Sam Woo: Devils Score 5 Unanswered Goals to Beat Avs 5-3

MacKenzie Blackwood has changed his agent, and moved to a new agency in general. Coinciding with Seravalli putting him on his trade targets list yesterday. Might just be a coincidence, but could also have some connection there between the two.

MacKenzie Blackwood has changed his agent, and moved to a new agency in general. Coinciding with Seravalli putting him on his trade targets list yesterday. Might just be a coincidence, but could also have some connection there between the two.
- vlongo4419

Problem is what do teams view him as? And they would be trying to get him for cheap with his injuries and then his numbers aren't good when he was playing

So even if we say his numbers are bad because if injuries the other teams would say well he is then a risk and all

We also have no one in the system so without a plan we are in a bad position

Is blackwood great? No but if healthy he is more serviceable than Gilles

Problem is what do teams view him as? And they would be trying to get him for cheap with his injuries and then his numbers aren't good when he was playing

So even if we say his numbers are bad because if injuries the other teams would say well he is then a risk and all

We also have no one in the system so without a plan we are in a bad position

Is blackwood great? No but if healthy he is more serviceable than Gilles
- dmarsden2988

Well Fitz has a plan, his plan is to get another goalie lol. Whether both Blackwood/Bernier are here and healthy or not. He said he wants to add one no matter what.

Completely disagree that we have "no one in the system." We have two decent 21 year old prospects. Daws is a pretty solid prospect and has found a rhythm in the NHL, giving this team league average goaltending as of late. Schmid has been one of, if not THE best goalie in the AHL all season. No reason to discredit the progress both have made and the season both of them are having right now.

We also have absolutely no idea what has gone on behind the scenes. All we know is Fitz has not been happy with Blackwood over the past few months from both an on the ice and off the ice standpoint, and hes publicly made his frustrations known. Could also be Blackwood wanting out because of that. He could also not be on the block at all, and Seravalli is just speculating/putting some BS out there. We just don't know.

Well Fitz has a plan, his plan is to get another goalie lol. Whether both Blackwood/Bernier are here and healthy or not. He said he wants to add one no matter what.

Completely disagree that we have "no one in the system." We have two decent 21 year old prospects. Daws is a pretty solid prospect and has found a rhythm in the NHL, giving this team league average goaltending as of late. Schmid has been one of, if not THE best goalie in the AHL all season. No reason to discredit the progress both have made and the season both of them are having right now.

We also have absolutely no idea what has gone on behind the scenes. All we know is Fitz has not been happy with Blackwood over the past few months from both an on the ice and off the ice standpoint, and hes publicly made his frustrations known. Could also be Blackwood wanting out because of that. We just don't know.
- vlongo4419

I know goalies are hard to predict but neither Daws or Schmidt were viewed as a true number 1 starter in the NHL

Daws has been playing very well and against some tough teams, but then again sample size and can he do it over a full season

There have been many times in the NHL where a golaie comes in and plays very well and then disappears so I am weary of handing him the reins so early

Ideally the devil's could find a strong reliable goalie that has shown consistently to be able to handle the grind of a full season and all.

I know goalies are hard to predict but neither Daws or Schmidt were viewed as a true number 1 starter in the NHL

Daws has been playing very well and against some tough teams, but then again sample size and can he do it over a full season

There have been many times in the NHL where a golaie comes in and plays very well and then disappears so I am weary of handing him the reins so early

Ideally the devil's could find a strong reliable goalie that has shown consistently to be able to handle the grind of a full season and all.
- dmarsden2988

Everything you just said describes Blackwood, and pretty much all goalies in general outside of the elite of the elite prospects... Lol. He hasn't had a single season in his career being in the positives of GSAx. He's a 1B at best who can get hot from time to time.

I have absolutely no issue moving on from Blackwood, if we bring in someone else who could possibly be the solution. Which is what Fitz is looking for and trying to do.

With how solid our team defense has been lately we don't really need a top elite goalie talent to be competitive. We just need somebody who is going to be solid and then the offense will take over.

Fitz doing his job to gauge the market is smart. If somebody is going to overpay for Blackwood he should let them. If some team is going to sell low on a goalie we should let them. Doesn't necessarily mean these things will be forced but he's giving himself to keep the roster flexible outside of core pieces.

Eventually Wedgewood will find his way to waivers again, he’s our guy.

Eventually Wedgewood will find his way to waivers again, he’s our guy.
- Banana_Hammock

We love our wood

Seems like Nico will be out again tonight. Same lines as last game in morning skate, with Daws going again as well.

Flyers extend Ristolainen lmao

Flyers extend Ristolainen lmao
- Pomegrant

Thank god. Saves us from going for him in free agency

Eric Comrie expected to be in net for the Jets tonight

Seems like Nico will be out again tonight. Same lines as last game in morning skate, with Daws going again as well.
- vlongo4419

Confirmed no lineup changes from last game.

We love our wood
- shvingter88

you took my hard wood last week

Sam Woo: Devils Score 5 Unanswered Goals to Beat Avs 5-3
- SamuelPWoo

Devs look twice as fast as the Jets tonight. Despite a 2-1 deficit, it is hard to pass on a 4:1 payout for the comeback win going into the 3rd. They have dominated, and the only Jets who showed up to play tonight appear to be Comrie, Conner, and Stastny. Devs are playing way better than their 1 goal indicates tonight. But Conner... What do we have to do to land a late 1st rd pick with that much talent?

