I'm pretty patient with young players, but Ty Smith is an absolute disaster. He does literally nothing well. It's not like he's bad defensively but provides a lot of offense either. I just don't understand why he is still in the NHL.

And this is why I'm incredulous when they say Ruff has been good at developing young players. Giving Jack and Nico a ton of ice time is a no-brainer because we know they're good at will get better with experience. What development has happened with Ty? He started terrible this season and has never improved. What signs of positive coaching has happened here?

I'm fully on team Zetterlund for next season. He's taking someone's job for sure imo.

I'm fully on team Zetterlund for next season. He's taking someone's job for sure imo.
- vlongo4419

You'd have to think that at least one of Zacha, Johnsson, or Kuokannen aren't coming back to make room.

You'd have to think that at least one of Zacha, Johnsson, or Kuokannen aren't coming back to make room.
- Pomegrant

Absolutely, i'd probably bet on two of them not being back tbh.

I'm pretty patient with young players, but Ty Smith is an absolute disaster. He does literally nothing well. It's not like he's bad defensively but provides a lot of offense either. I just don't understand why he is still in the NHL.

And this is why I'm incredulous when they say Ruff has been good at developing young players. Giving Jack and Nico a ton of ice time is a no-brainer because we know they're good at will get better with experience. What development has happened with Ty? He started terrible this season and has never improved. What signs of positive coaching has happened here?
- Pomegrant

What defender other than siegenthaler has improved under ruff

Ty looks different than last season, sure defensive lapses but he created offense now it's terrible

It's almost like butcher

Zacha with a new career high in points. Please somebody take him in a trade.

What a train wreck.

Zacha with a new career high in points. Please somebody take him in a trade.
- Pomegrant

He’ll have more next year

How did holtz play?

How did holtz play?
- dmarsden2988

He was fine. When he had the puck on his stick he actually looked good, made a lot of nice passes to start breakouts or transitions through the NZ. Had a couple nice forechecks to free up pucks. Still looked a tad slow, and didn't get his shot off though.(both because he wasnt getting open in dangerous areas as much as he should, and the few times he did get open, the pass either missed or nobody saw him). The entire line as a whole was not good though and had zero chemistry, didn't generate too much. Overall though he looked better than any game in his first stint up with the team, so that's good. Need him to keep working on his skating/footespeed in the offseason though. Even just a slight improvement would be huge for him.

He needs to play with playdrivers, and he did last night, but when those players aren't driving play then he won't be able to pop. Bratt and Boqvist were not good last night in that aspect. But again, he's here to play with Nico and Jack. So we can't judge him until he actually gets sufficient time with them.

One game to decide if we pick 4th or 5th overall, excluding the lottery. Devils must lose to the Wings and Philly must beat Ottawa.

Subban and Hischier will return to the lineup tonight.

Final lineup of the season:

Zacha-Hischier-Holtz
Sharangovich-Mercer-Bratt
Foote-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Vesey-McLeod-Bastian

Graves-Sevo
Bahl-Hamilton
Okhotiuk-Subban

Blackwood

Great start to the game

Subban and Hischier will return to the lineup tonight.
- vlongo4419

Finally we get our subban back

Great start to the game
- dmarsden2988

Wait until we’re up by 3 and still lose.

Zetterlund is so electric, i (frank)ing love it

You gotta like how Foote and Zetterlund are playing to end the season at least.

You gotta like how Foote and Zetterlund are playing to end the season at least.
- Pomegrant

Absolutely, especially Foote. Hes looked better in these last few games up in the NHL then he has at any point this season in the AHL. Hopefully this is a spark for him and he has a nice playoff run down there!

You gotta like how Foote and Zetterlund are playing to end the season at least.
- Pomegrant

Tis a good thing. Freaking flyers.

Absolutely, especially Foote. Hes looked better in these last few games up in the NHL then he has at any point this season in the AHL. Hopefully this is a spark for him and he has a nice playoff run down there!
- vlongo4419

Zetterlund was a guy I always liked so I expected him to stick. Foote I've been pretty low on so it's a nice surprise to see him pick up his game a lot.

Alright so we officially have the 5th best lottery odds. We can pick 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, or 7th.

Alright so we officially have the 5th best lottery odds. We can pick 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, or 7th.
- vlongo4419

Tankathon.com

1st: Devils
2nd: Seattle

Pain4Shane

Alright so we officially have the 5th best lottery odds. We can pick 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, or 7th.
- vlongo4419

I would’ve taken 4th overall with no chance at winning the lotto over where we at, or even if we had a 25% lotto chance. 2 flippin points.

I would’ve taken 4th overall with no chance at winning the lotto over where we at, or even if we had a 25% lotto chance. 2 flippin points.
- MartysBetter88

It would've only been 15.4% chance at 4th overall. I don't think it's that big of a deal, really. We lost way more games from being unlucky than we won by getting lucky this season. We shouldn't be this low in the standings in the first place.