GDT: Devils at Bruins - 3/28/21 5:30pm NBCSN

[xxchaznjxx]

They never make it easy. I took a chance and bet $50 the Devils would win outright after the second period since they've played well against BOS.  It's like they were doing their best to give my money away.  I'm glad I didn't bet it giving 1.5 because god forbid we score another goal.  We just play well against BOS this year.

[mfitz804]

11 minutes ago, Devilsfan118 said:

https://streamable.com/moji7z

That might be the best save I've ever seen.

Honestly, yes. With almost no time left and the win on the line. 

And it was as close to going in as possible. I thought it was in at first but the replays showed it wasn’t because of the end over end action as discussed above. Remarkable. 

Nice to see the boys get 2 points, Palmieri shows the Bruins what they are missing (ok, well he actually just let a puck hit him, but still). But tonight is Blackwood’s night. 

[Nicomo]

Idk that I’d put it above Marty’s scorpion save, but yeah, it’s up there. 

[Nicomo]

How crazy is it that the Bruins still haven’t scored at ES against us? 

[MadDog2020]

4 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

How crazy is it that the Bruins still haven’t scored at ES against us? 

That’s almost unfathomable lol

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

Idk that I’d put it above Marty’s scorpion save, but yeah, it’s up there. 

There was another save Marty made where he actually reached back and got it with his stick that is probably the best save I have ever seen.

I was surprised to find Steiner selling 8x10s of that save later on. I have one in my office. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124628646620

 

5 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

How crazy is it that the Bruins still haven’t scored at ES against us? 

Makes no sense. But I like it. 

[RunninWithTheDevil]

1 hour ago, Devilsfan118 said:

https://streamable.com/moji7z

That might be the best save I've ever seen.

Absolutely "Brodeurian" as Doc would say

[mfitz804]

Allow me also to point out again, I hate watching nationally broadcast games. Takes a minimum of 30 minutes longer to watch, and not because of game action, but rather because of awful filler material. 

Only tolerable on DVR, which is how I watched this one and I almost caught up (missed it by 15 minutes) despite fast forwarding all intermissions and commercials, and starting it at 7:00. 

Although it gives me a brief refuge from Erika and Bryce, who I still can’t see together without thinking of @MB3’s wife thinking that Erika called Bryce “Blackie” when she was actually talking about Blackwood. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by mfitz804

[Devil Dan 56]

1 hour ago, mfitz804 said:

There was another save Marty made where he actually reached back and got it with his stick that is probably the best save I have ever seen.

I was surprised to find Steiner selling 8x10s of that save later on. I have one in my office. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124628646620

 

Makes no sense. But I like it. 

It reminded me of the Marty stick save in the '95 finals (at 16 seconds into the vid)

 

 

Side note... I went down a little Marty save rabbit hole to find the one I was thinking of and my goodness were we lucky to get 20 years of that guy.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Devil Dan 56

[Devs3cups]

1 hour ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

It reminded me of the Marty stick save in the '95 finals (at 16 seconds into the vid)

 

 

Side note... I went down a little Marty save rabbit hole to find the one I was thinking of and my goodness were we lucky to get 20 years of that guy.

The absolute GOAT. #3 is probably my favorite Marty save (or should I say saves)  of all-time. Insane sequence. Jim Hughson with the great call also.

This one here is one I don't see a lot in Marty compilations, but I've always loved that save vs. the Sharks. Great reflexes lol.

 

Edited March 29, 2021 by Devs3cups

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

4 hours ago, MB3 said:

He doesn’t have an NMC. The devils shouldn’t care what he wants.

I mean we should a little, it just shouldn't influence our decision. Guy has been a loyal servant and should be shown a bit of respect. 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

4 minutes ago, MB3 said:

That’s a weird response. I don’t mean literally kick him to the curb and tell him to fvck himself; I replied to someone who said “what if Kyle doesn’t want to go to Boston?” and the answer to that question is “The Devils shouldn’t care.” 

You disagree while saying “it shouldn’t influence our decision.” 

hmm

Fair enough, you never know with you to be honest. It was quite a blunt statement so thats the impression I got, but that's the trouble with the internet. My mistake. 

