GDT - 2/25/2024 Lightning @ Devils, 1 pm, MSGSN/TNT - Lindy Overcomplicates Things

[Nicomo]

52 minutes ago, Devilsfan118 said:

Now show Nico’s stat line with 0 SOG…

it’s just all bad right now. 

[NJDfan1711]

8 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

Now show Nico’s stat line with 0 SOG…

it’s just all bad right now. 

Betting is legal in FL using the Hard Rock app and I did an in game parlay including Nico with Over 2.5 shots, figuring our captain would sense the urgency of this game and recognize the goalie in net. 

Figures, with my luck, and this fvcking team's tendencies, he lays a goose egg. 

[smelly]

2 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

I'll give you Schmid being a question mark, but he was still solid last year in short time and there was little reason to believe he would struggle as bad as he did this year. Plus, we also had Daws in the minors who we had also seen a couple times prior. Between those three, I think any GM would think that's a group that should be serviceable enough, and allow him to focus on other needs.  But that's my point and where I think they went wrong - because they didn't focus on the other needs.  They did NOTHING.  

You are leaving out the critical truth that Fitz was well aware of but whistled past the graveyard about anyway: he knew he was losing two solid vets on D and replacing them with two youngsters (even setting aside Nemec). The circumstances under which VV and AS were very average last season were not at all possible to replicate this year by definition, rendering the margin of error even smaller and the consequences of likely (and ultimately realized) regression much greater. 

Anyone can argue there was a potential justification for riding VV and AS heading into the year. 

But nobody who thought that - including Fitz or anyone here — was correct at all. Not even close. The proof is in the pudding. 

The other way to have looked at it turned out to be the right one. 

Unequivocally. Unfortunately. And avoidably. 

Edited February 26 by smelly

[smelly]

2 hours ago, ButlerBulldog said:

The way the season has played out should illustrate the paucity of quality goaltenders available, as Fitz has almost certainly been searching for one but has as yet been unable to find a player who doesn’t impose a huge cap hit and/or won’t cost the Devils any of their young players.  In any event, goaltending is but one problem facing this team, as their woes in other facets of their defense and the disappearance of their PP—something that largely coincides with Dougie being sidelined—are equally daunting issues with no immediate solution.

I know you aren’t responding. This isn’t for you. No worries. 
 

Your assertion is simply tautological: no goalies were realistically available because Fitz didn’t get one. 
 

By the same thinking Lindy’s retention means no change was possible.  
 

Both assertions on their face are specious. 
 

Fitz IS going to have to sacrifice cap and/or assets for any upgrade at any position. Hell, that’s what management is in a salary cap world. Every dollar and every asset spent has an opportunity cost. Fitz’s allocation decisions this year have failed. Full stop.
 

If anyone is thinking that this team is getting any kind of upgrade in net without paying the going price in assets and cap, then they had better get used to years like this one. Doesn’t matter who the coach is, doesn’t matter what other young talents you have, that cup window will remain indistinguishable from a solid brick wall. 

Edited February 26 by smelly

[ButlerBulldog]

1 hour ago, Nicomo said:

Now show Nico’s stat line with 0 SOG…

it’s just all bad right now. 

Nico is unquestionably my favorite player from the current group, but his lack of shot attempts this afternoon, and in other instances in which the offense has struggled, is why I’ve sometimes been critical of his offense, in particular.  Although he’s generally productive in the attacking zone—the metrics cited by @Colorado Rockies 1976 and others show him averaging roughly one point per game over the past two seasons—he has also disappeared at times when the Devils can least afford it.

Jack and Timo haven’t been themselves, and at least one of them is likely still injured.  Bratt and Mercer are streaky, Toffoli is a one-trick pony, and Holtz is on too short a leash.  For Nico not to assert himself despite all this, in a game that the Devils needed to win, is inexcusable.  Were I in Novo’s place, I’d ask Nico why a player of his skill level—and to be sure, his skill level is exceptionally high—elected to defer to his teammates when none of them has been playing particularly well and he has actually been one of team’s bright spots since the start of the second half.  What exactly was he waiting for?

