Defense looks so much worse because when they let a guy get behind them, which happens to every team, that guy scores. When you G can't make anything more than the expected saves your D is going to look awful. These aren't Conner McDavid caliber players that are beating NJ's goalies one on one, these are the Anthony Duclair's of the world, and less.
- gmarz16

Yup, it's been horrific. Vanecek is just flat out not an NHL-calibre goalie atm and while Schmid has been better as of late, he had no business being put into a back to back after facing 47 shots the night prior. Just goes to show how they feel about Vanecek right now(rightfully so).

Fitz said earlier this season that he'd need 25 games to evaluate the team and determine the needs accurately. We'll, it's been 22 games. Idk how much longer he can wait before a move is made. It's very clear what this team needs, everybody in and around the league knows it. There's no way he can justify doing nothing at this point.

Yup, it's been horrific. Vanecek is just flat out not an NHL-calibre goalie atm and while Schmid has been better as of late, he had no business being put into a back to back after facing 47 shots the night prior. Just goes to show how they feel about Vanecek right now(rightfully so).

Fitz said earlier this season that he'd need 25 games to evaluate the team and determine the needs accurately. We'll, it's been 22 games. Idk how much longer he can wait before a move is made. It's very clear what this team needs, everybody in and around the league knows it. There's no way he can justify doing nothing at this point.
- vlongo4419

Problem is no team is going to be trading a true number 1 goalie mid season unless it's someone with a bad or expiring contract like Gibson

There may be smaller trades but not sure will move the needle

Problem is no team is going to be trading a true number 1 goalie mid season unless it's someone with a bad or expiring contract like Gibson

There may be smaller trades but not sure will move the needle
- dmarsden2988

Agreed. Really tough to make a significant goalie move mid-season. Would also likely require Fitz to massively overpay, especially because other teams know we need a goalie.

Problem is no team is going to be trading a true number 1 goalie mid season unless it's someone with a bad or expiring contract like Gibson

There may be smaller trades but not sure will move the needle
- dmarsden2988

The league is also bare for good to great goalies. Very much like the nfl and qb. Devils need to sure up their defense to help their goalies

Going from 1st to 12th in high danger shots.. that doesn’t correlated with Vitek looking better last year and cheese this year? I expect a team to be where we are in the standings if giving up 12th most high danger shots. But I also haven’t taken the time to look at the stats and compare vs standings or GAA, so maybe there isn’t much correlation idk. I expect to lose games if we’re slightly above average in high danger chances. NHL-level forwards can all score.. so you give them enough “high danger” opportunities, I expect them to put them home.

Going from 1st to 12th in high danger shots.. that doesn’t correlated with Vitek looking better last year and cheese this year? I expect a team to be where we are in the standings if giving up 12th most high danger shots. But I also haven’t taken the time to look at the stats and compare vs standings or GAA, so maybe there isn’t much correlation idk. I expect to lose games if we’re slightly above average in high danger chances. NHL-level forwards can all score.. so you give them enough “high danger” opportunities, I expect them to put them home.
- MartysBetter88

Lmao except for the fact that going from 1st to 12th is us giving up 0.64 more high danger chances per game(10.32 to 10.96). So not even 1 full chance. The other team isn't the only team allowed to make saves that bail the team out(as every single team makes mistakes and has breakdowns). At some point he just needs to make saves. We have the worst high danger save% in the league. As a team, we're expected to give up less goals per 60 at 5v5 than last season(2.42 last season to 2.35 this season). So lets stop making excuses for the guy, he is literally arguably the worst goalie in the league. He currently ranks:

Bottom 3 in GSAx
Bottom 3 in GSAA
64th in save%
Bottom 3 in high danger save%
Bottom 5 in rebounds allowed per shot attempts faced
46th in low danger save%
49th in medium danger save%

He has been terrible any which way you wanna look at it. He legitimately has no reason to be in the NHL, he's not an NHL-caliber goalie right now. Schmid has been better as of late, but Vanecek has been so bad that the team felt they had to start Schmid back to back after facing 47 shots the night prior. It's not a defense issue, it's a Vanecek issue.

Lmao except for the fact that going from 1st to 12th is us giving up 0.64 more high danger chances per game(10.32 to 10.96). So not even 1 full chance. The other team isn't the only team allowed to make saves that bail the team out(as every single team makes mistakes and has breakdowns). At some point he just needs to make saves. We have the worst high danger save% in the league. As a team, we're expected to give up less goals per 60 at 5v5 than last season(2.42 last season to 2.35 this season). So lets stop making excuses for the guy, he is literally arguably the worst goalie in the league. He currently ranks:

Bottom 3 in GSAx
Bottom 3 in GSAA
64th in save%
Bottom 3 in high danger save%
Bottom 5 in rebounds allowed per shot attempts faced
46th in low danger save%
49th in medium danger save%

He has been terrible any which way you wanna look at it. He legitimately has no reason to be in the NHL, he's not an NHL-caliber goalie right now. Schmid has been better as of late, but Vanecek has been so bad that the team felt they had to start Schmid back to back after facing 47 shots the night prior. It's not a defense issue, it's a Vanecek issue.
- vlongo4419

If you're Ruff and you decided last week that Schmid was going to be your number 1, wouldn't the perfect time to get your number 2 in be the second game of a back to back against an awful team after #1 faced 47 shots in an OT game on the road? If you aren't using #2 in that spot, when are you going to use him?