With how solid our team defense has been lately we don't really need a top elite goalie talent to be competitive. We just need somebody who is going to be solid and then the offense will take over.

Fitz doing his job to gauge the market is smart. If somebody is going to overpay for Blackwood he should let them. If some team is going to sell low on a goalie we should let them. Doesn't necessarily mean these things will be forced but he's giving himself to keep the roster flexible outside of core pieces.
- Pomegrant

Yes. Yes the Devs still need elite goal-tending to be relevant in this league. They look great tonight, but consistency is a continuous problem. While it is great seeing the young core all making major strides, we still are a team pacing for 67 points and in desperate need for another goalie should Blackwood part ways. Not knocking Daws. He has not disappointed one bit, but we still need 2 quality tendy's, and banking on Daws' small sample size is a big gamble.

Yes. Yes the Devs still need elite goal-tending to be relevant in this league. They look great tonight, but consistency is a continuous problem. While it is great seeing the young core all making major strides, we still are a team pacing for 67 points and in desperate need for another goalie should Blackwood part ways. Not knocking Daws. He has not disappointed one bit, but we still need 2 quality tendy's, and banking on Daws' small sample size is a big gamble.
- bikeguy99

No, no we do not need elite-level goaltending to be relevant in this league. We literally just need league-average goaltending.

will be interested to see the xGF for us tonight. Comrie isn't a good goalie and we've had a lot of shots but getting the sense we're on the lower end of high danger chances. It's obviously good that we've controlled the bulk of the play but you'd like to see this one go our way. Might have had a powerplay goal tonight but still something to be said about Recchi's dismal coaching ability.

will be interested to see the xGF for us tonight. Comrie isn't a good goalie and we've had a lot of shots but getting the sense we're on the lower end of high danger chances. It's obviously good that we've controlled the bulk of the play but you'd like to see this one go our way. Might have had a powerplay goal tonight but still something to be said about Recchi's dismal coaching ability.
- Pomegrant

At 5v5 the xGs were 2.68-2.02 in favor of us and at all-strengths it was 3.44-2.18 in favor of us. Comrie played well, and has been playing well all season. Only his 11th game though so small workload. High danger chances were 14-7 us at all-strengths and 13-7 us at 5v5

Certainly would've helped having Nico in that game, but it happens. Still a solid game overall and something to continue building on. Hopefully he's not out much longer.

Nico, Miles Wood, Tyce Thompson, and Kuokkanen have all joined practice in non-contact jerseys.

So Seravalli seems pretty convinced that Blackwoods days as a Devil won't go beyond this season, even to the point that he talked about how a buyout is essentially a wash for the team. He said he doubts it gets to that point, but it's an option if the team can't find a trade. Seems to be the growing belief that one way or another, Blackwood won't be a Devil by the start of next season.

So Seravalli seems pretty convinced that Blackwoods days as a Devil won't go beyond this season, even to the point that he talked about how a buyout is essentially a wash for the team. He said he doubts it gets to that point, but it's an option if the team can't find a trade. Seems to be the growing belief that one way or another, Blackwood won't be a Devil by the start of next season.
- vlongo4419

Surely something else must be happening if the team isn't willing to see if Blackwood can even improve next season. Whether that is the injury being more severe than we've been led to believe or something off the ice. Obviously Blackwood has been in decline for multiple seasons now but even if we'd fix the starter role and had Blackwood backing up it doesn't seem like it would really be a huge detriment to the roster.

Surely something else must be happening if the team isn't willing to see if Blackwood can even improve next season. Whether that is the injury being more severe than we've been led to believe or something off the ice. Obviously Blackwood has been in decline for multiple seasons now but even if we'd fix the starter role and had Blackwood backing up it doesn't seem like it would really be a huge detriment to the roster.
- Pomegrant

Well there's clear friction between him and management. Fitz has put that out publicly and aired his frustrations about him on multiple podcasts going back to the start of the season. So I assume it's something surrounding that and beyind the scenes stuff. I'm sure his on-ice struggles are part of it but I think it's more to do with off-ice things. The timing of his agent change coinciding with him popping up on trade boards tells me Blackwood likely wants out and is trying to speed things up.

Well there's clear friction between him and management. Fitz has put that out publicly and aired his frustrations about him on multiple podcasts going back to the start of the season. So I assume it's something surrounding that and beyind the scenes stuff. I'm sure his on-ice struggles are part of it but I think it's more to do with off-ice things. The timing of his agent change coinciding with him popping up on trade boards tells me Blackwood likely wants out and is trying to speed things up.
- vlongo4419

New agent to get the ball rolling on a trade makes a lot of sense. Blackwood after his antics this off season lost a lot of appeal for me and it turns out he is just bad so whatever stupid GM wants him can have him as far as I'm concerned. Future looking bright with Schmid and Daws. Fitz just needs to plug the holes for the next couple of seasons leading up to them taking the reins.

I'm still on the fence about Severson because while on one hand we need good defensemen the type of contract he'll command when a FA is not something we're realistically going to be able to afford. Also, the type of return you can get for a really good defenseman with another year on the contract for a cheap price could get a huge haul this deadline.

Interested to see how Fitz navigates everything seeing that we have a good chunk of players that would be nice pieces for playoff teams trying to make a run.