And on the second point you can still show some compassion but do what is in your best interest. Fitz can sit down with him and see if there is anything that is mutually acceptable , listen to his views, but at the end of the day if the offer he likes best isn't the best for you then you have to do what's best for the organisation. 

Although that may be what you are saying anyway. Just more to the point. 

[mfitz804]

Why wouldn’t he want to go to Boston? They’ll likely make the playoffs and they are only a few hours from home. Unless a higher team in the standings wants him, Boston seems a good situation. 

As far as we are concerned, I don’t really care whether he wants to go somewhere or not. It’ll obviously be a playoff team trading for him, and our focus should be the best deal possible, not where he would like to go for 2 months for a chance to win the Cup. 

[mfitz804]

30 minutes ago, MB3 said:

It's a big boy business and I'm assuming Kyle is wearing his big boy pants. 

If you want to control your destination, give up some money or term and request a NMC or a modified NMC. Otherwise, strap up and enjoy the ride onto a team that'll be playing playoff hockey while your friends are golfing. 

For a couple of months. Again, he’s a UFA, he isn’t going to be exiled long term. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

 

1 hour ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

Fair enough, you never know with you to be honest. It was quite a blunt statement so thats the impression I got, but that's the trouble with the internet. My mistake. 

And on the second point you can still show some compassion but do what is in your best interest. Fitz can sit down with him and see if there is anything that is mutually acceptable , listen to his views, but at the end of the day if the offer he likes best isn't the best for you then you have to do what's best for the organisation. 

Although that may be what you are saying anyway. Just more to the point. 

It sounds like they have been talking, but I get the feeling one guy knows that the market has changed (Fitz), and the other guy's agent thinks that his client should get something in the 5-year, $30+ million range...and not so long ago, Palms probably would've gotten something in that neighborhood (hell, Henrique managed to get that), but a lot has changed.   

Devils took a chance on Palms back when he was a RFA...gave him a nice contract based on one breakout season...to Palms' credit, he's been very cost-effective since signing the deal...his time here has been mutually beneficial for both himself and the Devils.  But if Palms and/or his agent can't or won't realize that to sign him to a now "old-school"-type of deal doesn't make much sense for a lot of reasons, well, thank you for everything, but see if you can get that somewhere else.  When that doesn't happen, Devils will be willing to bring him back on their terms.  Probably does sound a little cold, but MB3 said it perfectly in another post...too often, guys get rewarded for what they were rather than what they are.  Signing Palms for four or more years with a considerable AAV raise isn't going to be nearly as cost-effective this time around.  Get him for a couple of years with a mild raise, and you can get some solid value.

 

On a side note, hard to believe, but Hughes and Palms now have the same glamour numbers...7 G and 9 A each (Hughes has one more GP).  I'm not down on Hughes, and I'm not sure if the compressed schedule is just wearing him out, but he's been looking less and less like the guy who had us all so excited to start the season.  Hoping next season (hopefully played more like a "normal" season) sees Hughes take a definitive step forward...not that he hasn't improved over last year, but I really want to see him look like the guy who started this season for the majority of next season.   

[lazer]

Few thoughts,

Miles wood has value, boston would want.

Cutting hughes ice time has been a game changer

Fuk yeah blackie you da man

[mfitz804]

29 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

On a side note, hard to believe, but Hughes and Palms now have the same glamour numbers...7 G and 9 A each (Hughes has one more GP).  I'm not down on Hughes, and I'm not sure if the compressed schedule is just wearing him out, but he's been looking less and less like the guy who had us all so excited to start the season.  Hoping next season (hopefully played more like a "normal" season) sees Hughes take a definitive step forward...not that he hasn't improved over last year, but I really want to see him look like the guy who started this season for the majority of next season.   

I wasn’t expecting Hughes to hit a wall after 20 games played, I can only think that the virus/break affected him.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, mfitz804 said:

I wasn’t expecting Hughes to hit a wall after 20 games played, I can only think that the virus/break affected him.