If you're Ruff and you decided last week that Schmid was going to be your number 1, wouldn't the perfect time to get your number 2 in be the second game of a back to back against an awful team after #1 faced 47 shots in an OT game on the road? If you aren't using #2 in that spot, when are you going to use him?
- gmarz16

Exactly. I just don't get it tbh. Now watch Ruff start Vanecek tomorrow against the Canucks lol

Looks like Haula will be back tomorrow. Lines in practice today:

Haula-Jack-Toffoli
Palat-Nico-Bratt
Timo-Mercer-Holtz
Lazar-McLeod-Bastian

Siegs-Nemec
Bahl-Marino
Luke-Miller
Tierney-Smith as the extras

Lmao except for the fact that going from 1st to 12th is us giving up 0.64 more high danger chances per game(10.32 to 10.96). So not even 1 full chance. The other team isn't the only team allowed to make saves that bail the team out(as every single team makes mistakes and has breakdowns). At some point he just needs to make saves. We have the worst high danger save% in the league. As a team, we're expected to give up less goals per 60 at 5v5 than last season(2.42 last season to 2.35 this season). So lets stop making excuses for the guy, he is literally arguably the worst goalie in the league. He currently ranks:

Bottom 3 in GSAx
Bottom 3 in GSAA
64th in save%
Bottom 3 in high danger save%
Bottom 5 in rebounds allowed per shot attempts faced
46th in low danger save%
49th in medium danger save%

He has been terrible any which way you wanna look at it. He legitimately has no reason to be in the NHL, he's not an NHL-caliber goalie right now. Schmid has been better as of late, but Vanecek has been so bad that the team felt they had to start Schmid back to back after facing 47 shots the night prior. It's not a defense issue, it's a Vanecek issue.
- vlongo4419

ah I see. thanks. we're doomed.

Jack and Luke are going to look amazing in those Nucks uniforms in a few years when they demand a trade.

Vaneceks rebound control is honestly laughable lmao. Dude lets everything pop out into the slot.

Anyone feel like signing Timo mightve been a bad idea. I forget hes on the team half the time

Weekes saying the Devils are "looking for a stabilizer on the back end, a physical defeseman who can block shots." Specifically mentioned they're interested in Chris Tanev, but so are a lot of teams. All indications are that Fitz is trying to get active.

Anyone feel like signing Timo mightve been a bad idea. I forget hes on the team half the time
- devils2929

Thats what happens when you rotate different line combos all the time.

Thats what happens when you rotate different line combos all the time.
- RubberBiscuitz

The guy had 13 minutes of ice time last night. Where Hughes, nico and Bratt are getting 18 to 20 a night. Just seems like a money for a guy getting 13 minutes of ice time

Anyone feel like signing Timo mightve been a bad idea. I forget hes on the team half the time
- devils2929

I had no idea who he was until last year when everyone was gushing over him before the deadline. But I also have enough time to watch 1 5/8 games each season.

Looks like we lost our latest blog, so re-starting this one.

Need to shore up the defense in 2024 if we're going to have any chance of making the playoffs and advancing. And we need better goaltending

Went to the game last night. Can't understand why they play so tentative. Too much east/west play and not enough north/south. IMO this negates their speed game.

Thank goodness for 3 on 3 where we let our speed shine. Too bad we won't have that in the playoffs.

Also, was my first time at the Rock as I moved from the area in 2001. Definitely nicer than the Meadowlands but really wasn't all that impressed. Kind of generic and boring. Would have expected to see tons of Devils memorabilia all over the walls but no. The wall of jerseys was cool to see. Did like the Marty statue outside too but there just wasn't enough of the Devils history to be seen (unless I missed it)?

Was truly sorry to see Josh go. HEY MANAGEMENT!!!!!! any chance we get someone with a pulse before the season ends?

Where's Schmid?

Devils projected lineup

Tyler Toffoli -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt

Ondrej Palat -- Nico Hischier -- Curtis Lazar

Timo Meier -- Michael McLeod -- Dawson Mercer

Alexander Holtz -- Erik Haula -- Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Simon Nemec

Luke Hughes -- John Marino

Kevin Bahl -- Colin Miller

Vitek Vanecek

Nico Daws

Scratched: Chris Tierney, Brendan Smith

Injured: Dougie Hamilton (upper body), Tomas Nosek (upper body)

Where's Schmid?

Devils projected lineup

Tyler Toffoli -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt

Ondrej Palat -- Nico Hischier -- Curtis Lazar

Timo Meier -- Michael McLeod -- Dawson Mercer

Alexander Holtz -- Erik Haula -- Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Simon Nemec

Luke Hughes -- John Marino

Kevin Bahl -- Colin Miller

Vitek Vanecek

Nico Daws

Scratched: Chris Tierney, Brendan Smith

Injured: Dougie Hamilton (upper body), Tomas Nosek (upper body)
- Crushers68

In Utica.

Where's Schmid?

Devils projected lineup

Tyler Toffoli -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt

Ondrej Palat -- Nico Hischier -- Curtis Lazar

Timo Meier -- Michael McLeod -- Dawson Mercer

Alexander Holtz -- Erik Haula -- Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Simon Nemec

Luke Hughes -- John Marino

Kevin Bahl -- Colin Miller

Vitek Vanecek

Nico Daws

Scratched: Chris Tierney, Brendan Smith

Injured: Dougie Hamilton (upper body), Tomas Nosek (upper body)
- Crushers68

Bastian not playing well. Tierney looked good last night but also an AHL player. Nico needs a scorer . put Holtz w Nico and Palat. UPDATE ON NOLAN FOOTE ??

TOFFOLI -HUGHES -BRATT
PALAT -NICO -HOLTZ
MEIER-MCLEOD -MERCER
LAZAR- HUALA -BASTIAN

Hoping the Caps are worn down from last night's OT game against PIT. We need these 2 points against a division rival ahead of us in the standings. We need to start picking up ground in the wild card race. Although I'm still thinking we'll make it into the top 3 in the metro

Alright Devils! Back in a playoff spot