God, I hate losing.

Gillies(-9.8 GSAE in 13 games) vs Lankinen(-12.5 GSAE in 13 games) in net. One of the worst goalie matchups you could get in the league. Could be a shootout tonight.

Lines are the same as last night.
- vlongo4419

Well, nailed this. Gillies gave up 6 goals on 2.73 xGs and Lankinen gave up 5 on 3.05 xGs.

Once again, the Devils were the better team and the goalie sunk them. I cant wait to see what Fitz does by the start of training camp when it comes to goaltending.

Well, nailed this. Gillies gave up 6 goals on 2.73 xGs and Lankinen gave up 5 on 3.05 xGs.

Once again, the Devils were the better team and the goalie sunk them. I cant wait to see what Fitz does by the start of training camp when it comes to goaltending.
- vlongo4419

This is the biggest test Fitz has faced and his tenure as a GM will be defined by this moment.

This is the biggest test Fitz has faced and his tenure as a GM will be defined by this moment.
- Pomegrant

Absolutely, and it's arguably the toughest move to make too! Free agency doesn't look good at all so it probably needs to come via trade. Will be interesting to see what he does

So glad Gillies got one of my 3 requires goalie starts in fantasy! Otherwise I wouldn’t win any goalie stats -_- Would have the same result if i didnt start anyone all week. Just terrible.

So glad Gillies got one of my 3 requires goalie starts in fantasy! Otherwise I wouldn’t win any goalie stats -_- Would have the same result if i didnt start anyone all week. Just terrible.
- MartysBetter88

Ouch lol, that's rough

Nope; but it’s impressive they could reel that off at all.
- Queenie_5_hole

For sure

So glad Gillies got one of my 3 requires goalie starts in fantasy! Otherwise I wouldn’t win any goalie stats -_- Would have the same result if i didnt start anyone all week. Just terrible.
- MartysBetter88

homie pick up literally any other goalie lol

A mediocre team cannot do well with bad goaltending. There are certainly other factors as to why we are bleeding goals; but Gillies clearly is overmatched at this level. Not a personal attack. Seems like a good enough guy. I’m sure it’s a hard spot for him. He’s punching above his weight class and the defense hangs him out to dry… But results are what matter.

Not sure it’s worth spending assets because the post season dream died long ago… but clearly a high priority for next season.

A mediocre team cannot do well with bad goaltending. There are certainly other factors as to why we are bleeding goals; but Gillies clearly is overmatched at this level. Not a personal attack. Seems like a good enough guy. I’m sure it’s a hard spot for him. He’s punching above his weight class and the defense hangs him out to dry… But results are what matter.

Not sure it’s worth spending assets because the post season dream died long ago… but clearly a high priority for next season.
- Queenie_5_hole

It’s good we have poop goaltending because now we can draft a bust in the top 5 rather than a spot between 10 and 15

homie pick up literally any other goalie lol
- Pomegrant

He was starting almost every game and at the time Swayman was in the minors.. Holtby lost his job and Blackwood was out. So I’ve had to keep him to get 3 starts. But I dropped him. Will rely on Swayman and try to find a goalie in a 20 team league. Rask unfortunately retiring was a gift for me.

It’s good we have poop goaltending because now we can draft a bust in the top 5 rather than a spot between 10 and 15
- shvingter88

Can’t wait to see how the top 10 pan out from last year’s loaded draft. Glad Holtz is killing it in the minors. Hopefully he can kill it up here eventually. Raymond looks great without great linemates. We’ll see what the rest of that crew brings. Lundell looking good too.

Can’t wait to see how the top 10 pan out from last year’s loaded draft. Glad Holtz is killing it in the minors. Hopefully he can kill it up here eventually. Raymond looks great without great linemates. We’ll see what the rest of that crew brings. Lundell looking good too.
- MartysBetter88

Yeah 2020 is looking really good. That's how I felt about it going into it too, there was a clear top 3 then a range of 4-12 who couldve gone in any order and i was happy getting any of them(obviously with preferences), and it's looking like that is turning out to be true. All of the players in that range are looking like very good prospects right now.

It'll be the same in this draft too coming up. There's a clear top 2, Wright and Cooley(maybe 3 if people think Slafkovsky sealed his spot after the Olympics), then 4-11ish is a toss up and anybody could go in any order. Still have my preferences, but as long as we don't take Geekie or Miroshnichenko I'll be happy with the pick.

Can’t wait to see how the top 10 pan out from last year’s loaded draft. Glad Holtz is killing it in the minors. Hopefully he can kill it up here eventually. Raymond looks great without great linemates. We’ll see what the rest of that crew brings. Lundell looking good too.
- MartysBetter88

They’ll all be great but holtz

Yeah 2020 is looking really good. That's how I felt about it going into it too, there was a clear top 3 then a range of 4-12 who couldve gone in any order and i was happy getting any of them(obviously with preferences), and it's looking like that is turning out to be true. All of the players in that range are looking like very good prospects right now.

It'll be the same in this draft too coming up. There's a clear top 2, Wright and Cooley(maybe 3 if people think Slafkovsky sealed his spot after the Olympics), then 4-11ish is a toss up and anybody could go in any order. Still have my preferences, but as long as we don't take Geekie or Miroshnichenko I'll be happy with the pick.
- vlongo4419

Slafkovsky seems like bust material. Hasn't actually played that much in the past couple of seasons and only showed well in a weak Olympics tournament. He's got the tall/60 that people really overvalue. It's the same thing that happened with Kaako where they use dumb metrics like "playing against men". Well, I've seen that he hasn't scored against "men" so why should I be excited about him.

