Todd Cordell: Flyers 4, Devils 0: Five observations from yet another disaster

That 4th line was absolutely infuriating. There should never be a case where Zacha sits for the likes of Rooney, I'm sorry.

They gotta consider firing Hynes.

Zacha and Boqvist should absolutely be in tonight. Take out two of Wood, Rooney, and Hayden.

I like the idea of Palmieri with Hughes, if they're not going to do that maybe they should just keep Hall-Hischier-Palmieri together so we have at least one line we know plays well together.

Aside for Hall, Hughes and Schneider, the entire team looked like they were drugged last night. Not a single person outside of those three was engaged with the game, or trying to make something happen. They were physically unable to get out of their own zone and gave Hart the easiest night imaginable outside of that one shot from Hall.

The whole thing just looks so passive. I don't know if the point of their system is to sit back and counterattack, but they are always pinned in, and this has been a consistent problem for years under Hynes and I think contributes to them constantly being considered one of the softest teams in the league. Not saying he needs to go, but not nearly enough questions have been asked about how he organizes this team.

Aside for Hall, Hughes and Schneider, the entire team looked like they were drugged last night. Not a single person outside of those three was engaged with the game, or trying to make something happen. They were physically unable to get out of their own zone and gave Hart the easiest night imaginable outside of that one shot from Hall.

The whole thing just looks so passive. I don't know if the point of their system is to sit back and counterattack, but they are always pinned in, and this has been a consistent problem for years under Hynes and I think contributes to them constantly being considered one of the softest teams in the league. Not saying he needs to go, but not nearly enough questions have been asked about how he organizes this team.
- Cmor11794

Agreed. This is all on the coaching and system.

And the sh!t show rolls on. Somebody please tell me it's going to get better!
The only good thing about last night was that Doc was calling the game.

Are Robinson or Lemaire available to rescue us again?

I thought Subban was moving the puck really well, but it didn't seem like he was being set up to use his big shot much

I thought Subban was moving the puck really well, but it didn't seem like he was being set up to use his big shot much
- Coburns_Nose

Yeah because his partner (Vatanen) and forwards were getting completely caved in

I do find some solace in the first note, though. Hughes was noticeably better. He's learning and he'll be fine. He even backchecked better.

I do worry about Gusev though. It'll be tough to coach him to play defense with the language barrier, but it badly needs to be done.

No need to panic...it's only been 3 games. A lot of season left

NJ has a bunch of speedy skaters, and yet they're generating zero offence on the rush, somehow obsessed with zone pressure hockey. If this is a familiar narrative, it's because it's exactly where we were the last few years.

NJ should look to have players cheating on the play and stretching the neutral zone, even if it costs them a few goals: they'll probably score more than they will have scored on them if they use this method.

Zone pressure hockey is best played by sandpaper forwards and big defenceman that block all shots - ala Canadiens, Bruins, and Blue Jackets. NJ does not have those: they have a skating team, so stretch the neutral zone and play end-to-end. My problem with Hynes is that he doesn't seem to be getting the memo on the "fast" and "attacking" part...

The game started off with a quick pace yesterday, but so quick that NJ kept missing their own passes and it looked absolutely terrible - like everyone is on their own page. NJ has to find their pace in order to maintain possession better.

did you just say "big defensemen"? Size doesn't matter in hockey. stop it.

is PK hurt? I've heard he lost a step, but the guy was so slow. Looked like he was skating in cement

After listening to the game/Chico I realized something... Woods has no business in today's NHL. He would have been amazing in the 90s-00s. But Chico saying how the refs need to let some stuff go.

Not blaming Wood, but the NHL. You never know what hit will be called a penalty, what play will be called. No pun, but they are skating on thin ice and on edge. Just let them play dammit!

is PK hurt? I've heard he lost a step, but the guy was so slow. Looked like he was skating in cement
- SeeYouInNewark

I don't think he's hurt, I think he just looks like he's laboring. Has an interesting skating style. The thing I love about him though is that he doesn't force things...he's the first guy to flip it up ice if he doesn't see an outlet pass. Something no one else on the team can seem to do.

Doomed.

But seriously they started 4-0 last year and look what happened. Sure the start sucks but it doesn't (have to) define what happens the rest of the way.
If it does not turn around soon though, it may be time to make some coaching changes. Nasserdine should be the first to feel the axe.

The season started with all this hype and quickly faltered after the 3rd period of the 1st game.

Where's fast and supportive? I see none of this. This team has players that can blow through the neutral with the puck and push the defending team back. I see none of that. As for supportive, I don't see it anywhere. Forwards need to come down a little bit lower on the defensive zone to receive the puck and carry it. Of course, this requires the defense to throw a good outlet pass.

Now I wouldn't have a problem with a 3 game losing streak to start, but the way they're losing is just bad. They blew a 4 goal lead and then come out flat next game. The game against the Flyers was even worse. The team's confidence, swagger, and mental-toughness are not there.

As for Hynes and his staff, they're terrible. I've defended him before, but now that he actually has talent it's up to him and his staff to make things work. I'm not asking for Shero's head, he's done his job. Lose tonight, Hynes and his crew need to go. Blysma is probably coming if he can get out of his assistant job in Detroit. And please, I don't want to see past Devil coaches here. Let's move on from Lemaire and Stevens. The talent on this team should be high scoring offense.

Maybe rollout the following tonight:

Hall-Hischier-Simmonds
Coleman-Hughes-Palmieri
Gusev-Zacha-Bratt
Boqvist-Zajac-Wood (ugh on Wood)

Ignore the line-numbers. Just rollout the best lines that are working.

Defense:

Vatanen-Subban
Butcher-Severson
Greene-Carrick

We are the offseason Cleveland Browns

I think Hughes looked noticeably better last night and it’s good to see the numbers back that up. He’s obviously still a work in progress and has a long way to go, but improvement each game is the best you can hope for. And Schneider did look mostly solid. Definitely seemed more confident in net than during his rough stretches the last two years.

It’s just the rest of the team. I don’t pretend to know much about actual coaching or strategy, but when you have a roster full of guys who have real NHL experience and have played well in the past, and nearly every single one looks lost out there, not knowing where to go, not being able to pass to another player’s stick, playing sloppy and undisciplined hockey, that’s on the coaches, right?

I’m confused because almost all of these guys have looked good in the past, many of them under Hynes, so I don’t really know if I should be blaming him or the work ethic of the players or what. But it’s just terrible to watch and you can tell it’s terrible for the players to experience. I feel like I could watch Palmieri getting emotionally worn down last night.

Also, yes the fourth line is godawful. I don’t know what to do with Wood and I don’t know why Zacha was scratched. But more than any of that, why in the world did we have Hayden killing penalties last night?

We are the offseason Cleveland Browns
- devils2929

excited for tonight's back to back loss.

excited for tonight's back to back loss.
- Pomegrant

is PK hurt? I've heard he lost a step, but the guy was so slow. Looked like he was skating in cement
- SeeYouInNewark

Always been slow now get ready for him to start flopping around on the ice like a fish on dry land after opposing wingers fly by him. Glad he is a Devil and not a Pred any more. I feel for the Devil fans but I can't quite reach you.