[Max20Characters]

12 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

They're both playing like sh!t right now.  Luke pretty goddamn awful, Jack not quite as bad but still poor.

I feel like our PP sucks so much is because it's just these two passing to each other the whole time

[nmigliore]

Biggest game of the year and the Devils, trailing against a terrible backup goalie, can only muster 3 SOG in the 3rd period. Amazing. Even the win over Montreal was a pretty meager effort as they were severely outplayed at even strength by an inferior team (and almost choked that one away). I'm not sure how Lindy is still around after this past week, the only explanation I can think of is Fitz has waved the white flag on the season and will just wait until the offseason to make changes. 

Time to start thinking about what Toffoli will bring in return (2nd round pick plus?)...

Edited February 26 by nmigliore

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

14 minutes ago, nmigliore said:

Biggest game of the year and the Devils, trailing against a terrible backup goalie, can only muster 3 SOG in the 3rd period. Amazing. Even the win over Montreal was a pretty meager effort as they were severely outplayed at even strength by an inferior team (and almost choked that one away). I'm not sure how Lindy is still around after this past week, the only explanation I can think of is Fitz has waved the white flag on the season and will just wait until the offseason to make changes. 

Time to start thinking about what Toffoli will bring in return (2nd round pick plus?)...

Yeah a second-round pick for Toffoli is pretty much the consensus.  Maybe a warm body along with that, but no one with any expected future.

Eventually when Fitz comes out of hiding, he should have to explain why he was so hesitant to make a coaching change, especially when it could have made a difference.  

[Nicomo]

3 hours ago, Max20Characters said:

I feel like our PP sucks so much is because it's just these two passing to each other the whole time

The 2nd unit hasn’t been any better. 

[ButlerBulldog]

7 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

The 2nd unit hasn’t been any better. 

They’ve actually been worse, albeit in less ice time.  Timo and Mercer each have 3 PP goals this season.  The rest of the second unit has 3 goals combined.

[jagknife]

24 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Yeah a second-round pick for Toffoli is pretty much the consensus.  Maybe a warm body along with that, but no one with any expected future.

Eventually when Fitz comes out of hiding, he should have to explain why he was so hesitant to make a coaching change, especially when it could have made a difference.  

To be fair, we thought Hatakka was just a warm body last year… lol

[MadDog2020]

40 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Eventually when Fitz comes out of hiding, he should have to explain why he was so hesitant to make a coaching change, especially when it could have made a difference.

He better address McLeod as well. Unacceptable that’s he’s ducked that. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

He better address McLeod as well. Unacceptable that’s he’s ducked that. 

In fairness, he and the Devils have done no more or no less than any other franchises that employed players charged with having involved.  All released canned statements, and none are answering questions at this time.

What do you want to see Fitz answer for specifically?  

[MadDog2020]

8 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

What do you want to see Fitz answer for specifically?  

I’d like to know more about what he knew and when he knew it. And WHY did he sign Foote knowing he was also part of this? I know he’s not likely to address it, but it’s an elephant in the room.

[Devilsfan118]

Just now, MadDog2020 said:

I’d like to know more about what he knew and when he knew it. And WHY did he sign Foote knowing he was also part of this? I know he’s not likely to address it, but it’s an elephant in the room.

The Foote signing is really, really curious.

[MadDog2020]

Just now, Devilsfan118 said:

The Foote signing is really, really curious.

It definitely is.

[ButlerBulldog]

5 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

I’d like to know more about what he knew and when he knew it. And WHY did he sign Foote knowing he was also part of this? I know he’s not likely to address it, but it’s an elephant in the room.

The optics of the situation are extremely bad, but as Fitz was probably advised by other team officials not to discuss the matter, it’s unlikely we’ll hear from him.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, MadDog2020 said:

I’d like to know more about what he knew and when he knew it. And WHY did he sign Foote knowing he was also part of this? I know he’s not likely to address it, but it’s an elephant in the room.

