Roger Mussa: 2021 Devils Awards Ceremony

Great read, thanks for your analysis.

Great read, thanks for your analysis.
- Crushers68

With so much great stuff in the article I feel bad focusing on something mentioned at the end. But I feel it was a great point mentioning that our goalie pipeline needs attention.

Personally, I'm optimistic on Daws and Schmid had an impressive year (albeit down in the USHL). We need more. I like that Ray Ray and Fritzy seem to take a goalie each draft. I'm doubtful on Senn and Cormier and the rest of the pipeline.

Jeremy Brodeur had a Binghamton leading .922 save percentage (in only 3 games) and knocked out a shutout in his only start for the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL. Not saying it means anything but since I remember when he was born, it's nice to see.

Oh damn the Devils have hired Meghan Duggan for the role of Manager, Player Development within the hockey ops department. That actually seems like a pretty good move, i really like the direction the player development system has been going in the past year or so

Great article. I'm looking forward to more from you guys.

I find it very interesting how much this post differs from Todd Cordell's similar write ups, particularly in regard to Zacha and Johnsson. Not criticizing, I enjoy the fact that Todd is so heavily into the analytics and you guys are more about the eye test. Being that reality falls somewhere in between it's good to have such differing viewpoints.

Keep up the good work.

Blackwood sucked this year. He was off all year. He didnt move side to side like he did last season when we were all in awe. This season he actually reminded me of Cory in his last few years with us.

Blackwood sucked this year. He was off all year. He didnt move side to side like he did last season when we were all in awe. This season he actually reminded me of Cory in his last few years with us.
- Leniwm1

Baptism by fire. He was pelted all year long.

He did show he can handle a heavy load and the Devils seem to have given him the reins. I think that was a positive.

With so much great stuff in the article I feel bad focusing on something mentioned at the end. But I feel it was a great point mentioning that our goalie pipeline needs attention.

Personally, I'm optimistic on Daws and Schmid had an impressive year (albeit down in the USHL). We need more. I like that Ray Ray and Fritzy seem to take a goalie each draft. I'm doubtful on Senn and Cormier and the rest of the pipeline.

Jeremy Brodeur had a Binghamton leading .922 save percentage (in only 3 games) and knocked out a shutout in his only start for the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL. Not saying it means anything but since I remember when he was born, it's nice to see.
- Queenie_5_hole

I agree with you on Daws and Shmid. Schmid in his USHL loosing series still posted a .920% and 2.28 GAA. Given his even better numbers through his 37 regular season games of 0.926%, and 2.18 GAA, he clearly needs to be challanged more. Nico Daws got a taste of men's hockey now, and hopefully can build off that. Regardless, both are big tendy's who are showing promise. I think a decent veteran backup is all that we need to add, and should fairly easy to address given the current surplus of goalies.

Dell/Senn/Cormier are all guys that are expendable (Wedgewood too if we address our backup needs in the offseason).

Great article. I'm looking forward to more from you guys.

I find it very interesting how much this post differs from Todd Cordell's similar write ups, particularly in regard to Zacha and Johnsson. Not criticizing, I enjoy the fact that Todd is so heavily into the analytics and you guys are more about the eye test. Being that reality falls somewhere in between it's good to have such differing viewpoints.

Keep up the good work.
- gmarz16

There certainly is room for both the eyeball test, and analytics in this sport. So many little things can't be quantified on a spreadsheet. Todd was a great Devs blogger, but I look forward to the Woo/Mussa duo going forward.

I agree with you on Daws and Shmid. Schmid in his USHL loosing series still posted a .920% and 2.28 GAA. Given his even better numbers through his 37 regular season games of 0.926%, and 2.18 GAA, he clearly needs to be challanged more. Nico Daws got a taste of men's hockey now, and hopefully can build off that. Regardless, both are big tendy's who are showing promise. I think a decent veteran backup is all that we need to add, and should fairly easy to address given the current surplus of goalies.

Dell/Senn/Cormier are all guys that are expendable (Wedgewood too if we address our backup needs in the offseason).
- bikeguy99

Id sign Wedgewood for a few bucks, one year, and give the youth time to develop and see who stands out.

