak compared to the guys ahead of (er, behind) us.

Devils rank at #18 toughest (middle of the pack), Ottawa and Detroit ranked at #4 and #5, respectively.  So in theory.. you could expect them to lose a lot more games than us.

Ducks, Devils and Kings #17, #18, and #20 FWIW.

http://powerrankingsguru.com/nhl/strength-of-schedule.php

Granted, I'm going to guess this SOS metric they're tracking goes out the window towards the end of the season when playoff-bound teams rest their stars and teams going for the tank like us dress AHLers.

Edited by Devilsfan118
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Ottawa is not within reach.  The Devils would have to finish 8 points worse than them over 15 games - even if Ottawa goes .500 in those games, so something like 7-7-1, the Devils would have to go 3-11-1.  But Ottawa is so awful - they're 4-14-0 since January 19 and they traded their 3 best players since then.  I'd be surprised if they are expected to get more than 10 points the rest of the season.

LA and Anaheim play each other 3 times which is enormous - I think they're a favorite to play 1 3 point game and given both teams' moribund offenses it's possible that 2 OT games are not unlikely.  Even if Anaheim wins all 3 that is very likely to move them out of the Devils' hair.  I don't really have expectations that the Devils can move down more than 1 spot here even with all the injuries.

 

Edited by Triumph
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Well, ideally I'd love to get into the top 2.  Obviously.

But 3rd-4th isn't bad, still have a decent shot at moving up.  Just would be an absolute bummer to get leapfrogged and draft 5th-6th or something should a team or two behind us move up.

Edited by Devilsfan118
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1 hour ago, Devilsfan118 said:

Well, ideally I'd love to get into the top 2.  Obviously.

But 3rd-4th isn't bad, still have a decent shot at moving up.  Just would be an absolute bummer to get leapfrogged and draft 5th-6th or something should a team or two behind us move up.

 Yeah and even moving from 4-3 is a big change. Chances of a top 2 aren't that different between the spots (19.1% to 22.8%), but 3rd to 4th is 84.8% chance of a top 5 pick vs. 57.7%. Especially with the top 5-6 prospects starting to distance themselves from the pack. 3rd to last guarantees a top 6. 

 

Edited by Steadevils
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Just now, Gunslinger27 said:

Now with Nico out, our chances just increased, hitting bottom 3.  I just cant believe all the injuries this is crazy. LGD

Me either. mfitz alluded to it earlier, and it didn't even cross my mind, but do you think there's a chance some of these are either made up?  Maybe not made up, but I could see them being exaggerated I guess.  I just didn't think we, or any team, would really stoop that low.  

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I don't think the injuries are exaggerated. Just off the top of my head we saw Wood block a shot, Mirco go into the boards, Bastian collide with his teammate, Palms in pain at the end of the game the other night, Nico in pain on the bench over the weekend when he tried to get back into the game. 

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1 hour ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Me either. mfitz alluded to it earlier, and it didn't even cross my mind, but do you think there's a chance some of these are either made up?  Maybe not made up, but I could see them being exaggerated I guess.  I just didn't think we, or any team, would really stoop that low.  

We saw quite a few of the injuries occur in-game so I don't think they're made up or exaggerated. I would suspect they're not rushing players back though. But if there was something to play for they might be tempted to.

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57 minutes ago, Aitchmack said:

We saw quite a few of the injuries occur in-game so I don't think they're made up or exaggerated. I would suspect they're not rushing players back though. But if there was something to play for they might be tempted to.

Yeah exactly, that's what I was thinking.  I guess it's truly just pretty crazy coincidence and timing.

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2 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Me either. mfitz alluded to it earlier, and it didn't even cross my mind, but do you think there's a chance some of these are either made up?  Maybe not made up, but I could see them being exaggerated I guess.  I just didn't think we, or any team, would really stoop that low.  

Made up? No. Are guys sitting through things they would usually play through? I’d “almost” guarantee it. 

45411387281_1ae62b32cc_b.jpg

 

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These teams are so bad.  Detroit scored to go ahead with 2 minutes left in regulation only to blow that lead and nearly lose the game without getting a point.

25:  VAN, CHI -3

27:  ANA -6

28:  NJD -8

29:  DET -10

30:  LAK -10

31:  OTT -15

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As a few have mentioned, catching the Sens is not going to happen. However, NJ could finish anywhere from 2-5 without too much surprise. As of today the Kings and Wings have played one less game, which is good news considering the 3 point cushion.

Regardless, I cannot imagine the Sens not ending up with the number 1 pick, even with the lottery system because, of course, they don't even own their first round pick next year and that would be the most Ottawa thing ever given the current state of the franchise.

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12 minutes ago, Triumph said:

I'm not going to bother to do the standings until the Devils play next but I cannot believe that Anaheim blew a 1 goal lead with a minute left and lost in regulation.

2009 playoffs...

And on another note, wow does that Henrique extension look bad.  Nothing against him, but $5,875,000 for each of the next five seasons for Adam Henrique?! 

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24 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

2009 playoffs...

And on another note, wow does that Henrique extension look bad.  Nothing against him, but $5,875,000 for each of the next five seasons for Adam Henrique?! 

It’s not a great deal. He’s a good player, when he was the centerpiece of our offense he scored 30 goals. That seems to be the magic number in terms of getting a big contract. Ask David Clarkson. 

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3 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

It’s not a great deal. He’s a good player, when he was the centerpiece of our offense he scored 30 goals. That seems to be the magic number in terms of getting a big contract. Ask David Clarkson. 

He’s much closer to ordinary than truly good.  With the exception of a couple of memorable goals and the occasional highlight reel moment, in general he’s really just kind of there.  That amount of money just seems like too a big of a hit for a Henrique-type...especially if he starts to decline (he’s already 29 and his extension starts next season).  Though I always thought it was too much for him, the fact that he scored 20 goals in 57 games for the Ducks last season probably had them fooled a bit.  

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22 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

2009 playoffs...

And on another note, wow does that Henrique extension look bad.  Nothing against him, but $5,875,000 for each of the next five seasons for Adam Henrique?! 

I just went and watched that sh!t and think I heard my remote breaking way off in distance.

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