You can wonder (we all are), but I'm sure the Devils and the other franchises have consulted legal counsel, as to what they should or shouldn't address, and should they ever choose to address anything like the above, it won't be until much, much later.  And will likely take someone doing some serious investigating and digging up some smoking gun.  

If you sic the press on them now, ALL three franchises will simply direct them right back to the canned statements...probably until the players involved are found innocent or guilty.  Never before that.

Re:  Cal Foote, remember, he was believed to have been cleared.  

As far as this all goes I'm still curious about the other three players that were allegedly present, but don't appear to be getting charged with anything anytime soon.  We don't even know who they were.

[Satans Hockey]

1 hour ago, Devilsfan118 said:

The Foote signing is really, really curious.

 

1 hour ago, MadDog2020 said:

It definitely is.

Fitz isn't going to admit he knew anything even if he did. My assumption on Foote was his brother already played here and Fitz played with Adam so maybe Adam asked if he could do him a favor and sign him to an AHL deal. He only ever played on the main roster cause of all the injuries. His agent also said he was never apart of any of this so it really isn't that hard to believe they left Fitz in the dark here too. 

Also if we really wanna go down this route of going after Fitz about it there is absolutely 0 chance that Nolan didn't know about the whole thing and I don't really recall seeing anyone calling to toss him off the team. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

15 minutes ago, Satans Hockey said:

 

Fitz isn't going to admit he knew anything even if he did. My assumption on Foote was his brother already played here and Fitz played with Adam so maybe Adam asked if he could do him a favor and sign him to an AHL deal. He only ever played on the main roster cause of all the injuries. His agent also said he was never apart of any of this so it really isn't that hard to believe they left Fitz in the dark here too. 

Also if we really wanna go down this route of going after Fitz about it there is absolutely 0 chance that Nolan didn't know about the whole thing and I don't really recall seeing anyone calling to toss him off the team. 

Hard to speculate what Nolan might have known.  You can make the argument that Cal WOULDN’T want his brother to know what happened for any number of reasons.  

[Satans Hockey]

14 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Hard to speculate what Nolan might have known.  You can make the argument that Cal WOULDN’T want his brother to know what happened for any number of reasons.  

That's true too, more just using it as a comparison that we shouldn't be jumping on Fitz because we have no idea if he was lied to or not and like you said no matter he was told legal would tell him to not comment anyway. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 minutes ago, Satans Hockey said:

That's true too, more just using it as a comparison that we shouldn't be jumping on Fitz because we have no idea if he was lied to or not and like you said no matter he was told legal would tell him to not comment anyway. 

I'm not accusing anyone in particular of anything here, but with what's going with the 2023-24 Devils (and Fitz appearing to be in full-on punt mode) makes it easy for fans to want to get on Fitz for literally EVERYTHING...even the MM situation.

And as far as the MM/Cal Foote situation goes, the problem is that any current discussion that we have on it is based on relatively limited info...yeah, there's just enough info out there re:  the incident itself that we have some idea of what happened (and now we know five of the involved players by name), but as far as who knew what when, it's all pure speculation.  None of us know; we just don't...we can't pretend to have any idea. 

And we won't know for quite a while (if ever, when it comes to what GMs, NHL teammates, others might have known)...what was the tentative trial start date?  Sometime in 2026?!    

[Crisis]

Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts said that Bettman was making sure that the information about the investigation stayed between the police and the league and the teams didn't know anything about it.

I'm sure the teams had their suspicions and that is probably why all players involved were on contracts expiring at the end of this season.

[MadDog2020]

17 minutes ago, Crisis said:

Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts said that Bettman was making sure that the information about the investigation stayed between the police and the league and the teams didn't know anything about it.

I'm sure the teams had their suspicions and that is probably why all players involved were on contracts expiring at the end of this season.

Yeah that sounds about right. Anything else from Elliotte about the Devils/Lindy/MIA Fitz/trade deadline?

Edited February 26 by MadDog2020

[Puckbuster]

I didn’t even bother tune in for the game.  I am so disappointed.  It’s my fault I feel this way about the team because I had lofty expectations during the preseason.