Yeah given the strangeness of this season (and the fact that the whole friggin' team came down with Covid), it's so hard to evaluate anything properly.  But as others have noted, at least there seems to be a potential nucleus of solid youth (and given how bare the cupboard was, made sense that it was going to take some time to build up that base).  Now it's about getting the right vets in the mix.    

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

1 hour ago, MB3 said:

It's a big boy business and I'm assuming Kyle is wearing his big boy pants. 

If you want to control your destination, give up some money or term and request a NMC or a modified NMC. Otherwise, strap up and enjoy the ride onto a team that'll be playing playoff hockey while your friends are golfing. 

 

39 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

 

It sounds like they have been talking, but I get the feeling one guy knows that the market has changed (Fitz), and the other guy's agent thinks that his client should get something in the 5-year, $30+ million range...and not so long ago, Palms probably would've gotten something in that neighborhood (hell, Henrique managed to get that), but a lot has changed.   

Devils took a chance on Palms back when he was a RFA...gave him a nice contract based on one breakout season...to Palms' credit, he's been very cost-effective since signing the deal...his time here has been mutually beneficial for both himself and the Devils.  But if Palms and/or his agent can't or won't realize that to sign him to a now "old-school"-type of deal doesn't make much sense for a lot of reasons, well, thank you for everything, but see if you can get that somewhere else.  When that doesn't happen, Devils will be willing to bring him back on their terms.  Probably does sound a little cold, but MB3 said it perfectly in another post...too often, guys get rewarded for what they were rather than what they are.  Signing Palms for four or more years with a considerable AAV raise isn't going to be nearly as cost-effective this time around.  Get him for a couple of years with a mild raise, and you can get some solid value.

 

On a side note, hard to believe, but Hughes and Palms now have the same glamour numbers...7 G and 9 A each (Hughes has one more GP).  I'm not down on Hughes, and I'm not sure if the compressed schedule is just wearing him out, but he's been looking less and less like the guy who had us all so excited to start the season.  Hoping next season (hopefully played more like a "normal" season) sees Hughes take a definitive step forward...not that he hasn't improved over last year, but I really want to see him look like the guy who started this season for the majority of next season.   

I am not disagreeing with a lot of this, but my point was that how you handle situations like this is important in terms of reputation. 

If you are looking to attract free agents how you handle situaitons like this will factor into decision making. Also dealing with agents is vital to get the players you want. There is no point pretending that agents look at player negotiations in isolation. Palms agent is also the agent for Cale Markar. Say down the line somehow he hits the market , do you think the Devil's will stand as much chance if his agent has had clients who have been dealt with poorly before? Its not going to happen.

So it's fine to make the decision that is best for the team, you are a sh!t GM if you don't, but making those decisions in a careful , considered and compassionate way will stand you in better stead in the long term than being cold. 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

38 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I wasn’t expecting Hughes to hit a wall after 20 games played, I can only think that the virus/break affected him.

To a degree he has stopped doing what he was doing early in in the season and keeping it simple and making the right play any the right time and reverted to type a bit. 

The lack of team practices has got to be having an effect. 

[Devs3cups]

26 minutes ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

To a degree he has stopped doing what he was doing early in in the season and keeping it simple and making the right play any the right time and reverted to type a bit. 

The lack of team practices has got to be having an effect. 

That's something I forget and that is HIGHLY damaging. No practice for the young guys is brutal to say the least.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Devs3cups

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

2 minutes ago, Devs3cups said:

That's something I forget and that is HIGHLY influencing. No practice for the young guys is brutal to say the least.

I just saw on twitter that Alain Vigneault has scratched Carter Hart and got him out practicing to get his game back. Cited the fact they basically haven't been able to practice and haven't been able to work on his game. Got to be the same for most young guys. Especially in our division, where poor performance is going to get exploited regularly. 

[RunninWithTheDevil]

NHL didn't even include the Blackwood save in their recap video, it essentially ends with Boston getting their interference goal called off lol

[Brewskies]

10 hours ago, MB3 said:

He doesn’t have an NMC. The devils shouldn’t care what he wants.