With the 1st overall selection, in the 2024 draft, the New Jersey Devils select…

Slafkovsky seems like bust material. Hasn't actually played that much in the past couple of seasons and only showed well in a weak Olympics tournament. He's got the tall/60 that people really overvalue. It's the same thing that happened with Kaako where they use dumb metrics like "playing against men". Well, I've seen that he hasn't scored against "men" so why should I be excited about him.
- Pomegrant

He definitely has the highest risk of potential not translating but his ceiling is pretty big. Solid skater, very good hands, nice shot, and very good playdriving abilities. His issue is he sometimes doesn't process the game as fast as needs to, but that will come with time playing in a league. Hes my #1 option at forward if we don't pick in the top 2, unfortunately he'll probably be gone before we pick. We'll most likely pick top 2 or 5-7, and I think he's gone 3 or 4.

My current top 6 in order of preference is Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky, Nemec, Lambert, Jiricek. But again, just no Geekie or Miroshnichenko and I'll be on board with the pick.

He definitely has the highest risk of potential not translating but his ceiling is pretty big. Solid skater, very good hands, nice shot, and very good playdriving abilities. His issue is he sometimes doesn't process the game as fast as needs to, but that will come with time playing in a league. Hes my #1 option at forward if we don't pick in the top 2, unfortunately he'll probably be gone before we pick. We'll most likely pick top 2 or 5-7, and I think he's gone 3 or 4.

My current top 6 in order of preference is Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky, Nemec, Lambert, Jiricek. But again, just no Geekie or Miroshnichenko and I'll be on board with the pick.
- vlongo4419

Why don’t you like Geekie or Miroshnichenko? What’s the concern?

Why don’t you like Geekie or Miroshnichenko? What’s the concern?
- MartysBetter88

Geekie is a pretty awkward/poor skater, isn't a puck carrier in transition or a playdriver, and isn't primary shooting option when on the ice. He has really smooth hands and is a very good playmaker, and has a good shot but doesnt use as much as he should. He's the guy who will be overdrafted because he's 6'4 and has good hockey sense. I feel like his skating, which some say is just average or even below average for the WHL, is a big cause for concern for me and could hold him back from being anything more than a bottom 6 player if he makes the NHL imo. Im willing to be wrong, but he is a hard avoid for me.

Miroshnichenko is a weird case, because he has all the tools to be an effective top 6 player but he hasn't be able to put it all together. His consistency and effort/urgency is just lacking for periods at a time, and his hockey IQ is a pretty big question mark too. He kind of reminds me of Zacha as a prospect tbh, and as we see here Zacha wasnt able to fully put it all together lol. It wouldnt be wrong to call him a boom or bust pick. If we were in the mid teens or 20s I'd have no issue with taking a shot on him, but I cant justify using a top 6 or 7 pick on him, wherever we end up.

No Holtz or Walsh in the Utica lineup tonight. Haven't seen any reports of an injury(yet), so maybe theyre NJ bound?

EDIT: Holtz is out with an illness, per the broadcast. Also Walsh is a healthy scratch. So no call-ups.

Geekie is a pretty awkward/poor skater, isn't a puck carrier in transition or a playdriver, and isn't primary shooting option when on the ice. He has really smooth hands and is a very good playmaker, and has a good shot but doesnt use as much as he should. He's the guy who will be overdrafted because he's 6'4 and has good hockey sense. I feel like his skating, which some say is just average or even below average for the WHL, is a big cause for concern for me and could hold him back from being anything more than a bottom 6 player if he makes the NHL imo. Im willing to be wrong, but he is a hard avoid for me.

Miroshnichenko is a weird case, because he has all the tools to be an effective top 6 player but he hasn't be able to put it all together. His consistency and effort/urgency is just lacking for periods at a time, and his hockey IQ is a pretty big question mark too. He kind of reminds me of Zacha as a prospect tbh, and as we see here Zacha wasnt able to fully put it all together lol. It wouldnt be wrong to call him a boom or bust pick. If we were in the mid teens or 20s I'd have no issue with taking a shot on him, but I cant justify using a top 6 or 7 pick on him, wherever we end up.
- vlongo4419

Geekie is the perfect pick for the devils

Ty Smith is expected to be a healthy scratch tomorrow night. Colton White will take his place

Ty Smith is expected to be a healthy scratch tomorrow night. Colton White will take his place
- vlongo4419

Understandable move but why did Ruff finally realize their???

I think Ty gets a mulligan. I’m not giving up on him big picture. But we’ve handled him horribly.

Ek is reporting we are in on Smith, Koskinen, Halak, Khodoben and Holtby so we can upgrade our goalies this season. Some of those choices may actually make our goalie issues worse, while others are only slightly incrementally better. Just let it ride until the off season and get a better draft slot, don’t waste our time with one of these goalies please

Ek is reporting we are in on Smith, Koskinen, Halak, Khodoben and Holtby so we can upgrade our goalies this season. Some of those choices may actually make our goalie issues worse, while others are only slightly incrementally better. Just let it ride until the off season and get a better draft slot, don’t waste our time with one of these goalies please
- Crushers68

Depends on the kind of deal it is. If it's Koskinen I'm totally fine with it because hes a pending UFA and it'd be a cap dump for EDM, so we'd be most likely be getting an asset for taking his cap hit for the rest of this season.