Blackwood sucked this year. He was off all year. He didnt move side to side like he did last season when we were all in awe. This season he actually reminded me of Cory in his last few years with us.
- Leniwm1

He looked great at the beginning of the season and then he got hit hard by covid

He even said that he only started to breathe regularly and not be as tired right towards the end of the season

Blackwood sucked this year. He was off all year. He didnt move side to side like he did last season when we were all in awe. This season he actually reminded me of Cory in his last few years with us.
- Leniwm1

He was great until he got covid

Id sign Wedgewood for a few bucks, one year, and give the youth time to develop and see who stands out.
- Devils Advocate

I won't be upset if that is the case. He played decent as usual, but I still think Blackwood would benefit most from a veteran who has at least been "the-guy" at one point in his career. I feel the UFA market has other tendys who really could be that kind of mentor, while putting up numbers no worse than Wedgy. It's going to be another UFA goalie scramble like last season with Rinne, Dubnyk, Mrazek, Reimer, Raanta, Bernier, Hutton, Halak, Smith, Elliott, Miller, Anderson... The list goes on, and all of those guys have far more experience that I feel would benefit Blackwood in a mentorship role. Not knocking on Wedge, who played some good games down the stretch.

While he is not to blame through his 20 career games as a Dev, sometimes you have to shake things up and this is one position that could easily addressed.

I won't be upset if that is the case. He played decent as usual, but I still think Blackwood would benefit most from a veteran who has at least been "the-guy" at one point in his career. I feel the UFA market has other tendys who really could be that kind of mentor, while putting up numbers no worse than Wedgy. It's going to be another UFA goalie scramble like last season with Rinne, Dubnyk, Mrazek, Reimer, Raanta, Bernier, Hutton, Halak, Smith, Elliott, Miller, Anderson... The list goes on, and all of those guys have far more experience that I feel would benefit Blackwood in a mentorship role. Not knocking on Wedge, who played some good games down the stretch.

While he is not to blame through his 20 career games as a Dev, sometimes you have to shake things up and this is one position that could easily addressed.
- bikeguy99

Agreed, thats what Crawford was supposed to do.

Why are we giving out awards to a team that finished in 29th place? Does everyone get a participation trophy as well?

The new lottery percentages have come out. We have a 10.3% chance to win the #1 pick, an increase over past years' #4 odds. We also have the same odds as #3 Seattle

Covid affected so many players it's hard to who is just actually bad or was just sick. Wedgewood was pretty terrible for the majority of the year and I'm thinking covid might have had an effect on that but there is something to be said that he couldn't make it as a backup goalie in the league for multiple teams.

The new lottery percentages have come out. We have a 10.3% chance to win the #1 pick, an increase over past years' #4 odds. We also have the same odds as #3 Seattle
- vlongo4419

I like those chances.

Blackwood sucked this year. He was off all year. He didnt move side to side like he did last season when we were all in awe. This season he actually reminded me of Cory in his last few years with us.
- Leniwm1

Not trying to give you a hard time but I think you are off on this. Blackwood was AMAZINGLY GREAT at the start of this season. I think right up until he got Covid. And then struggled big time. After he eventually seemed to recover he played some decent but much less impressive games in goal. At least that's how remember it.

Cory's last year with NJ saw him put up a .887 save% and a 3.53 GAA. Blackwood just put up a .902 Save% and 3.04 GAA. Not great but clearly better.

To your larger point, I get that it was a disappointing year since so we had a few guys take a clear step forward and Blackwood didn't. He sort of reinforced that belief he's very inconsistent. Something I'm not buying into yet because of the Covid effect.

I won't be upset if that is the case. He played decent as usual, but I still think Blackwood would benefit most from a veteran who has at least been "the-guy" at one point in his career. I feel the UFA market has other tendys who really could be that kind of mentor, while putting up numbers no worse than Wedgy. It's going to be another UFA goalie scramble like last season with Rinne, Dubnyk, Mrazek, Reimer, Raanta, Bernier, Hutton, Halak, Smith, Elliott, Miller, Anderson... The list goes on, and all of those guys have far more experience that I feel would benefit Blackwood in a mentorship role. Not knocking on Wedge, who played some good games down the stretch.

While he is not to blame through his 20 career games as a Dev, sometimes you have to shake things up and this is one position that could easily addressed.
- bikeguy99

I'm with you on this. I think the only value to signing Wedgewood is if you want a guy in the AHL who you know can handle being called up. This team is obviously very hard on goalies I'd want someone with legit NHL starting experience as a backup.