My post was "why would Palms want to go to Boston" it was an opinion about his choices. Not about a NMC or a NTC or anything to do with the desires of the NJ Devils. I knew when I posted, what he has regarding a contract with the NJ Devils. I didn't and don't care whether the NJ Devils care about what Palms' wants. So let me post it again:

Why would Palms want to go to Boston?

As a NJ Devils fan, I would hope that the NJ Devils respect the loyalty that Palms has shown to them and the reverse.  

It is possible that the NJ Devils might want to rent Palms to another team and then bring him back to the NJ Devils at a lesser dollar amount because of loyalty and the fact that they could use a player like Palms. As fans we don't know this. 

 

I don't like your position that owners don't care or shouldn't care about the feelings of their players/employees. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

I am not disagreeing with a lot of this, but my point was that how you handle situations like this is important in terms of reputation. 

If you are looking to attract free agents how you handle situaitons like this will factor into decision making. Also dealing with agents is vital to get the players you want. There is no point pretending that agents look at player negotiations in isolation. Palms agent is also the agent for Cale Markar. Say down the line somehow he hits the market , do you think the Devil's will stand as much chance if his agent has had clients who have been dealt with poorly before? Its not going to happen.

So it's fine to make the decision that is best for the team, you are a sh!t GM if you don't, but making those decisions in a careful , considered and compassionate way will stand you in better stead in the long term than being cold. 

All well and good, but define "careful, considered, and compassionate".  I don't think the Devils have ever handled him poorly (or are showing signs of that).  They rewarded him with a nice, long-term deal after one good year where sure, he showed promise, but wasn't a sure thing to put up the rate numbers he established that season.  It sounds like the sides have spoken and are simply not close, and I do believe the problem is that some agents and players think that the current environment isn't really so different than the recent past; if some interpret Fitz not caving into potentially unreasonable demands as being cold and hardballing, I'd say in this case, that's unfair.  If the sides are that far apart, is it really fair to put it all on Fitz and the Devils?  Especially when the player involved is having his worst season as a Devil to date?  

You know I'm probably the biggest Palms supporter on here, so it's not like I have a thing against him...and if he and his agent are trying to reel in what might be Palms' last long-term, relatively high-cost deal (given his age), I get it...not like those opportunities are many for most players, in any given career.  But I can't blame Fitz for saying something along the lines of "Palms, you've been a fine player for us for many years, and you've always been a great representative for this organization off and on the ice, and we would absolutely love to extend you, but we're on very extreme ends here...we understand if you want to test the market to try to get more than we're willing to offer at this time, but we are also very open to the idea of you coming back on a deal that we feel better makes sense for where the team is, and where the market is."  I think there's enough goodwill that I think Fitz would actually consider going to a third season, even though he probably wouldn't love that idea (I think he'd prefer two years or less).  Say three seasons at right around $5 million.  Probably about the middle for where both sides currently are.  And of course the Devils are going to have so much cap room that a three-year, $5 million AAV for Palms isn't going to hurt them in the slightest.  But Fitz has to draw the line at three years (and I can understand why many would be iffy about that third year...I definitely am).  

 

One last thought:  when it comes to labor disputes, as much as I find both sides annoying when they start digging in, for the most part I've sided with the players, because it's the GMs and owners who are signing them to big dollars, then whining about how they can't continue to do business this way.  But I'm starting to see some restraint with these deals, and I'm glad that GMs are finally starting to see that rushing to sign 30-ish year-old players to megabuck contracts isn't the best way to go (I'd much rather sign the top younger guys that I have to the more expensive contracts).  Imagine how Buffalo would be feeling right now if Hall was on the first year of a 7 or 8 year contract?  Or for that matter, if he was having that kind of a season HERE, just having been re-signed to big UFA money for multiple seasons.  As much as I like Palms, there is absolutely a chance that they trade him, he ultimately signs somewhere else, and in a couple of years we're saying "Damn, dodged on hell a bullet on that one."  In the end, it is a business, and it could very well be that the Devils got Palms' five best seasons, and he's now going to get paid more to be less.  And that if the Devils don't keep him, that it might turn out to have been an excellent business decision.  

Edited March 29, 2021 by Colorado Rockies 1976